In Matthew 20 & 21 its interesting that Jesus tells 3 parables related to a vineyard.
I’m really struck by the third and final one here.
“Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
“But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.”
“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?â€
“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,†they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.â€
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
“Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.â€
It’s that last bit that gets me (the part in bold letters – Matt 21:43). I wonder if I’m producing fruit like God requires. Would/could/should the Kingdom of God be taken from me? Do we just ignore this passage and say, “Once saved, always saved?” Do we just pass over it and say that a quick prayer is the fruit Jesus is referring to/looking for?
What are your thoughts? Chew on it, wrestle with it and then share your thoughts.