The Rejected Stone

There once was a young man who loved the Lord with all his might. He went and studied hard at a Bible college, and he was getting really good grades. The day came for his final hurdle. He had to go before a panel of professors to evaluate his preaching in order to be accepted in this particular church body. He was given a text to preach on, and he worked diligently to produce what he thought was a really good sermon.

The day came for the evaluation, there were 6 men in a huge auditorium that were his panel of evaluaters. He was one of several men who were finishing their course study and hoping to pass this final hurdle. This young man got up, and with all he had, delivered his sermon.

The day came for the evaluation, there were 6 men in a huge auditorium that were his panel of evaluators. He was one of several men who were finishing their course study and hoping to pass this final hurdle. This young man got up, and with all he had, delivered his sermon.

However, he was rejected because the men on the panel felt he had not done as well as he should. He was turned down and was not given a position in a church as a pastor.

However, he was rejected because the men on the panel felt he had not done as well as he should. He was turned down and was not given a position in a church as a pastor.

Rejection. This is something that we all have experienced one time or another in our lives. Whether it be when we were rejected for a job promotion, rejected by a girl for a date, or rejected over our credit score. Rejection is not a fun experience.

Rejection. This is something that we all have experienced one time or another in our lives. Whether it be when we were rejected for a job promotion, rejected by a girl for a date, or rejected over our credit score. Rejection is not a fun experience.

Jesus also felt rejection. The text that confronts us today is the parable of the wicked tenants. The tenants were rather evil persons. They had rented this vineyard from a very gracious man. All he asked of them was for a portion of the fruit every year. So when the man sent a servant to collect what was due him, the tenants beat him and sent him away with nothing. It happened a second and a third and the same happened each time.

Jesus also felt rejection. The text that confronts us today is the parable of the wicked tenants. The tenants were rather evil people. They had rented this vineyard from a very gracious man. All he asked of them was for a portion of the fruit. So, when the man sent a servant to collect what was due him, the tenants beat him and sent him away with nothing. He sent a second and a third and the same happened each time.

The man was so gracious that he didn’t immediately kick these tenants out and extract from them what was due. Instead, He decided to send His Son. Surely, they would respect Him. But as we see in the text, they recognized the Son as the Heir of the vineyard. Instead of respecting Him, they killed him.

The man was so gracious that he didn’t immediately kick these tenants out and extract from them what was due. Instead, He decided to send His beloved son. Surely they would respect Him. But as we see in the text, they recognized the Son as the Heir of the vineyard. Instead of respecting Him, they killed him, outside of the vineyard.

This day was just shortly after Jesus had gone into the Temple and cleared out those who sold sacrifices, the money changers and everything that had turned the Lord’s house into a market place. Not only a market place but a “den of robbers” Jesus said in the chapter previous to our text today.

This day was just shortly after Jesus had gone into the Temple and cleared out those who sold sacrifices, the money changers and everything that had turned the Lord’s house into a market place. Not only a market place but a “den of robbers” Jesus said in the chapter previous to our text today.

A little history here. John the Baptist became a member of the Essenes. They were a group of Jews who were fighting against the corruption of Jerusalem. Especially the corruption of the Pharisees, Sadducees, Priests and elders of the Temple. It had become so corrupt that they were leading God’s people in the wrong direction. It is argued today, that Jesus Himself might have been a member of that community as well. And as things typically go where people try to reform the errors in any system, there was and still is today, much upheaval, angst and even fighting and violence. Once a precedence is set in place, it is seemingly impossible to reverse it without much tribulation; especially by those who will be affected the most, those who profit off the precedence.

A little history here. John the Baptist became a member of the Essenes. They were a group of Jews who were fighting against the corruption of Jerusalem. Especially the corruption of the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, Priests and elders of the Temple. They had become so corrupt that they were leading God’s people in the wrong direction. It is argued today, that Jesus Himself might have been a member of the Essene community. And as things typically go where people try to reform the errors in any system, there is much upheaval, angst and even fighting and violence. Once a precedence is set in place, it is seemingly impossible to reverse it without much tribulation; especially by those who will be affected the most, those who profit off the precedence.

So this parable is directed at the religious leaders who were there in order to find some way to destroy Jesus. They question His authority. As delegates from the Jewish council, they were allowed to ask for anyone’s credentials. So Jesus answers their questioning His authority based upon John the Baptist. Was John’s baptism from heaven or from God. Because if they confessed it was from heaven, it would also validate His own authority. Plus they would be agreeing with John that Jesus was the true Son of God.

