God’s Cornerstone
But he looked at them and said, “Then what about this that is written: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone? Luke 20:17
In a few days, Jesus would be arrested and crucified. Our verse is part of a conversation that Jesus had in the temple. He told the Parable of the Wicked Tenants. In the parable Jesus was relating in picture what was taking place in the present. God had planted a vineyard. He rented it out to tenants. But when the time came for them to pay what they owed the owner, they refused. After the owner’s servants that came to collect the rent were mistreated and abused, the owner decided to send his son. He figured they would respect him and pay the rent. But instead, the tenants not only refused to pay, they took the son and killed him. They thought with no heir, the owner would give the vineyard to them. The end result, Jesus said that the owner would destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.
The people hearing Jesus’ story, knew he was talking about them said, “May it never be.”
Quoting Psalm 118:22, Jesus asks them for the meaning. How does God build his Church? It is in an unusual way. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. That is exactly how God built and builds his Church—Christ, the Cornerstone.
Jesus also gives a description of his work in verse 18: “Everyone who falls on the stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush the one on whom it falls.” The Stone trips up the person to see his lost condition. Broken, he looks to Jesus for restoration. The one who rejects the Stone is crushed by Jesus.
Look in faith to God’s Cornerstone!
Lord Jesus, you are the Cornerstone. Thank you for your restoration and enable me to live in thanks to you. Amen.