33 “Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. Cf. Mark 12:1-12 (for //); Isa 5:1-7 (Song of the Vineyard); Lev 19:23-25 (Loved Vineyard) 34 When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. 35 And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39 And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Cf. Isa 5:7; Jer 35:15; Matt 23:37; Heb 11:37 40 When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Cf. Ps 118:22-23; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7; Eph 2:20 43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” Romans 11:25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. In Ezekiel 37 God made three promises that summarized His future plans for Israel: restoration, Ez. 37:21; 2) unification, Ez. 37:22; 3) purification, Ez. 37:23 4) These promises bring to fulfillment: the Abrahamic Covenant (cf. Ge 12); 2) the Davidic Covenant (2Sa 7); 3) the New Covenant (cf. Jer 31), respectively. The New Testament reveals that this shepherd-king is Jesus (Ez 34:2-10, 23 and notes), who reigns over the renewed people of God forever (Ez 37:25; 34:31; John 10:11, 14; Matt. 2:2; Acts 5:31). 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46 And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet. Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV) 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Discussion Questions: How do each of these hurt: being told an uncomfortable truth, and being told a lie? What does your loyalty look like as a vineyard keeper? How are you enjoying and using the privileges God has given you? How are you, along with your co-workers, preparing to give God His fruit? In what ways are people rejecting truth today to believe what they want to believe? How are you preparing your mind and heart to respond to them in truth and love? What truths are you having a hard time receiving and responding to properly?