In Matthew 21:33–46, Jesus tells the parable of the vineyard—a landowner who planted, fenced, and cared for a vineyard, entrusting it to tenants who were meant to guard and cultivate it. Instead, they rejected the master’s messengers and even killed his own son. This echoes the prophetic imagery in Isaiah 5, where God laments, “Now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down” (Isaiah 5:5).
The chief priests and Pharisees who listened to Jesus knew these prophetic writings. They understood that God had entrusted His Word, His truth, and His kingdom purposes first to Israel. But through their rejection, the stewardship of the vineyard has been extended beyond them—to us, the Gentiles—who have now received the living and active two-edged sword of God’s Word (Hebrews 4:12).
This trust is no small thing. It means that our lives are not our own. We are called to be vessels through whom the Word is guarded, nurtured, and multiplied. Just as the vineyard was planted to yield fruit, so must our gifts, talents, and very existence bear fruit for the kingdom of God. Every word we speak, every act of service, every hidden sacrifice becomes part of the eternal harvest God is seeking.
And at the center of this story is the magnitude of God’s sacrifice: He did not spare His own Son, but sent Him as the lifeline for sinners who had no hope of saving themselves (Romans 8:32; John 3:16). Think of the cost—the Son of God crucified, rejected by those He came to save. What a tragedy, what a waste it would be, if we who were once damned by sin now neglect so great a salvation (Hebrews 2:3).
The vineyard was never meant to be a possession for selfish gain; it was meant to be a trust, a responsibility, a calling. Likewise, our lives are not random accidents, but divinely planted vineyards where the Spirit of God seeks to cultivate righteousness, love, and truth. To waste our gifts, to bury our talents, to live for ourselves alone, is to trample underfoot the very blood of Christ poured out for us.
Beloved, the kingdom of God is still expanding, and the Master is still looking for faithful stewards. May we rise as fruit-bearing branches in His vineyard, using our voices, our resources, our influence, our creativity, and our entire lives as offerings. For when we live this way, we honor the Son who was slain, and we join in bringing forth the rich harvest that the Master has always desired.
With Love, Esinam.
Virtuous Living 