What Jesus Saved Us From
Most people know what Jesus Christ, Whom is also called the Savior, has saved people from. He has died on the cross, in order to unite us with God, to free us from sin, and to conquer death. Besides the fact that God sent His Son to “give” us things, there are other reasons why Jesus had to die. This all ties to who we are and how we behave, which is made clear in a parable that Jesus tells in Matthew chapter 21.
The Tenants
33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way.
Matthew 21:33-36 (NIV)
A landowner had built a beautiful vineyard and rented it to some farmers. When the time came to collect the fruit of the land, the people he sent were beaten and killed.
These farmers acted out of greed, because they did not want to hand over the harvest. They did it out of contempt for the owner, even though they are only renters. As renters, a portion of the harvest would have been for them. However, they wanted everything. That is what moved them to mistreat and kill, several times.
37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
Matthew 21:37-39 (NIV)
When the owner sent his own son, he expected that the tenants would respect him and that his problem would be solved. The opposite happened. He son was killed. The renters did this out of even more greed and scorn.
The Owner
At this point, Jesus asks His audience a question: What should the owner do to these tenants when he comes back? The people’s answer was clear, and they condemned themselves with it.
40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”
41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
Matthew 21:40, 41, 43 (NIV)
And us
God has given us the vineyard. One can interpret that in many ways: the earth, our health, our gifts and talents, our family. Do we give all of our fruit to the Owner, or do we want to keep some of it for ourselves? Are we the people whom God gives the vineyard to, after His Son has been killed for it? Are we the people who do bear fruit and want to give the honor to God?
Jesus has also come to save us from our ego, pride, and greed. He has come to teach us how to share the harvest with others, and to not only live for ourselves. He has come to teach us to share our blessings with others, whether they are in or outside of the church. He has come, in order for us to give Him all the glory that our lives will give.
