What More

		*Crying In the Wilderness* *Web Ministry*
Home Reference Articles/Sermons		What More Could He Have Done This is a thought that no doubt has been covered many times. I even wrote a song by the same title. For our focal scripture, let’s look to the book of Matthew. You Bible readers may have immediately thought that I was heading for Isaiah and we will go there if the Lord will. Matthew 21, 33:46 33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about , and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. 42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet. In the precious Word, we hear our Lord speaking to the Pharisees. If you’ve ever read any of my writings you should already know how I feel about Pharisees. I do not look at them as just something from the past but they are alive and well in our Churches today. I have been one and you may be as well but I pray your position changes as we continue. In the scripture above we find a certain householder. I’m glad that I know the Householder and if you will the Landlord who is Lord of all. You will also notice that He planted a vineyard, fenced it in, put a winepress in it, built a tower and let it out to husbandmen. The mighty God of Jacob did all of these things and we’ve often heard prayers for the “vineyard that Thy right hand hath planted” found in Psalm 80:18. Of course the prayers we heard and the subject of the Psalmist’s prose references the Church of a living God. How wonderful it is to be able to walk into a Church house, feel His Spirit and know that it is a vineyard that His right hand has planted. We also must admit that He has hedged His vineyard in. Here, in the United States, in the land of plenty, we have been hedged in for over two centuries. This nation founded on “In God We Trust” has prospered under the divine providence of our God. We’ve been blessed to worship our God as we see fit. With no national religious oversight, we have been and still are free to choose if we are to be Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, Protestant, Catholic or any other including none. Now, in these last days, we see the hedge being trampled down. It’s not hard to follow the attacks against the vineyard, I remember the time when children prayed in school and you didn’t see or hear of the things that you do today among our youth. I remember when it wasn’t considered politically incorrect to reverence and even talk to our God in public. I have those that are wise in this world chide with me on this point by pointing out the sins of our Fathers that are recorded in history. This of course they use to fuel the fire for attacking the hedge more and more. They will focus on extremist groups such as we saw during the 96 Olympic bombings to throw the debate off course. They will liken those actions to what we see today from Islam and attempt to establish the religious similarities. Herein I respond with the greatest difference between the two. God’s people did not condone and in fact spoke out against the Olympic bombings as our God is a God of peace and love. The violence demonstrated by what is called the extremist wing of the Islamic belief is not spoken against by the remainder of the religious body. We see the hedge being trodden under foot! With all that we’ve allowed to slip through, for all the times that we haven’t stood in the gap, we remain hedged in. A solid wall, built around His vineyard that has stood in this country for more than two centuries, what more could He have done? We see above that the Landlord also dug a winepress in the midst of the vineyard. I see this to tie with how the Gospel presses upon sinners and they in turn, press into the Kingdom of God. Let us remember the Word of our Lord when He said, “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.” Luke 16:16 Unfortunately, there is very little digging going on today in the vineyard and in turn, the amount of fruit in the winepress has diminished as well as the finished product. I remember being under conviction by the Holy Ghost. I remember the pressing and the urgency that if I couldn’t get His attention and meet His conditions, Hell would surely be my home. Thank God for the day of grace when the prophets of the law passed the torch to the preachers of the Gospel! A winepress divinely built, intended to bring forth the finished product with a pleasing aroma and a desirable taste, what more could He have done? The wise and merciful Landlord also built a tower in the midst of the vineyard. In olden times, a tower was utilized for the purpose of keeping watch. By design it is raised higher than the surrounding terrain so that the enemy could be spotted while still a great distance away. The Landlord even provided us with the staffing for this position. Men that He has called whether it be into the ministry of the Word or to the office of Deacon or maybe simply just a Watchman, staffing has been provided. How many today ascend the tower at their allotted time to perform the Landlord’s intent? Some who read this may not even know how to ascend the tower. This no doubt will be odd to the world but shouldn’t be to God’s people. The same task that works the winepress and fills in the gaps to the hedge will enable ascension to the tower. If you want to go up, first go down on your knees, dig a little, cry out to our God and you will be able to ascend the tower and stand at your appointed position. A tower, divinely built with staffing provided, what more could He have done. Being in your appointed position is important but you must be prepared for the task at hand. If you are to work on the wall or make up the hedge, Nehemiah teaches that we should work with one hand and hold the weapon with the other. Of course the weapon is