Tuesday, March 23

Prayer:
Begin by thanking God for sharing himself with you today – through both his Spirit and his word. Ask him to open your mind and your heart to hear his voice today.

Before you read this week’s text again, remember that Jesus is chose the images of this parable with shrewd intent.
The “landowner” represents God.
The “vineyard” represents God’s people Israel.
The “tenant farmers” represent the religious leaders of Israel.
The “servants” sent by the landowner represent the prophets.
The “son” represents Jesus himself.

Now with all this in mind, read Matthew 21:33-40 once again:

“Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he went away on a journey. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.

“The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

“But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

If you were a religious leader of the day, what would you be feeling right about now? Would you be thinking, “What is he talking about? WHO is he talking about?”
Would you be starting to realize that just maybe Jesus is talking about you!? If so, you would probably be starting to feel somewhat offended – and maybe a little angry! You would be thinking, “Who does this guy think he is?” or even, “How dare he compare me to the selfish and wicked tenant farmers in his story!”

The truth is, no one likes to be confronted with their own sinful attitudes and behaviors. The truth is, most of us like to pretend that we are the “owners of the vineyard” – that we make the rules and that everything revolves around us!

Can you remember a time in your life when you resisted God’s authority over your life? Can you recall a time when you rejected God’s messengers and even God’s son?

What events or people did God use to break through your defenses? Did he confront you directly in the way Jesus is confronting these religious leaders? Or was his confrontation more gentle and gradual?

Take a few moments to thank God for both his patience and persistence in confronting your need for a Savior!

Brian Coffey