The “growing season” is upon us – it is also where the new growth will overtake the withered cast away dried up leaves of last season. We are best to take the appreciation that we are but stewards on this land to keep it prosperous and not waste opportunity. It is God’s good earth not ours – we are but tenants – stewards – a flock of sheep roaming around – we are temporary in this world and our fruitfulness builds the kingdom of God. Isn’t it good to be in a good season for growth?!!!

But alas to those who don’t want to grow – don’t even want to give God His due – won’t be fair let alone be respectful. Jesus was serious when He told the Pharisees, who refused to believe in the fulfilment of scriptures that was happening right before their eyes, that “the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”

Jesus used the parable of the tenants to awake the rottenness from the self-serving and hope to shake awake the hardened hearted rulers and policy makers. Jesus predicted a wretched end to the people who refused him and refused to believe in even the possibility that Jesus was this “cornerstone” – Messiah – Savior – or at least being ordained by God (like a prophet the townspeople thought). Jesus saw the dried soil of their faith – unable to prosper and grow.

What about us – are we ready for a new season in life? Are we ready to open up some good soil in us to plant and re-hydrate His seeds of Spirit to be prosperous in this season?

Those who questions will have the answers revealed if they genuinely have open ears. Open ears, open minds, open hearts – and open soils. If we actively refuse to listen to the hope in the Lord – then how can we use that hope gifted to us to help us repent and build our lives again in a way that will bring fruit to the kingdom. Our repentance of evil, but also of stubbornness, of strife, of self-centeredness, of pride.  We want to bloom, not go boom in destruction. We want to be able to grow GOOD FRUIT – not sour grapes. We want to know that the Lord is here to help us in this chapter of our lives, in this season, and in our eternal future.

To know Jesus is to know that He wants us to grow – to know Jesus is to know He gave it all already and we can do nothing to secure our place in Heaven except believe in His forgiveness and His power and His hope for us. Jesus gives us the power of prayer and the power of perseverance. Jesus is our cornerstone and in our lives we want to build our lives upon Him – as well as have fertile good soil to sprout and grow the seeds that He gives us to produce fruit. Fruit grows and gives seeds to then be distributed and grown again. It is like this with the Lord, He is building His Kingdom with us.

Grow well – no matter what season of life you are in.

Amen

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Matthew 21:33-46 The Parable of the Tenants
Jesus said: “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.

“The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’ ? Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.