LUKE 20:17-18: “Jesus looked at them and said, “Then what does this Scripture mean? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.” NLT
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OBSERVATION: There is a famous song by artist Bob Dylan entitled – “Everybody must get stoned.” The first stanza of this song is,

Well, they’ll stone you when you’re trying to be so good
They’ll stone you just like they said they would
They’ll stone you when you’re trying to go home
And they’ll stone you when you’re there all alone
But I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned

I thought of this song when I read these verses. There has been much debate about what Bob Dylan meant when he wrote this song. However, there is no debate about what Jesus meant when he spoke these words to the crowd He was speaking to, which included many of the religious leaders of His day.

The crowds who heard Jesus received Him gladly. Yet, most of them would be in the same crowds who would cry out – “Crucify Him!” The religious leaders rejected Jesus from the very beginning. They knew He was speaking to them when He spoke the parable of the evil farmers who rejected the owner’s servants and eventually killed the son. The crowd was appalled by the story. The religious leaders were offended. To this Jesus replied,

• “Then what does this Scripture mean? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.”

Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone. The Eternal Word of God humbled Himself, became a man, and lived amongst us. Yet, Jesus would be rejected, crucified, and buried. Jesus’ enemies would rejoice over their victory. Their rejoicing would be short-lived. On the third day after His crucifixion, Jesus would rise from the dead. The cornerstone that was rejected would be established by God the Father as the Chief Cornerstone!

• “As the Scriptures say, “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” 1 Peter‬ ‭2:6-7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Many today have come to know and honor Jesus Christ as the Chief Cornerstone. They have come to the rock, humbled themselves, and with a broken and contrite heart they have placed their faith in Jesus Christ.

• “Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”

The truth of Jesus Christ will either lead a person to faith or it will lead them to judgment. The stone will be the opportunity to repent in humility and find life or it will be a stone of judgment. To echo the words of Bob Dylan –

“…everybody must get stoned!”

What keeps someone from coming to Jesus Christ as the Chief Cornerstone? It is usually the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life. There is sin that a person is not willing to surrender, a desire for the things of this world, or a feeling of superiority and pride that keeps someone from faith. Someone has wisely said it is either a sin issue or a will issue. However, that does not change the reality of life.

“…everybody must get stoned!”

As we approach another celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ it is a reminder that the stone that the builders (this world) rejected has become the Chief Cornerstone. He offers life to all who are broken in humility and repentance. He also will come again in judgment for all those who continue to reject Him. There is a coming coronation of those who trust Jesus as their Savior and Lord. There is also a coming judgment to those who refuse to believe.

“…everybody must get stoned!”

“And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.”

“But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” ‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21:6-8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Heavenly Father, I thank You that I stumbled upon the stone that the builders rejected. I thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sins, and to rise victoriously on the third day. I thank You for the blessing of eternal life that is waiting for all who believe. Grant me grace and boldness to share this Good News with as many as I can so that they too can be broken and not crushed.

In Jesus Name!