In our time we often hear the phrase “don’t shoot the messenger.” As this coming Sunday’s parable indicates, killing the messenger is nothing new. The Christian messenger that we immediately think of is, of course the preacher. While the number of preachers killed by their congregations each year is, thankfully, very low. But preachers do find themselves alienated from members of their church and civic communities and, depending on polity, without a job. Beyond the professional preachers however, are all Christians, called by baptism, to be preachers of the good news. We are reminded by Frederick Buechner that before it is good news, the gospel is bad news. It is bad news in that is upsets the status quo. It is bad news in that it holds us accountable not only for our own sins but for systemic injustice. It is bad news because Jesus, the vineyard owners own son, was seized and killed. The messenger of Christ can expect nothing different.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the vindication of the Vineyard owner and his Son. It is only in the resurrection that the bad news becomes good news. The stone rejected by the builders has indeed become the corner stone.
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