In the end, what will come of a life that rejects Jesus? That’s explained in Christ’s parable as well.

“What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this Scripture: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?’” – Mark 12:9-11

As Jesus concluded His parable, He quoted from Psalm 118. Jesus explained that those who rejected the landowner’s son would be destroyed and the vineyard would be given to others. Please understand that if you’ve placed your trust in Jesus, the vineyard has now been entrusted to you. Jesus, the stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone of the church. He is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. This is the Lord’s miraculous way of taking a sad situation and turning it around for good. Jesus came for His own and they rejected Him, so now His attention has turned to the people of the world who are invited to become part of His eternal kingdom.

“And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away. “ – Mark 12:12

These words and this analogy truly disturbed the religious leaders who hated Jesus, but at the moment, there wasn’t much they felt like they could do. They wanted to arrest Jesus, but because so many people were fascinated by Him and hung on every word He said, they worried that doing anything that directly opposed Him would cause the crowds to come against them, so they left and continued to scheme and plot against Him in private.

Mark records these events that took place just prior to the crucifixion of Jesus so that we can understand more about who Jesus is and just how hard the hearts of men can become when our hearts are set against Him.

In simple terms, there are really only two kinds of people in this world. There are those who welcome the teaching and presence of Jesus, and those who bristle against His very being. The Father invites us to listen to His Son, trust Him completely, experience the blessings of eternal union with Him, and delight in the joy of being part of His kingdom forever.

“And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.’” – Mark 9:7

Originally published by Bible Study Headquarters. Used with permission. © John Stange, 2024