28 “What do you think about this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
29 “ ‘I will not,’ the son answered. But later he changed his mind and went.
30 “Then the father went to the other son. He said the same thing. The son answered, ‘I will, sir.’ But he did not go.
31 “Which of the two sons did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “What I’m about to tell you is true. Tax collectors and prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 John came to show you the right way to live. And you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. You saw this. But even then you did not turn away from your sins and believe him.
The Story of the Renters
33 “Listen to another story. A man who owned some land planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it. He dug a pit for a winepress in it. He also built a lookout tower. He rented the vineyard out to some farmers. Then he moved to another place. 34 When harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the renters. He told the slaves to collect his share of the fruit.
35 “But the renters grabbed his slaves. They beat one of them. They killed another. They threw stones at the third to kill him. 36 Then the man sent other slaves to the renters. He sent more than he did the first time. The renters treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
38 “But the renters saw the son coming. They said to one another, ‘This is the one who will receive all the owner’s property someday. Come, let’s kill him. Then everything will be ours.’ 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard. Then they killed him.
40 “When the owner of the vineyard comes back, what will he do to those renters?”
41 “He will destroy those evil people,” they replied. “Then he will rent the vineyard out to other renters. They will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read what the Scriptures say,
“ ‘The stone the builders didn’t accept has become the most important stone of all. The Lord has done it. It is wonderful in our eyes’? The Lord has done it. It is wonderful in our eyes.
43 “So here is what I tell you. The kingdom of God will be taken away from you. It will be given to people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces. But the stone will crush anyone it falls on.”
45 The chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ stories. They knew he was talking about them. 46 So they looked for a way to arrest him. But they were afraid of the crowd. The people believed that Jesus was a prophet.
1. The son that obeyed. Verse 28-32
2. Harvest time. Verses 34-38
3. Cornerstone verse 42.
1. The son that obeyed. Verse 28-32
28 “What do you think about this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
29 “ ‘I will not,’ the son answered. But later he changed his mind and went.
30 “Then the father went to the other son. He said the same thing. The son answered, ‘I will, sir.’ But he did not go.
31 “Which of the two sons did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “What I’m about to tell you is true. Tax collectors and prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God ahead of you.
a. A nation that assumes it knows the truth.
-Sub-Sahara Africa is estimated to have about 62% - 70% of her population as Christian, totaling over 565 million people.
By 2050, nearly 40% (or four-in-ten) of the world's Christians are projected to live in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to Pew Research Centre projections.
Yet, the region contributes only 6% of missionaries to global missions.
Europe still contribute about 34% despite the claim of Christianity decline.
Who does what the father wants?
B. A meeting of pastors and leaders.
-Division - fear -competition -criticism
-. Things they should know better than to do
Who is doing the will of the Father?
c. What about ourselves?
Are you obeying or judging those who are?
-Are you obeying or afraid to?
Q 1. What does it look like to obey the Father as we work in His vineyard?
2. The Harvest time.
1. 3 Servants - verse 34 -35
2. Another team of servants. Verse 36
3. The son. Verse 37,38
Servants represents the Prophets of the Old Testament.
Son represents Jesus Christ.
“Renters” represents the people God sent His word to – the Jewish leaders and humanity.
45 The chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ stories. They knew he was talking about them.
What about our generation?
Some still reject and despise the Son.
We are like renters—our time on earth is limited and not our own.
Therefore, we must love and pray for those who do not believe.
Pray for two people in your life who do not yet know Jesus.
4. Cornerstone verse 42.
Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; This was from the Lord, And it is marvelous in our eyes?
The builders represent leaders in authority—particularly the Jewish leaders.
Today, this can refer to those in positions of influence and power.
The most important stone, the cornerstone, is Jesus Christ.
Though He was rejected by the leaders, God has made Him Lord, and at His name every knee will bow.
Even Satan, sickness, and every impossibility are subject to Him.
Question 3
How should rejection be responded to?
Rejection is something many people experience at some point in life—whether in the family, in society, or in the workplace, for different reasons.
Jesus taught that the world may not accept you as a Christian.
Yet God has used many who were once rejected to accomplish His purposes.
Thomas Edison- invented light bulb.
“Difficult” and was sacked from school.
Albert Einstein- Theory of relativity, changed physics.
-slow to speak and strange.
His teacher said that he won’t amount to anything.
Paul was a murderer. -Peter was uneducated.
William J. Seymour – Azusa streets revival.
Gladys Aylward -a house maid and uneducated.
God can use you greatly, do not be discouraged by the world.
Conclusion
It is not what we say, but what we do—the son who obeyed.
The Lord must not be rejected in our generation. Pray for those who do not know Jesus.
Be encouraged—you are loved by the Lord!
