Old Testament: Micah 1 & 2
Poetry: Psalm 135
New Testament: Matthew 21
As we come to the Christmas season, reading about these last days of Jesus puts a different light on the passage.
At the beginning of the chapter, we see Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey as the king he was prophesied to be. This lines up with what was expected from his birth! And yet, as we continue to read though the last parable in the chapter, we see that rejection starting to come.
In the parable of the tenants, we see a landowner who planted a vineyard, took care to put in safety precautions, then rented it out when he moved. He sends his servants back first to collect the harvest.
The result? One is beaten, another killed, and a third stoned. He sends more servants, and they continue to treat them in the same way.
Finally, the landowner decides to sends his son, certain that he will be respected. Instead, the tenants kill the son in an effort to steal his inheritance.
Jesus explains that those who behave in this way – those that reject God’s servants, and ultimately his son – will have the kingdom taken away from them and given to someone else who will produce fruit.
Those who are reading these devotions are probably Christians. But do we have times in our lives where we reject God’s son all the same? Probably not an outright rejection or denial, but we might push him to the side of our lives or we might not be willing to speak of the gospel in front of others which is another way of denying him.
As we get closer to Christmas, let’s remember the amazing miracle of Jesus’ birth through the ultimate proof that he was the Messiah by his resurrection and focus on sharing the good news rather than denying his name.
~Stephanie Fletcher
A short bio about me: I live in Minnesota with my husband and our two kids – 5 & almost 3. We may be a little crazy, but a couple of years ago, we bought a home with my parents – it is like two regular sized homes stacked on top of each other, and we all live there together. For a short while, my sister, her husband, and their baby lived there too. We live there with our dog, Indiana (a compromise from Han Solo or Ford based on my liking of Harrison Ford), and a pet fish – Mickey Rainbow Mermaid Fish (name courtesy of my daughter as technically, it’s her pet).
Reflection Questions
- What can you learn from Jesus in how he handled popularity? And, from how he handled rejection?
- How have your actions or words (or lack thereof) been a denial of Jesus Christ?
- How can you do better?
- What fruit is the landowner looking for?