Reference

PENTECOST 25 - Isaiah 5:1-7; 11:1-5; Mark 12:1-12

The prophet Isaiah uses a song to judge the people of Israel. Just like a well-tended vineyard produced sour grapes, they have forsaken Yahweh, the God who delivered, established, and protected them. They have gone their own way to chase after personal gain, pervert justice and abandon compassion. Jesus used a similar parable to tell the religious leaders of his day that they were no different. Their ancestors had rejected Yahweh’s prophets, and they were rejecting him. But Jesus is the True Vine, the one who exhibited a life lived delighting in Yahweh and Yahweh’s words of life. With Jesus the vine, we are the branches that can only be fruitful when connected to the  vine. By remaining in Christ, we are empowered by the Spirit to produce good fruit: a life of humility, kindness, and compassion. Am I attached to the vine?