Hostile Takeover

Mark 12: Then He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. ² Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. ³ And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴ Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. ⁵ And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some. ⁶ Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ⁷ But those vinedressers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ⁸ So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.

⁹ “Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰ Have you not even read this Scripture:

‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.

¹¹ This was the Lord’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

¹² And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.

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Seeing a crowded bus, I noticed a group of people who hung around the back door waiting for people to exit so they could slip on. A free ride was the goal. Wow! I thought to myself. I shimmied onto the bus and it worked. I tried it on the next bus and the driver stopped the bus and made me come to the front and pay. That cured my bus hopping in a single trip.

• There were times when I tried to force my way in.
• There were timed when I tried to sneak my way in.
• Three were times when I tried to get in places I did not belong.

The church leaders thought they had exclusive rights to heaven. They lorded their positions to the point of hating JESUS for exposing their sinfulness. This parable solidified their hatred as JESUS said they would kill HIM.

• JESUS wants me to confess my sins or HE will one day point them out.
• JESUS wants me to tell people my sins so the sin will lose its power over me.
• JESUS wants me to focus on HIS love instead of hating HIS methods.

GOD’s love requires that I believe in HIS SON. I can become a church leader and still rot in a place of eternal separation fro GOD if I do not truly believe in HIS SON. JESUS is the focus of the parable. HE was sent for my salvation.

• Are you trying to force your way into heaven?
• Do you think you goodness deserves a heavenly seat?
• Can you stop thinking you are good enough for heaven because of your title and start believing in JESUS?