PrintToday's "Moment with Mark" (73)
2 February, 2013
Then Jesus began telling them stories: "A man planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. (Mark 12:1-2 NLT)
Those who are called to be leaders in the Christian Church need to be very careful about how they understand their relationship with Jesus, the Head of the Church. In this parable, Jesus describes that relationship in terms of "tenant farmers". In other words, leaders do not 'own' the Church. They are caring for the Church in the apparent absence of the owner.
A few years ago I sat in a Church Service and listened to the Pastor preach on the theme, "I Want My Church Back!" The Biblical basis for this appeal was in Revelation 3 where Jesus is seen standing outside the Church and knocking on the door seeking to enter. Somehow Jesus was evicted from His own people and His rightful place.
It was a powerful message and, as a pastor, it caused me to review and revise my attitude to the Church I pastored at that time. The temptation for me was to make the people dependent on me instead of them being dependent on Lord Jesus.
After Jesus had told this parable we read,
The Jewish leaders wanted to arrest him for using this illustration because they realized he was pointing at them — they were the wicked farmers in his story. (Mark 12:12 NLT)
God forbid that we should ever find this phenomenon wide-spread... but I fear it already is the case. As leaders, we are called upon to lead in such a way that the people are more securely connected to Jesus as their primary relationship.
John the Baptist understood this when he said,
"I am the bridegroom's friend, and I am filled with joy at his success. 30 He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less". (John 3:29-30 NLT)
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