August 2005
What is the world coming to?
Many people have been asking this question over recent days as the events in London and across Europe have been the topic of conversation and also the headline grabbers in the media. Things seem to be deteriorating with the increase in terrorism, major storms like those in India and the dreadful bloodshed in countries like Iraq.
Of course we do not need to be ignorant of the ways of the world as the Bible has clearly revealed to us that these things will take place in the last days. The Lord Jesus in Luke 21:0-11 said, "But when ye hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and great earthquakes shall be in different places, and famines and pestilence's."
There are many things that we worry about and are uncertain of for the future. Many people have had their lives turned upside down by different events that have occurred so far in 2005. However there is the promise in the Bible that "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away". In a day when we seem to have so many people that cannot be trusted in this world, let us never forget the God who can be relied upon, for He cannot fail. He has so much to teach us from His word, the Bible, that can prove to be such a help and blessing in the day and age in which we live. There is no greater need for anyone today that to know they are safe, not in time but for eternity, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Parable of the "Sent Son"
When the Lord Jesus was living on the earth, He often used parables to teach the people powerful spiritual lessons. He used experiences of life and nature and then applied them to the particular truth He wanted to share. The parable of the Sent Son is often referred to as the parable of the wicked husbandmen and can be found in Matthew 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12; and Luke 20:9-19.
The main message behind the parable was directed to the Jewish nation, explaining to them that they had been given the very best from God as He established them as a people and had sent Prophets to them to receive fruit. However, they had rejected, thrown out and even killed some of these prophets. The Lord Jesus explains to them that "last of all He sent unto them His Son". It is amazing to think that this parable was told to the people only three days before Jesus Himself would be cast out of the city and killed by being crucified.
The emphasis of the parable seem to be placed on the Son. We should notice that the Son was loved. We can read from many places in the Bible where we are told that God loved His Son. In this parable Luke records that He was a Beloved Son, and Mark writes that He was a Well Beloved Son.
However, it is also amazing to think that the Son was sent. We read in John 3:17, "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved."
In our parable the Son came to where the wicked husbandmen were working and yet sadly the did not receive Him. The Son was rejected. We read that they "caught Him" and a short while after this parable was told by the Lord Jesus, "they laid hold on Jesus" - Matthew 26:57). Then we read they "cast him out of the vineyard" and Matthew records for us how they "led Him away to crucify Him" in chapter 27:31. Then we read that they "slew him" and again Matthew says "They crucified Him" in chapter 27:35).
The full details of this parable were fulfilled by those who hated the Lord Jesus, showing that this was part of the plan God had to begin a work with a new "nation" - the Church (all those who believe that the Lord Jesus died for their sins upon the cross.) He was the stone that was rejected by the Jewish builders but is now become the head of the corner.
"I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto Salvation"
Romans 1:16
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