the Word of God. Paul teaches us that It is sharper than any two-edged sword! If your job is with the winepress, be sure you do the required amount of digging. Dig in God’s Word and dig in prayer. Also, we know that in the olden days and it can still be found, a winepress is trodden under foot. Paul admonishes us to “have our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace.” Ephesians 6:15. Those that are appointed to the tower should keep a lookout in the Word of God and peep out of the tower through prayer and meditation and provide early warning when the enemy approaches. Everything was built and placed just right even down to the staffing, what more could He have done. We see that the vineyard was let out to husbandmen. This is where the trouble begins. There is a visible and an invisible Church. Do not worry about the invisible Church as the wall, tower and winepress never deteriorate even though they have stood thousands of years. The visible Church was left in our hands and what have we done with it? We see that the Landlord says the husbandmen did not submit the fruits, beat and stoned the servants that He sent to collect the fruits. The prophet Jeremiah said “Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.” Jeremiah 12:10. Please notice how Jeremiah used the word many? This indicates that he was not speaking of a rare occurrence and if we open our eyes and look around, we understand the prophets warning. The Lord says that the servants were beaten and stoned and we should realize that this is extremely common today. If someone comes to a Church, led of the Spirit and commissioned by God, the Church will beat them and even stone them. You may think within yourself that you’ve never been guilty of this. You should examine yourself very close before self-justification. Have you ever spoke ill of the sent servant? Have you ever helped spread gossip and tales without having every word established in the mouth of two or three witnesses? If you’ve been guilty of these, you’ve beat and stoned the sent servants. He sent His servants rising up early and the husbandmen have stoned them and cast them out of the vineyard. The vineyard let out to husbandmen in fertile ground with clear instructions, what more could He have done. Last of all, the Landlord sent His Son saying they will reverence him. We read this thinking about how the Pharisees rejected the Lord of glory. We should again take a look at ourselves. When we are in Church and the meeting gets high, instead of providing fruits to the Landlord, we reject the Landlord’s Son and cast Him out of the vineyard. Oh, I know, you haven’t been guilty of this! I beg to differ as I’ve witnessed when the Spirit is flowing in God’s house and it gets a little past 1 PM and at some places noon, folks start staring at their watches, reading songbooks, thumbing through the Bible along with other little tricks and they will attempt to cast out the Son in order to get to a TV to watch a ballgame or to the restaurant for chicken. He still showed mercy after the shameful treatment of His servants as well as His Son, what more could He have done? Now let us validate this thought by visiting with the prophet Isaiah! *Isaiah 5* 1Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: 2And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. 3And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 4What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? 5And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: 6And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. 7For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. We see that the old prophet phrased it so eloquently, “what more could have been done to His vineyard than that has been done”? Seeing that the law was weak and not able to make the comers thereunto perfect, God brought in a better covenant. When we study Paul’s epistles, we realize that Grace was God’s ultimate plan all along. We find that the Lamb stood slain before the foundation of the world! This scripture signifying that our Savior would be dispatched (in due time) to suffer for our sins and be raised for our justification. He took away the old covenant and replaced it with one far better, what more could He have done? We see above that Isaiah notes that the house of Israel is His vineyard and the men of Judah His pleasant plant. We find under Grace that the whole house of faith is the vineyard and though there remain some pleasant plants, we now have access to the “True Vine”. All that ever came before or since are thieves and liars. Jesus Christ is the True Vine and we are His branches. What more could He have done? Isaiah teaches that the Lord looked for the vine to bring forth grapes and yet it brought forth wild grapes. God looks for us to bring forth fruits. Some may take this to think that I’m speaking of tithing. If you think that, please go and read the beginnings of this corner where I define my “streaky-headed” origin. No, the Master is speaking of the fruits of the Spirit. We should remember Brother Paul teaching us that the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. Please remember that against these, there is no law! So now, if we don’t have love for one another, if we don’t love our brother whom we have seen, how can we love God whom we have not seen, we’re bearing wild grapes. If we don’t have joy, if we’re miserable, if we don’t have salvation that brings us joy, we’re bearing wild grapes. If we don’t have peace, peace that passeth all understanding, peace like a river, His peace, we’re bearing wild grapes. If we do not suffer patiently when trials come, if we murmur and complain, if we grumble and say “why me”, and if we do not remember how our Lord conducted Himself when falsely