Then they changed. They first gained acceptance from the people by serving the people. And as they gained power, they changed their position from serving to lording. Jesus gives us a parable which parallels this exact situation. It is the parable of the wicked husbandmen, Matthew 21:33.61 Matthew 21:33-41 "Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.' So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?" They said to Him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons." He talks about a lord who had prepared a vineyard - it could be good old earth. And he set servants over it to be caretakers. And these servants, at some point in time, decided the vineyard was theirs. Since they claimed to own it, they could do whatever they wanted with it. And when the lord of the vineyard sent his servants to reap the harvest, they were forbidden to do so.62 Matthew 21:34-35 "Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another."
Today we are sent to reap the harvest. "My God sent me out to use the highways." And the servants are saying, "No!" They claim the highways for themselves, they claim them as their own. They do not recognize that the highways belong to God. And the parable goes on to say that eventually the son of the lord was sent to partake of the vineyard. When they saw his son they said, "Let's take him and kill him, and the vineyard will be our inheritance."63 Matthew 21:38 "But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.'"
How many fathers do you know who, upon finding out that his servants killed his son, would say, "Now that you have killed my son, the inheritance is yours." No, it doesn't work that way. The father is going to say, "I'm going to destroy you wicked, wicked servants! You did not do as I instructed, and I will replace you with others who will render the fruits in due season."64 Matthew 21:40-41 "Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?" They said to Him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons." Is it not about time? God is sending His Son. He is raising up children of God. And when these people are beaten and killed over not obtaining a plastic card, then God will utterly destroy those wicked servants who claimed the vineyard as their own and replace them with others who will render the fruits at harvest time.
Jesus instructs us in the ways of the Kingdom of Heaven, "Tear down lordship!"65 Mark 1:15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." There were people in His time who wanted their children to receive Jesus. But others tried to bar the children from coming to Him. But Jesus said, "No, this is the Kingdom! Let the children come unto Me."66 Luke 18:15-17 Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." What do children represent? - The tearing down of lordship! - He is no respecter of persons. "Let them all come unto Me! You are all brothers and sisters." No earthly lords. No being lorded over. He goes on to say, "You must leave all." He instructs us to leave everything. No lords. Your wife will not lord. Your husband, your children, your property, even your very own life will not be lord, but you shall serve.67 Matthew 19:24-30 "And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?" So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first." Nowhere in your entire life will you be involved in lordship.
Again, what is lordship? It is where you rule over another or somebody rules over you. The only Lord we have is God Himself.68 1 Corinthians 8:5-6 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. That is the Kingdom of Heaven - leaving all forms of lordship. What about the driver license? The scripture says leave the driver license. Leave the agencies of the State. If the States wants to serve, then let them serve, but they are not to lord. And as long as the States continues to lord, I do not recognize their activities. I will not participate in any capacity. I will not join their agencies to lord over others and I will not be involved in putting myself under the control of these agencies.69 1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.