( Sermon Isaiah 5:1-7 ) [ German Sermon ] [ Announcements (German)440.87 KB ]
It is harvest festival among the people of Israel. Many people are on the road. The streets and alleys are busy. Finally, there is a celebration.
And in the market place someone is tuning his instrument.
People stop, expecting a lecture. They bump into each other. "Isn't that..." whispers one. "Yes, that's right, the son of Amoz. "What's his name?" "Isaiah." Another answers: "Right. "He speaks about God", "He says we have forsaken God. God is going to punish us”. "Oh, stop it. Nobody wants to hear that message of doom. And especially not today". "Quiet now”. One of the bystanders is poked in the ribs. “He wants to sing."
“Listen while I sing you this song, a song of my friend and his vineyard” (v 1).
"A love song," people murmur. Nice. They make themselves comfortable. Relax. The vineyard - the image of the adorned bride awaiting her bridegroom and enjoying the fruits of the vine with him. Or similarly the image of the people to whom God has bound himself. Finally, a comforting, beautiful message from this prophet.
“He dug the soil and cleared it of stones; he planted the finest vines. He built a tower to guard them, dug a pit for treading the grapes. He waited for the grapes to ripen” (v 2).
What great love and care is shown in this image. The listeners can see the vineyard and the vine grower in their imagination. He tends, waters, cuts, plants and weeds with devotion. He turns his attention to the plants and looks forward to the result. For this, he takes large stones and builds a tower so that he can protect the vines and digs a winepress where the wine will be made in a few months.
It's like outside the walls of our city, people think. The work, the love, the care. It's like when a man courts the woman he loves. Like when parents give their children all the care and protection they can. It is - as it is just natural and good. The image is so beautiful that they almost don't hear the song continue.
“…but every grape was sour.” (v 2).
What, did they hear correctly? This must not be – this cannot be.
But every grape was sour...
The vine grower gave all he had for his vineyard. Sun and rain have come - but the vineyard produces bad grapes.
Sour grapes that are no good to anyone. A slap in the face for the gardener.
People look around. Are shocked. The idyll - suddenly ended. The beautiful image of the vineyard with its juicy, ripe grapes remains a pipe dream. Indignation spreads. The song continues.
"You people who live in Jerusalem and Judah, judge between my vineyard and me. Is there anything I failed to do for it? Then why did it produce sour grapes and not the good grapes I expected?” (v 3,4)
Who is speaking, the people ask themselves. Who is the vine grower?
The man who wooed his bride? The parents who were committed to their child, who gave him/her everything they had?
The listeners feel the disappointment. Someone gave everything, knowing that it would bear good fruit. Spent time and energy. For nothing. The vineyard is dry and spoiled. The dream is over.
One man thinks of his wedding that fell through and feels the pain deep inside. The woman standing next to him thinks of her son. She didn't want him to take this path in life. She feels the disappointment in her heart again. Another man has just had to close his shop. His plan has failed.
He lets the anger about it rise again. One thinks of her mother. She has never felt understood by her, let alone loved. And she always wanted to do it right. And nothing worked.
What more could be done? Everything had been done. Only the grapes were missing. They should have come all by themselves. Wasted love. Wasted care. All for nothing. And again, the song continues.
"Here is what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge around it, break down the wall that protects it, and let wild animals eat it and trample it down. I will let it be overgrown with weeds. I will not trim the vines or hoe the ground; instead, I will let briers and thorns cover it. I will even forbid the clouds to let rain fall on it." (v 5,6)
This is righteous, thinks the forsaken bridegroom. Do no more. Turn around and leave. Life goes on. She was not worth it.
But, thinks the mother, he is my son after all ... I can't just ... although, maybe it would do me good. A clear cut.
The other one already sees himself locking the door to his shop.
And the daughter finally draws a clear line for herself. No, I won't take care of her any more, and if she gets old and sick, I don't care.
When even the most natural thing can no longer be expected, it is time for a cut. People feel emboldened and already want to turn around and leave. But wait, the song goes on. Does it? Actually, everything had been said ...
“Israel is the vineyard of the Lord Almighty; the people of Judah are the vines he planted. He expected them to do what was good, but instead they committed murder. He expected them to do what was right, but their victims cried out for justice.” (v 7)
Confusion can be seen on the faces of the listeners.
He is not right after all. Or is he? What will happen?
Instead of justice, a breach of law. Instead of justice, wickedness.
The vineyard deserves no better. Maybe people don't deserve any better. Some things fall back on us. We will bear the consequences of our actions, we will have to endure them. Climate change, viruses that jump from animals to humans, political violence and merciless actions - the list can continue ad infinitum.
And in my life? Some things fall back on me, have already fallen back on me. Some act of unkindness catches up with me, sometimes after a long time. And some carelessness on my side takes its revenge. Grows and remains in the world. What will happen?
Almost 700 years later, a prophet again speaks about vineyards and workers in the vineyard. Of vine growers and of the vine on which the grapes hang. And he speaks of God's mercy. Of new beginnings and God's generosity. In the space and under the umbrella of mercy, people can change, a new beginning is possible. Because they are looked at with love.
Remember, God, your mercy! "Mercy" contains the heart that God has for us, for his people.
And then he stepped in for us. Stepped into the middle, into the rift that runs between us and the world. Carries what we cannot carry. Reconciles with what is. Gives peace that we cannot give.
He whom we accompany in these weeks to Jerusalem, up to the cross and through the grave.
Because he dared to live and die for mercy, there is a new beginning for me, for us. Again and again. Life prevails. Good grapes can still grow in the vineyard.
Amen