The Religious leaders rejection of Jesus (4 things)

• 1^st – The authority of Jesus challenged… vs. 1-8
  • Only 3 days before the crucifixion of Jesus – as Jesus was teaching in the Temple…
    • The Chief Priests / Scribes / and Elders confronted Jesus in the temple…
      • These 3 groups represented the Sanhedrin – the ‘congress’ or rulers of Israel…
      • They asked Jesus two questions about His ‘cleansing of the Temple’ the day before…
      • They demanded to know – ‘By what authority (power) was Jesus doing these things?  
      • And ‘Who gave it to Him?’ – because they were the only ‘authority’ in Israel!
    • They asked not looking for an answer – they were looking for a fight…
      • I love when people have real questions – they want to learn about Jesus…
      • I will spend as much time – anytime – when someone has a real question…
      • But there is a difference between a real question – and someone looking for a fight…
      • When someone comes up to you and starts to question you about your ‘religion’…
      • Not wanting to learn about Jesus – but looking to argue / prove you wrong…
      • I have little patience for questions that are set ups for an argument…
  • Jesus did not buy their question – instead he said:  ‘I have one question for you…’
    • The Baptism of John – was it from Heaven or from men – ANSWER ME! (Imperative)
      • The Religious leaders had already asked John the same question – John 1:19
      • John had told them exactly whom he was – one who prepared the way for the Lord!
      • They knew John was sent from God – but still they had rejected him…
    • So they reasoned (thought it through logically) how to answer Jesus…
      • If they said John’s baptism was from Heaven – then why didn’t they believe…
      • If they said from men – they feared the people who believed John was a prophet…
      • The people might even have killed them – “All the people will stone us…”
      • They were trapped – knowing who John was – but having rejected him!
      • So they lied to Jesus and told Him – ‘we don’t know’…
    • Therefore Jesus would not tell them by what authority He did things either!
      • People will always try to change the subject when you talk about Jesus…
      • They want to argue religion – what is the name of your church…
      • Try to argue over the most pointless issues – ‘no name on the side of the jeep’…
      • Do not even bother to give them an answer – instead take them back to Jesus!
      • You will quickly find either a chance to share the Gospel – or the discussion ends

• 2^nd – The parable of two sons… Matthew 21:28-32
  • Jesus continued: now listen to this story (Imperative) of a man who had two sons…
    • The 1^st son was commanded to go and work in the Campo but he refused…
    • Afterwards he ‘repented’ and choose to go and work after all…
    • The 2^nd son was also commanded to go and work – and he answered, ‘Yes, Lord!’…
    • But then he did not go and work after all – maybe went to play basketball…
    • It was the 1^st son who was obedient – not in his words – but in his actions!
  • Jesus point – it is not about what you say – but about your actions!
    • The Religious leaders said all the right things – they said, ‘Yes, Lord!’
      • But in the end their actions did not line up with their words…
      • If your neighbor tells you then won 1 million pesos  – but still has no rice to eat…
      • People call tell you anything – but in the end you would want proof / evidence…
      • We may say all the right things to sound like a Christian…
      • You might come to church every Sunday – but if you are still living like a heathen…
      • Just like being in a poultry does not make you a chicken…
      • Neither does being in a church make you a Christian…
      • It is not about what we say – it is about the actions from our lives!
    • Tax collectors / sinners / and prostitutes may have said they would not obey God…
      • But if in the end they repented – then they would be the children of God!
      • There may be fewer ‘pastors’ in heaven and more criminals than you would expect!
      • Maybe we refused to obey our Heavenly Father in the past – rebelled against God…
      • We might have been the 2^nd son – wanting to go and do our own thing…
      • But when we choose to follow Jesus – we were no longer defined by our past…
      • We become the faithful son – the one who does the will of the Father!
    • John the Baptist came showing the way of to get to heaven – pointing to Jesus…
      • The Religious leaders did not want to believe but the sinners did!
      • Even when the religious leaders saw that – they still did not believe…
      • They were full of hypocrisy – saying one thing but doing another…
        
