I have noticed one thing that drives people crazy is when they put time and effort into something and that something never pans out! That is very frustrating. I have heard that called and I like to call that UTLC or "unreturned tender loving care." People do not like UTLC! Guess what... So does the Lord!
Today's text is a song that has a surprising twist. It sounds like it will be beautiful song about Israel being a vineyard with stone free soil, choice vine, and security. Then it turns bad. We read that it is trampled, laid to waste, parched, and filled with Judah. WOW! What brought that on? The production of "sour grapes." We are all called to produce fruit in our Christian lives. As a matter of fact, Jesus says that is how we are known, by our fruits. Mt 7:20 Too many Christians produce sour grapes and sour apples instead of love, joy, peace, etc. Gal 5:22,23
Jesus spoke of plants being uprooted that was not planted by His Father. Mt 15:13 I find it very sobering that He will uproot the ones He did plant, but are producing sour grapes. Heb 6:8 Today, we can learn from this song. We have a stern warning in scripture about producing these sour grapes and needing to be uprooted. Heb 10:30,31
What more could God have done for them? He gave them everything they needed to be fruitful! Just like Adam and Eve, God has always supplied His children with the best of everything. God expects good fruit for His efforts just like we would expect.
God has planted a new vineyard, the Church. We too should heed this scary and sobering song. Can we see this production of sour grapes in the Church today? SURE DO!! People are driven by "feelings" as opposed to the written word. People today feel saved and that's enough. God desires love, righteousness, and mercy. Instead he gets bickering, unrighteousness, and bitterness. Those are sour grapes. God looks for righteousness in His people. He doesn't seek out our mistakes. Rather, he is looking for good in us. Unfortunately, all we show Him is the bad! The production of sour grapes will lead to divine wrath!!! We too will be trampled, laid to waste, parched, and filled with Judah. The sins that brought about the destruction of the first vineyard are found in the second one as well.
A sober warning can be found from Peter as well in 2Pe 2:20-22 The Church today can fall away. There is no such thing as once saved, always saved. We must be cautious of the fruit we produce.
On the bright side, if we are faithful, obedient, and producing good grapes look at we get. We will live on a fertile hill, the soil will be dug and free of stones, we will be protected, and have a tower to watch for us. God will prune, fertilize, break up the ground around His choice vine (the Church) so we can achieve the most fruit production. He will send the rain and supply us with all we need!!
Today, which vineyard do you choose to be faithful, obedient, and producing good grapes or unfaithful, disobedient, and producing sour grapes? Do you choose to be the beautiful vineyard or the trampled one?
WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?
Hear The Word- Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4
We Must Believe or Have Faith- Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31
We Must Repent- Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30
We Must Confess Christ Before Others- Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37
We Must Be Immersed Into Christ (Baptized)- 1Pe 3:21; Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38
We Must Remain Faithful- Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22
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