HE DID WHAT I ASKED . . . WITH A BIG FROWN ON HIS FACE THE WHOLE DERN TIME!
He did what I asked
with a frown for the task
he set forth to work in the field.
I watched him frown
as he went to the ground
and sharp shovel the earth did yield.
He was covered with dirt
from his hands to his shirt
as he finished the work that was there.
But a smile crossed his face
as he stared into space
for he'd found that he really did care.
[FROM the "Big Book of Best Loved 'Pomes' for Fambly and Friends"]
Has anyone ever said to you, "Gene (or Mary, or Bill, Elaine) you have a bad attitude!" or "I don't like your attitude!"
Maybe so. And I heard this from my wife (more than once!) Usually though we hear it either from someone real close to us; or from someone who is about to beat us up! (So if it's the latter case, when you hear that, you better run far and fast!)
"I don't like your attitude!" You know who else says that? Another somebody who loves us: Jesus Himself. He says this to the people that belong to Him; even the people He loves. Maybe, especially the people that He loves! I think He says it, but while saying it and thinking it, He still puts up with us, and He still loves us. That's because He knows, and He taught that there is something far better than a good attitude and a smiling face and a nodding head. What's better than a nice attitude? Committed, obedient action! That's better. He still looks for that. Always.
The story Jesus told (which we call the parable of Two Sons) reveals bad attitudes, but it emphasizes right actions! That's right: it is about right actions! And it's about what kind of action God prefers and approves of. It's an obscure parable that only appears in Matthew's Gospel, probably because it uniquely serves Matthew's purpose. What's his main purpose? Matthew's Gospel exalts the authority of Jesus Christ: "he taught them as one who had authority" (Matthew 7:29). "I will not tell you by what authority I do these things" (he said in the
previous passage); and then at the end Jesus says, "all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me," (from Matt. 28:18). Matthew's point is once you've accepted the authority of Jesus, the only thing left is to do what the Master, or what the Father says to do. He's all about authority here on His part; and obedience on ours.
And that's what this weird little story Jesus told is about too. There are two sons in the story (who might just as well today be two sisters!). There's one father of both. And in that day and time, just because you were the father meant you had the authority (my how times have changed!).
So the Dad orders them both to go to work in his vineyard, one at a time. He orders the first one out there, and the son (he might be the older son, since Jesus refers to him as the first son) says, "No! I'm not going to do it!" He says that to his father.
Okay. Fine. The dad doesn't force him to go. That son is probably just as big as his father, and maybe even stronger. But then just a little bit later on, and with little warning, the guy changes his mind! The Greek word makes it clear that the guy sort of repented; he thought better of it. He had a change of will. So suddenly he decides to follow his father's command and go work in the field anyway. And he does.
You know of course the other son said he would go to work, but in fact he did not. And everybody in Jesus' audience back then knew that this was wrong. They just had trouble applying this teaching to themselves. That second son was what we call a "yes man". He talks a good talk, but his walk leaves much to be desired. We've all traveled down his path,
and we know where it leads: broken relationships, lost jobs, and inward despair.
But this evening let's focus on that first son. He's a lot like you and me. He said one thing, but later on he ended up doing another. And the other thing he is doing is the right thing! The thing that he first said to his dad was insolent, rude, and it sounded disobedient; but then he changes his mind, and then goes and does the right thing. And the right thing is doing what his father said to do in the first place. I am belaboring the obvious because of this:
Doing the right thing is always doing what God, your Heavenly Father tells you, personally and specifically, to do. And doing what He tells you to do, whatever that is, is to acknowledge and love Him and to love His authority over you.
Now, I'm not going to dwell on what specifically that might mean for you (and you, and you, and you!). I'm not going to do that, because chances are you already know exactly what God wants you to do! You therefore already know the right thing to do. And I bet many of you know it in great detail.
So I'll repeat: doing what Christ Jesus your Lord says to do is always the right thing! Your response to his command might work itself out just the way it does in that first son's life: you'll start out by saying you are not going to do it; and so at first you don't do what He asked of you; but then later on you have a change of heart, and you do it! And I just bet tonight that is a shoe that fits all of us. I have found that this very scenario occurs over and over again in the life of any Christian who is really listening to God!
