THE KEEPER IS COMING
Scripture: Matthew 21:33–44 Key Verse: "He will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time." —Matthew 21:41 (NIV)
Memory Verse: Matthew 21:43 (NIV) "Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit."
The vineyard doesn't belong to us—we are tenants, not owners. That truth echoed in Jesus' parable should strike us with both reverence and responsibility. The Keeper is coming back, and when He does, He will examine what has been done with what He entrusted to us. Today, take inventory of all the God has entrusted to you.
Jesus was speaking directly to the religious leaders of His day—men who had become possessive over what was never theirs, who mistreated the prophets and ultimately rejected the Son. Because of their rebellion, the vineyard—the work and witness of God's kingdom—would be given to others. Not permanently out of Israel's reach, but as a wake-up call, a shift.
And here we are, the recipients of that shift. But for His grace, we would still be on the outside, strangers to the covenant. But now we are tenants in the vineyard. And God expects us to be fruitful.This is not the time for entitlement. It's the time for faithfulness.
We must never forget: just as the vineyard was taken from the unfaithful before us, it can be taken from us if we treat His grace carelessly. The Keeper is coming—and He's looking for fruit. GRACE, will we be ready?
Let's live in such a way that when He returns, He finds evidence of our love, our labor, and our loyalty. Not perfection, but productivity. Not ownership, but obedience.
Reflection Questions:
- Do I live with the awareness that I'm a tenant, not an owner, in God's vineyard?
- What fruit would the Keeper find flowing from me if He returned today?
- Am I living faithfully with what God has entrusted to me—or taking His grace for granted?
PRAYER
Lord, You are the Keeper, and I honor You as the Owner of all things. Thank You for entrusting me with a part in Your vineyard. I don't want to waste Your grace—I want to bear fruit that brings You joy. I want to be ready overflowing in fruit of righteousness. Teach me to live with reverence, diligence, and expectation, so that when You come, You find me faithful. In Jesus' name, amen.