Jesus the Cornerstone

Introduction

There seems to be quite a lot of confusion in the world today about so many different subjects. People struggle to comprehend what gender they are. People don’t know which bathroom they should use. People are baffled about how to properly use pronouns in the English language. And I’m not saying these things to be offensive or to belittle anyone’s personal issues. I’m just stating the observable facts in our current culture. I’m not casting judgment on anyone. I am simply telling the truth.

But I believe all these different struggles have a common denominator. I am of the conviction that the reason why so many people struggle with so many different things in this life is because they ultimately struggle with who Jesus really is. In fact, there was even an ad campaign that aired during the Super Bowl this year called “He Gets Us.” It was talking about Jesus understanding all the struggles we face. Now, this is certainly true to an extent. Jesus definitely understands the struggles we face. HOWEVER, this does not also mean that Jesus is OK with all the sin in our lives, which is what this ad campaign so subtly implied. Their message was, and I’m paraphrasing, “It’s ok what you’re doing. Jesus understands. He gets us.”

Well, I’m here to tell you, my sweet friend, that Jesus Christ is most definitely not OK with everything that is going on in this world today. Jesus loves you exactly like you are, but He also loves you way too much to allow you to stay exactly like you are. Jesus did not hang on the bloody cross of Calvary for all of us to just stay down here and wallow around in our sin because we think “He gets us.” We need desperately to comprehend who the REAL Jesus is. He has revealed Himself in the Word of God and I promise you He is exactly who He says He is. Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And it would do us all a great deal of good for us to put away all the nonsensical images of Jesus we have created with our own sinful imaginations and turn to the one and only Son of God.

New American Standard Bible Chapter 21

33 “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who PLANTED A VINEYARD AND PUT A FENCE AROUND IT, AND DUG A WINE PRESS IN IT, AND BUILT A TOWER, and he leased it to vine-growers and went on a journey. 34 And when the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his fruit. 35 And the vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again, he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they did the same things to them. 37 But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let’s kill him and take possession of his inheritance!’ 39 And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?” 41 They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other vine-growers, who will pay him the fruit in the proper seasons.”

42 Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures,

‘A STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,

THIS HAS BECOME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE;

THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD,

AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES’?

43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruit. 44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and on whomever it falls, it will crush him.”

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them. 46 And although they sought to arrest Him, they feared the crowds, since they considered Him to be a prophet.

1. Serving God can be costly (33-41)

Let’s define the characters in the parable

God is the Landowner

Israel is the vineyard

The vine growers are the religious leaders

The slaves sent were the prophets

The Son is Jesus Christ

God had entrusted his chosen nation Israel to the religious leaders, the Pharisees, the Chief Priests, the Scribes

They had not only failed to produce good fruit, they had also treated the prophets of God with contempt and violence; complete disregard

When the Son of the Landowner came to collect his Father’s fruit, the religious leaders cared more for their positions of authority than they did about being obedient to the Lord

They took the Son “outside of the city” and had him killed, thinking they would be able to simply take what was rightfully his, i.e., Israel

Jesus asks the chief priests and the scribes a question about what they suppose the landowner will do to those who treated His people that way and failed to produce fruit while caring for His vineyard

The religious leaders answer correctly in verse 41: “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other vine-growers, who will pay him the fruit in the proper seasons.”

The religious leaders condemned themselves by their own words

Exalting Jesus in Matthew The Rejection of Some of His Servants

These Jewish leaders in Jesus’ day were doing the same thing many in Israel had done throughout the Old Testament. God’s spokesmen were persecuted and even killed throughout Israel’s history; three days later, they would kill God’s Son.

