“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?”  They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other vine-growers, who will pay him the fruit in the proper seasons” (Matthew 21:39-41).

Those of this world who take from the Lord and do not ever seek to do what is pleasing to Him will give an account.  We all will.  Will you live your life for yourself, or will you live according to the goodness and mercy of the Lord?  What shall we do with the fruit of our labors?  Will we labor for ourselves or for the kingdom of God?  Bear fruit befitting the kingdom.

Lord, I hear these things, and You know the state of my heart.  I do struggle between serving myself and serving others.  I do not do what I ought, and I do the very thing I hate.  Lead me out of this mess by Your grace and help me to learn how to bear increasing fruit for You.  You have created me for a purpose.  Help me to live into the purpose for which You have created me.

Lord Jesus, You redeemed me so that I could be freed from the trap of sin.  You know how I can think like the sinful vineyard workers who thought of everything as their own.  Take me out of this pit and teach me to live the way You know I need to live.  Guide me in Your goodness to bear fruit that is eternal.  Help me to put on Your mind and see things the way You see them.  Lead me always, Lord Jesus.  Amen.

“And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him” (Matthew 21:39).

Jesus, the One through whom all things have their being, was taken out and killed.  The wicked ones want what they can never have.  For the time they have on this earth, they pretend it is theirs.  Jesus went to the cross willingly, knowing that He was doing what needed to be done.  The wicked plot and scheme, but their schemes come to nothing.  Do not be led by the wickedness of this age, but by the Creator of all ages.

Lord, You were killed.  My sin killed You.  But sin has lost its sting, and You have won the victory.  We all need Your help to move beyond the way of death to learn how to live life.  We do not need to strive to find our way, for You have already given everything needed.  We do not need to follow the world, for this world is headed for destruction.  Transform our hearts to look to You alone as the Creator of all things.

Lord God Almighty, You knew all of this would happen and You went ahead with Your creation.  I do not fully understand, but I am thankful for the salvation You have given me through the crucifixion of my Savior.  Help me not to sin.  Although He died once for all, I do not want to live by forgiveness alone.  Help me to seek Your righteousness all the days You give me.  Lead me in the way of everlasting life, dear Lord.  Amen.

“Again, he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they did the same things to them.  But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’  But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let’s kill him and take possession of his inheritance!’” (Matthew 21:36-38)

Why does the thief think they can get away with it?  Ultimately, no one does, but each generation has thieves that steal and murderers that murder.  I want it, so I’ll find a way to take it.  Sinful humanity wants what belongs to God.  Everything belongs to the Lord, for He created it.  He has shared the portion He’s entrusted to you.  But we know Jesus was talking about His death on the cross when He spoke these words.

The world wanted to be rid of Jesus because He was disturbing the balance.  He wasn’t.  He was just telling the truth and bringing the world back into balance.  The Lord is truth.  Everything runs according to the rules He has set in place.  We need help to live the way life is meant to be lived.  We need to be guided in His goodness and mercy to humbly walk the way He would have us to proceed.

Lord Jesus, by Your shed blood You have redeemed me.  You have paid a debt I could never pay.  It is all Yours, Lord, yet You have walked among us as if we were peers.  Teach me how to do these things that You teach.  Teach my heart to long for Your return.  Guide me to be a worker in Your vineyard and not to plot for how to own it.  Lead me in the way You know I need to go.  Amen.

“And when the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his fruit.  And the vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another” (Matthew 21:34-35).

Does God have expectations of us?  We certainly have expectations of one another.  Are we not created in God’s image?  The world will seek to kill your faith.  It is not enough to just go to church regularly and remain indifferent.  What kind of life will you live?  Will you live in the hope Jesus gives, or will you mix in some other hopes promoted by this sinful world?

Lord, You know how befuddled I get with all the voices that speak in this age.  Lift me up and out so that I hear clearly Your voice of truth speaking to me.  Heal my deafness so that I hear Your call.  Those in this world would kill me when I speak truth, just as they killed You.  Help me, Lord, so that I hold fast to the truth as You send me into the pit of vipers that are in this world.  Help me to fear not and remain true to Your word.

Lord Jesus, You know all things.  You have experienced the wickedness of this world first-hand.  You knew that then, and You know that now.  Help me to live beyond what this world says and follow Your word of truth.  You know what I need.  No matter where I am or what I am doing, lead me to be faithful to all that You have called me to do.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to hold fast to the word You have given me.  Amen.

“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and he leased it to vine-growers and went on a journey” (Matthew 21:33).

The Lord has created all that you see.  He entrusted this world to humanity.  What has happened?  Humanity is greedy and selfish.  Some take and others are taken from.  We have beauty all around us, but there is much that has been despoiled.  We seek progress but we are still where we began.  Progress is not conquering the world, for it has already been conquered by sin.  We are called to follow a different path.

Lord, I am caught up in the trap of sin in this world.  I am in this vineyard You have made, and I have heard Your message of truth, but I often fall back into the ways of this world.  Free me from the snares of sin.  Teach me the freedom You grant by grace.  Show me how to live life as it is meant to be lived.  Help me learn what it means to walk by faith.  Shut my ears to the discord of this world to receive Your pure word of truth.

Lord Jesus, the disease is in me.  You have died for me that by grace I would be freed, but I still live as one trapped.  Help me to see with clarity the truth of what You have revealed.  Guide me to live into the life to which You have called me.  Let me not be hindered by sin but live freely in the faith You have given me.  Keep me in Your word, Lord, so that I may humbly go wherever You lead me.  Amen.   

