“Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.” – Mark 12:7 (Mark 12:1-9)

Near tha end of his life, while tha Son be in Jerusalem, he told some fellers this story.

A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it. He dug a pit fer tha wine press. He built a watch tower. He rented tha vineyard out ter some farmers. Then he went on a long journey. While away he sent a servant ter check on things. Tha servant arrived during harvest time and asked if he could get some of tha produce. But them farmers would ‘ave none of it. They beat tha poor servant and—empty handed—sent him on his way .

Tha vineyard owner sent a second servant ter check on things. Tha farmers beat that chap about tha head and shoulders and treated him shamefully.

So tha vineyard owner sent a third servant. Tha farmers killed that poor sot.

Out of options and not willing ter risk any more of his servants, tha vineyard owner sent his son. “They ‘ill respect my boy,” tha vineyard owner said. Low and behold tha farmers spied tha lad coming and said ter themselves, “Let’s kill tha boy. That way tha inheritance ‘ill be all ours.”

And that be jest what they did—they murdered tha vineyard owner’s only boy.

After speaking tha Son hushed up so all who heard tha tale could ponder its meaning. Right off tha religious leaders seen that tha Son meant ter put them in his crosshairs, fer they knowed good and well that in tha past thar fathers’ fathers had killed Skipper’s prophets when they demanded all repent from thar wicked ways.

Now least we think tha tale only be fer folks who lived and died a long while back, think on this a wee little bit: Skipper sent his Son ter die fer our sins. Died he did: only a good many still stick a dirk in tha Son ever time they claim what they be doing not be a sin.

• Shading tha truth a bit? Not a sin.
• Showing favoritism ter one feller over another? Not a sin.
• Sleeping around with any old feller or lass ya want? Not a sin.
• Saying hateful things ’bout folks? Not a sin.
• Scheming of ways ya kin defraud folks so ya kin pocket more booty? Not a sin.

Ever time we claim that we ne’er be that bad, we stick a dirk in tha back of tha Son. Skipper says it be better ter obey his Code of Conduct than ter sacrifice sump’in fer him (1 Samuel 15:22). Pray, obey, repeat: that be tha charge of them that sail on Skip’s ship.

Keep a weather eye out fer how ya be living and if ya find yer self tempted ter cheat Skip’s Code even a little, remember: We ne’er be ter old or young, smart or dumb, ter slip up and slide a dirk in ter tha ribs of tha Son.