“My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.” That vineyard represented the house of Israel. Its hedge was removed, wall broken down, rain stopped, left to become a waste. All because Israel rejected what God had done for them.
Paul encourages us to walk in Christ Jesus, “rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught“. We’ve been buried with Christ in baptism, and raised with Christ through faith in God. We’ve been given “the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ“. Like Israel, we’ve been given everything necessary to be faithful and produce fruit.
It’s powerful, motivating, uplifting and encouraging to reflect on all the things God has done for you and I. We who were once dead, “God made alive together with [Jesus], having forgiven us all our trespasses“. Let’s truly live for Christ, showing his love by our actions and care towards one another.