Not What I Wanted to Hear
Matthew 21:33-38 There was a man who owned a vineyard. He put a wall around the field and dug a hole for a winepress. Then he built a tower. He leased the land to some farmers and then left on a trip. Later, it was time for the grapes to be picked. So the man sent his servants to the farmers to get his share of the grapes. “But the farmers grabbed the servants and beat one. They killed another one and then stoned to death a third servant. So the man sent some other servants to the farmers. He sent more servants than he sent the first time. But the farmers did the same thing to them that they did the first time. So the man decided to send his son to the farmers. He said, ‘The farmers will respect my son.’ “But when the farmers saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the owner’s son. This vineyard will be his. If we kill him, it will be ours.’ So the farmers took the son, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
Today I’d like to share with you a story that Jesus told. But before we dive in, remember this: He often tells us things we don’t want to hear. His love is a tough love, because He came to set us free from the sin that grips our lives.
So, here’s that parable I promised you:
Matthew 21:33-38 There was a man who owned a vineyard. He put a wall around the field and dug a hole for a winepress. Then he built a tower. He leased the land to some farmers and then left on a trip. Later, it was time for the grapes to be picked. So the man sent his servants to the farmers to get his share of the grapes. “But the farmers grabbed the servants and beat one. They killed another one and then stoned to death a third servant. So the man sent some other servants to the farmers. He sent more servants than he sent the first time. But the farmers did the same thing to them that they did the first time. So the man decided to send his son to the farmers. He said, ‘The farmers will respect my son.’ “But when the farmers saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the owner’s son. This vineyard will be his. If we kill him, it will be ours.’ So the farmers took the son, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
Jesus is the son in this parable. He confronted the people’s sin. They hated that, so they had Him crucified. Friend, when next Jesus confronts the sin in your life, please … don’t reject Him. Receive His tough love. Your life depends on it.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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