PARABLE OF THE TENANTS

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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. 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. He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.

"What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others." When the people heard this, they said, "God forbid!"

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'? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but anyone on whom it falls will be crushed."

The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.

This parable tracks with the history of the Jewish reaction to God's blessings. The owner of the vineyard is God who gave His blessings for the Jewish people to manage. Yet every representative He sent to them, they turned on them, persecuted and some they even killed. These were the Judges and Prophets.

Then God, the owner, sent His own Son. They did the same thing to Him, too. Then, as the story goes, the owner went to the field to throw out the tenants and kill them. And after this, He gave the vineyard to others. In other words, this parable tells the entire history of the children of Israel in relationship to their God-Jehovah.

Do you remember some earlier words from Luke that fit this same situation? "Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.' Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, (Luke 11:47-50)

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing." (Luke 13:34)

When Jesus told them what the Son would do to the tenants, they protested, "God forbid." Jesus then looked intently at them and asked them about a familiar Scripture: "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone'? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but anyone on whom it falls will be crushed."

One of the commonly known symbols of the Messiah throughout the Prophets was a stone. Here Jesus is saying that stone (Him) was rejected and now has become the cornerstone. NOTE there are two ways you can relate to the stone (the Messiah):

FIRST-If you fall on the stone, you will be broken to pieces. I think this is coming to the point of a complete trust in Jesus, throwing yourself on the stone in humility. We've been saying that you really don't break the commandments, but you are broken by them.

SECOND-If you rebel against the stone and resist His direction and blessings, then that same stone will crush you.

The same is true for us today. You can humbly put your trust in Jesus and allow Him to do as He wills with you. Or, you can pridefully try to run your life on your own, rejecting the Messiah (stone) and the stone will crush you.

It just doesn't make any sense. God, the owner of everything you are and have is the owner of your vineyard. He is the one who wrote out your DNA, miraculously setting your life in motion. And all He wants from you, the manager of His vineyard (your life), is for you to share the fruit of the vineyard you manage with Him for His use. Well, what will it be? DEAL OR NO DEAL?