The Rejected Stone Exalted I - Part 3 of 3

Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise, Thou for resolve, my God and King, Thou triumphs of His grace.

This is L. S. Bradley, Jr., welcoming you to another broadcast of the Baptist Bible Hour. One day when heaven was filled with His praises, One day when sin was as black as could be, Jesus came forth to be born of a version, Well done once then, my example is He. One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain, One day they nailed Him to die on the tree, Suffering, anguished, despised and rejected, Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He. Living, He loved me, dying, He saved me, Buried, He carried my sins far away, Writing, He justified freely forever, One day He's coming, O glorious day. One day they left Him alone in the garden, One day He rested from suffering free, Angels came down, all His tombs to keep vigil, Hope of the hopeless, my Savior is He. One day the grave could then still Him no longer, One day the stone rolled away from the door, Then He arose over death He had conquered, Now He's ascended, my Lord, evermore. Living, He loved me, dying, He saved me, Buried, He carried my sins far away, Writing, He justified freely forever, One day He's coming, O glorious day. One day the trumpet, the sound for His coming, One day the skies with His glories will shine, Wonderful day, my beloved one's ringing, Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine. Living, He loved me, dying, He saved me, Buried, He carried my sins far away, Writing, He justified freely forever, One day He's coming, O glorious day. I'd like to be able to send you our paper, The Baptist Witness.

There are articles in it that I believe will be a blessing to you. Just request that when you write us at Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. Today we continue with the message, The Rejected Stone Exalted. Let's look at the book of Matthew. Matthew chapter 12 verse 39, But He answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and there shall no sign be given it but the sign of the prophet Jonas. For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Now there's several things to be learned from this. Some of the great scholars who somehow feel that their place in life is to try to attack the scripture, try to find fault with it, will say that this story about Jonah was not an actual account. It was just as a parable.

It was just a lesson. It didn't actually happen. See, if you believe what Jesus said, you know that absolutely cannot be true. He says that just like Jonah was in the whale's belly for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man is going to be in the heart of the earth.

The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonas and behold greater than Jonas is here. Upon greater than Jonah, Jesus Christ himself is here. But he says just like Jonah was in the belly of the whale. He was there literally in the belly of the whale.

Somebody said I don't see how that happened. Now do you think that it's difficult for the God who created the world to make a fish and put a man inside of it and take care of him for three days? I mean that was that was small stuff compared to what God had already done.

You know that's that's pretty big for us as to how that could occur. But God obviously had a purpose in it. And God preserved his servant even when he was in a state of disobedience and rebellion. He took care of him and preserved him in the fish. And then the fish, isn't that interesting how God and his providence control the whole thing? Why didn't that fish throw him up out in the middle of the ocean? Because the same God that directed the fish to be there at the appropriate time. Real convenient that the fish showed up right on time. See God was arranging the whole thing. He was right there to swallow Jonah right when Jonah needed to be swallowed. Other than that he's going to drown. So the Lord preserved him, brought him to dry land. He spewed him out and Jonah comes out. Salvation is of the Lord. He knew that didn't he? That's a good time to shout that.

And maybe you've resisted that concept. But if you spend a few days in the whale's belly you may come out shouting the same thing. The Lord gets you in the midst of the storm and brings you down to the end of your way. And he's able to do that.

Oh yeah. Sometimes stubborn, rebellious, hard-hearted sinners think I'm going to make my own plans. I'm going to do things on my timetable.

I'm going to do things my way the Lord and get you in shape. Where you understand you desperately need him. Jonah thought he was down for the count. He said, yet once more will I look toward thy holy temple. Don't know if there's any need to pray. Don't know if God would hear me. Don't know if he can hear me from here. Don't know if he'd hear me from anywhere.

But I'm going to call. There wasn't anything else to do. And the Lord heard him. Brought him out of his deep distress. Brought him to dry land.

This actually happened. And Jesus says that just like that happened. So the Son of Man is going to be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. Now sometimes when he talked about this it was very direct, very plain.

Couldn't possibly misunderstand it. Mark chapter 8 verse 31. And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things. And be rejected of the elders and of the chief priests and scribes. And be killed and after three days rise again.

