40 Days to the Cross - Day 7

Day 7 The Vineyard
Scripture
Matthew 21:33-46 (HCSB) 33 “Listen to another parable: There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a watchtower. He leased it to tenant farmers and went away. 34 When the grape harvest drew near, he sent his slaves to the farmers to collect his fruit. 35 But the farmers took his slaves, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Again, he sent other slaves, more than the first group, and they did the same to them. 37 Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. 38 “But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance!’ 39 So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?” 41 “He will completely destroy those terrible men,” they told Him, “and lease his vineyard to other farmers who will give him his produce at the harvest.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This came from the Lord and is wonderful in our eyes? 43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruit. [ 44 Whoever falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder!”] 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they knew He was speaking about them. 46 Although they were looking for a way to arrest Him, they feared the crowds, because they regarded Him as a prophet.
Also at Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19

Devotion
Jesus spoke directly to the leaders of Israel. The condemnation is graphic. THE SON is asking them what should be done with those who mistreat and disrespect the son. They just do not get it. Epic fail.
Verse 45 tells us that they knew he was talking about them, and yet, the Pharisees still did not understand that they were at fault, not Him.
Have you ever been there before? Ever misunderstood the message being sent to you by a friend, or worse, by God? Have you ever thought you were in the right, but when you look back in retrospect you realize that you were grossly mistaken.
Have you ever wished you had responded better to the call of God when He called?
I wonder if the Pharisees ever had any regrets?

Questions
What has God spoken to you about that you rejected?
How can you work now to make it right?
What do you need to do to reconcile to someone today?

Prayer
Dear God: Please help me see the message from God and respond the first time He gives it to me. Amen