Martha's Vineyard

Martha's Vineyard | Isaiah 5:1–7 & Matthew 21:33–46 What if the things we think we own were never really ours to begin with? In Jesus' parable of the vineyard, tenants entrusted with the care of someone else's land begin behaving as though it belongs to them. For guest preacher Rev. Dr. Amantha Barbee, that distinction between stewardship and possession speaks directly to the way we understand our own resources, influence, institutions, and communities. God has given us authority and responsibility, but authority is not the same as ownership. We are tenants in God's vineyard—and faithful stewardship asks us to consider what is being produced under our care. From the needs of our neighbors in Charlotte to our siblings in Haiti, Amantha challenges us to recognize what has been entrusted to us and to use it so that others may flourish. God has given us what we need to make a difference. The vineyard belongs to God. We have been given the privilege of being its keepers. Preached by Rev. Dr. Amantha Barbee at First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte on October 4, 2026.