Rejected Has Become the Cornerstone

And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” (Luke 20:15-18)

If you remember in the parable from last week, Jesus told the people about a vineyard owner whose tenants had mistreated the servants he had sent to get some of the fruit, and then he sent his son thinking they would perhaps respect him. We pick up here with the context that they threw the son out of the vineyard and killed him, and Jesus making it clear that the vineyard owner would come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others, causing the people who heard the parable to cry out, “Surely not!”

The idea that what had been entrusted to the Jews would be given over to Gentiles sounded appalling to the Jewish audience Jesus was speaking to. Yet it was in that very pride that caused this outcry of such an oppositional phrase to the words Jesus had just prophesied through His parable.

The Cornerstone

Jesus’ response was direct. He not only was about to speak directly, but He looked directly at them as He said, What then is this that is written: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?

The son in the parable was a representation of Jesus Himself and He proved it with the reference to a Psalm of king David. Jesus quoted Psalm 118:22, and the context that proves who He is in the verse before it – I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation (Psalm 118:21).

God is our salvation and Jesus is God. The Jewish people were given the Law and were the builders who rejected Jesus as the stone, but ultimately Jesus became the cornerstone on which His Church would be built. Jesus is the One who allows us to be built into a solid temple of the Holy Spirit because without the cornerstone being perfect, the whole building would be messed up.

The apostle Peter also mentioned this very thing as well, not only about Jesus as the cornerstone, but about our roles as living stones being built up for a purpose when he wrote, As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” (1 Peter 2:4-8)

Broken or Crushed

The last thing that Jesus said was profound: Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him. The choice that Jesus presented was between two options: be broken or be crushed.

Now that doesn’t sound like great options on first read, but being broken is actually an amazingly beautiful option that Jesus graciously offers. He is offering the option of being broken unto sweet surrender on Him. Jesus is the perfect foundational stone that was once crushed for our iniquities, so that we wouldn’t have to ever be crushed. And we have the opportunity as we follow Him to fall on Him and instead be broken into pieces that God can masterfully work with as if to make a mosaic of our life.

The alternative for those who don’t choose to fall on Him is that it will fall on them and it will crush them. We are already condemned in our sins and if we’re going to stand tall and trust in ourselves and reject Him as the salvation that He is, then we will be crushed unto condemnation of which our sin has earned us.

Why Choose Crushing?

But why, oh why would anyone choose to reject the very salvation of their soul? Because in one’s pride, Jesus is a rock of offense. His call to repentance requires us to humbly admit that we’re not good people, we’re straight up sinners, and our ego doesn’t like that. Yet if one can look truth in the face and admit it and receive Jesus as salvation, that turning from sin and turning to God is repentance and they will be sweetly broken as they fall on Him.

Will you choose to be offended by the sometimes-hard truths and commands of God, being crushed by the weight of sin and condemnation, or will you choose to fall on Jesus and let Him form your broken pieces into something beautiful as He works you into His masterpiece?