The Rejected Stone Exalted I - Part 1 of 3

Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise, The worries of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace.

This is LaSalle Bradley, Jr., welcoming you to another broadcast of the Baptist Bible Hour. Search me, O God, and know my heart today. Cry me, O Savior, know my thoughts I pray.

See if there be some wicked way in me. Fence me from every sin and set me free. I praise thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin. O fill thy wood and make me pure within.

Fill me with fire where once I burned with shame. Grant my desire to magnify thy name. Lord, take my life and make it holy thine. Heal my poor heart with thy great love divine.

Take all my will, my passion, self, and pride. I now surrender, Lord, in thee divine. Holy Ghost, revival comes from thee. Send a revival, start a work in me. Thy word defense, thou wilt supply our need. For blessing now, O Lord, I humbly plead. I'm glad that you have joined us today. If the program proves to be a blessing to you, we would certainly be happy to hear from you.

If you can help us with the support to keep the program on the air, we'll be indeed grateful. Our address is the Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. Read from the book of Matthew, chapter 21, verse 42. Jesus saith unto them, Did you never read in the scriptures the stone which the builders rejected?

The same has become the head of the corner. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. My subject is the rejected stone exalted. Now let's begin reading with the 33rd verse to see the parable that led up to the statement made by Jesus in our text. Hear another parable. There was a certain householder which planted a vineyard and hedged it round about and digged a wine press in it and built a tower and led it out to husbandmen and went into a far country. And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants and beat one and killed another and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did unto them likewise. But last of all, he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir, come let us kill him and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him and cast him out of the vineyard and slew him. And the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, What will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. And then the text. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures the stone which the builders rejected?

The same has become the head of the corner. This is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes. Now the parable that Jesus gives here would present a picture that was well understood by the people in that land. The growing of grapes was a principal industry. So when he speaks of one who planted a vineyard, he let it about so that it would be protected from beasts and from any that might seek to invade it. He built a tower where it could be observed and then he let it out to husbandmen, what we would refer to as a tenant farmer. They're going to do the work, they're going to care for the vineyard and at the appointed time he will send to receive what is his due portion. Obviously the workers would be rewarded for their work but the man who planted the vineyard, who owned it, would be expected to have his appropriate return. And so he sends at the time of the harvest his servants to receive what is rightfully his. But these who were the tenant farmers beat one, killed another, stoned another. So he sent other servants and they did the same thing. Finally the man says, I'll send my son.

They will surely respect him. But when he sends the son, these greedy, self-serving, self-seeking individuals say, let's kill him and then we will seize the inheritance. It was generally viewed at that time if no heir could be found and one of these tenant farmers was in charge of a piece of land and one of these who were working the vineyard could then claim right to it.

And they thought this is an opportunity to take complete ownership of this so we will kill the man's son. They caught him, they cast him out of the vineyard, they slew him. Then Jesus asked the question, what will the Lord of that vineyard do when he comes? What will he do to these husbands?

You see this is a pattern that is often found in scripture. When God would confront David with his sin and have him deeply convicted, he sends Nathan the prophet who tells him a little story. There was a rich man. This rich man had many flocks. He lived next door to a poor man who had one little ewe lamb.

When company came in, the rich man did not take a lamb out of his own flock. He took the one ewe lamb from his neighbor, killed it and ate it and fed it to his guests and David was indignant. He said a man like that should not be allowed to live in my kingdom.

He ought to die. And then Nathan said, thou art the man. David had just convicted himself. He just acknowledged what punishment was due him. By the grace of God, his life was spared.

But he suffered great miseries as a result of his terrible sin. Now Jesus often did this in the parables that he used. So he asked those at hand, listening to him speak, what will the husbandmen do? Look at their answer, verse 41. They say unto him, he will miserably destroy those wicked men. What have they acknowledged? Anybody who would do such a terrible thing to kill the son of the man who owns the vineyard, they're wicked and he will surely miserably destroy them.

And then he will let out his vineyard to other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their season, give him what is his rightful due. So what have they done? They've admitted that anybody guilty of such conduct ought to be miserably destroyed. They've admitted that anybody who conducted themselves in this fashion ought to have that vineyard taken away from them and given to somebody else. And then here comes the zinger. Jesus said, did you never read in the scriptures the stone which the builders rejected? The same has become the head of the corner.

This is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes. And they got the point. Verse 45 says, and when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. They got it. Now they didn't repent.

They didn't change. They didn't believe on him, but they got the point and they hated him. Verse 46 says, but when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude because they took him for a profit. They wanted then to kill Jesus.

They ultimately did so, but they could not at this time because his hour had not yet come. So what were they doing? Living out what was illustrated in the parables. They were doing exactly what Jesus had presented in this lesson. That the builders were the very ones who had rejected the stone. The builders was a term very familiar to these Pharisees, to these leaders in Israel.

The builders were teachers, referred to as a master, a teacher. The builders, the leaders of the people were rejecting him. Now many of the people at this time, if not at the point of having true faith, at least had great admiration for him and were impressed by what they had seen.

They had observed his miracles. Some of these knew about the resurrection of Lazarus just about a week or so before. So they weren't ready to stand idly by and let the leaders crucify. So, though they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude.

They feared the people and they backed off at this time because the people did perceive him to be a prophet. You see, when he quoted from the scriptures, which in particular was Psalm 118, he said, did you ever read this? Did you never read what the scriptures say? Now remember, these are leaders, these are rabbis, these are teachers who claim to be familiar with the scripture, who claim to be the authority figure teaching other people. So once again, Jesus puts them on the spot.

