Following Jesus to the Cross - Day 3

On the third day of journeying to the Cross, Jesus shared a familiar parable with His disciples. He spoke about a man who planted a vineyard and leased it out to some farmers. When it was time for the harvest, this man sent a slave to gather some fruit from the vineyard. However, the farmers that were working the vineyard beat the slave and sent him back to his master empty handed. This same thing happened a second and a third time. These farmers were not giving in to the master's desire. They wanted to keep all the fruit to themselves.

In Luke 20:13 it is revealed that the owner comes to the following conclusion: "I will send my beloved son. Perhaps they will respect him." They should have respected the son. The son represented the his father. In that day-and-time, the son held the same authority as the father when sent as his representative. "But when the tenant farmers saw him, they discussed it among themselves and said, 'This is the heir. Let's kill him, so the inheritance will be ours! So they threw Him out of the vineyard and killed him" (Luke 20:14-15).

Please do not miss the parallels in this parable to all that God has done with man throughout history. God has provided a wonderful place for man to live and enjoy. We call it earth. This world is marred by sin; which by the way was not God's plan but brought into the world because man listened to the evil one rather than trusting God. In various points in history, God has sent forth judges, kings, prophets, and other leaders to get man's attention. These slaves of God proclaimed the word of God to repent from sin and return to the God who loves them and desires the very best for them. But man rejected these messengers from God. In fact, many of them were beaten and mocked and treated harshly. Finally, in God's timing, God sends forth His One and Only Son - Jesus. Jesus, God's Son, was threw outside the gates of Jerusalem and killed on a Cross.

Jesus knew what was coming. He knew that He was just like the son in this parable that He shared with His followers. Jesus continued to keep His eyes on the Cross. Where are your eyes this week?

Praying Today for:

(1) The Lake O' the Pines community of Ally Creek

(2) The State of New Hampshire

(3) The Nation of Mongolia

(4) The European Peoples throughout the World