Matthew 21:42–46 (ESV) —
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“ ‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46 And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.
NOTE: All of this happened. Israel leaders (the builders of faith in Israel) rejected the Messiah. And every blinded Jew has been crushed by their unbelief. But for those Jews and Gentiles who have believed, they are the new people -- the church -- who are producing the fruits Israel never provided. The ruler's (GOD) son came to the vineyard (Israel), and the people killed the ruler's son (Jesus). But a marvelous thing to behold happened -- the son rose from the dead and became the capstone for the new people (the body of Christ -- the church). The leaders had a choice and instead of repenting, they looked for ways to arrest him. They were blinded by their own arrogance and sin. And that is the warning to us as well. The days of the church age are rapidly coming to close. We need to be about the job of furthering the kingdom. Now is the time.
PONDER:
- Are we falling into the evil culture of this world?
- Are we living upright lives that stand in stark contrast to the world's values?
PRAYER: Father, give us strength to live for you in a world that, more and more, hate you. Let us boldly share our faith in the risen Christ.
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