Sunday, September 23, 2012

God forbid!

 And he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ And 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 destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written:
  “‘The stone that the builders rejected   has become the cornerstone’?
  Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” 
(Luke 20:9-18 ESV)
Jesus tells this parables just after the leaders of Israel have sent a simple delegation to inquire about and reject His authority as Messiah.  In the same way as the tenants rejected the Owners servants and Son, they had rejected the prophets and were now rejecting Him, bringing the judgment of the Kingdom upon them instead of its blessings. The shock is overwhelming: "May it never be! God forbid! Surely not!"  Make no mistake about it: without accepting Christ, there is no hope.

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