accused, we’re bearing wild grapes. If we are not gentle, if we are harsh in our treatment of others, if we offer rough answers when a soft answer would suffice, if we had rather fuss than get along, we’re bearing wild grapes. If we despise that which is good, if we are deceitful in our dealings, if we do not love the truth, if we speak unkindly of our brothers, if we shut up our bowels of compassion and if we are not like our Master, we’re bearing wild grapes. If we say we have faith and then worry that He won’t do what He says He’ll do, if we fear we’ll go hungry, if we fear He’ll leave us, if we’re afraid He won’t be there when we need Him, guess what, we’re bearing wild grapes. If we are boastful, if we are proud, if we do not possess humility, if we desire the praise of man, you’ve figured it out by now, we’re bearing wild grapes. If we over indulge in the things of this world, if we do not possess self control, if something in our life is more important than our God, no doubt, we’re bearing wild grapes. Now for the flip side….. If the same mind is in you that was in Christ Jesus, you will love one another and prefer your brethren before you. You will not just say it but you will do it! If you are of the same mind as our Lord, you will have joy unspeakable and full of glory. You won’t have to tell me, you won’t have to write me, I won’t have to ask, it will show! If the Prince of Peace abides with you, you will have peace. Even in the midst of trouble, you will have peace, when the storm is raging, you will have peace and when it comes time to leave here, the peace will still be there. If you bear in your body the marks of the Lord Jesus, you will remember how He suffered, you will remember how He bore our sins, you will remember how He opened not His mouth and you will remember how He warned us that if they’ve hated Him, they will also hate us. If the Lord is your shepherd, you will remember how He gently leads His flock. You will remember that He said bless them that curse you and pray for them that despitefully use you. If you are following the Good Shepherd, you will remember how He said be ye holy for I am holy. You will remember how He didn’t allow men to call Him good and will do your best to follow His footsteps and after doing so say, “I’m an unprofitable servant.” If you are of faith, you are blessed with faithful Abraham. Faith, the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. God dealt each one of us a measure of it. Faith without works is dead. Saved by grace and through faith! Just the size of a mustard seed is all it takes to do great things. Something we should beg the Lord to increase. Faith is one of the big three along with hope and charity. If you have put on Christ, you have put on meekness. His example as He walked among us as a servant (though He was Lord of all), paints the most vivid picture of meekness. Though He was tempted, despised, rejected, betrayed and even hated, yet He loved, He gave, He suffered and He died for us. The meek shall inherit the earth. The last on the vine is temperance. This is one of the harder ones to cultivate. When we allow something other than the Lord Jesus to have power over us, we can never fully be what He wants us to be. Please pray when dealing with this fruit as you can also stand up so straight you fall over backwards. The Lord allowed me to talk on these fruits one night. There was no pre-meditating what I would speak on as He just gave it while I was up. I think it helps when you are just visiting a Church and haven’t been given an appointment to preach and then it falls your lot. He brought to mind the times that we’ve eaten at a family style restaurant and how they set a bowl of this and a bowl of that on the table. Of course you can take out what you like. When the bowl of love comes around, everyone wants a big helping of that. They want to love and be loved. You know love just seems to make everything else taste better. I don’t even like to eat where I don’t feel welcome or loved! Please pass the love? When the bowl of joy comes our way, hey dip me out a double-portion of that joy! You know love and joy go together like bacon and eggs. When you have one, you usually have the other. Peace, yes, I like “peace” with my cornbread. Could you dip me some more please? My how wonderful and tasty. Love, joy and peace what a wonderful meal. How would you like some longsuffering? Well, really I don’t care much for them nor rutabagas. I tell you I’m enjoying this love, joy and peace so much, I don’t believe I have room for the longsuffering. I will take just a smidge of that gentleness. Not too much now but I will take just a little to enjoy with these three fruits that I love so well. How about some goodness? Well just a taste, I don’t want it too sweet! You know they say that sweets spoil your appetite and I wouldn’t want anything to get in the way of this love, joy and peace! Would you care for some faith? Well, I’ll take a little but not to much as I wouldn’t want folks to think I’m cookie or anything. Would you like some meekness? Again, just a little but I’m trying to lay off the sweets. I wouldn’t want to over do it with the sweets as someone might take advantage of me. Ok, now what’s for desert? Well, all I have left is temperance. What’s that? Well, it’s something that’s well balanced and helps you not over do it with things that are not very good for you. Oh no thanks, I’m too full and don’t care for any of that. If you have the appetite that you should have, you will desire a well-balanced diet including all the fruits of the spirit. If you are unsure as to how to develop a healthy appetite, please read my thoughts on the candy dish? May the God of all comfort grant you peace and understanding in all things.

Crying In the Wilderness

Web Ministry

What More Could He Have Done

This is a thought that no doubt has been covered many times. I even wrote a song by the same title. For our focal scripture, let’s look to the book of Matthew. You Bible readers may have immediately thought that I was heading for Isaiah and we will go there if the Lord will.

Matthew 21, 33:46

33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about , and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.

35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.

37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

In the precious Word, we hear our Lord speaking to the Pharisees. If you’ve ever read any of my writings you should already know how I feel about Pharisees. I do not look at them as just something from the past but they are alive and well in our Churches today. I have been one and you may be as well but I pray your position changes as we continue.

In the scripture above we find a certain householder. I’m glad that I know the Householder and if you will the Landlord who is Lord of all. You will also notice that He planted a vineyard, fenced it in, put a winepress in it, built a tower and let it out to husbandmen. The mighty God of Jacob did all of these things and we’ve often heard prayers for the “vineyard that Thy right hand hath planted” found in Psalm 80:18. Of course the prayers we heard and the subject of the Psalmist’s prose references the Church of a living God. How wonderful it is to be able to walk into a Church house, feel His Spirit and know that it is a vineyard that His right hand has planted.

We also must admit that He has hedged His vineyard in. Here, in the United States, in the land of plenty, we have been hedged in for over two centuries. This nation founded on “In God We Trust” has prospered under the divine providence of our God. We’ve been blessed to worship our God as we see fit. With no national religious oversight, we have been and still are free to choose if we are to be Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, Protestant, Catholic or any other including none. Now, in these last days, we see the hedge being trampled down. It’s not hard to follow the attacks against the vineyard, I remember the time when children prayed in school and you didn’t see or hear of the things that you do today among our youth. I remember when it wasn’t considered politically incorrect to reverence and even talk to our God in public. I have those that are wise in this world chide with me on this point by pointing out the sins of our Fathers that are recorded in history. This of course they use to fuel the fire for attacking the hedge more and more. They will focus on extremist groups such as we saw during the 96 Olympic bombings to throw the debate off course. They will liken those actions to what we see today from Islam and attempt to establish the religious similarities. Herein I respond with the greatest difference between the two. God’s people did not condone and in fact spoke out against the Olympic bombings as our God is a God of peace and love. The violence demonstrated by what is called the extremist wing of the Islamic belief is not spoken against by the remainder of the religious body. We see the hedge being trodden under foot! With all that we’ve allowed to slip through, for all the times that we haven’t stood in the gap, we remain hedged in. A solid wall, built around His vineyard that has stood in this country for more than two centuries, what more could He have done?

We see above that the Landlord also dug a winepress in the midst of the vineyard. I see this to tie with how the Gospel presses upon sinners and they in turn, press into the Kingdom of God. Let us remember the Word of our Lord when He said, “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.” Luke 16:16 Unfortunately, there is very little digging going on today in the vineyard and in turn, the amount of fruit in the winepress has diminished as well as the finished product. I remember being under conviction by the Holy Ghost. I remember the pressing and the urgency that if I couldn’t get His attention and meet His conditions, Hell would surely be my home. Thank God for the day of grace when the prophets of the law passed the torch to the preachers of the Gospel! A winepress divinely built, intended to bring forth the finished product with a pleasing aroma and a desirable taste, what more could He have done?

The wise and merciful Landlord also built a tower in the midst of the vineyard. In olden times, a tower was utilized for the purpose of keeping watch. By design it is raised higher than the surrounding terrain so that the enemy could be spotted while still a great distance away. The Landlord even provided us with the staffing for this position. Men that He has called whether it be into the ministry of the Word or to the office of Deacon or maybe simply just a Watchman, staffing has been provided. How many today ascend the tower at their allotted time to perform the Landlord’s intent? Some who read this may not even know how to ascend the tower. This no doubt will be odd to the world but shouldn’t be to God’s people. The same task that works the winepress and fills in the gaps to the hedge will enable ascension to the tower. If you want to go up, first go down on your knees, dig a little, cry out to our God and you will be able to ascend the tower and stand at your appointed position. A tower, divinely built with staffing provided, what more could He have done.

