God Extends His Invitation to Include You [Luke 20]
9And He began to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard and rented it out to vine-growers, and went on a journey for a long time.10"At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, so that they would give him some of the produce of the vineyard; but the vine-growers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.11"And he proceeded to send another slave; and they beat him also and treated him shamefully and sent him away empty-handed. 12"And he proceeded to send a third; and this one also they wounded and cast out. 13"The owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.'
14"But when the vine-growers saw him, they reasoned with one another, saying, 'This is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.'15"So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What, then, will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
16"He will come and destroy these vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others " When they heard it, they said, "May it never be!"
17But Jesus looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written:
'THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,
THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone'?
18"Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust."
19The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on Him that very hour, and they feared the people; for they understood that He spoke this parable against them. 20So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, in order that they might catch Him in some statement, so that they could deliver Him to the rule and the authority of the governor.
They didn't receive God's own Son. Instead they killed Him hoping to receive the inheritance for themselves since the heir would be dead. "He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:11-13).
Because God's own people, the Israel nation, did not receive His Son, God gave everyone the right to become His child. His death was for everyone. Let us praise God again today for this great salvation that was extended to you and me.
We praise You, God, for sending Jesus, Your beloved Son. Thank You for the grace to believe and receive Your Son. Thank You that You extended the invitation to be Your children to all who believe, no matter into what nationality we are born.
Verna McCrillis, 12/28/2009