The Stone that the Builders Rejected, Part I

Reading: Psalm 118:19-29

There are four key words in Psalm 118:22: 1) stone 2) builders 3) refused 4) cornerstone. The first word to consider is stone. The Hebrew word for stone is “eben” which means to build. It comes from the prime root “banah” meaning to begin to build or to be a builder, this is the word used in Psalm 118:22 for builders. The passage would read something like this, “the “eben/stone” which the “banah/builders” refused…” The word refused in the Hebrew is “maac” pronounced maw-as. It means to reject with despite, disdain, loathing, count as utterly vile. If we could sum this up we would conclude that God wants a building, He provided material “The Stone” and builders, the Old Testament prophets and priests. But they utterly reject with hatred God’s building material.

If we looked a little closer at Psalm 118:22-24, “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” We have often sung the song “this is the day that the Lord has made…” and we apply it to every day and that’s o.k. But “THE DAY” referred to here is the day the builders refused the stone which is “THE DAY THEY CRUCIFIED CHRIST”!!! When the builders perceived what kind of Kingdom God wanted to build with Christ the Old Testament builders rejected and killed the King of the Kingdom. Again to summarize the day that the builders rejected and killed Jesus is the day that Jesus became the head stone of the corner to build with. The Old Testament Prophets and Priests rejected Christ.

My wife and I built our house last year and we employed many sub-contractors to do the work. One of our subs just could not seem to understand that we wanted things a certain way but kept doing things the way he wanted them. Needless to say it created great problems, the house is ours not his. His job was to build to suit our tastes not his. The same is true with the House that God is building. He wants a spiritual house built on the foundation of the Lordship of Jesus while the modern builders want the foundation on the control of men. God wants the walls of His house built out of the precious living stones of redeemed lives held together by the mortar of loving relationships. The modern builders want bricks and mortar holding the people in with control and programs.

When I built my house I eventually got what I wanted and I firmly believe that God will eventually get His builders to build His way or He will get new builders.

The Stone that the Builders Rejected, Part II

Reading: Isaiah 28:9-18 (key 16)

Another Old Testament passage that uses the cornerstone is Isaiah 28:16, “Behold, I  lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”  

In verses 9-13, the Lord shows Isaiah the contrast between systematic religious training and the rest and refreshing of the Holy Ghost. Systematic religious training or “line upon line…precept upon precept…” There is nothing wrong with this kind of training and learning unless it becomes a mental assent to God.

Isaiah 28:11-12 says, “For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to his people. To whom He said this is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; andthis is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.” In I Corinthians 14:21 the Apostle Paul quotes Isaiah 28:11 and defines it as speaking in tongues. The reason leaders reject the Holy Spirit and replace Him with systematic learning is because religious leaders can’t control the Holy Ghost. God has a rest and refreshing that is more powerful than religious learning but again religious leaders refused this too.

 Isaiah 28:13 goes on to say, But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.”  Notice the trap in religious learning, they go and fall backward and are broken, snared and taken.

In verses 14-15 of Isaiah 28 God addresses the rulers of Jerusalem. They had made a covenant with death and were in agreement with hell. They thought they could escape all judgment because they had made lies their refuge and were hidden in falsehood. It reminds me of the modern day easy believism associated by parroting a “sinner’s prayer” and calling that salvation. Many today believed they are saved from hell yet are still bound firmly in sin. They too have made lies their refuge.

This leads us to our key passage in verse 16, “…Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”.  The hasty builders want fast church growth; they could care less about the salvation and sanctification of the people as long as their crowds and offerings are large.

To summarize both of these Old Testament passages that refer to the Corner Stone we could say that the Priest and the Prophet rejected Christ and the Holy Ghost. Now we know that the Law is our schoolmaster that leads us to Christ. If we apply this to today we will find that today’s modern church builders still reject Christ and the Holy Ghost as God’s foundation and building materials.

The Stone that the Builders Rejected, Part III

Readings: Matthew 21:33-42; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19

“The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner.” In each of the passages listed above Jesus is telling the parable of the vineyard and concludes the parable with a reference to the cornerstone.

The parable is quite simple, God is the Husbandman, the Vineyard is His Kingdom, His servants (builders) are religious leaders, and His Son is obviously Jesus. God planted a vineyard and gave it to His servants who refused to give to God the fruits of His vineyard and ultimately wanted to seize the vineyard for themselves. The lesson is that God will one day judge those servants and destroy them. It is in this context that Jesus quotes the cornerstone passage.

A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. What prompted Jesus to use this parable? Read Matthew 21:23-27; Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-8. Each of these passages tells us of an encounter that Jesus had with the religious leaders of His day. They asked Him, By what authority doest thou these things, and who gave thee this authority?” This question of authority seems to be the question the whole world is struggling over WHO’S IN CHARGE? Jesus liked to answer a question with a question and He asked them, “the baptism of John whence was it? From heaven, or of men?” So we might conclude that the key to understanding the parable of the vineyard would be in the context of God’s authority verses man’s authority. Controlling religious leaders become addicted to their own authority and little by little they begin to despise God’s authority.