Being in your appointed position is important but you must be prepared for the task at hand. If you are to work on the wall or make up the hedge, Nehemiah teaches that we should work with one hand and hold the weapon with the other. Of course the weapon is the Word of God. Paul teaches us that It is sharper than any two-edged sword! If your job is with the winepress, be sure you do the required amount of digging. Dig in God’s Word and dig in prayer. Also, we know that in the olden days and it can still be found, a winepress is trodden under foot. Paul admonishes us to “have our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace.” Ephesians 6:15. Those that are appointed to the tower should keep a lookout in the Word of God and peep out of the tower through prayer and meditation and provide early warning when the enemy approaches. Everything was built and placed just right even down to the staffing, what more could He have done.

We see that the vineyard was let out to husbandmen. This is where the trouble begins. There is a visible and an invisible Church. Do not worry about the invisible Church as the wall, tower and winepress never deteriorate even though they have stood thousands of years. The visible Church was left in our hands and what have we done with it? We see that the Landlord says the husbandmen did not submit the fruits, beat and stoned the servants that He sent to collect the fruits. The prophet Jeremiah said “Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.” Jeremiah 12:10. Please notice how Jeremiah used the word many? This indicates that he was not speaking of a rare occurrence and if we open our eyes and look around, we understand the prophets warning. The Lord says that the servants were beaten and stoned and we should realize that this is extremely common today. If someone comes to a Church, led of the Spirit and commissioned by God, the Church will beat them and even stone them. You may think within yourself that you’ve never been guilty of this. You should examine yourself very close before self-justification. Have you ever spoke ill of the sent servant? Have you ever helped spread gossip and tales without having every word established in the mouth of two or three witnesses? If you’ve been guilty of these, you’ve beat and stoned the sent servants. He sent His servants rising up early and the husbandmen have stoned them and cast them out of the vineyard. The vineyard let out to husbandmen in fertile ground with clear instructions, what more could He have done.

Last of all, the Landlord sent His Son saying they will reverence him. We read this thinking about how the Pharisees rejected the Lord of glory. We should again take a look at ourselves. When we are in Church and the meeting gets high, instead of providing fruits to the Landlord, we reject the Landlord’s Son and cast Him out of the vineyard. Oh, I know, you haven’t been guilty of this! I beg to differ as I’ve witnessed when the Spirit is flowing in God’s house and it gets a little past 1 PM and at some places noon, folks start staring at their watches, reading songbooks, thumbing through the Bible along with other little tricks and they will attempt to cast out the Son in order to get to a TV to watch a ballgame or to the restaurant for chicken. He still showed mercy after the shameful treatment of His servants as well as His Son, what more could He have done?

Now let us validate this thought by visiting with the prophet Isaiah!

Isaiah 5

1Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:

2And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

3And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.

4What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

5And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

6And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

7For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

We see that the old prophet phrased it so eloquently, “what more could have been done to His vineyard than that has been done”? Seeing that the law was weak and not able to make the comers thereunto perfect, God brought in a better covenant. When we study Paul’s epistles, we realize that Grace was God’s ultimate plan all along. We find that the Lamb stood slain before the foundation of the world! This scripture signifying that our Savior would be dispatched (in due time) to suffer for our sins and be raised for our justification. He took away the old covenant and replaced it with one far better, what more could He have done?

We see above that Isaiah notes that the house of Israel is His vineyard and the men of Judah His pleasant plant. We find under Grace that the whole house of faith is the vineyard and though there remain some pleasant plants, we now have access to the “True Vine”. All that ever came before or since are thieves and liars. Jesus Christ is the True Vine and we are His branches. What more could He have done?

Isaiah teaches that the Lord looked for the vine to bring forth grapes and yet it brought forth wild grapes. God looks for us to bring forth fruits. Some may take this to think that I’m speaking of tithing. If you think that, please go and read the beginnings of this corner where I define my “streaky-headed” origin. No, the Master is speaking of the fruits of the Spirit. We should remember Brother Paul teaching us that the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. Please remember that against these, there is no law!

So now, if we don’t have love for one another, if we don’t love our brother whom we have seen, how can we love God whom we have not seen, we’re bearing wild grapes. If we don’t have joy, if we’re miserable, if we don’t have salvation that brings us joy, we’re bearing wild grapes. If we don’t have peace, peace that passeth all understanding, peace like a river, His peace, we’re bearing wild grapes. If we do not suffer patiently when trials come, if we murmur and complain, if we grumble and say “why me”, and if we do not remember how our Lord conducted Himself when falsely accused, we’re bearing wild grapes. If we are not gentle, if we are harsh in our treatment of others, if we offer rough answers when a soft answer would suffice, if we had rather fuss than get along, we’re bearing wild grapes. If we despise that which is good, if we are deceitful in our dealings, if we do not love the truth, if we speak unkindly of our brothers, if we shut up our bowels of compassion and if we are not like our Master, we’re bearing wild grapes. If we say we have faith and then worry that He won’t do what He says He’ll do, if we fear we’ll go hungry, if we fear He’ll leave us, if we’re afraid He won’t be there when we need Him, guess what, we’re bearing wild grapes. If we are boastful, if we are proud, if we do not possess humility, if we desire the praise of man, you’ve figured it out by now, we’re bearing wild grapes. If we over indulge in the things of this world, if we do not possess self control, if something in our life is more important than our God, no doubt, we’re bearing wild grapes.

