Luke 20:1-19 - Who is in Charge?

Today we will be looking at Luke 20:1-19.

Before we begin, image with me a group of farm hands who have used the farmer's tools and supplies to build a fence around his field so that they can claim it as their own and receive the profits for themselves. Ludicrous, right? Well this is exactly what Jesus is expressing in this passage.

After Jesus cleanses the temple, demonstrating his authority over God’s house, the chief priests and scribes, and principal men began seeking to destroy him. Now as Jesus is teaching on another day, this same group is demanding that Jesus explains his authority to cleanse the temple and teach as he is doing. They believe, like the farm hands, that they are in authority and do not want Jesus disrupting their system of control and taking what belongs to God for themselves. We aren't that much different when at times we refuse to give God our lives and the fruit of our lives, acting as though we are our own and what belongs to God belongs to us.

Rather than viewing God’s will and His desires as competing with our own, what if we could live by the Spirit with new desires, so we get to willingly submit to Him and see our lives under His authority as the place where He produces fruit for Himself through us?

With this in mind, let's listen with expectation to Luke 20:1-19.

Luke 20:1–19 ESV

One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up and said to him, “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.” He answered them, “I also will ask you a question. Now tell me, was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?” And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” So they answered that they did not know where it came from. And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” And he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people.

Just like the chief priests, scribes, and elders…

We reject God’s authority (vv. 1–8; 14-16)

Though the farmer's hands in our illustration don't own the field and must use the farmer's tools to barricade him out, they have no authority to do this. They are functioning as if they are in authority over that field. We aren't that different…

• Like the religious leaders, we reject God’s authority (vv. 1-2): Jesus challenged the religious leader's authority when he cleansed the temple and taught about God's kingdom as being not of this world. It's no wonder they were seeking to destroy him. They presumed they were the authority when Jesus really was, so they challenge Jesus' authority by asking him who gave him permission to do the things and speak the way he does. It's easy to throw stones at them, but the reality is that when Jesus does things that challenge our presumed authority, we reject that authority. Why? We want to be in control of our lives and what belongs to God.
• Like the religious leaders, we refuse to listen to God’s prophets (vv. 3-8): Jesus challenges their question with a question of his own. He essentially asks them if they believe what John the Baptist said about him. In John 3:27-35, John the Baptist claims that Jesus has been granted his authority from heaven, and that he should increase and John decrease. In other words, Jesus' authority comes from God. Jesus challenges these leaders as to whether they accept God's authority and the testimony to that authority in John. When we are faced with Jesus' ultimate authority, sometimes, we, like the leaders are afraid of people, so we refuse to admit the truth. We fear people more than God, and so we evade Christ's authority and its implications rather than submit.
• Like the tenants, we reject God’s call to bear fruit for him (vv. 14-16): Jesus tells the parable of the wicked tenants to show the people and the leaders the foolishness of what is happening. He draws from Isaiah 5, likening Israel as God's vineyard, and the leaders as unwilling to admit that Israel is God's and that they should bear fruit for Him and not them. He shows that as God sends his prophets to correct them, they simply beat and shame them until the ultimate rejection of God's authority when they will kill the beloved Son of God, sent to call Israel to live as God's people under his authority and bear fruit for him. When God calls for fruit, not only do we not want to give Him what is His, but we want to take what belongs to Him for ourselves. We desire autonomy for our own gain.

Verses 16 and 18 show us what the end result of rejecting God's authority and refusing to bear fruit from him will be, destruction, and being crushed by the Son of God, the cornerstone. The leaders feared being stoned by the people, yet they refused to see that they would be broken and crushed by the very Stone they rejected—the Cornerstone, Jesus. When the people heard this, they were appalled, crying out, 'Surely not!' They understood exactly what Jesus was saying: if the leaders rejected the Son, they would lose everything. Their shock reveals a hard truth—it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God while trying to sit on His throne.