How many of us here recall a time when God was telling us to do something, but our first reaction was to answer God, and say, "No! I will not!" I've said that to Him too many times. (More than I can count.) Years ago, I heard God clearly telling me, "I want you to be a preacher and the pastor of a church." I spent weeks telling Him, "I will not! I don't want to do that, and I'm not going to do it!" And I got no peace for all those weeks. And finally I got a little humble, and I said, "all right I'll do it, just tell me what's involved?" He said, "I want you to do this full time. So you'll have to quit your job, go to seminary, and get some training," and I said, "I will not! I'm not going to do that! I'll be a preacher and a pastor, but I don't want to give up this good job, and I don't want to do it full time, and I don't want to go to seminary." Just like the first son in the story.
And like him I changed my mind, and I ended up doing it anyway. And now years have gone by, and I cannot even count how many times I played the part of the older son, saying, "I know you want me to do this, or I suspect you want me to do this, but I don't want to do it; and I have no intention of doing it!" But later on there was a change of heart, and I ended up doing it. Maybe that happened because it is very difficult to live in a state of disobedience to God. It's the best way I know of to be a Christian and to be absolutely miserable.
On a related noted, my wife is a born teacher. She got a job at the St. Paul's preschool teaching 4 and 5 year old people, and she loves her work, and the kids love her. But noticing some of the difficulties that came with managing the place, she would come home and tell
me, "boy I am glad I do not have the director's job at that pre-school! All that administration! All that record keeping; all that financial computer software. But I ain't ever going to do that no-how!"
God must have a really sick sense of humor! And we all know He has lots of patience! Because two weeks ago, my wife accepted the position of Interim Director of the St. Paul's child development center. And I'm just laughing to myself and thanking God it ain't me this time!
In fact I'm reminded of the story of the Methodist preacher who liked preaching, but he very much disliked the pastoral ministry side of being a preacher (and this used to be me -- I used to be like this guy that I am telling you about!). So whenever someone got sick or had to go to the hospital, he would call one of his lay ministers and ask them to go and see the sick person. And this guy -- lets call him John -- didn't like praying for sick people either, because he was sort of a liberal, and he didn't believe in miracles, frankly! The idea that Jesus would still heal people today like the old stories in the Bible -- John just didn't go along with that sort of stone-age stuff. If it happened at all, that was long ago, and this was now . . . .
But one day he got a call from a church member who's church-member-mother was in the hospital with a very serious and terminal illness. The daughter asked, "will you go please, Pastor John, and visit my mother; and will you pray for her and ask that Jesus will heal her."
Pastor John did not want to do this, so he said, "Charlene: I'll see that this gets done some time this month!"
"No, Pastor John, please! She may not be alive later in the month. Please would you go today and you, the preacher, please pray for her."
"Thanks, Ma'am, for your confidence in me," he said. "I will see that this gets done today." And he ended the call.
But it was the middle of July. And when Pastor John started going down his list of lay ministers, they were all out of town, or busy, or on vacation. They could not go to the hospital on that day. So he huffed and puffed, and breathed deeply, and counted to ten -- and made a decision. He would go to the hospital himself. He didn't want to. He had told himself he wouldn't. But now, he was.
Sort of like John Wesley. John Wesley went very unwillingly to a society meeting on Aldersgate street in London, during the Spring of 1738. He felt he was supposed to go, but he didn't want to go.
As for John he hadn't been in this hospital in over two years, but he found his way around, and with the help of a nurse he found the room of Charlene's mother, Julia. When he saw her and looked at her chart, he was sure the daughter had told him the truth: that Julia was not long for this world. He chatted with her a bit, made some small talk, and then picked up his hat and got ready to leave. "Oh, wait, Pastor John, please! Would you pray for me? And please ask God to heal me of this terrible disease."
He didn't want to. But he shrugged, huffed and puffed, and began to pray. And he was pretty rusty since he hadn't prayed for anybody who was sick in a long, long time. "Lord God. Uh, here is Julia, your servant, sick and in this hospital. She feels bad, she looks worse, and she is so sick it looks like she is just going to die very soon. But Lord, we're asking you that, if it be in your will, you please don't let her die. Instead make her well, and let her go home. But,
of course, if it isn't your will that she gets better, then please just help her to accept the condition in which she now finds herself. Thank you God. Amen."
