Luke 20:15-15 “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”
When the people heard this, they said, “May this never be!”

This passage has been used as a foundation of Replacement Theology, which says that the Jews have been replaced by the Church in God’s plans. The problem with that is the overwhelming weight of other passages that say otherwise. Paul wrote extensively in Romans about this issue, and Chapter 11 pretty well nails it. However, as this passage and history show us, God indeed took the nation out of the hands of those who were governing it at the time of Jesus, and they were certainly destroyed. The point is that God does hold leaders accountable, and pretending otherwise does no good. There have been Church leaders through the centuries who have tried to ignore this, but God has dealt with them. As I have said before, this whole issue is the major motivation behind a lot of “atheism.” I put that in quotes, because if those people really believed there was no God, they would not be so violently against Him! It is human nature to try to duck responsibility, to avoid accountability, but human nature can’t change God’s laws. God has given each of us a “field” of endeavor, whether it is large or small, and as the Owner, He is entitled to the fruit of our labors. That certainly doesn’t mean that we don’t benefit too, but it does mean that He comes first. It is only when we acknowledge that in our thoughts and actions that we walk in the peace, joy, and abundant fruitfulness that He intends for us.

This of course applies to me as it does to each individual, but doubly so because God has placed me in a position of authority and responsibility in the Church. That doesn’t make me better than anyone else, it just means I have more to answer for! That’s what James was talking about in James 3:1. I can’t really say I sought this position, but God has placed me in it and I am accountable to Him for it. As a pastor, I need to help each believer understand that they are likewise accountable for their stewardship of the tasks and opportunities they have been given. Each person has a different set, which makes comparisons difficult, not to mention foolish, but we are all accountable to God.

Father, the longer I live, the more I am aware that I can’t fulfill the tasks set before me apart from Your guidance and strength. Thank You for that awareness. Thank You that I can have complete assurance that with you guidance and strength, everything will be done well. Help me be sensitive and responsive to Your guidance, accepting Your strength in place of my own weakness, so that all of Your plans for me may be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!