Did you never read? You who are teachers of the scripture, do you not know what the scripture says? The scripture says that the stone which the builders rejected the same has become the head of the corner. And this is the Lord's doings.

This is according to God's sovereignty, according to the providential unfolding of his plan and purpose. And it's marvelous in our eyes. It's a great and marvelous thing that the very stone which was rejected, despised, the one who was a stumbling stone was exalted and became the headstone, the chief cornerstone. So as we look at this text, the first thing we want to observe is the rejected stone. Christ obviously was that stone. Now even the reference to the fact that the stone was rejected of the builders was something also with which these leaders would be familiar. That is, using the reference to God and ultimately to the Messiah as being the stone. Just go over some references rapidly.

Don't take time to try to turn to these. But in Genesis 49 and 24 it says, But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. From thence is the shepherd the stone of Israel. Deuteronomy chapter 32 verse 4. He is the rock.

His work is perfect. Jeremiah 32 verse 15. Jedron waxed fat and kicked and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation.

What do we learn in these passages? God is referred to as being the rock. The shepherd is referred to as being the rock.

He is our rock. Jedron lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation. And then Isaiah chapter 8 verse 14.

One that connects very directly to everything we're talking about here. And he shall be for a sanctuary, but for a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel. Verse 15 of the same chapter and many among them shall stumble and fall and be broken and be snared and be taken. Then Isaiah chapter 28 and verse 16. Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, tried, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation.

He that believeth shall not make haste. And then the New Testament record in the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 4. And did all drink the same spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ. So the Jewish leaders were very familiar with the terminology that the rock would refer to God and ultimately to the Messiah. And the New Testament as Paul writes to the church at Corinth confirms that consideration.

Now the fact that he was rejected was prophesied. It was made known from olden times. Let's turn to Psalm 118. The passage to which Jesus refers when he asked these leaders, have you not read? Psalm 118 verse 22. The stone which the builders refused is become the headstone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing.

It is marvelous in our eyes. So in this messianic Psalm, references made long before the Savior came that the stone which the builders refused will become the headstone of the corner. And then Isaiah chapter 53.

That marvelous chapter which speaks so explicitly of the work, the redemptive work of our Savior Jesus Christ says in the third verse. He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid as it were our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed him not. It was then not a surprise that when Jesus Christ came, he was despised and rejected of men. Prophecy had made it clear this would be the case.

Now the question might come to mind. Since these people believed in the coming of the Messiah, since there were types and shadows that had depicted his work and they had anticipated his coming, since there were many prophetic references to declare that this promised one, this Messiah of God would ultimately appear, why would these people reject him? Why was it they failed to see his beauty, his greatness, his power, his glory, his mercy? First of all we believe that we can safely say when we look at scripture, he was rejected because he is light and they were darkness. John chapter 3 verse 19. These are the words of Jesus. And this is the condemnation that light is coming to the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. Now do you think that things have improved since that time? Do you think that the world has gotten progressively better? That men basically are good today, don't you hear that philosophy sometimes espoused? People say, oh, you know, I think that mankind is basically good deep within. The only problem is this environment. Just put him in the right place, give him enough money, give him enough opportunity.

It'll turn out fine. Friends, that's not the testimony of scripture. Scriptures make it clear that man is a sinner. His nature is fallen. He's alienated from God.

His inclination is to go farther and farther away from God. So when Jesus came, he was light, brilliant light. And what happens when light shines? It shows up a lot of things that you wouldn't ordinarily see. Have you ever had the occasion of feeling like you've done a reasonably good job of cleaning a house? And then the brilliant sunlight came through the window and all of a sudden you saw some things you'd missed. Have you ever noticed even in the sunlight how many little particles seem to be just floating around in the air and you think, I'm sitting here breathing this stuff.

I didn't even know it was here. The light shows up a lot of things. Jesus Christ, the light of the world, shows up a lot of things. Shows up the corruption of human nature. Reveals the sin that's within us. Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh of the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

If you know you're corrupt, if you know you've got a lot of deceit and you've got a lot of sin and you've got a lot of vileness in you, if you want to keep that covered up, if you don't want to come out in the light where it's exposed, everybody can see it. And so human nature is such that man, being sinful, avoids the light. Therefore John chapter 1 verse 11 says, He came unto his own and his own received him not.

He was rejected because he is the light. Lord, let me praise thee in the morning, while the day is new. Let me praise thee at the moon time, I'm leaning true. Let me not forget to praise thee, for since on the cross they nailed thee. Thy love has never failed me and it never will. Lord, I must come to thee for comfort, to thee, Lord, alone.

All that we may do for others and for sin atone. Lord, we know that thou didst tell us that the poor are always with us and that thy love is jealous. Let us love thee more. It is my prayer that the message has been a blessing to you today.

We would love to hear from you if you enjoy this broadcast and if you can help with the support to keep it on the air, we'll certainly be grateful. Our address is the Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. We greet you next time.

This is LaSara Bradley, Jr. bidding you goodbye and may God bless you. A vision, perfect delight, visions of rapture now burst on my side. Angels descending, brink of above, there comes a mercy, whispers of love. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. Perfect submission, all is at rest, I am my Savior and happy and blessed. Watching and waiting, looking above, filled with this goodness lost in His love. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior, praising my Savior, praising my Savior all the day long.