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Speaker 1: The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is Yahweh's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. Psalm one eighteen twenty two and twenty three. Dear Lord, you have presented us all with a choice. We can choose you and embrace life, or we can reject you and embrace despair. Today we declare that you and you alone are the author of life. There is no purpose, light, or love without a relationship with you. May this reality transform our hearts, and may we be empowered as people to proclaim this message. We want to be good stewards of the Gospel, proclaiming truth to all in our spheres of influence. Give us passion and courage to preach. Give us the wisdom to live out of Your truth in all things. Would our lives glorify you In Jesus' name, we pray Amen. Thank you for praying with me today. You're listening to the Jesus Podcast. Stay tuned for this dramatic retelling of a parable told by Jesus. If this podcast has brought value to your faith, we'd love it if you left a review and shared it with a friend. We want the story of Jesus to be known throughout the world, because when Jesus' story is told, lives are transformed. Jesus entered the temple with a crowd amassing around him. There is no more anonymity for him and his followers. The more quiet walks through the marketplace or short discourses outside the temple. Everywhere Jesus there was a scene, and people multiplied with every step he took. He entered the temple and smiled. The priests still needed to thoroughly clean up the mess he had made the day before. He stood on a platform near the eastern wall and began to teach. Each word trickled out of his mouth like a refreshing stream of water. Even the more provocative points cut straight to their souls, equally challenging and soothing. His prose was interrupted by familiar voices of contention. The Pharisees, devotees to religious power and dogma, cut his teaching short to challenge him. They gestured to the mess Jesus had made the day before and pointed at him accusingly.
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Speaker 2: By what authority do you do these things? They spat who gave you this authority?
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Speaker 1: Their words were meant to be venomous, But the chosen One of God knew better than.
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Speaker 3: To fear them.
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Speaker 1: They were the ones without authority, not him.
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Speaker 4: Let me answer your question with a question. If you tell me the answer, then I would tell you where my authority comes from.
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Speaker 1: He stepped down from the platform and circled them. The closer he got to them, the less in charge.
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Speaker 3: They felt.
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Speaker 1: Righteous power emanated from Jesus like a fire radiating heat.
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Speaker 4: Where did the baptism of John come from? Was it from heaven or a simple work of man?
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Speaker 1: The Pharisees snarled at the question. It was a trap, and they knew there was no way out. They should accept his authority. If they said it was from heaven, they would anger the crowd who saw Jesus as a prophet. If they said it was from man, their political prowess was at risk if they answered him. So they remained silent before answering, we do not know. Before answering. Pleased with her answer, the Son of Man left them and said.
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Speaker 4: Then, neither will I tell you by what authority I do.
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Speaker 3: What I do.
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Speaker 1: Sensing the pharisees dissatisfaction, he brodded them and asked, tell me what you think of this story. There once was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, son, go and work today in the vineyard. His son shook his head and replied, I will not, But later he changed his mind and worked. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. The other son said, yes, sir, I will go and work. But he didn't tell me, men of God, which of the two sons did what his father wanted. The Pharisee sensed Jesus' trap, but couldn't help but answer.
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Speaker 2: The first son, who said no, but later did as he was told precisely.
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Speaker 1: Jesus said, with an empathetic grin.
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Speaker 4: Truly, I tell you, these tax collectors and prostitutes that you reject are entering the Kingdom of Heaven ahead of you. They rejected God in the beginning, but now they see me and they accept the mercy that I offer. John came to you and showed you the way of righteousness, but you didn't believe him. And yet these people you call sinners did, And still even after you met me, you refuse to repent.
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Speaker 1: Jesus didn't relent. He took the opportunity tom or home his point.
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Speaker 4: Let me tell you another parable, one about a landowner and tenants who rejected his partnership.
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Speaker 5: God invites us all to partner with him, But will we be too prideful to accept that invitation? Do we want everything for ourselves and to do everything our own way? This is the Jesus Podcast. I'm Zach frompray dot com and I'm stoked to go through another dramatized story inspired by the Parables of Jesus with you. This parable is rich in symbolism and it's a searing indictment on misplaced priorities. This story is about the wicked tenants, and it offers a profound exploration of stewardship, rebellion, and the divine invitation to participate in the Kingdom of God. While you listen to the story, remember who Jesus is speaking to. He's speaking to religious leaders who have rejected Jesus at every single turn. They think they have a claim on God's will and word. Jesus is about to use jabbing imagery to show them the air of their ways. Pay close attention to this one and buckle up. It's not for the faint heart.
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Speaker 4: Ashes stood tall on his watchtower overlooking his vineyard, sunflowers danced with the wind, and grapes ripened under the benevolent sun. Ashes surveyed his domain with concern. The land, a mosaic of colors and life, stretched beneath him like a living tapestry. And yet he couldn't stay. He had planted the vineyard, dug a wine press, and built the watch tower stone by stone, but he had to leave. His brother required help. So, with a heart torn between pride and sorrow, he turned to his son and said.
