1. Matthew 21:33-46 Page 835 in Pew Bibles 33. “Listen to another parable: There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a watchtower. He leased it to tenant farmers and went away.

2. 34. When the grape harvest drew near, he sent his slaves to the farmers to collect his fruit. 35. But the farmers took his slaves, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36. Again, he sent other slaves, more than the first group, and they did the same to them.

3. 37. Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. 38. “But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance!’ 39. So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

4. 40. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?” 41. “He will completely destroy those terrible men,” they told Him, “and lease his vineyard to other farmers who will give him his produce at the harvest.”

5. 42. Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This came from the Lord and is wonderful in our eyes? 43. Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruit.

6. 44. Whoever falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder!” 45. When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they knew He was speaking about them. 46. Although they were looking for a way to arrest Him, they feared the crowds, because they regarded Him as a prophet.

8. God Gives Us Every Opportunity Vs. 33 “…a landowner, who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a watchtower…” Vs. 33 “…a landowner, who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a watchtower…” >

9. Isaiah 5:2 & 4 2.[God] broke up the soil, cleared it of stones, and planted it with the finest vines. He built a tower in the middle of it and even hewed out a winepress there. He expected it to yield good grapes, but it yielded worthless grapes. 4.What more could I have done for My vineyard than I did? Why, when I expected a yield of good grapes, did it yield worthless grapes?. >

10. Responsibility and Accountability Vs. 33 “…He leased it to tenant farmers and went away” Vs. 33 “…He leased it to tenant farmers and went away”. >

11. God Has a Right to Expect Your Fruitfulness Vs. 34 “When the grape harvest drew near, he sent his slaves to the farmers to collect his fruit.” Vs. 34 “When the grape harvest drew near, he sent his slaves to the farmers to collect his fruit.”. >

12. When in Sin, We Don’t Like Being Called to Account Vs. 35-36 “But the farmers took his slaves, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Again, he sent other slaves, more than the first group, and they did the same to them.” Vs. 35-36 “But the farmers took his slaves, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Again, he sent other slaves, more than the first group, and they did the same to them.”. >

13. Is this Father Naïve? Vs. 37-38 “Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said…” Vs. 37-38 “Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said…” The son represents a powerful family The son represents a powerful family The sharecroppers know who they’re dealing with The sharecroppers know who they’re dealing with It would be crazy to be disrespect the son It would be crazy to be disrespect the son. >

14. The Insanity of Sinful Reasoning Vs. 38 “But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance!’ “ Vs. 38 “But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance!’ “ When the Father is still around to exact justice, is this a good idea? When the Father is still around to exact justice, is this a good idea?. >

15. The Grace of the Father Vs. 37 “Finally, he sent his son to them…” Vs. 37 “Finally, he sent his son to them…” Romans 8:32 “He did not even spare His own Son, but offered Him up for us all; how will He not also with Him grant us everything?” Romans 8:32 “He did not even spare His own Son, but offered Him up for us all; how will He not also with Him grant us everything?”. >

16. We Don’t Have a Right to Expect Immunity from Persecution Vs. 35-36 “But the farmers took his slaves, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Again, he sent other slaves, more than the first group, and they did the same to them.” Vs. 35-36 “But the farmers took his slaves, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Again, he sent other slaves, more than the first group, and they did the same to them.”. >

17. Jesus May Not Be Our Plan, But He’s the Father’s Plan Vs. 42 “Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the Scriptures: Vs. 42 “Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This came from the Lord and is wonderful in our eyes?. >. >

18. The Peril of Rejecting Jesus Vs. 44 “Whoever falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder!” Vs. 44 “Whoever falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder!”. >. >

19. Religious People Make the Best Christ-Rejecters Vs. 45-46 “When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they knew He was speaking about them. Although they were looking for a way to arrest Him, they feared the crowds, because they regarded Him as a prophet.” Vs. 45-46 “When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they knew He was speaking about them. Although they were looking for a way to arrest Him, they feared the crowds, because they regarded Him as a prophet.”. >

20. Why Religious People Reject Christ Relying on Christ downplays our best efforts Relying on Christ downplays our best efforts Relying on Christ reproves our self-righteousness Relying on Christ reproves our self-righteousness We must rely on Christ because God refuses to accept us on our own terms We must rely on Christ because God refuses to accept us on our own terms Relying on Christ means we can’t share the credit Relying on Christ means we can’t share the credit. >

21. Use it or Lose it Vs. 42 “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruit.” Vs. 42 “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruit.”. >

22. We Don’t Have the Right to God’s Grace Forever Vs. 40-41 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?’ ‘He will completely destroy those terrible men,’ they told Him, ‘and lease his vineyard to other farmers who will give him his produce at the harvest.’” Vs. 40-41 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?’ ‘He will completely destroy those terrible men,’ they told Him, ‘and lease his vineyard to other farmers who will give him his produce at the harvest.’”.