David Bahn – Reflections

Whether it is high voltage electrical lines, swift currents in a river, or grizzly bears: there are some things that ought to be feared. And although we fear them, we also recognize the benefits they bring when they are in their proper places. Electricity powers our cities. Rivers provide water. Wildlife adds beauty to our creation. But if we interact with them wrongly, it will be to our grave harm, maybe even death.

Sadly the chief priests and Pharisees choose to fear the people of Jesus’ day rather than God. For fear of the people’s reaction they do not make a move against Jesus. Even though it results in Jesus’ on-going freedom, however, this is sad news. For in reality had they feared God they would have repented of their fruitless lives and mistreatment of the prophets who had come to God’s people over the centuries calling for repentance and godly living.

It might be good to consider who it is that we fear these days – or what. Are we more afraid of economic shortfall than of moral bankruptcy? Are we more afraid of sexual frustration than of dishonoring God with our bodies? Are we more fearful of appearing to be out of touch than we are of abandoning our faith in God our Creator? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. (Proverbs 1:7)

Matthew 21:33-46

“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. ³⁴When 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. ³⁷Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ³⁸But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ ³⁹And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. ⁴⁰ When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” ⁴¹They 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.”

⁴²Jesus 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’?

⁴³Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. ⁴⁴And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”

⁴⁵When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. ⁴⁶And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.