The Parables Of Christ Pt. 18 – The Parable Of The Wicked Tenants
Daily Devotional Sept 1st - Sept 5th
Monday, September 1st - The Vineyard of Promise
Reading: Matthew 21:33 (ESV)
“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.”
Devotional:
The vineyard in Jesus’ parable represents more than land or a nation—it is the covenant promises God made to Abraham and to his Seed, Christ (Galatians 3:16). God Himself planted this vineyard, fencing it with His law, preparing it with prophets, and establishing it with temple worship. It was never about Israel’s glory—it was always about Christ’s reign.
Israel’s leaders were entrusted as tenants, stewards of those promises until “the fullness of time” when God sent His Son (Galatians 4:4). But instead of stewarding, they treated the covenant as though it was theirs to own.
The same danger exists for us. Do we live as though our lives, gifts, and opportunities belong to us—or do we see ourselves as tenants entrusted with God’s vineyard?
Prayer:
Father, thank You for planting me in the vineyard of Your promises. Help me remember that my life is not my own. Teach me to live as a steward, not an owner, and to bear fruit that honors You.
Action Point:
List three areas of your life (time, resources, influence) that God has entrusted to you. This week, choose one way to offer fruit back to Him.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tuesday, September 2nd - God’s Patience with His People
Reading: Matthew 21:34–36 (ESV)
“When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them.”
Devotional:
The Master’s patience is staggering. He sends not one servant, but many. Each represents the prophets: Elijah confronting idolatry, Amos calling for justice, Jeremiah weeping over sin, Isaiah proclaiming the holiness of God and pointing to the suffering Servant.
Their message was always covenantal: return to God, trust His promises, and prepare for the Messiah. Yet Israel’s leaders resisted, rejected, and even killed them. Hebrews 11:37 records: “Some were stoned, some were sawn in two, some were killed with the sword.”
God’s patience wasn’t weakness—it was mercy. He persisted because He is “slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 103:8). But mercy rejected becomes judgment. Paul says the law and prophets were “guardians” until Christ (Galatians 3:24). When the guardians were ignored, the promises pointed ever more clearly to the Son.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for Your patience with me. Forgive me for the times I’ve ignored Your voice. Soften my heart so I may hear Your Word and respond in faith.
Action Point:
Reflect on a time when God patiently called you back. Share that story this week with someone as a testimony of His grace.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Wednesday, September 3rd - The Rejected Son
Reading: Matthew 21:37–39 (ESV)
“Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.”
Devotional:
The climax of the parable comes when the Master sends his beloved Son. Surely He would be honored! But instead, the tenants conspire to kill Him.
This is the story of the cross. The Son is the true Seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16). All the promises pointed to Him, but instead of receiving Him, the leaders cast Him out and crucified Him outside Jerusalem’s walls.
Yet what looked like defeat was God’s victory. The stone the builders rejected became the cornerstone (Psalm 118:22; Matthew 21:42). By His rejection, salvation came. By His death, we are made heirs of God’s promises.
Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for being the Son who was rejected for me. Thank You that in Your death I am now accepted, forgiven, and made an heir of Your promise.
Action Point:
Take time today to meditate on the cross and let gratitude for Christ’s rejection that secured your acceptance fill your heart .
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thursday, September 4th - True Israel, True Heirs
Reading: Galatians 3:7, 29 (ESV)
“Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham… And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”
Devotional:
Jesus said the Kingdom would be taken from the unfaithful tenants and given to those who would bear fruit (Matthew 21:43). Paul explains this in Galatians: the true sons of Abraham are not those of bloodline, but those of faith.
Through Christ, Jew and Gentile alike are grafted into God’s covenant family. We are no longer slaves to law, but sons and daughters through faith (Galatians 4:4–7). This means the vineyard—the covenant promises—now belong to the Church, the people of faith.
This truth humbles us: salvation is by grace, not works. And it emboldens us: we are heirs of Abraham’s promises, entrusted to bear fruit for the Kingdom.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You that through Christ I am counted as Abraham’s child. Help me live with confidence in my inheritance and responsibility in my calling to bear fruit.
Action Point:
Encourage someone today by reminding them that if they belong to Christ, they are part of God’s family and heirs of His promises.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Friday, September 5th - The Cornerstone and Communion
Reading: Matthew 21:42–43 (ESV)
“Jesus 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”? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.’”
Devotional:
The parable ends with both tragedy and triumph. Tragedy for those who rejected the Son, triumph for those who believe. The rejected stone became the cornerstone. The vineyard was given to a new people—defined by faith, producing fruit for God’s glory.
This is why we come to the Lord’s Table. The bread and cup remind us that the Son was cast out and killed, but His body and blood became our inheritance. In communion, we taste the fruit of the vineyard—not stolen, but freely given. We are not slaves, but sons and daughters, building our lives on the Cornerstone.
Prayer:
Jesus, thank You that in Your rejection I have found acceptance, in Your death I have found life. As I come to Your table, help me live as a tenant bearing fruit, not for myself, but for Your Kingdom.
