Gospel | Matthew 21:33-44 (with Nick Locke)

Opening Song:
Abide by Aaron Keyes and Aaron Williams

Lyrics:
For my waking breath
For my daily bread
I depend on You
I depend on You
For the sun to rise
For my sleep at night
I depend on You
I depend on You

You’re the way the truth and the life
You’re the well that never runs dry
I’m the branch and You are the vine
Draw me close and teach me to abide

Where the Spirit leads
As I’m following
I depend on You
I depend on You
For the victories
Still in front of me
I depend on You
I depend on You

You’re the way the truth and the life
You’re the well that never runs dry
I’m the branch and You are the vine
Draw me close and teach me to abide
Be my strength my song in the night
Be my all my treasure my prize
I am Yours forever You're mine
Draw me close and teach me to abide

When I pass through death
As I enter rest
I depend on You
I depend on You
For eternal life
To be raised with Christ
I depend on You
I depend on You

Oh would you teach me
Would You teach me to abide

I depend on You
I depend on You

Passage:
33 “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. 34 When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. 35 And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39 And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

42 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’?

43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
(Matthew 21:33–44 ESV)

Musical Reflection:
Harp meditation No. 1 by Gretchen Kirby

Reflection Notes:
A repetitive pattern in the left hand provides a meditative foundation while the right hand experiments with ascending lines. The tune is meant to be joyful and evoke delight.

Prayer:
O Lord Jesus Christ, give us a measure of your spirit that we may be enabled to obey your teaching to pacify anger, to take part in pity, to moderate desire, to increase love, to put away sorrow, to cast away vainglory, not to be vindictive, not to fear death, ever entrusting our spirit to immortal God, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns world without end.
-Apollonius [(d. c. 185–190). A Roman senator who was particularly well read in the philosophy of the pagans. He was forced to appear before the praetorian prefect Perennes and was eventually martyred.]