“Listen to another parable. There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard; he fenced it round, dug a winepress in it and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad. When vintage time drew near he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his servants, thrashed one, killed another and stoned a third. Next he sent some more servants, this time a larger number, and they dealt with them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him and take over his inheritance.’ So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’ They answered, ‘He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will deliver the produce to him at the proper time.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the scriptures: The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this is the Lord’s doing and we marvel at it? ‘I tell you, then, that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” (Matthew 21:33-43)
In today’s Gospel from Matthew we learn about the landowner who sent multiple people to collect what was due him. Each one was treated with mistreated with open disdain and one was even killed. He eventually sent his own son thinking the tenants could not possibly treat him in the same manner, and yet they seized and killed him thinking they would then own all that was his. It is not too hard to realize that those sent before his son are to represent the servants and prophets of the Old Testamen,t and John The Baptist, who were all sent by God to warn us to turn from evil ways and to prepare us for the coming of God’s own Son, Jesus Christ.
Something that stands out to me is the great number of times God repeatedly tried to convince His people to change their evil ways. Many people either chose to ignore the messengers or did not recognize them as such, and it is still the same today. God continually sends us messengers and warnings, and has even given us His written Word, The Holy Bible.
Do you recognize Jesus when He comes to you? Do you choose to ignore even the possiblility it is Him? Do you treat His messengers with disdain or mistreat them? Remember, Jesus is the Son of God, The Father. He is our Savior and Lord, and He is coming again! Will you recognize and be ready to welcome Him, or will you turn away in disbelief?
In order to recognize Jesus you must know Him. To know Him you must spend time with Him. Spend time in The Bible that you might know Him so well as to not be fooled by impersonators. Know Him so you will be ready for Him, and recognize Him when He comes.
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