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Speaker 6: We have to head west to help your uncle, and I can't spare any of our workers to keep up the field. I will allow some farmers to tend to the borders while we are away. We'll keep two of our laborers here to keep watch. They will send word to us if anything goes awry.
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Speaker 4: Asher, a man of vision and generosity, struck a deal with some men from a nearby farm.
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Speaker 6: You may till the fertile banks of my land in exchange for safeguarding the vineyard in my absence.
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Speaker 3: He said to the men.
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Speaker 4: The farmers were young and wore charming grins.
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Speaker 6: This deal has room for each of us to thrive. You get to expand your property, and I get to rest assured that my land is taken care of. I will leave a few of my workers to tend to the vines on my behalf. I will send some of my men every season to collect the grapes.
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Speaker 4: A fair deal from a fair man, the head tenant replied. Yet something sinister lurked in the shadows underneath the light of his smile. The slithery man held out his hand and said.
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Speaker 3: You've got yourself a deal. We'll reside here to farm the outskirts. When the time comes, we'll welcome your servant with open arms. May we both grow rich together?
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Speaker 2: Ha ha ha.
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Speaker 4: Asher was pleased by the man's flattery. He extended his hand and shook it. The deal was made. Asher packed, prepared his family and left the land with just a few servants. The tenants waved from the watchtower with smiles beaming like the sunset. However, as Asher's family receded into the horizon, the warm smiles of the tenants disappeared, replaced by sinister grins.
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Speaker 3: There he goes. The poor fool has no idea what he's agreed to.
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Speaker 4: The men gathered a few tools and stormed down the watchtower. They marched into the fields with evil intentions and slayed the workers charged with reporting to Asher. The head tenants spat on the ground with blood ripping from his face.
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Speaker 3: When he sends his men for the harvest, they'll be in for a rude awakening.
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Speaker 4: The wind brought a cold bite, signaling the beginning of harvest season. It was time to reap before winter's jaws sank into the ground. Asher was anxious. He hadn't heard any words from his workers about the state of his land. He supposed no news was good news, but still nervousness gnawed at him. He gathered three of his most trusted servants and said.
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Speaker 6: Take a donkey and wagon with you. Meet with the tenants and ask how things have gone. Then speak to the workers who remained. They may have a better grasp of how things are going. Be diligent with the grapes, and don't stay longer than you must.
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Speaker 4: The servants all bowed their head and departed east. After a few days they finally arrived. They walked along the winding dirt path leading up to the property, but as they reached the gates, something seemed off. Dozens of farmers were loading crates of picked up grates onto the carts. The tenants had overtaken the vineyard and most of the grapes had already been harvested. What is the meaning of this, One of the servants shouted, what.
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Speaker 2: Are you doing with our master's grapes.
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Speaker 4: The head tenant dismounted his horse and picked up a cattle prod.
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Speaker 3: Oh, my dear, says, do not worry.
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Speaker 4: This must be a misunderstanding, he said with a charismatic voice. Then with a swift and unexpected swipe of his arm, he knocked the servant in his jaw, setting him flying onto the floor. He pressed his foot against the servant's throat. When the other two servants tried to help, they were overpowered by a few of the tenants. One of them was killed with a dagger, and the other was dragged behind the watchtower to be stoned to death. The head tenant pressed his foot harder against the remaining servant's throat and said, get.
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Speaker 3: Out of here and run back to your master.
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Speaker 4: He released his foot and the servant hurried away, holding his jaw. The head tenant rolled his neck back and turned to his companions.
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Speaker 3: Dispose of the bodies and get back to work.
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Speaker 4: Asha pressed a clean rag against his servant's jar.
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Speaker 6: What else did the tenant say? Is it possible that it's a misunderstanding.
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Speaker 4: The servant shook his head and winced in pain.
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Speaker 2: Ah, that is all, he said, my lord. It could be a misunderstanding about your agreement. He could also be wicked and kill us if we return.
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Speaker 6: I will send you back with a dozen of my armed guards. Go and get to the bottom of this. If at all possible, come back with the grapes. We need them to last as a family.
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Speaker 4: The servant did as he was told. He and the rest of the men departed back to the vineyard. This time, they gripped their swords tightly. They looked to the watch tower. Several men were watching them from above. Just as they entered the gates, they were ambushed by nearly two dozen men. Swords clanged and clashed, but the servants were no match for the tenants. All but one was slain on the road with broken ribs and a wounded spirit. The servant hobbled back to his master. It was a difficult journey, one that nearly took his life. Asher clenched his fist and pounded the table.
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Speaker 6: What has happened to my land?
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Speaker 4: He turned to his son.
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Speaker 6: You warned me about this, and I should have heeded your wisdom. Go bring a company of men to negotiate. You are my son and heir. They wouldn't dare disrespect you.
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Speaker 4: Asher's son bowed his head and departed, with a company of guards before him. He rode intending to negotiate. Ignorant of the tenants plans, the tenants watched him ride in from a distance. Well, well, well, the head tenants scoffed.
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Speaker 3: The old man has sent his son to retrieve what is. If we kill his heir, the land will be ours for good. Go and give him a royal greeting.
