Jesus said to them, "Surely you have read this in the Scriptures: 'The stone that the builders did not want became the cornerstone. The Lord did this, and it is wonderful to us.' So I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you. God's kingdom will be given to people that do the things God wants in his kingdom. The person that falls on this stone will be broken. And if the stone falls on a person, then it will crush that person."
—Matthew 21:42-44
Key Thought
"If it had been a snake, it would have bit me." This ol' saying that I heard growing up was used when you were looking for something and it was right under your nose the whole time but you just couldn't see it. Usually you couldn't see it because you were careless, in a hurry, or not concentrating on what you were doing.
So, often as spiritual seekers, we get frustrated at missing the leading of God as we try to discern his will in the important decisions of our lives. Yet his truth is right under our noses: "if it had been a snake, it would have bit us." The Jewish leadership rejected God's Son, their stone of salvation, because they were not looking for a Messiah who was like Jesus. He didn't fit their idea of a Savior. In their carelessness and hardness of heart, they rejected the very stone on which their salvation should have been built. Unfortunately we can do the same thing when we try to fit God's will for us and Jesus' leading of us into our plan rather than trying to discern his will. Let's not stumble on the stone God provided for our salvation!
Today's Prayer
Holy and precious God, your ways are not my ways but I know your will is the only thing that saves. Through your Holy Spirit, please give me insight to know your will and courage to accept it and live it in my daily life, especially when it is not easy or does not fit my idea of the way things should be. I want to be your loyal child and follow you wherever you lead. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
"Tell me what you think about this: There was a man that had two sons. The man went to the first son and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' "The son answered, 'I will not go.' But later the son decided he should go, and the son went. "Then the father went to the other son and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' The son answered, 'Yes, sir, I will go and work.' But the son did not go. "Which of the two sons obeyed his father?" The Jewish leaders answered, "The first son." Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth. {You think} the tax collectors and the prostitutes {are bad people. But they} will enter the kingdom of God before you enter. John came showing you the right way to live. And you did not believe John. But the tax collectors and prostitutes believed John. And you saw that the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. But you still refused to change and believe him. "Listen to this story: There was a man that owned a vineyard. He put a wall around the field and dug a hole for a wine press. Then the man built a tower. He leased the land to some farmers. Then he left for a trip. Later, it was time for the grapes to be picked. So the man sent his servants to the farmers to get his share of the grapes. "But the farmers grabbed the servants and beat one. They killed another one and then killed a third servant with rocks. So the man sent some other servants to the farmers. The man sent more servants than he sent the first time. But the farmers did the same thing to the servants that they did the first time. So the man decided to send his son to the farmers. The man said, 'The farmers will respect my son.' "But when the farmers saw the son, they said to each other, 'This is the owner's son. This vineyard will be his. If we kill him, then it will be ours!' So the farmers took the son, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. "So what will the owner of the vineyard do to these farmers when he comes?" The Jewish priests and leaderssaid, "He will surely kill those evil men. Then he will lease the land to some other farmers. He will lease it to farmers that will give him his share of the crop at harvest time." Jesus said to them, "Surely you have read this in the Scriptures : 'The stone that the builders did not want became the cornerstone. The Lord did this, and it is wonderful to us.' "So I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you. God's kingdom will be given to people that do the things God wants in his kingdom. The person that falls on this stone will be broken. And if the stone falls on a person, then it will crush that person." The leading priests and the Pharisees heard these stories that Jesus told. They knew that Jesus was talking about them. They wanted to find a way to arrest Jesus. But they were afraid of the people, because the people believed that Jesus was a prophet.Matthew 21:28-46
Related Scripture Readings
The Scripture says: "Look, I have chosen a precious (valuable) cornerstone, and I put that stone in Zion ; the person that trusts in him will never be disappointed." That stone (Jesus) is worth much to you people who believe. But to the people who don't believe, he is: "the stone that the builders decided they did not want. That stone became the most important stone." To people who don't believe, he is: "a stone that makes people stumble, a stone that makes people fall." People stumble because they don't obey what God says. This is what God planned to happen to those people. — 1 Peter 2:6-8
So now you {non-Jews} are not visitors or strangers. Now you are citizens together with God's holy people. You belong to God's family. You believers are like a building that God owns. That building was built on the foundation that the apostles and prophets prepared. Christ himself is the most important stone in that building. That whole building is joined together in Christ. And Christ makes it grow and become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Christ you people are being built together with the other people (the Jews). You are being made into a place where God lives through the Spirit. — Ephesians 2:19-22
The stone that the builders did not want became the cornerstone The Lord made this happen. and we think it is wonderful! Today is the day the Lord has made. Let's rejoice and be happy today! — Psalm 118:22-24
Ⓒ 1996-2017 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware. Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.
