What do you think God deserves from you? In Jesus’ parable of the vineyard, the tenants didn’t think they owed their landlord anything. That’s why they mistreated and killed the men who were sent to collect their rent. Indeed, they went so far as to kill the landlord’s son in an effort to seize the vineyard for themselves.

And that’s the same attitude the religious leaders had toward Jesus. Because they didn’t think He was the Messiah, they didn’t think they had to listen to Him, much less respect Him. And they certainly didn’t want Him challenging the authority they claimed over God’s people.

So, how about us Christians? Because He rose from the dead, we know Jesus really is Who He claims to be, the Son of God. And we know the religious leaders were wrong to reject Him. But have we really made Him the cornerstone of our lives, the One Who determines for us what is right and wrong, the One around whom we build everything we say and feel and think and do?

And have we given Jesus the fruit that He deserves? After all, we wouldn’t have any of the time and talents and treasure that we so jealously guard if He hadn’t first given them to us. And He has redeemed us from the power of sin and death at the cost of His own life. There can thus be no doubt that we are His vineyard, and that we owe Him everything we are and everything we have.

Abraham Kuyper famously said, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!” So, will we give Jesus the fruit of our love and loyalty, our devotion and service? Or when He comes again, will we lose everything when He gives His vineyard to others?

Mark 12:1-12 (NASB)

And He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard, and put a wall around it, and dug a vat under the wine press, and built a tower, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey.
2 “And at the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, in order to receive some of the produce of the vineyard from the vine-growers.
3 “And they took him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.
4 “And again he sent them another slave, and they wounded him in the head, and treated him shamefully.
5 “And he sent another, and that one they killed; and so with many others, beating some, and killing others.
6 “He had one more to send, a beloved son; he sent him last of all to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
7 “But those vine-growers said to one another, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!’
8 “And they took him, and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
9 “What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vine-growers, and will give the vineyard to others.
10 “Have you not even read this Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders rejected, This became the chief corner stone;
11 This came about from the Lord, And it is marvelous in our eyes ‘?”
12 And they were seeking to seize Him; and yet they feared the multitude; for they understood that He spoke the parable against them. And so they left Him, and went away.