Now do you think anybody could misunderstand that? Began to teach them the Son of Man, talking about himself, Jesus Christ the Savior, the Messiah is going to suffer many things. He's going to be rejected of the elders and of the chief priests and the scribes. He's going to be killed and after three days he's going to rise again. Chapter 9 verse 31. For he taught his disciples and said unto them, The Son of Man is delivered into the hands of men and they shall kill him.

And after that he is killed he shall rise again the third day. But they understood not that saying and were afraid to ask him. You know that's very clear to us. Look at that and say, how could those fellows misunderstand? But somehow they didn't quite get the point and they were afraid to bring it up.

Afraid they would look dumb and they didn't want to ask. But he says that after he's killed he's going to be raised up. Mark chapter 10 verse 34. And they shall mock him and shall scourge him and shall spit upon him and shall kill him. And the third day he shall rise again. Chapter 14 verse 27. Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night for it is written, I will smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered. But after that I am risen I will go before you into Galilee. Now you see Jesus has already made it clear that he speaks the truth.

Now this is an essential point. When you hear people say, oh I believe that Jesus Christ was a good man. I believe he was a great teacher. I think he was a marvelous example but I just can't believe he was God in the flesh. Or I just cannot believe in his resurrection.

You see there is a terrible contradiction in what they're saying. If everything Jesus taught about who he was, was not so. If he has the audacity to stand there in the presence of the people and the religious leaders of that day and say I'm the bread that came down from heaven.

I and my father are one. That is I have come down I'm going to go back. If he had the audacity to say they're going to kill me but I'm going to come out of the grave after three days and three nights. If that wasn't true, Jesus Christ was the worst imposter the world has ever known. Everybody that's ever followed him has been woefully deceived. There's absolutely no reason for us to be here in this assembly today.

We are of all men most miserable, in the dark, confused, without hope. But the fact is we believe with all of our heart that Jesus Christ was exactly who he said he was. He came at the appointed time, sent with the father to do a work. He was God's son. He was God in the flesh.

He was the second person of the triune Godhead. And we rejoice to know that his claims are true. But you see this is something that separates us from all others. Somebody begins to talk about let's all get together. That's great.

Love to get together with you. But you have to bow to Jesus Christ. You've got to acknowledge him as God. You've got to acknowledge him as King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the only hope for fallen, ruined sinners. No, not interested in that.

You're putting up too many barriers. No, we're just taking a stand on what Jesus Christ said about himself. Look at Philippians chapter 2. Verse 8 of Philippians chapter 2 says, And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things unto the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. So you tell somebody, that's where I stand. Jesus Christ has been exalted, been given a name above every name, and you need to bow and confess him. I can't take that.

That's too big a barrier. That's what Christianity is all about. Jesus Christ is not just another teacher, not just a great leader, not just an example. He is God. He is the Son of God, the Savior of sinners, God in the flesh, the only hope there is none other. It's all in him. And so he had clearly declared that he would rise from the dead.

He made it perfectly clear really. Some of the references were somewhat veiled, but some of them were very direct, very to the point, I am going to come out of the grave. Well, we then come to the fact of his resurrection. The stone which was rejected of men has been exalted.

It has been made the head of the corner. He humbled himself to the death of the cross, but the Father has given him a name which is above every name, that every knee will bow and confess that he is Jesus Christ, the Lord of all. Let's look at John chapter 20.

The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark under the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Here is one of his ardent followers, deeply grieved. Jesus has been crucified. He suffered such anguish. His physical suffering was beyond description. But more than anything else, he was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. And when sin was put on the perfect, spotless Lamb of God, that suffering was beyond anything that you and I can comprehend. He was the only perfect man that ever lived. He was a loving man, a gracious man, a kind man.

He was a man that lifted up the fallen, healed the sick, raised the dead, spoke words of forgiveness to the rejects of society, because he came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. But they, by wicked hands, crucified him. She had seen his body taken down, laid in the tomb. On the first day of the week, she's going out there to pay her respects. Remember now, the Jews have been afraid that his followers would steal his body. So they have sealed the tomb, and they have put a soldier there to guard. And here comes this woman grieving.

But when she gets near, it's yet dark, but she sees the stone is gone. Then she runneth and cometh to Simon Peter and to the other disciples whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, they have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. See, while the disciples have been a source of suspicion and accused with the critics of stealing away his body, I mean, they're perplexed that his body's gone. She's not even thinking in terms right now of resurrection. They've taken his body and put it somewhere else. You know, not only the swoon theory, but the idea that they stole his body.

