Good Tenants For The Lord Series

In our passage this morning, Jesus tells a parable. A parable is simply a story with a lesson.

Open your Bibles to Mark 12…. We will learn from v1-12 today. But first take a quick look back to Mark 11:18… We have noted in earlier chapters of Mark that the Jewish Religious leaders have been trying to trap Jesus and now in Mark 11 we note their desire to kill Him. Now, take a quick look at the end of our passage for this morning Mark11:12….

And so, we know that the lesson of the parable was directed to the Jewish religious Leaders during Jesus’ time on earth.

Read along with me now Mark 12:1-12….

Who are the characters in this parable?

v12: If the lesson was for the Jewish religious leaders, they must be the tenants.

v1: If the Religious leaders are the tenants, who is the builder/owner of the vineyard?? – God!

v2-5: If God is the owner of the vineyard and the tenants were the Jewish religious leaders, who were the servants sent by God?? – Prophets of the Old Testament!

And who is the son in v6-8??

Jesus Christ tells of His own mission from God and His future death!

And so, if all these characters are what we believe,

v9: The new occupants of God’s Kingdom are Believers of the Son Jesus Christ!

What can we apply to our lives today from this parable? Everything that Jesus shared in the parable happened. Jesus was killed about 2000 years ago. Those who do not believe in the Son Jesus Christ will perish! And so,

1. Do we truly believe in Jesus Christ, Son of God, sent as a sacrifice for the New Covenant which gives eternal life?

Secondly, I believe there is a biblical principle we need to be mindful of as Believers of Christ today. The religious leaders during Jesus’ time thought they had the right to do whatever they wanted in the Kingdom given to them. Are there churches today going beyond what God states in Scriptures?

2. Believers of Christ today have been given the church till Jesus returns and God also gave servants!

Besides Jesus Christ Himself, who are the original servants of the Christian church sent by God??

The authors of the New Testament are the original servants of God sent to the Christian Church!

Is it possible for churches today to reject the instructions given by God’s servants?

We are warned in the Book of Revelation, chapter 22:18-19… I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

How are we personally and as a Body of Believers receiving the New Testament?

We need to think about this; we can say I believe in Scriptures and read it everyday; but we all have this problem don’t we: I know what God is telling me from Scriptures but I still do what I want to do instead! We can all be like the religious leaders Jesus was warning in the parable. Pray, confess, and yield to the Holy Spirit!