The story of arrogant and abusive tenant farmers (Mark 12:1-12) comes to its next twist.  The centrepiece of the owner's policy, to recover his assets, was to send his son - the personal family representative with all the authority of the owner.  The son is described as the heir - the person who will benefit from the prosperity of the business and all the investment of his father.  But the farm labourers saw their opportunity to eliminate the inheritor and grab the owner's legacy.  So, their plan was to kill the son, which they did, even throwing his remains off the property.

As Jesus told that story, its meaning should have bitten into the religious opposition.  He knew their plans, and that He would be killed (outside the city wall too!).  Jesus had seen right into their hearts and into the future.  Such revelation should have called their consciences to pause for breath: but they were fixed on eliminating the Son of God.  In the parable, the hopeful words, "They will respect my son", bring the pathos of the drama to light.  The religious leaders claimed to respect God but were hell-bent on killing His Son.  In dishonouring the Son, they also dishonoured the Father.  

In John 5:23 Jesus said, "Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father, who sent him."  The principle is crucial to understanding God.  Because the Son has the closest relationship with the Father, all who claim to honour God deceive themselves if they refuse to give the Lord Jesus Christ the same honour (2 Peter 1:17).  Jesus' statement has serious implications for deists who deny that 'Jesus is Lord' to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:11).  If Jesus is right, their worship of God is not. Many people say they want to please God and seek eternal life.  Jesus said, "Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." (John 17:3)

Who wants Jesus today?  Very few who have power or ambition or wealth: they have no interest in Him; they fail to see how He could add any value to their self-made life.   But if Jesus should come close enough to upset their ego-system, most want Him out of the picture ... either dead or trapped within archaic religious traditions where He cannot interfere with 'real life'.  But real life is exactly what Jesus came to give (John 10:10), and all who believe in Him receive it (John 5:24).  Real life is Jesus' business - indeed without Jesus, we can never experience what life is about.  However, this story does help to explain why Jesus (as opposed to religion) is the point of division between those who really love God, and those who use God … while showing their hatred of Him by refusing to honour Jesus as God's Son.  If you know Him, honour Jesus Christ as Lord and gently explain (1 Peter 3:15) to those who will listen, how they can trust in Him too.