Do you see how absurd that is? Where were the disciples when Jesus died? I know Peter denied him, but all of them forsook him and fled. Do you think this bunch who are scared out of their minds, afraid they're going to be next at crucifixion, are going to come up there and confront a soldier who's guarding the tomb and remove the stone and carry it out and hide it somewhere? And then when they're later persecuted for preaching the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that they're going to stand up there bold and brave and courageous and die for something that they knew was a farce?

Doesn't fit, does it? Because the reality is, Jesus Christ did what he said he was going to do. He came out of the grave. He literally died, but he literally arose. And that's the essential difference between Christianity and every other religion of the world, is the empty tomb. The angel said, he is not here, he's risen. He's risen.

Empty tomb. Then you go to the fourth chapter of the book of Acts, verse 7. It says, And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power or by what name have you done this?

They're talking about the healing of the lame man at the gate of the temple, and they want to know by what power did you do this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he has made whole, be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified. See, if it hadn't been full of the Holy Ghost, you think Peter would have said that? Peter was like the rest of us, left to himself, he was a big chicken. I mean, when he thought they were getting ready to take him, and somebody said, hey, you're one of his followers, I know you. You said, no, no, not me, not me, I never saw this man before.

No, don't accuse me of being one of them. Peter could be brave on some occasions and then just fall apart at the next time. So do you think he's going to stand up here and say that you have crucified him? I mean, he'd have thought of something else to say, don't you know?

Why antagonize the people that may here put you in prison or put you to death? And then what else does he say? To whom God raised from the dead. You think he dare would have said that if he'd have been a part of stealing the body of Jesus and hiding it?

No. He's saying this because he is full of the Holy Ghost. He's got holy boldness. Let me tell you, when somebody is full of the Holy Ghost, they can have a boldness so that they're not afraid of a roaring lion. Now this is not talking about being brash.

This is not talking about standing up and telling somebody off in your own depravity. This is talking about a boldness that's given by the power of the indwelling spirit of God. Even by him does this man stand here before you whole. You want to know how this man was healed? It was by Jesus Christ. You crucified him, but God raised him from the dead.

Now, look what he says right in connection with our text. This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders. Just as Jesus had taught in the parable, the builders rejected the stone.

This is the stone that was set at naught of your builders, which has become the head of the corner. Yes, he was rejected. He was despised. He was crucified. He was killed by wicked hands, but God has raised him up.

The tomb is empty. He is alive. He's been given a name above every name.

He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Oh, what a powerful testimony.

That testimony could not have been given other than to know the reality of the risen Savior. Oh, how beautiful to see that this one who was the rejected stone is now the head of the corner. What is Jesus to you today? Is he a stumbling stone? Some stumble.

Some stumble on the stone and fall. And then he spoke of those upon whom the stone will finally fall and they'll be ground to dust. What does Jesus mean to you? Is he precious? Is his name sweet to your ears? Can you say with the hymn writer how sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear?

It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, and drives away his fear. Is he your Lord? Said this stone would be for the rise and fall of many. Are you rising or falling?

Where are you today? Do you believe in this wonderful Savior? There may have been a time that you despised him, that you had no heart for the gospel.

You turned your own way. But if today your eyes have been opened, your ears have been tuned, your heart has been touched, and Jesus is everything to you, we bid you confess him before men. Man of sorrows, what a name! O'er the Son of God who came, Ruined sinners to reclaim, Hallelujah, what a Savior! Bearing shame and softly brood, In my place of him He stood, Sealed my pardon with His blood, Hallelujah, what a Savior! Guilty, vile, and helpless we, Sonless Lamb of God was He, Full of atonement can it be, Hallelujah, what a Savior! Lifted up was He to die, In His finish was His cry, Now in heaven exalted high, Hallelujah, what a Savior! When He comes, our glorious King, All His ransom home to bring, Then a new lit song we'll sing, Hallelujah, what a Savior! Hallelujah, what a Savior! I will rejoice to know that in spite of the fact Jesus Christ was rejected by many when He was here on this earth and by multitudes today, that He is one whose name is exalted above every other name, and at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and confess to the glory of God. I encourage you to write and let us know you have listened.

If you can, help us with the expense of the program. The address is the Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. Perfect submission, perfect delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight, 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, This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long. Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and blessed, Watching and waiting, looking above, Will live 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.