Teachers of the law were looking for a way to kill Jesus. They asked Jesus, "By what authority are you doing these things?" Instead of answering directly, Jesus also asked them, "John's baptism-was it from heaven or of human origin?" They could not answer. They knew that John's baptism was from heaven, yet they did not believe it. They feared that if they said John's ministry was of human origin, people would rise against them. In their hearts, although it was obvious Jesus was from God, they did not want to believe him.

Jesus began to speak to them in parables. Jesus told them about a man who planted a vineyard and rented it to some farmers to take care of it. At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them. But they seized and beat him. Then the man sent another servant. They struck him too. They killed another servant. So the man sent his own son. But they killed the son, and threw him out of the vineyard. This parable was for the teachers of the law. They were the ones who killed God's son, Jesus. We are the same sinners who rejected Jesus and killed him on the cross. Lord, may we repent of our sins and accept Jesus in our heart moment by moment.


Application: Lord, please help us to repent of our pride and accept Jesus as our true Messiah and king of our lives.
One Word: Jesus has become the cornerstone.