Having the Kingdom taken away
Jesus told the religious leaders the publicans and harlots would enter the kingdom before them. He used the parable of the vineyard to partly show why. The kingdom is compared to a vineyard. The landowner planted and completely equipped a vineyard. He then leased the land to some vinedressers. They agreed to pay the landowner out of the fruit of the vineyard.
The owner sent servants to collect rent at harvest time. The vinedressers beat, stoned and killed the multiplied numbers of servants. “Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’” However, the wicked vinedressers plotted against the son in hopes of getting his inheritance, which would include the vineyard in which they worked (John 11:47-50). They then cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.
Jesus asked, “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” Some listeners correctly judged the owner would destroy those men and lease the vineyard to others who would honor their agreement. Others, perhaps recognizing the full import of such a conclusion, said “Certainly not!” (Matthew 21:33-46; Luke 20:16).
The Jews rejected a multitude of messengers from God right down to John the baptizer (1 Kings 18:13; 22:24-27; Matthew 14:3-12; Hebrews 11:35-38). Jesus is God’s last spokesman to sinful man (Hebrews 1:12; 2:13). Those rejecting him will not receive another messenger from the Father. He suffered long with Israel as they rejected the prophets, then asked his Son to take the form of a servant so he could send him (Philippians 2:5-8). He served as the final messenger and the only fully acceptable sacrifice. Rejecting him left them to look forward to judgment with fear (Hebrews 10:26-31).
Jesus quoted Psalm 118:22-23, telling the religious leaders the kingdom of God would be taken from them and given to a nation which would bear fruit for him. This prophecy was applied “to the Pharisees, who, in their treatment of him, were like unskilled builders who reject the very cornerstone of the building which they seek to erect” (McGarvey). He went on to say, “They blundered in constructing their theory of the coming kingdom, and could find no room for one such as Jesus in it.”
They stumbled at the teachings of Christ. They were broken by them, being condemned for not accepting him for who he was (John 3:18). When he comes in judgment, those who have not obeyed him will be crushed under the weight of his judgment (Romans 2:16).
We have been greatly blessed by God. He has provided a wonderful kingdom for us. “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14). We have a protective hedge around us in the form of his promise to always provide a way of escape for us (1 Corinthians 10:13).
God asks us to bear fruit to his glory (John 15:18). We must give him our lives in sacrificial service (Romans 12:1-2). Failing to give God the fruits of our labors jeopardizes our eternal life with him in heaven. We must be careful not to reject and kill his Son afresh (Hebrews 6:4-6). It would actually be better to never have known God’s way than to be a part of it and turn back to the ways of the world (2 Pet. 2:20-22). The Father will surely punish those who abuse his last great messenger, Jesus, the Son!
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