Matthew 21:33-45

Be Still: Today Lord, help me know who I am and whose I am. Holy Spirit, remind me of these truths: I belong to Jesus; I am his child; he loves me and chooses me; he calls me and goes before me. Amen

Read: Matthew 21:33-45

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes’. (v42)

Encounter: Don’t you love a good action-movie-trailer? I do! There’s tension, drama, the main characters in peril, a ruthless enemy, a swelling underscore, and fragmented dialogue that all builds to a climax with the tagline: ‘Coming soon to a theatre near you’. Count me in!  

In this parable of a landlord and his evil tenants, Jesus gives us a sort of action-movie-trailer for the story of salvation. The interpretation of the parable is clear: God creates a beautiful and fruitful world. He gives it to the people to steward and tend. He sends them prophets to guide them only to see them killed. Finally, God sends his only son, and they kill him too. 

What will God do in response? You’ve got to read to the end of the Gospel to find out. Spoiler alert: Jesus saves! In the verse above, Jesus refers to himself as the cornerstone. In ancient times, the cornerstone was the first and most important building stone. If laid and aligned correctly, the whole building would stand. If it wasn’t, the building would fall. Jesus is saying to the pharisees and religious leaders of the day, ‘Put me first and you will stand secure but if you don't you will fall.’ Verse 44 gives a foreboding warning to those who reject him or find him a 'stumbling-block.' 

Apply: As a follower and believer in Christ, I may not reject him outrightly as did the Pharisees, but I admit I struggle to follow him in certain areas of my life. A secret sin. A proud boast. A selfish snatch. A willful way. I want to follow Jesus but there are times when I, like the vineyard tenants, want to keep 'what is mine' and say to God, ‘stay away’. For me, the most transformative part of the parable is realising that I just rent the 'vineyard' of my life - it was never mine.

Devote: Lord, help me to make you the cornerstone of my life today. In every word, deed, and heart’s motivation. Let your love be my secure rock. Let your salvation be my story.