Lent - Pt 13

Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:19-24 ESV).

In the parable of the tenants, the owner of a vineyard leases his property to others and travels abroad. While away, he sends his servants to collect his share of the fruit from the land, but the tenants beat his servants and then kill them. Finally, he sends his son to collect the fruit, reasoning, “They will respect my son” (Mark 12:6). But he is wrong. They kill his son too. Jesus explained what the parable meant by quoting Psalm 118: “Have you not read this Scripture: ‘This stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” (Mark 12:10-11, cf. Matthew 21:42). In other words, God is the owner of the vineyard. The tenants are his people. They were supposed to give him the fruit of their lives through worship and obedience. But they rejected his prophets and messengers. Finally, he sent his Son. But they rejected him too. In rebellion, they would not respect or honor him as the Son of God. Instead, they killed him. Yet Jesus was not swept away by a storm of angry and uncontrolled men. His rejection was according to the intentional plan of God; it was “the Lord’s doing.” This is “marvelous in our eyes” because the death of Christ defeated death itself. We rejoice because God picked up Jesus from the grave and made him the cornerstone of salvation for everyone who believes. In him, therefore, we will live and never die (cf. John. 11:25-27). Perhaps the most astonishing truth that emerges from the last week of Jesus’ life and ministry in Jerusalem is the contrast of those who accepted and rejected Jesus. The Sanhedrin who were supposed to be the most learned and religious men in the nation, the men who were supposed to be able to discern with complete accuracy what was good and Godly missed the very Son of God. Those who were least trained religiously were those who saw Jesus for He was immediately. The difference was not in the “stone” being examined, but in the faith of those who were making the decision. Even Pilate recognized this truth. Our task today is to stand in awe of the wisdom of God in accomplishing the atonement, even when others did all they could to deny and reject Jesus. That awe then may take us to trust, even in the midst of the most trying of circumstance.