THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED

IN THE DAYS OF HIS POWER SERIES.

TOPIC: THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED

SERMON BY-:
Rev. Innocent Chukwudi Peace-Udochukwu President Living Fountain Ministries Int’l LIFOM

“The stone which the builders refused is become the headstone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it, Save now, I beseech You, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech You, send now prosperity.”..
Psalm 188: 22-25

It would be difficult, if not impossible, to fix with certainty the occasion which first suggested this Psalm. It has even been thought to be purely prophetic and rather foretelling history than narrating it. I rather incline to the opinion that some Israelite hero, chosen of God to high office in the midst of his people, had been rejected by the rulers, had passed through many struggles–some of them of the most violent kind–and at last, notwithstanding the rejection of his people and their leaders, had attained to a prominent position, no, to a chief place in the midst of the nation!

The Psalm is applicable to Christ and to Him it is referred in the New Testament several times, but probably from the human point of view it was at first intended to celebrate the victory of some chosen man of God who, despite his Divine election, had been rejected by his countrymen. Providence conducted him to a crowning success and he magnified the Lord for it.

It has happened again and again in history that those who have been destined to do great things for the Lord have, first of all, been compelled to pass through a trying ordeal of misunderstanding and rejection! Such history repeats itself and it may do so in your instance. The speckled bird of the family, the one least beloved, often rises to take the most prominent place. Jephthah was driven out from his father’s family and yet in their distress his brethren were glad enough to make him their champion and accept him as their head. Bow your head in patience, young man, and bear whatever God or His enemies may lay upon you, for assuredly as the Lord is in you and with you, He will bring you forth and of you, too, it shall be true in your own little way, “The stone which the builders refused, the same is become the headstone of the corner.”

Though this was likely David’s psalm, it was also Jesus’ psalm. “This is pre-eminently the triumph song of the Christ, He the ideal Servant, He the perfect Priest, He the Leader of the people. How much all these words meant to Him as He sang them on that night in the upper room.” (G. Campbell Morgan)

Though this was likely David’s psalm, it was also Luther’s psalm. “This is my own beloved psalm. Although the entire Psalter and all of Holy Scripture are dear to me as my only comfort and source of life, I fell in love with this psalm especially. Therefore I call it my own. When emperors and kings, the wise and the learned, and even saints could not aid me, this psalm proved a friend and helped me out of many great troubles. As a result, it is dearer to me than all the wealth, honor, and power of the pope, the Turk, and the emperor. I would be most unwilling to trade this psalm for all of it.” (Martin Luther, cited by James Montgomery Boice)

In his first Epistle, Peter refers again to this Psalm in the well-remembered words, “Why also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious: and he that believes on Him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto them which are disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner.” Of our own exalted Lord we are going to speak at this time and may the Spirit bear witness in our hearts to His honor!

He was clearly placed before the Jewish people as the Stone which God would lay in Zion as the Foundation of their hopes, but they persistently refused Him. It was not from lack of evidence, for John came prophesying concerning Him and, as I have already said, John was but the last of a long list of Prophets who had all pointed to Him as the Anointed of the Lord–and yet Israel rejected Him! His own miracles and teaching were more than sufficient evidence of His mission, but Israel would have none of Him! He was a Stone evidently of God’s quarrying and preparing. His extraordinary birth marked Him out as differing from all the rest of mankind! His surpassing excellence and moral beauty declared Him to be destined to the highest position!

Send now prosperity.” I pray you, Beloved, join in this prayer! Pray that Jerusalem, nay Nigeria may have peace and prosperity, for they that love her and her peace still have great happiness. Join in the supplication to the once rejected but now exalted covenant Head of the Church and the Lord will bless you for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

SHALOM!

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