St. Matthew, Chapter 21, verses: 42a; The Corner Stone.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Application of the parable) Part 1. 

Christ Jesus was telling this parable to the people and the leaders because he had a message for them.  He wanted them to understand where they were and who he was since they were having difficulty understanding his words.  What did this parable mean to them?  How will it be applied to the people?  What was the sense of it?

He gave them ample opportunity and many examples to open their eyes, their minds so that they could be redeemed.  And now he tells them about the foundation, the corner stone of the building of all that has come before him.  Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures, 'The stone which the builders rejected, has become the corner stone.' " 

What did this mean to them?  The builders of the nation of Israel rejected a stone in building up the temple!  The founders did not use a particular stone because they believed that it was unfit for their purposes.  How can the builders reject a stone and it still become a part of the foundation?  This was the part that Christ wanted them to understand.  The rejected stone was used in another construction that was better than the one that the original builders used.  The old building would be removed and a new structure put in it's place.

Something new was taking place that they did not understand, that they did not comprehend.  A new foundation was being put in place and the old foundation would be removed.  This was taking place right before their eyes and they could not see it.  The beginning of a new force was coming into play for the people of the nation and would yield new fruit that the vine-dressers wanted to keep for themselves.  They were in the way.  They were the holdbacks, those who wanted to continue in the old structure in the face of a new beginning. 

Today we are faced with a new beginning.  We are given the opportunity to see the change coming about and to come onboard.  But there are those who would have us maintain the status quo, keep the old guard in place, do not believe in the change that is taking place.  Paint eventually dries, molasses eventually runs, and night eventually becomes day for all of us.  With this knowledge do you want to watch the paint dry or do you want to know that it will dry.  Knowledge will lead you in the direction you want to take. 

Christ calls to each and every one of us day in and day out.  He gives us opportunity to be redeemed.  He open doors for us, create miracles for us to see, sends messages to us that we may know with certainty that he lives and is Lord of all.  He redeemed all.  He saved all.  He awaits all to call out his name.  Many will come.  Many will not.  But his love and compassion is there for all who seek.  It is there for all who want.  It is there for you.

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in. 

St. Matthew, Chapter 21, verses: 41b; Other Vine-Dressers.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The vine-dressers kill the master's son) Part 5. 

Our parable continues to talk about the story of the character of men and the opportunity they have to do good.  The chief priest and the elders are given this opportunity by Christ as he tells them this story about the vine-dressers and the householder.  They started out as good men but over time were changed into evil men.  Greed possessed them.  They became hardened.  They beat others, stole what was not theirs and even killed to hold onto their claim.

Christ demonstrated to the elders how they had the same opportunity as the vine-dressers before the master would come and destroy them.  The householder sent two separate messengers asking for what was his proper fruit from his vineyard.  And they denied him his rights.  They the master sent his only son and they killed him.  What did they think that the master would do when he came?  He would utterly destroy them:  "And will let out the vineyard to other vine-dressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons." 

We are the fruit of the vineyard and Christ is the vine from which we come.  In him we are one.  In him we have life.  In him we are forgiven and become new sprouts from the one vine.  He has appointed caretakers.  They are the ones who will tend the vines and the vineyard to keep the weeds out and to keep the bugs that would destroy the vine.  Do we have good caretakers?  Do we have those who would till the soil and cultivate the land to aid in the growth and development of a good fruit?  Or do we have those who are only concerned with their own well being and are slack caretakers?

We are the fruit of the vine and Christ is the vine from which we come.  It is the job of the caretakers that the Father appoints to tend the vine to produce good fruit.  Either the vine produces good fruit or bad fruit.  One can tell by those are caretakers.  The vine is good quality because it comes from the Father.  Are they producing good fruit or bad fruit?  Growth is not the key by which the fruit is measured.  Bad fruit must grow also.  What part are you?

The caretakers will pay a double price when the master comes.  It is their job to care for the fruit that comes from the vine.  It is their job to till the soil.  It is their job to protect the vine from harm so that it may produce good fruit.  We are from one vine and the Father has approved of it origin.  He has hand picked the one vine that it may produce good fruit.  Look around you and see if you have good caretakers.  If not, then where do you belong?  Find your place in the vineyard with good caretakers that you may grow and produce good fruit.

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in. 

St. Matthew, Chapter 21, verses: 41a; Evil men.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The vine-dressers kill the master's son) Part 4. 

They killed the master's son, the most precious gift of all.  Greed had turned them into evil men.  They sought to steal and kill to get what they wanted.  They sought to lie and cheat to take what was not theirs.  They sought to influence others to support their evil schemes to enrich themselves to reach their goals.

How often do we see these themes today.  They are presented to us as normal and an accepted way of life, what one must do to get ahead.  This is true especially in business.  You have to be ruthless to get ahead.  Destroy the competition.  Slander their products.  Take over their customers and you will win.  And what did Jesus ask will happen to this type of person:   They said to him, "He will utterly destroy those evil men." 

Who are our idols?  What do we look up to as our model in life?  What do we desire more than anything else in this world?  We want to be like the rich and the famous.  We want to have money, and leisure, and yachts and penthouse condominiums and gold chains and diamond rings and fur coats and travel in our own jets.  We want all that is shown to us each and every day in the media.  They advertise to us.  They project to us the way that we should live.  They provide the model by which we dream.  They are our motivation for all that we desire.

What must we do to get there?  What must we forsake, what must we give up to get what we want?  We must change.  We must turn away from what was freely given us.  We must become ruthless and focused on our target.  We must not be distracted away by morals and ethics, those boundaries that hold us back from reaching our goals.  What would you do given the chance, the opportunity to reach your goals?

How blinded are we?  How deceived are we?  How innocent are we to accept the vision that is given us on a daily basis.  We are the children of the creator of the universe.  We are created in his image and likeness.  We are children of light and not of darkness.  Yet the world would have us become dark, to turn away from ourselves, to give up that which was freely given through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus. 

He came to give us life.  He came that we would know.  He came to show us a way to find him in his kingdom.  We are his children and he is our savior.  It is he who purchased us with his blood.  It is he who was raised from the dead and ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.  It is he who seeks to help you find the way into the light and out of the darkness of this world.  The shell will be broken but what comes forth will be in your hands.  Will it be the child of God or the creation of darkness?  The choice is yours and the opportunity is now.

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.