Action Point:
Before communion this week, pause to examine your heart. Ask: Am I bearing fruit as one rooted in the Cornerstone? Then receive the bread and cup with gratitude.
Reading: Matthew 21:33 (ESV)
“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.”
Devotional:
The vineyard in Jesus’ parable represents more than land or a nation—it is the covenant promises God made to Abraham and to his Seed, Christ (Galatians 3:16). God Himself planted this vineyard, fencing it with His law, preparing it with prophets, and establishing it with temple worship. It was never about Israel’s glory—it was always about Christ’s reign.
Israel’s leaders were entrusted as tenants, stewards of those promises until “the fullness of time” when God sent His Son (Galatians 4:4). But instead of stewarding, they treated the covenant as though it was theirs to own.
The same danger exists for us. Do we live as though our lives, gifts, and opportunities belong to us—or do we see ourselves as tenants entrusted with God’s vineyard?
Prayer:
Father, thank You for planting me in the vineyard of Your promises. Help me remember that my life is not my own. Teach me to live as a steward, not an owner, and to bear fruit that honors You.
Action Point:
List three areas of your life (time, resources, influence) that God has entrusted to you. This week, choose one way to offer fruit back to Him.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tuesday, September 2nd - God’s Patience with His People
Reading: Matthew 21:34–36 (ESV)
“When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them.”
Devotional:
The Master’s patience is staggering. He sends not one servant, but many. Each represents the prophets: Elijah confronting idolatry, Amos calling for justice, Jeremiah weeping over sin, Isaiah proclaiming the holiness of God and pointing to the suffering Servant.
Their message was always covenantal: return to God, trust His promises, and prepare for the Messiah. Yet Israel’s leaders resisted, rejected, and even killed them. Hebrews 11:37 records: “Some were stoned, some were sawn in two, some were killed with the sword.”
God’s patience wasn’t weakness—it was mercy. He persisted because He is “slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 103:8). But mercy rejected becomes judgment. Paul says the law and prophets were “guardians” until Christ (Galatians 3:24). When the guardians were ignored, the promises pointed ever more clearly to the Son.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for Your patience with me. Forgive me for the times I’ve ignored Your voice. Soften my heart so I may hear Your Word and respond in faith.
Action Point:
Reflect on a time when God patiently called you back. Share that story this week with someone as a testimony of His grace.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Wednesday, September 3rd - The Rejected Son
Reading: Matthew 21:37–39 (ESV)
“Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.”
Devotional:
The climax of the parable comes when the Master sends his beloved Son. Surely He would be honored! But instead, the tenants conspire to kill Him.
This is the story of the cross. The Son is the true Seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16). All the promises pointed to Him, but instead of receiving Him, the leaders cast Him out and crucified Him outside Jerusalem’s walls.
Yet what looked like defeat was God’s victory. The stone the builders rejected became the cornerstone (Psalm 118:22; Matthew 21:42). By His rejection, salvation came. By His death, we are made heirs of God’s promises.
Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for being the Son who was rejected for me. Thank You that in Your death I am now accepted, forgiven, and made an heir of Your promise.
Action Point:
Take time today to meditate on the cross and let gratitude for Christ’s rejection that secured your acceptance fill your heart .
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thursday, September 4th - True Israel, True Heirs
Reading: Galatians 3:7, 29 (ESV)
“Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham… And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”
Devotional:
Jesus said the Kingdom would be taken from the unfaithful tenants and given to those who would bear fruit (Matthew 21:43). Paul explains this in Galatians: the true sons of Abraham are not those of bloodline, but those of faith.
Through Christ, Jew and Gentile alike are grafted into God’s covenant family. We are no longer slaves to law, but sons and daughters through faith (Galatians 4:4–7). This means the vineyard—the covenant promises—now belong to the Church, the people of faith.
This truth humbles us: salvation is by grace, not works. And it emboldens us: we are heirs of Abraham’s promises, entrusted to bear fruit for the Kingdom.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You that through Christ I am counted as Abraham’s child. Help me live with confidence in my inheritance and responsibility in my calling to bear fruit.
Action Point:
Encourage someone today by reminding them that if they belong to Christ, they are part of God’s family and heirs of His promises.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Friday, September 5th - The Cornerstone and Communion
Reading: Matthew 21:42–43 (ESV)
“Jesus 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”? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.’”
Devotional:
The parable ends with both tragedy and triumph. Tragedy for those who rejected the Son, triumph for those who believe. The rejected stone became the cornerstone. The vineyard was given to a new people—defined by faith, producing fruit for God’s glory.
This is why we come to the Lord’s Table. The bread and cup remind us that the Son was cast out and killed, but His body and blood became our inheritance. In communion, we taste the fruit of the vineyard—not stolen, but freely given. We are not slaves, but sons and daughters, building our lives on the Cornerstone.
Prayer:
Jesus, thank You that in Your rejection I have found acceptance, in Your death I have found life. As I come to Your table, help me live as a tenant bearing fruit, not for myself, but for Your Kingdom.
Action Point:
Before communion this week, pause to examine your heart. Ask: Am I bearing fruit as one rooted in the Cornerstone? Then receive the bread and cup with gratitude.