I believe that Jesus settled the issue of authority once and for all in Matthew 20:20-28. The mother of James and John asked Jesus to allow her two sons to sit at His right hand and left hand in His kingdom. Jesus answered her with a question, could hers sons drink His cup and be baptized with His baptism? The fiery baptism of drinking the cup of Christ’s sufferings seems to be the only way to attain to any prominence in eternity.

The other ten disciples were infuriated over James’ and John’s desire to be “over” them. That’s when Jesus settled the matter for good, “Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whoso ever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” THE WORLD’S WAY OF AUTHORITY SHALL NOT BE THE CHURCH’S WAY OF AUTHORITY!!! Christian authority is not over but under. The only one who has right to be over is Christ Himself. Our authority is serving by love not controlling by fear.

Once again the stone that the builders refuse is the serving way of Christ opting rather for the controlling way of the world.

The Stone that the Builders Rejected, Part IVa

Reading: Acts 4:1-12

After the powerful healing of a lame man in Acts 3, Peter and John were brought in for questioning by the Sanhedrin. It is here that the Apostle Peter through inspiration of the Holy Spirit removes all doubt as to the interpretation of the cornerstone.Verse 10-12, “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, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” The Apostle Peter describes the crucifixion of Christ by the Sanhedrin as the rejecting of the stone. And the resurrection of Christ from the dead is God setting Him as the Head Stone of the Corner!!! This is the foundation of salvation and healing.

I often hear the question repeated, “Why don’t we see healings anymore”? I will take this a step farther. Why don’t we see healings or conversions anymore? I know some will read this and refer me to the healing evangelists or to the churches that claim how many got “saved” at their meetings. I’m sure a few get healed and saved but I question the validity of most of those claims. Personally I believe that we see so few healings and conversions because the modern builders reject the Cornerstone!

In the book of Isaiah 6, The Prophet Isaiah saw the Lord. When he saw God’s holiness it prompted him to cry out “Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts”. Next a mighty seraph took a coal from the altar and touched it to his mouth declared him clean from iniquity. Then he heard the Lord calling for a volunteer to go for Him and Isaiah said “Here am I; send me”. Most of us are very familiar with that story but few of us know what God sent Him to do. “And He said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat , and make their ears heavy , and shut their eyes; let they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.”

This passage has always fascinated me because it seems to say that God’s preachers actually close the eyes, ears and hearts of the people so that they cannot be converted or healed. Jesus confirms this in Matthew 13:1-9, He tells the parable of the Sower. Then in verses 10-15, when asked by His disciples why He spoke in parables He quotes Isaiah 6:9-10. He told His DISCIPLES that it was for them to know the mysteries of the kingdom but not the multitudes. In the Great Commission Jesus tells us to make disciples not converts but once again the modern builders reject the hard work of relationally making disciples by making programs of discipleship in the sterile environment of a classroom.  (Continued…)

The Stone that the Builders Rejected IVb

Last week I began to make a point concerning the reference of the term “Cornerstone” being applied to the healing of the lame man at the gate Beautiful (Acts 3:1-11). When the disciples were forced to explain the healing the Apostle Peter said, “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, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Peter’s reference to this passage applies to healing and to salvation. This prompted me to run a rabbit based on Isaiah 6:1-13, “And He said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat , and make their ears heavy , and shut their eyes; let they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.”

This Old Testament passage is quoted three times in the New Testament. Last week I covered Matthew 13, this week we’ll look at the two other uses.

In John 12:23-42, Jesus uses this Isaiah passage again. After prophesying of His coming crucifixion the people asked Him who the Son of man is and why must He be lifted up because Christ lives forever. Then Jesus said, “…Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.” The subject of walking in the light verses walking in darkness is very interesting.

The Apostle John defines “walking in the light” as having fellowship with one another (I John 1:7). Does this mean that walking in darkness means to not be in fellowship with other believers? It is one thing to say we believe in Jesus and go to a congregational church; it’s quite another thing to put those beliefs to the test in close relationships. That’s why so many builders prefer non-relational congregations because the relationship way is just too messy!

After giving this message on walking in the light Jesus once again quotes Isaiah 6:9-10, could refusing to be relational be the reason that we don’t see conversions and healings? He even points out that the religious folks who wanted to believe would not confess Him for fear of being put out of the synagogue, they wanted the praise of men more than the praise of God (John 12:42-43).

This Isaiah passage is quoted once more at the close of the book of Acts 28:23-31. After Paul had spent the whole day mightily arguing the things of the kingdom of God and of Jesus, some believed others didn’t. Then he refers again to the Isaiah passage and in closing he says in verse 28, “Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.” We should all take this as a warning that religion can be the biggest blinder that there is. If we reject God’s way He will find someone somewhere who will obey His way!

The Stone that the Builders Rejected, Part V

Up to this passage every use of the cornerstone is being applied to Old Testament builders. Now let’s see how it applies to the New Testament Church and consider the possibility that our contemporary congregations are still rejecting the cornerstone.