• 3^rd – The Parable of the Sugarcane field (Vineyard)… vs. 9-14
  • Jesus gave a 2^nd parable to reveal the motives of the religious leaders hearts…
  • A certain landowner planted a sugar cane field…
    • He then went abroad for a long time – leaving hired men to take care of the Campo…
    • The Landowner of the vineyard is none other than God Almighty…
    • The Campo refers to the nation of Israel – and the Kingdom of God…
    • Isaiah 5:7 – “For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel…”
    • The hired workers were the religious leaders of Israel…
    • They were supposed to watch after God’s people – care for them…
    • Because God desired Israel – and His Kingdom – to bear fruit for Him!
    • John 15:8 – “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit…”
  • As the harvest drew near the owner sent servants (doulos) to receive the fruit…
    • The hired men beat them – mistreated them – and chased them away empty handed!
    • The servants who were sent were the prophets of the Old Testament…
    • They were sent by God to encourage Israel to turn back to God – bear fruit for God…
    • Including John the Baptist – who was the forerunner of Jesus!
    • Acts 7:52 – “Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute!”
  • Finally the owner sent His only son – saying, ‘they will respect My Son…’
    • But the hired men said – if we kill the son the sugar cane will be ours!
    • So they killed him – and cast him out of the Campo – Hebrews 13:12!
    • The Son is none other than Jesus Christ – the heir to the Kingdom of God…
    • The religious leaders never wanted to serve God or His people (hired laborers)…
    • And Jesus was a threat to their control over the people – their ability to make money!
  • Their problem was in their heart…
    • The Religious leaders were not there to tell the people the truth about God…
      • Were not interested in living a life showing an example of how to life for God…
      • They were only interested in what they could take from the people of God!
    • A mirror never lies – our lives are the mirror of our heart…
      • The actions of the leaders showed what was truly in their heart – who they were…
      • What we say and do reflect what is in really in our heart!
      • Luke 6:45 – “For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
      • Matthew 12:53 – “For a tree [person] is known by its fruit [actions].”
      • If we are looking to Jesus – then Jesus will be reflected in our words and actions
      • If we are only looking out for ourselves – then our lives will show it!

It is a good sign we need heart surgery – we need to fall broken on Jesus!

4^th – The choice… vs. 15-19

What will the owner do to these hired men – He will destroy them…

Then He will then give the Campo to others who will give Him of the fruit…

The Religious leaders replied – ‘God forbid – may it never happen…’

But Israel had been called to be a light to the world – Zachariah 4:11-14

They were supposed to bear fruit for God – and teach others about the Lord…

Because Israel missed Jesus – God set them aside for a season – Romans 11:25

God instead gave the Campo / His Kingdom – to the church – to bear fruit for God!

We are called to bare good fruit for God – what kind of fruit comes from our lives…

John 15:8 – “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit…”

When we bare good fruit – living our life for God in Words / Actions / and Heart…

We are a light to the world – and bring glory to our Father in heaven…

John 15:6 – “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch…”

But if like the Jewish leader we seek to serve ourselves and not the Lord…

We can be removed from the Campo just like the Jewish leaders were…

The stone that the builders rejected – Psalm 118:22…

Jesus quoted from the Psalms regarding a story from the first Temple of Solomon…

All of the stones of the Temple were finished in the quarry – I Kings 6:7

The first stone sent to the building site was the chief cornerstone…

In construction – the most important piece – sets the angles and location…

When the workers received the stone – they were not ready – set it aside – forgot

The stone the builders rejected – became the chief cornerstone!

The Religious leaders had rejected Jesus Christ…

He was destined to become the Chief cornerstone in the Church of God!

There are only 2 choices…

We can be like the 2^nd son – the tax collectors & harlots – the sinners…

Who see their need for salvation – fall broken on Jesus…

Who repent of their sin – and fall broken on the Grace of Jesus…

If we see our words and lives reflecting a heart that is selfish – fall on Jesus!

Psalm 51:17 – “The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. A broken and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise.”

He can change our hearts – give us new life! Abundant life!

If we know other people who cannot be trusted – always have ulterior motives

People whose lives (in spite of their words) do not reflect Jesus…

Don’t be frustrated with their words or actions – the problem is their heart…

We need to pray for God to change their heart!

Or we can be like the 1^st son – like the religious leaders…

And Jesus will fall on you – and you will be ground into powder…

Full of ulterior motives, hypocrisy in actions, and selfish motives in the heart…

In the end Jesus will fall in judgment – we will be scattered and lost…

Both in this life – and for eternal life as well…

The Chief Priests and Pharisees knew Jesus was speaking of them

Yet the did not do anything to Him (but they wanted to!)…

Not because they feared God – but they did nothing because they feared the crowd…

Sad that these men were more concerned about the moment – then eternity

If we are more concerned about what people think of us – than what God thinks…