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Speaker 4: The tenants descended the hill on horseback, bent on sealing the stake of ashes land. With swift and decisive blows, they slaughtered his son and the rest of his servants. All but one. One servant remained and fled west with sorrow in his voice. The servant said, Master, I'm so sorry your son has been slain.
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Speaker 1: Tell me, Jesus said of the pharisees listening, what.
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Speaker 4: Do you think the landowner will do to those wicked tenants?
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Speaker 1: The pharisees stroked their beards and looked at each other with shrugs.
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Speaker 6: They replied, no doubt, he will bring those wretches to justice. He will the vineyard Tibettertinians, who will share the.
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Speaker 1: Crop exactly, Jesus exclaimed with an emphatic ton. He held out his hands, pleading with them to understand his words. He was rebuking them, yes, but he was also begging them to see the error of their ways.
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Speaker 4: Have you ever read the scriptures, It is said that the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The Lord has done this, and it is marveled in our eyes. The Kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to those who will collaborate and cherish the vineyard. There are only two options. You can either be broken underneath this stone, or you can attack it and be crushed by its power.
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Speaker 1: The Pharisees understood that Jesus was speaking about them. They wanted to crush Jesus under their palm. They wanted to arrest him. They couldn't not yet.
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Speaker 5: All right, let's get right into it. Jesus is trying to communicate to the Pharisees that they are making the same mistake Israel made in the past. Israel murdered the prophets of old who proclaim the will of God. They represent the servants who represented Asher, and now these Pharisees are conspiring to kill Jesus, who is portrayed as Asher's son. At the heart of this parable lies to the landowner. He's a representation of God who establishes a vineyard with care and intentionality, equipping it with everything necessary for it to flourish. The vineyard, often symbolic of Israel in the scriptures, could be seen as a broader metaphor for the realm, where God's people are called to bear fruit. The landowner's trust and the vine dressers speaks of God's trust in us and trusting us with care for his creation and the furtherance of his kingdom. But the violent rejection of the landowner's servants, culminating in the murder of the Sun, mirrors the tragic history of the prophets in Israel and ultimately foreshadows Christ's own rejection and crucifixion. This part of the parable underscores a haunting aspect of human nature, our capacity to reject the very messengers and manifestations of God's love. You see, the religious leaders of the time chose control and temporary gain over submission to God's will. They refuse to embrace Jesus in the same way they refuse to embrace the prophets of old. The tenants thought that they could just seize the inheritance by killing the son, but that's a gross misunderstanding of the nature of God's inheritance. You see, the Pharisees thought that by killing Jesus they would get to maintain their control, But what they didn't understand is that they were setting something divine in motion. You see, the momentum of God is unstoppable, and nor can the kingdom of God in favor from God be sees through violence or cunning. It's granted through faithfulness and stewardship. It's a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. God desires partnership and mutual love out of his people, not forcible will and infighting and territory wars. However, we have a tendency to take what God has given us and claim it as our own. The Tenants' actions reflect a distortion of the human heart, where the gifts of God meant to be stewarded with gratitude and humility become objects of greed and sources of contention. Jesus's question to his audience after this is, therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what shall he do to those vine dressers? Jesus is giving us a rhetorical device that's an invitation to self examine what happens to us when we want to be in the kingdom of God yet reject Jesus, his teachings, and his authority. This prompts us to consider how our own response to God and Jesus in particular has affected us. Are we stewards who recognize the gift of the vineyard and seek to bear fruit under the landowner's wishes in submission to the sun, or do we live as if it all belongs to us in the first place. The judgment that's pronounced on the wicked tenants is stark, yet it opens way for a new understanding of God's kingdom, one that is not confined to an ethnic or religious boundary, but is extended to all who just produce fruit. This is a kingdom not of entitlement, but of grace, where the rejected stone becomes the chief cornerstone. Jesus, quoting Psalm one eighteen, reveals himself as the fulfillment of prophecy and the foundation of the new spiritual edifice. In this parable, Jesus offers both a warning and a promise. The warning is clear, to reject the Sun is to forfeit our place in the vineyard. Yet the promise is that of a new community built on the cornerstone of Christ, where the fruits of the Kingdom are borne by those who recognize and embrace Him as Lord. As we reflect on the parable of the Wicked Tenants, we're invited into a story that is as relevant today as it was to millennia ago. It is a story that calls us to examine how we've stewarded the gifts entrusted to us, and how we've submitted to the authority of God by embracing j Jesus. In embracing Jesus, we find our true inheritance in the Kingdom of God, an inheritance not earned by violence or greed or backbiting, but granted through grace for the one who calls us to bear fruit in every season. Join us next time for another brutal but amazing story told by Jesus. Jesus doesn't pull any punches and he doesn't necessarily keep everything PG. So tune in next time for the parable. So tune in next time for the Parable of the Wedding Feast. If this podcast has offered any value to your life, be sure to follow and subscribe. Doing so will make sure that you don't miss an episode, but it will also help us get discovered by more people, and we want the gospel story to be known throughout the ages.