“For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even have second thoughts afterward so as to believe him” (Matthew 21:32).

Those who believe will not perish.  There are people who have gone to church their whole lives, but they do not truly believe.  It never has been only about behavior, but many make it about works.  Yes, to obey is better than sacrifice, but you first need to believe in the One whom you say is Lord, and both work and obey.  To not do this makes what you do in the name of faith nonsense.  Sadly, it seems as though there are many hypocrites in our world.

Lord, You have opened for us the way of righteousness.  It is not some fancy ritual or elusive path.  It is You who leads us in the way and truth of everlasting life.  The world looks at the outside, but You look on the inside.  The world pushes for us to conform to its ideas, but You call us to conform to You.  Those who are more honest about these things know they are searching because they are dissatisfied with how life is being lived.

Lord Jesus, You know that I fight against the demons who plague each of us.  You know that I am not comfortable in this world.  You know.  Lead me on the upward path to live a life that believes all that You have spoken is real and true.  Guide me to live into the hope and promise that You give.  Through all that comes my way Lord, help me to look to You and actually do what You instruct.  Help me overcome my unbelief to live in true faith.  Amen.

“And the man came to his second son and said the same thing; and he replied, ‘I will, sir’; and yet he did not go.  Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you” (Matthew 21:30-31).

There are those who live by pretense.  They say they will and never do, but they put on a show as if they were faithful to their obligations.  There have always been these kinds of people.  People who regularly go to church, but do not live with Jesus as the source of their daily living.  Do not be one of these.  Faithfulness is about being faithful to what you believe.  If you believe that Jesus is Lord – and He is – than live with Jesus as your Lord.

Grant, O Lord, that I would be rid of all of the pretense in my life.  Lead me out of the pit of this world’s deceptions to live into the life You grant by grace.  Guide me to the place where my yes is yes and my no is no.  With You who knows all things, I may lie to myself, but You know all truth.  Help me to walk in truth.  Keep me from deceiving myself or trying to deceive others.

Lord Jesus, You have come to save me not only from death and the devil, but from the sins that are within me.  Teach me how to live the ‘yes’ of faith.  Guide me in the upward call You have given me.  Help me to follow through with all You give me to do.  Through all things, may I be found living the life You have given me.  Inspire me to willingly follow where You lead.  Amen.

“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’  But he replied, ‘I do not want to.’ Yet afterward he regretted it and went” (Matthew 21:28).

Each of us has opportunity to live under the authority of the Lord.  We either will or we will not.  Some do so sooner and others later.  Some, no matter what they say, will not at all.  The point is that it is better to obey.  Will the knowledge of the Lord be the truth by which you live? Later is better than not at all.  Do not live by regrets, but let regrets move you from where You are to where you need to be.

Lord, I am often confused, and I am not sure in which direction to turn.  Help me to live into the life You have offered me. Lead me to the place where I look to follow You where You lead.  Where I have not felt like it, help me to not be governed by my feelings, but led by the truth of Your word.  Grant that I would begin to understand Your justice and practice what You teach me.

Thank You Lord Jesus for graciously dealing with all of us.  You meet each of us where we are but do not leave us there.  Guide me in the light of truth You have revealed to not be guided by my feelings, but by You who is the author and finisher of my faith.  Lead me in Your goodness to live out this life of faith which You have given me, doing what You give me to do.  Help me on each step of the way and save me from indifference.  Amen.

“And answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” He also said to them, “Neither am I telling you by what authority I do these things” (Matthew 21:27).

Do not put the Lord to the test.  He is under no obligation to answer your questions.  Our Lord is gracious and kind but does not owe us anything.  There are many things we do not know and many things we do not need to know.  Be guided by the goodness of the Lord and humbly walk in the way He will lead you.  All authority is from the Lord.  Walk under His authority.

Lord, this age does not respect authority.  Many assume authority but forget that we live because the You have given us life.  You are the source of all life. You are above all.  Starting from that simple understanding, we can know that everyone else has a lesser authority because You grant it.  For a time, in this age, there are those who abuse it; but that does not mean that ultimately it is still not Yours.

Lord Jesus, I see what You said as clever, but You were just telling the truth.  Many are unable to comprehend the truth.  Guide me, Lord, so that I understand that all things are in Your hands.  Lead me in this understanding always so that I humbly walk under Your authority.  Help me to look to You, the author and source of life, for all things.  Help me not to ask questions so much as live out the answers You have already given.  Amen.

“The baptism of John was from what source: from heaven or from men?” And they began considering the implications among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’  But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the people; for they all regard John as a prophet” (Matthew 21:25).

The way of the world seems to always fall into the ultimate trap of believing either partial truth or perpetrated lies.  But for the wicked, there is a prejudice against the truth.  This is reinforced by peer pressure.  Fear drives in this age, but we are to fear God above all other things.  Do not fall for the trap of one-or-the-other but seek truth.  Truth is Jesus who has come to lead us into all truth.

Lord, it is no different in our time.  The talking heads waffle between two positions.  Fear of the crowds drive many in our day.  It has affected me.  Lead me to be the person You are making me to be.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy so that I may humbly hold fast to the truths which You have spoken.  Lord, You have given me hope and a future.  Help me learn how to live by hope toward the future which is in You.

Lord Jesus, You have descended from heaven so that where You are I may also be.  You have immersed me in Your love and called for me to always follow You.  You have told me that I would suffer in this world because of it.  Help me to follow You all the days of my life and to walk in humble obedience through every situation I encounter.  Guide me, Lord, in the way You know I need to go.  Amen.