Mark Reading Plan – W12D1
Week 12 | Day 1 | Mark 12:1-12
Check out all the previous readings here.
Pray
Ask God to open your heart to His word today.
Bible Reading (read these verses three times slowly)
Jesus then began to speak to them in parables:
“A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.
“He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
“But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
“What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture:
“‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.
Reflection & Questions
As you meditate on this parable, you might begin to wonder, “Why was the vineyard owner so patient and so willing to risk many lives?” After two servants were sent and beaten, still “he sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.” And then, why after all that does the vineyard owner then send his son? Surely, he knows that the son is in clear and present danger? It seems reckless!
However, there is a limit to his patience. After they kill the son, the vineyard owner “will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”
This parable was meant for the religious leader’s ears. Over the centuries, God had sent many prophets that Israel had not listened to and some they had beaten and killed. But God still was patient. He has now sent His Son, Jesus. What would they do with him? Mark tells us here, “They looked for a way to arrest him”, and as we will find out, they would eventually have him killed. Jesus is saying, when that happens, they can expect the patience of God with them to be over. And the Kingdom of God will be given to others (hint: the non-religious, the Gentiles).
God is so loving, that He even gave His beloved Son for us! The warning for us here is that Jesus is to be listened to and followed. Those who do not are on very shaky ground.
- Can you point to something in your life recently that reflects listening to and following Jesus? If not, why not?
Pray
Thank God for the sending of His Son and recommit to listening to and following Jesus.
Worship Song
You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:
Bible Reading
Jesus then began to speak to them in parables:
“A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.
“He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
“But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
“What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture:
“‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.
Reflection and Questions
Do you know what a parable is? A parable is a story that isn’t something that actually happened, but teaches us a lesson about real life. As you read this parable, you might begin to wonder, “Why was the vineyard owner so patient and willing to risk so many lives?” After two servants were sent and beaten, still “he sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.” And then, why after all that does the vineyard owner then send his son? Surely, he knows that the son is obviously in danger? It seems straight up ridiculous! However, there is a limit to his patience. After they kill the son, the vineyard owner “will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” Woah, pretty serious! This parable was meant for the religious leader’s to hear. Over the years, God had sent many prophets, telling everyone that the Son of God, Jesus, was coming! But Israel and the religious leaders just weren’t listening. God still was patient with them, and now He sent His Son, Jesus. What would they do with Him? Mark tells us here, “They looked for a way to arrest him”, and as we will find out, the religious leaders in charge would eventually have him killed. Jesus is saying, when that happens, they can expect the patience of God with them to be over. And the Kingdom of God will be given to others, the ones who actually follow God, not the leaders who wouldn’t listen to Him. God is so loving, that He even gave His Son for us. The warning is that Jesus is to be listened to and followed. Do you listen to and follow Jesus?
Prayer
Pray and ask Jesus to help you follow and listen to Him even more than you already do!
Bible Reading
Jesus then began to speak to them in parables:
“A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.
“He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
“But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
“What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture:
“‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.
Devo Focus
“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;” vs. 10b
Devo
This parable of Jesus’ is filled with quite a bit of violence! But he was trying to make a point to those who were listening. And he certainly did with this one!
As you meditate on this parable, you might begin to wonder, “Why was the vineyard owner so patient and so willing to risk many lives?” After two servants were sent and beaten, still “he sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.” And then, why after all that does the vineyard owner then send his son? Surely, he knows that the son is in clear and present danger? It seems reckless!
However, there is a limit to his patience. After they kill the son, the vineyard owner “will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”
This parable was meant for the religious leader’s ears. Over the centuries, God had sent many prophets that Israel had not listened to and some they had beaten and killed. But God still was patient. He has now sent His Son, Jesus. What would they do with him? Mark tells us here, “They looked for a way to arrest him”, and as we will find out, they would eventually have him killed. Jesus is saying, when that happens, they can expect the patience of God with them to be over. And the Kingdom of God will be given to others (hint: the non-religious, the Gentiles).
God is so loving, that He even gave His beloved Son for us. The warning for us here is that Jesus is to be listened to and followed. Those who do not are on very shaky ground.
- Can you point to something in your life recently that reflects listening to and following Jesus? If not, why not?
Prayer
Thank God for the sending of His Son and recommit to listening to and following Jesus.
