The Gathering

Today's Scripture Passage is from:

Mark 12:1-12 KJV
(1)  And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.
(2)  And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.
(3)  And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.
(4)  And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled.
(5)  And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.
(6)  Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.
(7)  But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.
(8)  And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
(9)  What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.
(10)  And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
(11)  This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
(12)  And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

The picture of the servant of God going to gather the fruit only to be rejected by the master and servants of the vineyard. Most churches have a place money is sent to and a head office for the purpose of helping smaller churches, mission projects or paying their head leader. Imagine an official coming to collect the money of the church instead of the convince of mailing, or online banking. When the official gets to the church he is handed an empty envelope, not because the people do not have the money to give, but they do not think he is worthy to carry the money back to the office. The prophets were sent to gather the fruit whether it be money, or some other type of item to return to the leaders. Instead he is attacked. The people claiming what they have is theirs and he has no right to it. The owner of the building a property continues to send to finally he sends his Son. The owner figuring no one will kill his son, and then they kill his son. The owner then comes himself to take what is his back. Now this depictions sounds more like a bill collector then a loving God to some I suspect. Yet the judgment of God was coming by the Holy Spirit upon the face of the earth. When Christ appears a second time it will usher in the judgment of God. The loving Jesus that is read about in the four Gospels will be bringing the final judgment upon the earth.

The fruit the owner's servant is to gather is of the love and compassion of the people. The welcome wagon, to those that freely give to the work of the Lord. The prophet and the teachers sharing the love of God on a people. Now look at the church and at the synagogues of the Old Testament. God's people called by his name, was no longer serving God. The idolatry was happening everywhere. God sends a prophet, the prophets were killed instead of allowing the temples to be cleaned of their idolatry. Instead of repentance coming. God evetually restores the temple of God after sending his people into exile, only to then send his Son who is reject by the people, and they crucify Him. Then God comes by sending His Spirit to His people to teach, and to preach. His people die, but His Spirit goes forth despite what man does to man.

The truth of Gospel is God plan is to restore his church even when people have reject him. There are churches even closing today, because the people that remain grew cold to good growth and would chased people away out of fear of sin coming into the church. If a sinner never comes will the church ever see some get saved? Churches that dying consider this is what people are bring new into your door is it of God, weigh it by the Word of God. If it lacking do your best by yielding tot he Holy Spirit through preaching, teaching, pray and fasting. If God means to close the doors consider going where what you have to offer and give can be used of God. It is not easy to do. Older one gets the harder it is. People have no desire for church growth, then it is killing those that are coming to it by denying them the truth of God's Word through the teaching of the word, actions and love. God's wrath will come to those that refuse to help the sinner find the fruit of His grace. Be a person that desires to see new growth in your church today.