So,

So, this parable is directed at the religious leaders who were there in order to find some way to destroy Jesus. They question His authority. As delegates from the Jewish council, they could ask for anyone’s credentials. So, Jesus answers their questioning His authority based upon John the Baptist. Was John’s baptism from heaven or from God? Because if they confessed it was from heaven, it would also validate His own authority. Plus, they would be agreeing with John that Jesus was the true Son of God.

Jesus presents this parable to them as a rebuke of their rejection of who He was, and also showed them the consequences of their rejection. This is why the apostle John says in the first chapter of his Gospel, “He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him” ().

Jesus presents this parable to them as a rebuke of their rejection of who He was and showed them the consequences of their rejection. Therefore, the apostle John says in the first chapter of his Gospel, “He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him” ().

Have we rejected God? Are we rejecting God today? The Jewish leaders thought they were in good with the Lord, yet Jesus clearly shows them they were not. They rejected Him, and in some ways we today can be rejecting Him. This is a First Commandment issue. It is about idolatry. Jewish leaders had made the Law of God their idol. And from that, everything they did became corrupt.

Have we rejected God? Are we rejecting God today? The Jewish leaders thought they were in good with the Lord, yet Jesus clearly shows them they were not. They rejected Him, and in some ways, we today can still be rejecting Him. This is a First Commandment issue. It is about idolatry. The Jewish leaders had made the Temple, the Law of God, their power, wealth, and authority their idols. And from that, everything they did became corrupt.

Jesus comes to them preaching repentance and belief in the Gospel. He does the same to us today. They rejected Him. Their pride, arrogance, and their hunger and thirst for power and glory is their sin. It is said that whoever rejects Him will himself be rejected; whoever stumbles at this stone or takes offense at His lowliness will be left without a Savior; whoever defies Him will lose his soul.

Jesus comes to them preaching repentance and faith in the Gospel. He does the same to us today. Yet, they rejected Him. Their pride, arrogance, and their hunger and thirst for power and glory is their sin. It is said that whoever rejects Him will himself be rejected; whoever stumbles at this stone or takes offense at His lowliness will be left without a Savior; whoever defies Him will lose his soul.

Rejecting Jesus is the same as defying Him and His Word. This is the hammer of God, which breaks apart all of our sinfulness, even defying Him when He comes to seek fruit from us. How do we defy Him? Paul speaks clearly of this in , where He shows the Jews that preach the Law and say that they live by the Law, yet they defy God’s Law by doing the very same things that they are preaching against. We who claim the name of Christ, as Christians, are our words and actions in step with each other? Are we not only talking the talk, but are we walking the walk? Paul gives strong words in that chapter saying that “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” (2:24).

Rejecting Jesus is the same as defying Him and His Word. This is the hammer of God, which breaks apart all our sinfulness, even defying Him when He comes to seek fruit from us. How do we defy Him? Paul speaks clearly of this in , where He shows the Jews that preach the Law and say that they live by the Law, yet they defy God’s Law by doing the very same things that they are preaching against. We who claim the name of Christ, as Christians, are our words and actions in step with each other? Are we not only talking the talk, but are we walking the walk? Paul gives strong words in that chapter saying that “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” (2:24).

Not only are we sinning against God when we don’t live according to His commandments, but we show ourselves to be hypocrites in the eyes of the world. “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (, ESV) The Holy Spirit prods us when we sin; He chastises and disciplines us when we continue in sin, especially openly sinning in public. For“[w]hen the Gentiles see what “God’s people” are doing, they can only conclude that either God is immoral Himself or that He is not worth worshiping.” (from Life By His Word Bible study, , CPH, 2009).

Not only are we sinning against God when we don’t live according to His commandments, but we show ourselves to be hypocrites in the eyes of the world. “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (, ESV) The Holy Spirit prods us when we sin; He chastises and disciplines us when we continue in sin, especially openly in public. For“[w]hen the Gentiles see what “God’s people” are doing, they can only conclude that either God is immoral Himself or that He is not worth worshiping.” (from Life By His Word Bible study, , CPH, 2009).

In this parable, Jesus is continuing to cleanse the Temple; in this case not from the corruption of the unjust market that was robbing people with unequal scales and the like, but His is exposing the religious leader’s own wickedness and foretelling their fate. Their rejection of Jesus grieved Him greatly, and He laments over Jerusalem and the religious leaders for the hardness of their hearts ().

