Begin
Silence, Stillness, and Centering before God (2 minutes)
Scripture Reading Parable of the tenant farmers
“Listen
to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a fence
around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it to tenant
farmers and took a trip. 34 When it was time for harvest, he
sent his servants to the tenant farmers to collect his fruit. 35 But
the tenant farmers grabbed his servants. They beat some of them, and some of
them they killed. Some of them they stoned to death.
“Again he sent other servants, more than the first group. They treated them in the same way. 37 Finally he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
“But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come on, let’s kill him and we’ll have his inheritance.’ 39 They grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
“When the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenant farmers?”
They said, “He will totally destroy those wicked farmers and rent the vineyard to other tenant farmers who will give him the fruit when it’s ready.”
Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the scriptures, The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The Lord has done this, and it’s amazing in our eyes? 43 Therefore, I tell you that God’s kingdom will be taken away from you and will be given to a people who produce its fruit. 44 Whoever falls on this stone will be crushed. And the stone will crush the person it falls on.”
Now when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard the parable, they knew Jesus was talking about them. 46 They were trying to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, who thought he was a prophet." Matthew 21:33-46
“Again he sent other servants, more than the first group. They treated them in the same way. 37 Finally he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
“But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come on, let’s kill him and we’ll have his inheritance.’ 39 They grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
“When the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenant farmers?”
They said, “He will totally destroy those wicked farmers and rent the vineyard to other tenant farmers who will give him the fruit when it’s ready.”
Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the scriptures, The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The Lord has done this, and it’s amazing in our eyes? 43 Therefore, I tell you that God’s kingdom will be taken away from you and will be given to a people who produce its fruit. 44 Whoever falls on this stone will be crushed. And the stone will crush the person it falls on.”
Now when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard the parable, they knew Jesus was talking about them. 46 They were trying to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, who thought he was a prophet." Matthew 21:33-46
Questions to Consider
When I think about this story, my mind immediately goes to how I am like the tenant farmers, how I act as if my world is actually mine to do as I please, the ways in which I have "banished" God's, Jesus', rightful ownership of my life. In what ways might you give ownership of your world back to God today? Reason suggests that God is better at running what He has created than we are.
Prayer
"Lord, today, right now, I acknowledge in your presence that you own my life and my world and that your desire is that I trust you more than I trust myself. Therefore, just as a driver at night can only see as far as his headlights shine, I will trust you for today, believing that tomorrow is in your hands. I am relinquishing my need to determine outcomes. They are now in your Hands. Thank you Lord. Amen.
Conclude with
Silence
(2 minutes)
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