This is Me: Finding My Voice

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

23 And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” 27So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. 31Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. 32For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

The Parable of the Tenants

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

42Jesus 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. 44And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”

45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.

---

Today was a good day. I didn’t read it until later but I think just reflecting on the power of the cross and the blood. Like the song says, Nothing but the blood of Jesus could wash away my sins. And I’m eternally grateful for that, but I don’t act like I am. And I want to sit with the goodness of that. That he was perfect and then chose to die a sinner’s death so I can have eternal life.

The pamphlet I’ve been following says that Holy Tuesday shows use that Jeuss exposes leaders who protect their power rather than pursue truth. And the first time I read that, I was like: that’s not me. But at times it has been. And just thinking of Jesus. He was about tto die and he still chose truth over comfort. But he did it in a loving way that he didn’t call them out by name. The Pharisees weren’t even fully sure, they had to perceive it. but he did it in a way that you would only be offended (not convicted) if you were the one in the wrong.

I also love how in these parables, we see that Jesus is a God of the oppressed and oppressor. But the oppressed or shamed or outcasted seek his righteousness more because there wasn’t this stigma of protecting power or keeping up a false image. They were aware of how bad they were because society constantly told them. And yet, when Jesus is sharing these parables, it’s not to judge the Pharisees. It’s to give them a chance at repentance and to try righteousness.

They took it offensively because they didn’t want to change. They didn’t want to deal with the fact that their behavior wasn’t godly, and they valued their position more than the truth.

I thank you Jesus that even when you call out sin, it’s never to judge or bring shame, but it’s for us to seek repentance. Even when you knew death was near, you still were brave and courageous. Because you loved the Pharisees. And you desired better for them in your teachings. Help us to follow your ways.