9-12 Jesus told another story to the people: “A man planted a vineyard. He handed it over to farmhands and went off on a trip. He was gone a long time. In time he sent a servant back to the farmhands to collect the profits, but they beat him up and sent him off empty-handed. He decided to try again and sent another servant. That one they beat black-and-blue, and sent him off empty-handed. He tried a third time. They worked that servant over from head to foot and dumped him in the street.
13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘I know what I’ll do: I’ll send my beloved son. They’re bound to respect my son.’
14-15 “But when the farmhands saw him coming, they quickly put their heads together. ‘This is our chance—this is the heir! Let’s kill him and have it all to ourselves.’ They killed him and threw him over the fence.
15-16 “What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do? Right. He’ll come and clean house. Then he’ll assign the care of the vineyard to others.”
Those who were listening said, “Oh, no! He’d never do that!”
17-18 But Jesus didn’t back down. “Why, then, do you think this was written:
That stone the masons threw out—
It’s now the cornerstone!?
It’s now the cornerstone!?
“Anyone falling over that stone will break every bone in his body; if the stone falls on anyone, it will be a total smashup.”
19 The religion scholars and high priests wanted to lynch him on the spot, but they were intimidated by public opinion. They knew the story was about them.
Jesus expects to receive harvest of the vineyard that he planted from his people. He sent his prophets to proclaim his words to his people but unfortunately people's hardened hearts responded with ignorance, rejection, or even hatred of prophets and God Himself. Jesus becomes the ultimate revelation of God to his people - His word, judgment, and evaluation of our life will also be final.
My Master and dear friend Jesus, hold me close to your love first that I know that all I have, the vineyard, opportunities, resources, and even my breadth, all come from you. Give me gratitude and passion to respond with your gifts and things that you entrust to me. Energize me by your presence and love of your Spirit that I can live out fully the life that you give me today and the days to come.
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