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—Matthew 21:42-44
Key Thought
"If it had been a snake, it would have bit me." This ol' saying that I heard growing up was used when you were looking for something and it was right under your nose the whole time but you just couldn't see it. Usually you couldn't see it because you were careless, in a hurry, or not concentrating on what you were doing.
So, often as spiritual seekers, we get frustrated at missing the leading of God as we try to discern his will in the important decisions of our lives. Yet his truth is right under our noses: "if it had been a snake, it would have bit us." The Jewish leadership rejected God's Son, their stone of salvation, because they were not looking for a Messiah who was like Jesus. He didn't fit their idea of a Savior. In their carelessness and hardness of heart, they rejected the very stone on which their salvation should have been built. Unfortunately we can do the same thing when we try to fit God's will for us and Jesus' leading of us into our plan rather than trying to discern his will. Let's not stumble on the stone God provided for our salvation!
Today's Prayer
Holy and precious God, your ways are not my ways but I know your will is the only thing that saves. Through your Holy Spirit, please give me insight to know your will and courage to accept it and live it in my daily life, especially when it is not easy or does not fit my idea of the way things should be. I want to be your loyal child and follow you wherever you lead. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
"Tell me what you think about this: There was a man that had two sons. The man went to the first son and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' "The son answered, 'I will not go.' But later the son decided he should go, and the son went. "Then the father went to the other son and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' The son answered, 'Yes, sir, I will go and work.' But the son did not go. "Which of the two sons obeyed his father?" The Jewish leaders answered, "The first son." Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth. {You think} the tax collectors and the prostitutes {are bad people. But they} will enter the kingdom of God before you enter. John came showing you the right way to live. And you did not believe John. But the tax collectors and prostitutes believed John. And you saw that the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. But you still refused to change and believe him. "Listen to this story: There was a man that owned a vineyard. He put a wall around the field and dug a hole for a wine press. Then the man built a tower. He leased the land to some farmers. Then he left for a trip. Later, it was time for the grapes to be picked. So the man sent his servants to the farmers to get his share of the grapes. "But the farmers grabbed the servants and beat one. They killed another one and then killed a third servant with rocks. So the man sent some other servants to the farmers. The man sent more servants than he sent the first time. But the farmers did the same thing to the servants that they did the first time. So the man decided to send his son to the farmers. The man said, 'The farmers will respect my son.' "But when the farmers saw the son, they said to each other, 'This is the owner's son. This vineyard will be his. If we kill him, then it will be ours!' So the farmers took the son, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. "So what will the owner of the vineyard do to these farmers when he comes?" The Jewish priests and leaderssaid, "He will surely kill those evil men. Then he will lease the land to some other farmers. He will lease it to farmers that will give him his share of the crop at harvest time." Jesus said to them, "Surely you have read this in the Scriptures : 'The stone that the builders did not want became the cornerstone. The Lord did this, and it is wonderful to us.' "So I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you. God's kingdom will be given to people that do the things God wants in his kingdom. The person that falls on this stone will be broken. And if the stone falls on a person, then it will crush that person." The leading priests and the Pharisees heard these stories that Jesus told. They knew that Jesus was talking about them. They wanted to find a way to arrest Jesus. But they were afraid of the people, because the people believed that Jesus was a prophet.Matthew 21:28-46
Related Scripture Readings
The Scripture says: "Look, I have chosen a precious (valuable) cornerstone, and I put that stone in Zion ; the person that trusts in him will never be disappointed." That stone (Jesus) is worth much to you people who believe. But to the people who don't believe, he is: "the stone that the builders decided they did not want. That stone became the most important stone." To people who don't believe, he is: "a stone that makes people stumble, a stone that makes people fall." People stumble because they don't obey what God says. This is what God planned to happen to those people. — 1 Peter 2:6-8
So now you {non-Jews} are not visitors or strangers. Now you are citizens together with God's holy people. You belong to God's family. You believers are like a building that God owns. That building was built on the foundation that the apostles and prophets prepared. Christ himself is the most important stone in that building. That whole building is joined together in Christ. And Christ makes it grow and become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Christ you people are being built together with the other people (the Jews). You are being made into a place where God lives through the Spirit. — Ephesians 2:19-22
The stone that the builders did not want became the cornerstone The Lord made this happen. and we think it is wonderful! Today is the day the Lord has made. Let's rejoice and be happy today! — Psalm 118:22-24
Ⓒ 1996-2017 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware. Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.
Hello Sean, we stand with you in prayer! Remember, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust'" (Psalm 91:1-2). God protects you always! Let's keep lifting up our brothers and sisters together. Amen.
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