Yet, the reality is that…

God’s authority entrusts us to bear fruit for Him (vv. 9–16)

The reality is that the farmer who owns the field is the one that has authority over it. The farm hands were hired to do a job and are entrusted to work the field in order to bear fruit for the farmer. They are rewarded for their work with pay that allows them to live. Just like the farmer expects his farmhands to work for him because he has authority over his farm, so…

• God owns all and entrusts us as tenants (vv. 9-10a): Notice how the man in Jesus' parable planted a vineyard and he allowed tenants to work in the field while he was away. They were allowed to have a portion of the produce for themselves, but it was understood that the rest was the man's. At the right time, the vineyard owner will receive his proceeds from the tenants. That is what is expected, that is what is right. Why? Because the owner of the vineyard has authority over it and can entrust it to whoever he wants. Jesus uses the imagery because in Isaiah 5, Israel, who the religious leaders were to guide, were the tenants of God's vineyard were      to lead God's people to produce fruit for Him. But notice the shift in verse 16: because the leaders rejected the Son, God gives the vineyard 'to others.' This isn't just about individuals; it’s about the Church. God took the stewardship away from those who wanted control and gave it to a new people—the Apostles and now us—to bear fruit together as His body. Our lives are for Him, and we are entrusted to bear fruit under His authority.
• God graciously sends His servants to call for fruit (vv. 10b-13): Notice the parallels between this story and the history of Israel's leaders in verses 10b-13. God sends prophet after prophet to call the leaders to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly after him, but as we read throughout the OT and in Hebrews 11, they are constantly mistreated and abused, even killed. After all this time, God has now sent His own beloved Son, not merely to remind them and us, but to call for the fruit that belongs to Him. This reveals both His patience and our rebellion. God in His grace continually calls His people to submit to His authority and bear fruit for Him.
• God establishes His Son as the Cornerstone (v. 17): But as we read further, in verse 17, we see the reality of God's authority and His call. Jesus is the stone cut without hands that Daniel saw, the stone that would crush every earthly kingdom. Jesus is the rejected and exalted Cornerstone, and only in relation to Him, either being built upon Him or rejecting Him, does fruitfulness or judgment come.

In ancient building, the cornerstone was the very first stone laid. It had to be perfectly square because every other stone in the entire structure was aligned to it. If the cornerstone was off by even a fraction of an inch, the whole building would eventually lean and collapse. You see, Jesus, the stone that was rejected by the builders, the religious leaders, is really the chief cornerstone that all of God's house, his people, are built upon. Without him, everything will collapse. In fact, as we read in passages like Ephesians 1, Jesus is the One in whom all things are to be united. He is the foundation, the stone, upon which all things are based upon and are for. And yet, in their rejection of Him, they will find themselves broken to pieces by Him as He will One day fill all things. But there is mercy even for rebels because…

Jesus’ authority was rejected and He was killed to restore us to fruitfulness for God (vv. 17–19)

If there were such a thing as perfect farmhands, they would submit to the authority of the farmer, work diligently for him, and give their results of their labor to him or for him. This is exactly what Jesus did.

• Jesus’ authority was rejected by the builders (vv. 2-4, 10, 17; John 3:31-36): The first time that Jesus and John interacted in public that we know of (as adults), John declared Jesus to be the promised Messiah and the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world. And God declared that Jesus was perfectly pleasing and empowered him for ministry by the Spirit.  Here, John declared Jesus' authority from heaven or God. Yet, the religious leaders, who are the tenants, builders, and shepherds of the people, rejected Jesus’ authority. They ignored John’s witness. They ignored the Father’s voice and the Spirit’s power. They rejected heaven’s authority. This rejection was according to God’s perfect plan to rescue us (Acts 2) through Jesus, the only perfectly faithful steward, who lives fully for the Father and gives Him all that is His.
• Jesus died outside the city to bear God’s judgment for our rejection (vv. 13-15a, 19): Like Jesus' parable, in verses 13-15a, Jesus' rejection would result in His crucifixion and death at the hands of these leaders. The scribes and chief priests would within a few days have Jesus put to death because they rejected His authority. Jesus would be crucified outside the city, cast out of the vineyard (Jerusalem), and would be killed to      bear the judgment we deserved for usurping God’s authority just like the wicked tenants and those who rejected Jesus the cornerstone. Jesus is the faithful and beloved Son who was killed and cast outside the city for our redemption.
• Jesus rose on the third day and has become the cornerstone that we are built upon (vv. 16-17): Jesus was rejected by the religious leaders and His people, killed and buried in a tomb. On the third day, Jesus was raised and established as the chief Cornerstone who builds up a house of His people. Jesus fills all things, and those who reject Him are broken and will face judgment, crushed under His awesome power, but those who are built upon Him are saved. Jesus is the stone that the builders threw out. Now, He is the cornerstone. Before Him, everyone will either submit or be broken.