In this parable, Jesus is continuing to cleanse the Temple; in this case, not from the corruption of the unjust market that was robbing people with unequal scales and the like, but His is exposing the religious leader’s own wickedness and foretelling their fate. Their rejection of Jesus grieved Him greatly, and He laments over Jerusalem and the religious leaders for the hardness of their hearts ().

immoral himself or that he is not worth worshiping.

So, what about us? God has planted His vineyard among us where the sun of His grace shines brighter than it ever did in the twilight of Israel. His New Testament vineyard has been taken away, and is not planted with us. When God sends His servants to claim fruit from His vineyard, what will He find? “Should not the ground of the New Testament, sprinkled with the blood of Christ and warmed by the sun of of Pentecost, produce more fruit of holy living? If the Lord were to hold court in our midst today and demand an account for the countless invitations extended to us, for the many witnesses who have told us the Word of God, for all the gracious work of the Spirit on our hearts, would He find genuine and rich fruit of repentance? Or would He be disappointed in us too?” (from Meditations on the Gospels According to His Word; CPH 2009, Saint Louis, MO)

So, what about us? God has planted His vineyard among us where the sun of His grace shines brighter than it ever did in the twilight of Israel. His New Testament vineyard has been taken away and is now planted with us. When God sends His servants to claim fruit from His vineyard, what will He find? “Should not the ground of the New Testament, sprinkled with the blood of Christ and warmed by the sun of Pentecost, produce more fruit of holy living? If the Lord were to hold court in our midst today and demand an account for the countless invitations extended to us, for the many witnesses who have told us the Word of God, for all the gracious work of the Spirit on our hearts, would He find genuine and rich fruit of repentance? Or would He be disappointed in us too?” (from Meditations on the Gospels According to His Word; CPH 2009, Saint Louis, MO)

In their rejection of the Son of God, they crucified the Lord of heaven and earth. Isaiah points us to His cross and resurrection. “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” (, ESV)

In their rejection of the Son of God, they crucified the Lord of heaven and earth. Isaiah points us to His cross. “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely, He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.” (, ESV)

The rejection of Jesus by the religious leaders led to Christ’s death on the cross that redeems us from our rejection and defiance of His Word. You are forgiven through the shedding of His blood. You are washed in Baptism, and are made new creations, set to live a life of holiness by the Spirit. When we reject and defy His Word, His Spirit leads us to repentance. That is He help us to turn from our defiance and builds our faith in the Gospel; returning us once again to life our life under the cross of Christ.

The rejection of Jesus, which led to His death on the cross at Golgotha, means that you and I are accepted. We are accepted into His vineyard, to do the work that He has given us to do. To be His witnesses here where He has planted us. To be His hands and feet of compassion, mercy and love to those who don’t know Him. To love each other, His family, with the same love and mercy that He has given to us.

The young man in our story this morning went on to a normal life with a good career in another field. Even though he was rejected by the panel of pastors to receive his first assignment as a pastor, he did not reject his Savior.

When he got old and grey, on his death bed, his faith in his Savior was stronger than ever. He is remembered by his dying confession, “Even though I was rejected by men, nevertheless, I have been accepted by Jesus, and will be accepted into His paradise which has no end.”

In the name of Jesus and for His eternal glory. Amen

The rejection of Jesus by the religious leaders led to Christ’s death on the cross that redeems us from our rejection, our defiance of His Word. You are forgiven through the shedding of His blood. You are washed in Baptism, and are made new creations, set to live a life of holiness by the Spirit. When we reject and defy His Word, His Spirit leads us to repentance. That is, He help us to turn from our defiance and turn towards God. He builds our faith in the Gospel; returning us once again to live our life under the cross of Christ.

The rejection of Jesus, which led to His death on the cross at Golgotha, means that you and I are accepted. We are accepted into His vineyard, to do the work that He has given us to do. To be His witnesses here where He has planted us. To be His hands and feet of compassion, mercy and love to those who don’t know Him. To love each other, His family, with the same love and mercy that He has given to us.

The young man in our story this morning went on to a normal life with a good career in another field. Even though he was rejected by the panel of pastors to receive his first assignment as a pastor, he did not reject his Savior.

When he got old and grey, on his death bed, his faith in his Savior was stronger than ever. He is remembered by his dying confession, “Even though I was rejected by men, nevertheless, I have been accepted by Jesus, and will be accepted into His paradise which has no end.”

In the name of Jesus and for His eternal glory. Amen