APPLICATION: In Isaiah He is Prince of Peace, in Jeremiah He is the weeping prophet, in Ezekiel He is the call from sin, in Daniel He is the stranger in the fire, in Hosea He is forever faithful, in Joel He is the Spirit’s power, in Amos He is the arms that carry us, in Obadiah He is the Lord our Savior, in Jonah He is the great missionary, in Micah He is the promise of peace, in Nahum He is our strength and our shield, in Habakkuk and Zephaniah He is pleading for revival, in Haggai He restores our lost heritage, in Zechariah He is our fountain, in Malachi He is the son of righteousness rising with healing in His wings (text taken from the song “He Is” as recorded by Aaron Jeoffrey). And dear friends, when Jesus Christ left His throne in glory to be born of a virgin in that dirty stable in Bethlehem, He stepped into the world He himself had created as the perfect, divine, and glorious Son of God. He lived a perfect life free from sin because we were incapable of doing it. He preached a perfect gospel announcing how that He was the one and only way to be reconciled with a holy and righteous God. Now, every single one of the prophets was mistreated and persecuted because of who they were and what they had to say. The Son of God himself was arrested on false charges, tried by a Mickey Mouse court, accused by false witnesses, beaten half to death by the Roman establishment, and crucified on a cruel cross where He took the burden of sin for the whole world in one instant. SO…why in the world would disciples of Jesus today be shocked or surprised that they would be treated the exact same way by the world?

2. Knowing God’s Word is a necessity (42-44)

Jesus once again questions the religious leaders knowledge and grasp of the Old Testament Scriptures

He quotes Psalm 118:22–23 “A stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This came about from the Lord; It is marvelous in our eyes.”

Jesus gives a 2 part conclusion based on this Old Testament Scripture

the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruit

the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and on whomever it falls, it will crush him

The religious leaders were more concerned about their position and perceived authority than they were about actually knowing the Scriptures and applying them properly

The Gospel according to Matthew 2. The Parable of the Tenants, 21:33–46

Jesus is telling his hearers that deeds speak louder than words and that their failure to respond to all that God has done for them will reap its inevitable reward.

They will forfeit their position due to their lack of faithfulness and their lack of productivity

The kingdom will be handed over to the Apostles who will supply the foundation of leadership for the New Testament church following the Passion of Christ

David Turner: “Those who reject the cornerstone are pictured as stumbling over it and falling, and at the same time their judgment will be like the stone falling on them” (BECNT, 516).

Ultimately, to reject Christ and His gospel is to reject the kingdom of God and the entrance into the kingdom of Heaven

APPLICATION: Do you know who Jesus is? Do you know the REAL Jesus or is your Messiah an image of something you have created in your own image and likeness? The greek word for “chief” cornerstone is κεφαλὴ γωνίας and is literally translated as the “head of the corner.” It describes the final stone in a building that holds together the heavenly sanctuary. The “builders” referred to in Psalm 118:22 and then quoted by Jesus in Matthew 21:42 were said to have rejected this certain stone which has now become the “chief cornerstone.” In other words, they rejected Christ as the Messiah of God because they saw themselves as more important than He. So it is vital for us to understand this truth: we don’t get to define who Jesus is. Jesus has told us who He is. He has revealed Himself to us as our Lord and King. He has demonstrated, not only His power, but also His great love. Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords.

3. Pride is the enemy of wisdom (45-46)

The Bible teaches us that the Chief Priests and the Pharisees now understood that Jesus was talking about them

David Turner: “Tragically, they understand what Jesus is saying, but refuse to agree with it” (BECNT, 516).

As they understood what Jesus was saying about them, they desired to have him arrested and basically wanted to get him out of their way

The religious leaders were hindered by their fear of the people since the majority of the people saw Jesus as a prophet of God

They were going to lose their position and their authority whether they realized it or not; they were unfruitful so God would no longer allow them to serve in leadership of His people

The Gospel according to Matthew 2. The Parable of the Tenants, 21:33–46

Both professed to be the servants of God, but neither was able to discern the Son of God for what he was when he came. Both became bitter opponents of Jesus, and within a few days of this piece of teaching they would succeed in having him put on a cross.

APPLICATION: Pride is certainly one of the most dangerous sins because of its typically catastrophic consequences. Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride comes, then comes dishonor; But with the humble there is wisdom.” Also, Proverbs 29:23 reminds us, “A person’s pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor.” These religious leaders now understood what Jesus was saying about them, but they were unwilling to change their minds or their behaviors. They would rather suffer the consequences of God’s judgment than admit they were wrong. We can fall into the same trap today. We can read the Bible and agree with it intellectually, but still remain unwilling to repent and change our course in life. We will simply allow our pride to cloud our judgment and we will suffer the consequences because of it.

Conclusion

There is only one true God. There is only one way to heaven. There is only one Savior of the world. There is only one King of kings and Lord of lords. His name is Jesus Christ and He died for my sins and yours. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts. Surrender to Jesus Christ today.