Luke 20: 9-18
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.
“Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’
“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.’ So they they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
“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, “May this never be!”
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 capstone’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
A Thought
Jesus is teaching in the temple courts and preaching the gospel to the people. The elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the law are trying to test Jesus’ authority to find fault and have him killed. Here Jesus speaks in a parable about how God had blessed his people Israel and expected them to be faithful to him, but they had treated the prophets shamefully and sent them away empty-handed. Lastly the owner sends his son to reclaim his people. They not only threw him out but killed the heir, his son. The people responded that this should never happen. Then Jesus reminds them of the scripture stating that the stone the builders rejected became the main support of two walls being held together. Then the leaders knew Jesus was speaking about them.
Our Prayer
Father thank you for giving all people the opportunity to become your chosen children. Help us to acknowledge that you are the owner of all the earth, that Jesus Christ is the vine that leads to you, and we must produce fruit for you. We desire to be a faithful servant, in worship and praise of you in all that we say and do. We love you in Jesus’ name, amen.
