Friday, March 23, 2012

The Warning of the Parable

Scripture: Matthew 21:42-46
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?  Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruit. [Whoever falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whoever it falls, it will grind him to powder!]”  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.

Insights:  Monday, I mentioned an inference was made about God’s desire for us and that we would discuss it later in the week.  The same inference was made in yesterday’s verses.  The nature of the inference is found in today’s verses when it states, “. . . the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruit (italics mine).”  We had, here at Little River Baptist Church, a pastor, Bob Jackson, who was fond of saying, “If getting saved was all God desired of us, then the moment we got saved He would have taken us to heaven.”  The point Reverend Jackson made was our lives are to be more than just receiving salvation.  Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (italics mine).”  Notice after Paul’s famous words on salvation he then moves to the point of God’s will regarding our lives.  We are workman created to do work that God had already prepared for us to do before we even came to know Jesus as our Savior.  There is a warning for us today in our verses.  Let me quote the key phrase again, “the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruit (italics mine).”  The Jews were supposed to reach out to those who did not know God and they refused to do it.  As a result, God removed His hand of favor from them and gave it to the gentiles.  I fear the modern day church, with its lack of zeal for the lost, are endanger of having the hand of God’s favor removed from us.  Let us, Beloved, bear fruit and bring God glory.

Questions:
  1. How well do you receive the warning of Christ Jesus?
  2. Is your life bearing fruit?                              
Prayer: O Lord, I desire to be an obedient servant.  The early church prayed regularly for boldness of faith.  Lord, grant me such boldness.  Amen.  

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