He nodded to the woman, picked up his hat again, and headed for the door of the hospital room. But before he got there, he heard a voice -- Julia's voice: she sat up in bed and said, "you know, Pastor John, I feel funny. I feel different. I feel better!" She swung her two strong legs around over the edge of the bed and sat up straight and tall. "I feel -- man, I feel well! I believe I am well. You prayed for me, and God has answered your prayer and healed me! Hallelujah, I am well!"
With all the commotion a nurse came into the room, and asked if there was something wrong. "No, nothing wrong!" answered Julia. "I am well. I am healed of my sickness. God has healed me. Get your thermometer and your blood pressure thing and check me out. I believe I'm going to be okay now." The nurse paged a doctor and got out her stethoscope and thermometer. By this time Julia was walking back and forth across the room, as far as her IV tubes would let her. "Thank you, Pastor. Thank you, Jesus, I am well!" And the nurse, and the doctor soon found out she was!
But Pastor John had not stayed around for all this confirmation. Instead he spoke to no one. He
walked down the hall silent and fuming. He walked out the door of the hospital, and crossed the street to the parking lot. By the time he got to the car he was so angry he was glowing red. Pastor John put the key in the door of his car and opened the door. But before he got inside, he looked up into the sky, and he said, "Don't you ever do that again!"
And obedience to Jesus Christ -- no matter when it comes, sooner preferably than later -- obedience always brings forth these unimagined, surprising, grace-filled moments, and amazing, and even miraculous results.
I like to think that's what happened to that first son: I have a vivid imagination, so I believe that in the details of the rest of the story, he went into the vineyard and worked, and later? The harvest of grapes was so abundant that season; and the wine that came from those grapes was the best in all of Israel for that year! But even if that didn't happen, that son had shown love for the authority of the Father. And that is always a very big thing!
And John Wesley, what about him. He wrote that "In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while the leader was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in
Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."
And today, you're that first son in the parable from Matthew 21. Maybe you're like John Wesley. You already know perfectly well what Jesus is asking you to do. What happens next depends on how you view the authority of Jesus Christ.
PRAYER: And Lord Jesus, this evening at least we say to you that we acknowledge your authority -- all of it in heaven and on earth, and in our lives. It's because of that that we are together this evening obeying your summons to come to this feast of grace that is Holy Communion. In your name we pray. Amen.
BIBLE TEXT TO READ, USE, AND LOVE!
Matthew 21:23-44 (with a focus on 28-32).
23 Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”
24 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: 25 The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?”
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.”
And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’
29 He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went.
30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go.
31 Which of the two did the will of his father?”
They said to Him, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.
32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.
33 “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.
34 Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.
35 And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.
36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.
37 Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’
39 So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”
41 They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘ The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.
44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
LBC
He did what I asked
with a frown for the task
he set forth to work in the field.
I watched him frown
as he went to the ground
and sharp shovel the earth did yield.
He was covered with dirt
from his hands to his shirt
as he finished the work that was there.
But a smile crossed his face
as he stared into space
for he'd found that he really did care.
[FROM the "Big Book of Best Loved 'Pomes' for Fambly and Friends"]
 |
| If you have a bad attitude then Jesus sez that ain't the worst thing you could have . . . You could be a lazy bum! |
Has anyone ever said to you, "Gene (or Mary, or Bill, Elaine) you have a bad attitude!" or "I don't like your attitude!"
Maybe so. And I heard this from my wife (more than once!) Usually though we hear it either from someone real close to us; or from someone who is about to beat us up! (So if it's the latter case, when you hear that, you better run far and fast!)
"I don't like your attitude!" You know who else says that? Another somebody who loves us: Jesus Himself. He says this to the people that belong to Him; even the people He loves. Maybe, especially the people that He loves! I think He says it, but while saying it and thinking it, He still puts up with us, and He still loves us. That's because He knows, and He taught that there is something far better than a good attitude and a smiling face and a nodding head. What's better than a nice attitude? Committed, obedient action! That's better. He still looks for that. Always.
The story Jesus told (which we call the parable of Two Sons) reveals bad attitudes, but it emphasizes right actions! That's right: it is about right actions! And it's about what kind of action God prefers and approves of. It's an obscure parable that only appears in Matthew's Gospel, probably because it uniquely serves Matthew's purpose. What's his main purpose? Matthew's Gospel exalts the authority of Jesus Christ: "he taught them as one who had authority" (Matthew 7:29). "I will not tell you by what authority I do these things" (he said in the
 |
| Matthew writes to make the case for the authority of Jesus, so you will know how to respond to that authority. |
And that's what this weird little story Jesus told is about too. There are two sons in the story (who might just as well today be two sisters!). There's one father of both. And in that day and time, just because you were the father meant you had the authority (my how times have changed!).
So the Dad orders them both to go to work in his vineyard, one at a time. He orders the first one out there, and the son (he might be the older son, since Jesus refers to him as the first son) says, "No! I'm not going to do it!" He says that to his father.
Okay. Fine. The dad doesn't force him to go. That son is probably just as big as his father, and maybe even stronger. But then just a little bit later on, and with little warning, the guy changes his mind! The Greek word makes it clear that the guy sort of repented; he thought better of it. He had a change of will. So suddenly he decides to follow his father's command and go work in the field anyway. And he does.
You know of course the other son said he would go to work, but in fact he did not. And everybody in Jesus' audience back then knew that this was wrong. They just had trouble applying this teaching to themselves. That second son was what we call a "yes man". He talks a good talk, but his walk leaves much to be desired. We've all traveled down his path,
 |
| There were two brothers. The first one walked the walk; the second one just talked the talk |
But this evening let's focus on that first son. He's a lot like you and me. He said one thing, but later on he ended up doing another. And the other thing he is doing is the right thing! The thing that he first said to his dad was insolent, rude, and it sounded disobedient; but then he changes his mind, and then goes and does the right thing. And the right thing is doing what his father said to do in the first place. I am belaboring the obvious because of this:
Doing the right thing is always doing what God, your Heavenly Father tells you, personally and specifically, to do. And doing what He tells you to do, whatever that is, is to acknowledge and love Him and to love His authority over you.
Now, I'm not going to dwell on what specifically that might mean for you (and you, and you, and you!). I'm not going to do that, because chances are you already know exactly what God wants you to do! You therefore already know the right thing to do. And I bet many of you know it in great detail.
So I'll repeat: doing what Christ Jesus your Lord says to do is always the right thing! Your response to his command might work itself out just the way it does in that first son's life: you'll start out by saying you are not going to do it; and so at first you don't do what He asked of you; but then later on you have a change of heart, and you do it! And I just bet tonight that is a shoe that fits all of us. I have found that this very scenario occurs over and over again in the life of any Christian who is really listening to God!
 |
| If you do what Jesus asks you to do it is always the right thing! |
And like him I changed my mind, and I ended up doing it anyway. And now years have gone by, and I cannot even count how many times I played the part of the older son, saying, "I know you want me to do this, or I suspect you want me to do this, but I don't want to do it; and I have no intention of doing it!" But later on there was a change of heart, and I ended up doing it. Maybe that happened because it is very difficult to live in a state of disobedience to God. It's the best way I know of to be a Christian and to be absolutely miserable.
On a related noted, my wife is a born teacher. She got a job at the St. Paul's preschool teaching 4 and 5 year old people, and she loves her work, and the kids love her. But noticing some of the difficulties that came with managing the place, she would come home and tell
 |
| She was a very good preschool teacher and loved her work. |
God must have a really sick sense of humor! And we all know He has lots of patience! Because two weeks ago, my wife accepted the position of Interim Director of the St. Paul's child development center. And I'm just laughing to myself and thanking God it ain't me this time!
In fact I'm reminded of the story of the Methodist preacher who liked preaching, but he very much disliked the pastoral ministry side of being a preacher (and this used to be me -- I used to be like this guy that I am telling you about!). So whenever someone got sick or had to go to the hospital, he would call one of his lay ministers and ask them to go and see the sick person. And this guy -- lets call him John -- didn't like praying for sick people either, because he was sort of a liberal, and he didn't believe in miracles, frankly! The idea that Jesus would still heal people today like the old stories in the Bible -- John just didn't go along with that sort of stone-age stuff. If it happened at all, that was long ago, and this was now . . . .
But one day he got a call from a church member who's church-member-mother was in the hospital with a very serious and terminal illness. The daughter asked, "will you go please, Pastor John, and visit my mother; and will you pray for her and ask that Jesus will heal her."
Pastor John did not want to do this, so he said, "Charlene: I'll see that this gets done some time this month!"
"No, Pastor John, please! She may not be alive later in the month. Please would you go today and you, the preacher, please pray for her."
 |
| Pastor John didn't like visiting in hospitals. |
"Thanks, Ma'am, for your confidence in me," he said. "I will see that this gets done today." And he ended the call.
But it was the middle of July. And when Pastor John started going down his list of lay ministers, they were all out of town, or busy, or on vacation. They could not go to the hospital on that day. So he huffed and puffed, and breathed deeply, and counted to ten -- and made a decision. He would go to the hospital himself. He didn't want to. He had told himself he wouldn't. But now, he was.
Sort of like John Wesley. John Wesley went very unwillingly to a society meeting on Aldersgate street in London, during the Spring of 1738. He felt he was supposed to go, but he didn't want to go.
As for John he hadn't been in this hospital in over two years, but he found his way around, and with the help of a nurse he found the room of Charlene's mother, Julia. When he saw her and looked at her chart, he was sure the daughter had told him the truth: that Julia was not long for this world. He chatted with her a bit, made some small talk, and then picked up his hat and got ready to leave. "Oh, wait, Pastor John, please! Would you pray for me? And please ask God to heal me of this terrible disease."
He didn't want to. But he shrugged, huffed and puffed, and began to pray. And he was pretty rusty since he hadn't prayed for anybody who was sick in a long, long time. "Lord God. Uh, here is Julia, your servant, sick and in this hospital. She feels bad, she looks worse, and she is so sick it looks like she is just going to die very soon. But Lord, we're asking you that, if it be in your will, you please don't let her die. Instead make her well, and let her go home. But,
 |
| Pastor John thought only Jesus could heal people and no one else. |
He nodded to the woman, picked up his hat again, and headed for the door of the hospital room. But before he got there, he heard a voice -- Julia's voice: she sat up in bed and said, "you know, Pastor John, I feel funny. I feel different. I feel better!" She swung her two strong legs around over the edge of the bed and sat up straight and tall. "I feel -- man, I feel well! I believe I am well. You prayed for me, and God has answered your prayer and healed me! Hallelujah, I am well!"
With all the commotion a nurse came into the room, and asked if there was something wrong. "No, nothing wrong!" answered Julia. "I am well. I am healed of my sickness. God has healed me. Get your thermometer and your blood pressure thing and check me out. I believe I'm going to be okay now." The nurse paged a doctor and got out her stethoscope and thermometer. By this time Julia was walking back and forth across the room, as far as her IV tubes would let her. "Thank you, Pastor. Thank you, Jesus, I am well!" And the nurse, and the doctor soon found out she was!
But Pastor John had not stayed around for all this confirmation. Instead he spoke to no one. He
 |
| Julia felt better. And she was better! |
And obedience to Jesus Christ -- no matter when it comes, sooner preferably than later -- obedience always brings forth these unimagined, surprising, grace-filled moments, and amazing, and even miraculous results.
I like to think that's what happened to that first son: I have a vivid imagination, so I believe that in the details of the rest of the story, he went into the vineyard and worked, and later? The harvest of grapes was so abundant that season; and the wine that came from those grapes was the best in all of Israel for that year! But even if that didn't happen, that son had shown love for the authority of the Father. And that is always a very big thing!
And John Wesley, what about him. He wrote that "In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while the leader was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in
 |
| John Wesley didn't want to go to the meeting at Aldersgate Street. But he went anyway, and the rest is history. |
And today, you're that first son in the parable from Matthew 21. Maybe you're like John Wesley. You already know perfectly well what Jesus is asking you to do. What happens next depends on how you view the authority of Jesus Christ.
PRAYER: And Lord Jesus, this evening at least we say to you that we acknowledge your authority -- all of it in heaven and on earth, and in our lives. It's because of that that we are together this evening obeying your summons to come to this feast of grace that is Holy Communion. In your name we pray. Amen.
BIBLE TEXT TO READ, USE, AND LOVE!
Matthew 21:23-44 (with a focus on 28-32).
23 Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”
24 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: 25 The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?”
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.”
And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’
29 He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went.
30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go.
31 Which of the two did the will of his father?”
They said to Him, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.
32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.
33 “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.
34 Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.
35 And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.
36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.
37 Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’
39 So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”
41 They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘ The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.
44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
LBC
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