A Parable That Exposes All of Us | Mark 12:1-12

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Today's shout-out goes to Roy Salazar from Richland Hills, TX. Thank you for standing with us throughout Project 23. You’re helping bring God’s Word to life—one chapter at a time. This one’s for you.

Our text today is Mark 12:1-12:

And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country. When the season came, he sent a servant to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed. He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this Scripture:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away. — Mark 12:1-12

Jesus tells a parable—but it's not entertainment. It’s a confrontation. A vineyard. A landowner. Servants. A beloved son. Each one represents something. Or someone. It’s a story with layers, but one message cuts through. This story exposes the hearts of everyone listening.

It exposed the religious leaders. They knew it was about them.
It exposes the history of Israel, rejecting the prophets, and then the Messiah.
But it also exposes us.

Because we are the tenants, too. We like the blessings of the vineyard. We enjoy the freedom, the opportunities, and the fruit. But when the Owner shows up asking for a return—when the Son comes to claim what’s his—something in us resists. We don’t want to hand over control. We don’t want accountability. We want ownership without obedience.

This story reveals what’s always been true: Rejection of Jesus doesn’t start with violence. It starts with self-preservation.

This story isn’t about a land and time from long ago. It’s about what Jesus finds when he steps into your heartland. Does he find surrender? Or resistance? Worship? Or entitlement?

It’s easy to think this is about “those” who rejected him. However, this is a story that exposes all of us, the subtle ways we push Jesus aside because we want to stay in control.

So, will your life be built on him, or broken apart by resisting him?

Because you can’t just admire the Son. You must answer to him. You can’t keep enjoying the fruit of God’s goodness while ignoring the Owner’s voice. Jesus is coming to inspect the vineyard. He will ask for fruit. And when he does, he won’t settle for excuses. He’ll be looking for surrender.

So be honest today. Have you truly given him everything? Or are you just leasing space in your heart, while living like it’s still yours? He’s not just the cornerstone. He’s the Owner. And one day, he’s coming back to collect what belongs to him.

#HeartCheck, #Mark12, #JesusIsLord

ASK THIS:

1. What part of this parable speaks directly to your life right now?
2. What are you tempted to claim as “yours” that actually belongs to God?
3. Why do we resist the authority of Jesus when we love the benefits of his kingdom?
4. How would your life look different if you lived like Jesus truly owned it?

DO THIS:

Ask Jesus to search your heart. Where are you resisting his authority while enjoying his blessings?

PRAY THIS:

Jesus, you are the rightful owner of everything in my life. Expose the places I’ve closed off to you—and give me the courage to surrender them. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"I Surrender."