Jesus is the only faithful steward. He gave the Father everything, even his very life. Why? To bring you and I into God’s covenant family. To restore us so that we might be fruitful by His Spirit.

And this leaves you and I with a question. Are we united to Christ? Have we taken our shelter in Jesus, the rock? Have you submitted yourself to the loving authority to bear fruit for God by confessing Jesus as Lord and believing that he was raised from the dead? If you have, or when you do, you will receive the Spirit and be adopted into God’s covenant family.

Because of this, now…

Under Jesus’ authority and with His presence we get to joyfully bear fruit for Him (vv. 16, 18; John 15:4-6)

Because Christ lives in us through the Spirit's indwelling presence, we are enabled to live in willing and joyful submission to the True Farmer, and owner of all, delighting to bear fruit in the power of Christ who we are being formed into his image.

• Jesus has joined us to His inheritance (v. 16): In verse 16, we see that Jesus as the beloved Son will inherit all as the heir. And what is amazing is that through union with Him, He has brought us into His inheritance and given us the Holy Spirit as the down payment of our full inheritance that is to come. And so we bear fruit for God in the present as we live under His authority by the Spirit who dwells in us.
• In Christ we are safe from His crushing power (v. 18): In verse 18, though Jesus is the stone that brings judgment upon all those who oppose His authority. In Him, we are safe, as those who are built upon Him and share in His reign. Since we build on Him, He is our Support.
• Abiding in Christ we bear fruit for God in joy (John 15:4-6): When we look at John 15, where Jesus is spoken of as the vine and we as the branches, our union with Christ, enables us to draw our life from Him, and because of this, we can produce fruit for God in love, obedience, and joy. This is a by-product of our union, not how we are united.

Seeing all this, how does this impact our lives and what does this mean?

When colleagues are arranging dinner at an immoral restaurant, and living as God’s child at work would cost me my reputation, acceptance, or comfort, I graciously tell them that I cannot join them because it would dishonor Christ and contradict the life He has called me to live under His authority. This isn’t self-righteousness. It’s gratitude. Jesus willingly bore my shame on the cross so that I no longer have to live for the approval of men. I belong and am accepted by God and so I can find joy in walking with Him in obedience, even when it is costly.

When Christ’s church does not operate according to my preferences, desires, or timeline, I remember that Christ alone has authority over His church and that any fruit the church produces belongs to God, not me. Rather than trying to control what belongs to Him, I submit myself to Christ’s rule and trust His wisdom, timing, and care for His people. I do this because Jesus willingly lived under the Father’s authority and will, even to the point of death on a cross, and because He gave Himself to redeem and purify His church as His own beloved people. The Spirit reminds me that Christ is faithfully building His church, that I am not the owner but a steward, and that He is conforming me to the image of Christ as He produces His fruit in and through His people.

I would like to wrap this sermon up by reminding us of something absolutely astounding. When we have been united to Christ, we are no longer farmhands, or mere servants to remind others that they are to bear fruit for God under His authority. No, we have been adopted into God’s covenant family. We are children and co-heirs with Christ. We will one day reign with Christ, together, over the earth. And right now, we have the Holy Spirit living in us to guarantee this future reward. And it is this same Holy Spirit, that enables us to live, like Christ, under God’s authority, joyfully bearing fruit in our lives day after day all to the glory of God.