Now for the flip side….. If the same mind is in you that was in Christ Jesus, you will love one another and prefer your brethren before you. You will not just say it but you will do it! If you are of the same mind as our Lord, you will have joy unspeakable and full of glory. You won’t have to tell me, you won’t have to write me, I won’t have to ask, it will show! If the Prince of Peace abides with you, you will have peace. Even in the midst of trouble, you will have peace, when the storm is raging, you will have peace and when it comes time to leave here, the peace will still be there. If you bear in your body the marks of the Lord Jesus, you will remember how He suffered, you will remember how He bore our sins, you will remember how He opened not His mouth and you will remember how He warned us that if they’ve hated Him, they will also hate us. If the Lord is your shepherd, you will remember how He gently leads His flock. You will remember that He said bless them that curse you and pray for them that despitefully use you. If you are following the Good Shepherd, you will remember how He said be ye holy for I am holy. You will remember how He didn’t allow men to call Him good and will do your best to follow His footsteps and after doing so say, “I’m an unprofitable servant.” If you are of faith, you are blessed with faithful Abraham. Faith, the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. God dealt each one of us a measure of it. Faith without works is dead. Saved by grace and through faith! Just the size of a mustard seed is all it takes to do great things. Something we should beg the Lord to increase. Faith is one of the big three along with hope and charity. If you have put on Christ, you have put on meekness. His example as He walked among us as a servant (though He was Lord of all), paints the most vivid picture of meekness. Though He was tempted, despised, rejected, betrayed and even hated, yet He loved, He gave, He suffered and He died for us. The meek shall inherit the earth. The last on the vine is temperance. This is one of the harder ones to cultivate. When we allow something other than the Lord Jesus to have power over us, we can never fully be what He wants us to be. Please pray when dealing with this fruit as you can also stand up so straight you fall over backwards.

The Lord allowed me to talk on these fruits one night. There was no pre-meditating what I would speak on as He just gave it while I was up. I think it helps when you are just visiting a Church and haven’t been given an appointment to preach and then it falls your lot.

He brought to mind the times that we’ve eaten at a family style restaurant and how they set a bowl of this and a bowl of that on the table. Of course you can take out what you like. When the bowl of love comes around, everyone wants a big helping of that. They want to love and be loved. You know love just seems to make everything else taste better. I don’t even like to eat where I don’t feel welcome or loved! Please pass the love?

When the bowl of joy comes our way, hey dip me out a double-portion of that joy! You know love and joy go together like bacon and eggs. When you have one, you usually have the other.

Peace, yes, I like “peace” with my cornbread. Could you dip me some more please? My how wonderful and tasty. Love, joy and peace what a wonderful meal.

How would you like some longsuffering? Well, really I don’t care much for them nor rutabagas. I tell you I’m enjoying this love, joy and peace so much, I don’t believe I have room for the longsuffering.

I will take just a smidge of that gentleness. Not too much now but I will take just a little to enjoy with these three fruits that I love so well.

How about some goodness? Well just a taste, I don’t want it too sweet! You know they say that sweets spoil your appetite and I wouldn’t want anything to get in the way of this love, joy and peace!

Would you care for some faith? Well, I’ll take a little but not to much as I wouldn’t want folks to think I’m cookie or anything.

Would you like some meekness? Again, just a little but I’m trying to lay off the sweets. I wouldn’t want to over do it with the sweets as someone might take advantage of me.

Ok, now what’s for desert? Well, all I have left is temperance. What’s that? Well, it’s something that’s well balanced and helps you not over do it with things that are not very good for you. Oh no thanks, I’m too full and don’t care for any of that.

If you have the appetite that you should have, you will desire a well-balanced diet including all the fruits of the spirit. If you are unsure as to how to develop a healthy appetite, please read my thoughts on the candy dish?

May the God of all comfort grant you peace and understanding in all things.