The Rejected Cornerstone

Matthew 21:33-46, Acts 4:5-12

In both of these passages the high priests, scribes, and pharisees are upset. In Matthew they are mad about the parable Jesus tells them about the vineyard tenants who beat up those who come for the harvest and even put the vineyard’s owners son to death.

This of course tells the story of how the tenants here – the Israelites rejected the prophets God sent to tell them to change their ways and will eventually put to death Jesus God’s son. Jesus quotes Isaiah 5:1-7 here that the stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This cornerstone will be given to those who produce the fruits of the kingdom. The chief priests realize that Jesus is talking about them and become angry – the truth hurts. They want to arrest him but don’t want to lose favor with the people who think he is a prophet.

In our Acts passage the chief priests are angry with Peter and John for performing the miracle of making a lame man walk. They ask by what power Peter did this. Peter tell how it is the power of Jesus whom they crucified but has risen from the dead. Obviously, Peter has witnessed Jesus telling this parable and quoting Isaiah. He is basically citing them out for rejecting the stone which is Jesus. Due to Jesus being raised from the dead he has become the cornerstone from which salvation comes. There is no other name given to mortals by which we must be saved.

Some translations have cornerstone as being the key stone. Jesus is the rock on which we cling to in this life and is the cornerstone on which Christianity is built. The builders of the law those educated in the Torah have rejected Christ – tripped over the rock and have failed to produce fruits of the kingdom which is love and righteousness. They have neglected the poor and needy, the widow and the orphan.

Do many churches today follow their own rules of their own making not producing the fruits of righteousness God desires. May we cling to the rejected stone – the cornerstone of our Christian life and produce fruits of the kingdom.

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