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Day 34 Mark 12:1 Mark 12:1 And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and dug a place for the wine fat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. 2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. 4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. 5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. 6 Having yet therefore one son, his well-beloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. 7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. 8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. 9 What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. 10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: 11 This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? 12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way. Everyone likes a good story, until that story is directed at them. Jesus told parables, earthly stories with heavenly meanings, to the people, giving them a glimpse of heaven and the Father’s will. One such parable was about a vineyard, and those who tended it. The landowner is the Father. The husbandmen are his chosen people, Israel. The servants sent to collect the fruit, are the prophets whom they beat and killed, unwilling to listen to what they said, and last was the heir, Jesus, whom they would kill outside the garden, and the garden is Jerusalem. As Christians, you know this parable was a foreshadowing of what was to come. Jesus showed the people the history of Israel in the portrait of the parable, and what his people would do to him in the coming days. You also know the others Jesus gave the vineyard to, are all those who accepted him as Savior and Lord. The vineyard then, is the world. The servants are all those God sends into the world to reap a harvest of souls for the kingdom of God. Those who beat the servants and heir, are all those who rejected their Messiah. Because Israel rejected their Messiah, Jesus, God sent his Word into the world through his disciples, and later missionaries, to reap a harvest of souls, giving the world the opportunity to know him. Missionaries are still killed by those who refuse to acknowledge and accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. God doesn’t want just his people, Israel, saved. He wants the whole world to know Jesus and the salvation he brought through his death and resurrection. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (KJV) God loves you. Will you accept the message, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, or will you stone those who bring it? You only have two choices – accept or reject. One gives life, the other brings eternal damnation. Which will you choose? Let’s pray: Father, help me bring your message of salvation to the world. Let me draw souls to you who want to know you and the power of your salvation. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 9 August 2018 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay