Rejected – March 30, Tuesday of Holy Week

Luke 20:9-19 TNIV

He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.

“Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’

“But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So 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 kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”

When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!”

Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written:

” ‘The stone the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone’?

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”

The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.

According to the Gospel of Luke, after Jesus enters Jerusalem he tells this parable after he was questioned by some of the religious leaders.  In this parable Jesus more or less describes what had been happening in Israel from the days of the prophets.  He tells this story so that they may see that they are really the tenants of the land and the prophets are the ones they beat and sent away.  Jesus then tells them of the Landowner’s son who they killed.  This is exactly what happens to Jesus – the Son of God.

Somehow the cheers and joys of Palm Sunday get swallowed up in the anger, pride, and lust for power of the religious leaders.  Somehow the people desire to have it their own way and take the Son and beat him and kill him.  Jesus predicts his death in this parable.  He knows what will befall him and yet he continues forward.  The challenge for us as we read this passage is to examine our hearts.  Are we ready to accept Jesus or are our hearts hardened like the tenants in the parable?  Are we willing to accept the Son or are we too caught up in ourselves and our sinful desires that we will join with the crowd in just a few days and yell “crucify him!”?

As we read this parable we are faced with the grim reality that all-too-often we are just like the religious leaders – we indeed are the tenants in the story.  Too often we allow ourselves to be caught up in the drive of our self-will and we reject Jesus.

As we journey to the cross this Holy Week let us realize the sin, pride, and greed that lies deep within each one of us.  Let us cast aside these things and so “no” to our self-will so that we may truly say “yes” to God.  This is the great call of Lent and of Holy Week.  Let us descend to the cross with Christ that we may continue to live out our baptism – dying to self and raising with Christ.

May God grant us mercy as we deeply examine ourselves during these holy days that may truly be able to receive the King of All!

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a Sinner!