"One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. 2 “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?” 3 He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me: 4 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin?” 5 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.”
8 Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.” Luke 20:1-8
Jesus asked them a point-blank question. Notice they had to discuss it among themselves what they would answer. Then Jesus answered them with the Parable of the Tenants:
"9 He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. 10 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. 12 He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out." Luke 20:9-12
God had sent to his people prophet after prophet -- each one they ignored or worse, killed. They refused to listen. And then Jesus predicts His own death:
"13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him." 14 “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him."
Luke 20:13-15a
Notice that the tenants like the pharisees talked the matter over -- planning on what to do or how to answer this heir. Isn't this like today's society?
Jesus tells the people he is talking to, the "church people" of the day the following:
"“What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. "When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!”" Luke 20:15b-16
The "church people" audience didn't want the tenants to reap what they had sown. They didn't want them to face the consequences. And where was the logic in thinking they would inherit the vineyard? They thought they would get it all if they got rid of the Son, got rid of God completely. Instead, they were destroyed.
"17 Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written:
“‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone’[a]?
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”"
Luke 20:17-18
They knew the scripture from Psalm 118 (the stone the builders rejected part) was a Messianic prophecy. He was telling them who He was/is. We need a perfect cornerstone. He is the cornerstone. God wants us to fall on Him and we will break to pieces -- He will put us back together. When Jesus falls on those who refuse Him they will be destroyed. Anyone who refuses to be broken will be destroyed.
Where are we in the Parable?
The men who farmed the vineyard for the Owner were doing great. This can be seen as America and Americans. We are not focused on what is important. We will give a nod to important news like Ukraine but in the next moment we just want to know what celebrities are wearing. Our country was founded on Christian principles. We were meant to be a light. With many blessings comes many responsibilities. When we are blessed it is for a purpose -- it is for God's purpose. It is to give away.
"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people." 2 Timothy 3:1-5
We are living these verses proudly in America. Proudly rejecting God.
"But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." Luke 12:48
Three Proverbs:
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.[a]" Proverbs 3:5-6
Covid was a type of prophet from God. What did we do? Did we turn to God? Did we call for a day of prayer? No.
"Those who trust in themselves are fools,
but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe." Proverbs 28:26
"There is a way that appears to be right,
but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12
We are living in a Post-Truth Society. They say feelings are what matter, not truth. Truth is hidden underneath feelings.
God will always be God.
Man will always be man. Man without God will always run to evil.
"A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." Luke 6:45
"God is not human, that he should lie,
not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?" Numbeers 23:19
God's truth is The Truth. It will always be the Truth. What we believe shouldn't change. This country as an opportunity to turn around.
First Things First:
"He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”" Luke 10:27
You gotta love God first before you can love your neighbor rightly.
Choose for yourself:
15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”" Joshua 24:15
8 Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.” Luke 20:1-8
Jesus asked them a point-blank question. Notice they had to discuss it among themselves what they would answer. Then Jesus answered them with the Parable of the Tenants:
"9 He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. 10 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. 12 He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out." Luke 20:9-12
God had sent to his people prophet after prophet -- each one they ignored or worse, killed. They refused to listen. And then Jesus predicts His own death:
"13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him." 14 “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him."
Luke 20:13-15a
Notice that the tenants like the pharisees talked the matter over -- planning on what to do or how to answer this heir. Isn't this like today's society?
Jesus tells the people he is talking to, the "church people" of the day the following:
"“What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. "When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!”" Luke 20:15b-16
The "church people" audience didn't want the tenants to reap what they had sown. They didn't want them to face the consequences. And where was the logic in thinking they would inherit the vineyard? They thought they would get it all if they got rid of the Son, got rid of God completely. Instead, they were destroyed.
"17 Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written:
“‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone’[a]?
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”"
Luke 20:17-18
They knew the scripture from Psalm 118 (the stone the builders rejected part) was a Messianic prophecy. He was telling them who He was/is. We need a perfect cornerstone. He is the cornerstone. God wants us to fall on Him and we will break to pieces -- He will put us back together. When Jesus falls on those who refuse Him they will be destroyed. Anyone who refuses to be broken will be destroyed.
Where are we in the Parable?
The men who farmed the vineyard for the Owner were doing great. This can be seen as America and Americans. We are not focused on what is important. We will give a nod to important news like Ukraine but in the next moment we just want to know what celebrities are wearing. Our country was founded on Christian principles. We were meant to be a light. With many blessings comes many responsibilities. When we are blessed it is for a purpose -- it is for God's purpose. It is to give away.
"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people." 2 Timothy 3:1-5
We are living these verses proudly in America. Proudly rejecting God.
"But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." Luke 12:48
Three Proverbs:
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.[a]" Proverbs 3:5-6
Covid was a type of prophet from God. What did we do? Did we turn to God? Did we call for a day of prayer? No.
"Those who trust in themselves are fools,
but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe." Proverbs 28:26
"There is a way that appears to be right,
but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12
We are living in a Post-Truth Society. They say feelings are what matter, not truth. Truth is hidden underneath feelings.
God will always be God.
Man will always be man. Man without God will always run to evil.
"A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." Luke 6:45
"God is not human, that he should lie,
not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?" Numbeers 23:19
God's truth is The Truth. It will always be the Truth. What we believe shouldn't change. This country as an opportunity to turn around.
First Things First:
"He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”" Luke 10:27
You gotta love God first before you can love your neighbor rightly.
Choose for yourself:
15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”" Joshua 24:15
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