NOTES:
1] Palm Sunday 'happened' in between last week's & today's Gospel. 2] Jesus fires another shot across the bows of the people's leaders. They become (45-46) even more his sworn enemies, but he has the ordinary people on side (46).

WARMING UP: How much of ourself do we invest in our garden / farm / property?

TREASURES OLD & NEW: Identify God at work in anything this week?

ENTERING INTO THE STORY:

33-39    How much does this parable speak to us about the way God has provided for: a) the Hebrew people? b) all of us? or, c) doesn't it speak to us much at all? Are we living out our roles any better than Jesus accuses the Hebrew leaders of doing? Does this have any relevance to events in today's world? Or is that too political? What about the politics of God?
            Is it politically incorrect to criticise the Hebrews for failing God (as Jesus tells it)? Can avoiding giving offence be taken too far? Is racial & cultural harmony too high a price to pay for truth? Or, vice versa?
             What kind of return on his investment is God getting from us, as persons, & as a church? Are we taking any more notice of those sent by God to lead us today, than those of old who are slammed by Jesus? What's the test of whether a leader is 'sent by God' or not? Where do we stand with regard to the old accusation against the Jews: "You killed Jesus!"?
             If those who kill the son irrationally think this will allow them to inherit the property, does this say anything about the way we rebel against God & try to usurp control of things? Is to reject Jesus as God's Son to reject the Central Point of all God's purpose(s) for us in his 'Big Picture'?

40-43     Is it true that God can deal in any way God likes with us seeing we are, and the creation is, his anyway? Is that just theoretically true, or actually true as well? If it's true in any real sense, where does that leave us if we operate on the basis that we can do anything we like with anything & anybody? How much is Jesus the cornerstone of all we do? Do we think of God & God's doings as being 'amazing' enough? Or is that best left to Grace? What do we make of the view that, 'God's wrath is the flipside of God's love'? Is there any comfort to be taken from that? Is he just bluffing, anyway?

(44)      If we have this verse in our version, it's probably because it somehow crossed over from LK 20:18.

45-46   Is it going too far to suggest that to think of Jesus as a prophet is about as far as most people are prepared to go today? Is that's not far enough, why not? Are we ourselves convinced enough that Jesus is 'more than a prophet' to be able to demonstrate this to others?