Has someone ever taken something that belonged to you – or at least you felt belonged to you? How did that make you feel?

Have you ever been in charge of something and someone else starts stepping all over your authority? What feelings does that incur? What do you want to do? We’re going to be thinking about things like that This Sunday as we continue our study in Matthew, reading chapter 21:33-46.

Jesus tells a parable that traditionally is referred to as “the parable of the wicked tenants”…but it could be more accurately called “the story of the renters from hell”.

Read the parable over. Who do the vinedressers who are renting the property represent? Who would they represent as we try to understand this parable for our own lives?

Who does the Landowner represent? What do we learn from about Him from His responses to the growing tensions?

What was the last straw in this stand-off? What drove the Landowner to action? What can we learn from this story about our own lives and the choices and responses we have?

It will be a challenging, yet encouraging study, I think.