Faith+ICS+AJ215


 * December 5, 2014**

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: "Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, 'They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’ <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">They answered him, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">"He will put those wretched men to a wretched death <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">and lease his vineyard to other tenants <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">who will give him the produce at the proper times." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures: //<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The stone that the builders rejected // //<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">has become the cornerstone; // //<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">by the Lord has this been done, // //<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">and it is wonderful in our eyes? // <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Therefore, I say to you, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">the kingdom of God will be taken away from you <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">and given to a people that will produce its fruit."
 * Matthew 14:22-26:**


 * Summary:**
 * Jesus is telling the people that if they do not produce the fruit of the spirit, and get rid of hatred, the kingdom of heavan will be taken away from them. The people he is telling the parable to are saying that if they were the owner of the vineyard they would kill the wretched tenant, but this is wrong. Jesus is telling them that by saying they will kill the tenants, they are just as bad, and the kingdom of heaven will be given to someone worthy of it.**


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Reflection: **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">How is this passage relevant in today's world? In this passage Jesus clearly states that murder is a sin, even if you are killing a murderer. In todays society murder and harm are a big issue. You hear every week, if not every day about someone being killed or harmed by either another human being, or themselves. Murder sometimes it happens on purpose, sometimes on accident. For example, a husband and a wife get in a big fight the husband the happens to have a gun on him, and not thinking pulls it out and shoots the the wife, this is an example of an accidental murder. An example for purposely murdering someone is the sandy hook elementary school shooting. There was a troubled boy who had deliberately planned to shoot his mother, then all these children and teachers, and then himself. My last example of murder or harm is self inflicted. What this means is someone kills or harms them selves. People dont just do this because they feel like it, they are usually depressed, or troubled. An example of this is bullying. Say someone in high school is being severely bullied, not necessarily physically but mentally. People call them names, make fun of them, spread rumors about them, and push them around, and make them do things they might not want to do. This person will most likely become depressed, and in some cases, they might harm themselves, by either attempting suicide, or just self harming. In all these cases you might think that the man who shot his wife, or the man who killed the children, or the bullies at the school deserve to die. It is not our place to go and kill them, because then how are we any better, we are now murderers and sinners, and the kingdom of heaven will be taken away from us. **


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">People can live out this passage by respecting the people around them. If we are kind to everyone we are living out Jesus's teachings. This doesn't mean you have to be friends with everyone, just respect them. If you disrepect someone or are mean to them, you are breaking one of the golden rules. This rule is love your neighbor as yourself, it was one of the original 100 commandments. When we say love your neighbor asyourself, it doesn't mean your friend across the street. It means all other humanbeings, that like you, were created in Gods image. Did you know that God is in everyones hearts? This means that when you hurt someone you are also hurting God, and hurting your relationship with God aswell. We need to love our neighbors as ourself because when we do this we are following Jesus's footstep to the path of heaven. We always need rto do what God wants us to, even if its hard. God loves us more than words can describe and he will always lead us in the right direction. **

Prayer- Dear God, Please help me to have the wisdom of your parable. Help me to love my neighbors as my self, and to follow, and stay in Gods path. In your name we pray, Amen.