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building  fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19-22)

God is still building a temple in the New Testament however it is not made of bricks and mortar. The temple that He is building now is built of people. Individual lives that have been founded on the Rock of Christ are then to be fitly framed relationally together to form a temple built of people that God lives in!

The apostles and prophets laid the foundation of Jesus Christ. In I Corinthians 3:10-17 the Apostle Paul confirms this. Then he warns that others should, “take heed how he buildeth thereupon.” Even then the Apostles were having problems with the builders; while they worked to lay the foundation others were using substandard materials to build the building.  

The apostolic way of building was to lay the foundation of Jesus Christ then to build lives together on this foundation. The “fitly framing together” of lives is s-l-o-w work. It’s no wonder that Isaiah warned in chapter 28:16, “Behold, I  lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”  Haste means to hurry. Why are Christian leaders always in a hurry? Certainly there is urgency because so many are perishing, but cutting corners to hurry is proving fatal to many. In 2008 a Haitian Pastor cut corners with sub-standard materials while building his school, the building collapsed and 90+ students were killed. So it is with hasty modern church builders who cut corners for fast production. Their “converts” would have been better off to have never heard!

For the first three centuries of Christianity the apostolic way of building brought and kept multitudes for the Kingdom of God. Then along came Constantine and Augustine who gave us buildings and congregations and professionals but could not give us conversions and healings. The lazy builders of our day refuse the slow hard work of building people together through loving relationships opting for the hasty gathering of congregations through programs. Could this refusal to build God’s way with His materials of the Cross and the Spirit be why the Holy Spirit no longer abides in our congregations? The apostolic way of relationships would always usher in the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. The fast growth builders have learned how to get crowds of people but they can’t get the Holy Spirit to dwell with them. Silver and gold have they some but they cannot produce salvations and healings.

The Stone that the Builders Rejected, Part VI

I Peter 2:2-10

The last use of the cornerstone passage in the New Testament is found here giving us even greater insight to how God’s Building is to be built and what materials are to be used.

In verse four we see that Christ is once again referred to as a stone. But then in verse five we also are called lively stones. We are being built as a spiritual house a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. God chips away at each living stone until it fits perfectly with the next stone. Until we are willing to have our own lives chipped away to fit with someone else we are refusing God’s way of building. It’s much easier to sit in a non-relational congregation and say that Jesus is the chief cornerstone than it is to be the stones in His temple.

In verses 6-8, Peter quotes Isaiah 28:16, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.” Then he begins to give us insight concerning those who are willing to build God’s way and those who refuse. “Unto you therefore which believe He is precious:” The greatest test to our faith will be to stay in the relational process of building God’s House. It all comes down to building by faith which works by love. On the other hand those who are disobedient disallow God’s Stone they don’t want to build on His Stone neither do they want to be built as stones. They stumble over obedience to the Word of God! God has appointed a terrible end to the disobedient.

In verse ten the Apostle Peter points out that we have much reason to praise God because He called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Let’s look at another passage of scripture and see if we can understand a little what the Bible means by being in darkness and being in light.

In I John 1:6-7 the Apostle John says, “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” He says that if we walk in the light we have fellowship with one another. Could we conclude that walking in the light is to walk in fellowship with other Christians? Could we further conclude to walk in darkness would mean that we refuse to walk in fellowship with other believers? Could we even go further to say that refusing to walk in fellowship with other believers makes the blood of Christ of no effect in the cleansing from all sins?

I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is building a house built of people that prove their love for Him by their love for one another. Refusal to build this way is to reject God’s Cornerstone that is to reject Christ Himself!!!

The Stone that the Builders Rejected, Part VII

A fitting conclusion to the end of our study is found in the Old Testament book of Ezekiel 13:10-16, “Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar: Say unto them which daub it with untempered mortar, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it. Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it? Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it. So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation there of shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered mortar, and will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it; To wit, the prophets o of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord God.

God reveals to Ezekiel His hot displeasure against the Old Testament builders. They were building the walls with “untempered mortar”. The Hebrew word for “untempered mortar” is “taphel (taw fale’)” meaning to smear a plaster of gummy slime. In figurative language it means foolish things. The “untempered mortar” in this case was the promise of peace when there was no peace. This resembles the false claims of the modern builders who promise salvation to anyone who will say a sinner’s prayer. No repentance, discipleship, holiness just say a prayer and say you believe…no change required! Then the “convert” is urged to sit in a pew in a congregation of people that they hardly know and that makes them Christian…God forbid!

On the other hand to “temper” means that a substance was added to the mortar that modifies its properties or qualities. The tempering process of concrete actually goes through a phase where it heats up then permanently bonds or sets. So it is with the mortar of loving relationships. The friction and heat caused in relationships bound together only with a mutual love for Jesus will eventually bond us permanently, “By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35

God was angry not only with the wicked builders but at the wall itself and foretold of a shower that would destroy the wall down to the foundation. I will conclude with a reminder from Luke 6:46-49, “And why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: His is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, and the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell ant the ruin of that house was great.”