When I was in Honduras at the beginning of February, I saw a great example of why a good foundation is important. We were on the way to La Paz, Honduras. I was riding along with Pastor Ed Auger and his wife, Deaconess Cherie, with Tulio Meza who is a member and leader in the mission congregation in Comayaguela and with a man by the name of Marco who is a wonderful musician from the Lutheran Church-Nicaragua Synod. Marco had come to provide music for special worship services in Comayaguela and La Paz. At the service in La Paz on that day, two boys were being confirmed as Lutheran Christians.
On our way out of Tegucigalpa, Ed pointed me to houses on the hillside of what was a failed housing development. I could see how a number of the houses were no longer level but instead were sliding down the hillside. They were nice looking houses—new with brick on the outside. But they were not sitting level, and about 4-5 of them were in a pile at the base of the hill not far from the road. Evidently the developer had not done the important work of building adequate foundations for the homes. As a result, many people lost a lot of money that they invested in those homes.
In the parable that Jesus told in Luke 20:9-20, we hear about the most important foundation. In quoting Psalm 118:22, He said, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” He spoke those words on the Tuesday before He was arrested and put to death.
Jesus directed His words toward them hoping that they would understand their place as the wicked tenants in the parable. He wanted them to shudder at the thought of their sinful actions, and turn away from their stubborn rejection of Him. Though God had set the descendants of Abraham apart as His own people, the Old Testament tells us how they had rejected the prophets many times down through the years.
Unfortunately that nasty habit of rejecting His own appointed representatives did not stop even when God sent His own Son to them. Jesus was indeed the solid cornerstone and foundation of God’s plan to buy us, and all of humanity, back from the just punishment we deserve for our sinfulness and sin. And yet, the chief priests and Pharisees in their jealousy and their desire to maintain their prestigious positions rejected Jesus as only a man and cast Him aside as a blaspheming pretender.
But as the Christ, the promised Messiah, Jesus was the cornerstone--the very foundation-- of God’s purpose and plan to build an eternal heavenly home for us. Though Jesus hoped that the chief priests and teachers of the law would listen to His words, repent of their sins, and trust in Him alone as the foundation of salvation, sadly, many did not. In fact, the text says that instead they looked for a way to arrest Jesus immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. However, they could not do anything at that time because the people were so supportive of Jesus. But that changed two days later when they arrested Him.
Even though those Jewish authorities admitted their guilt in Jesus’ death, we can’t put all of the blame on them. You and I must admit that we also are responsible for what happened to Jesus. Though we may not think of ourselves doing the awful things that those members of the Sanhedrin did, there have been many times when we also have rejected Jesus. We have done so when we’ve tried to build salvation for ourselves not upon Christ and His work alone but rather upon the nice things that have done or tried to do. That is the same sort of thing the Pharisees did who condemned Jesus. They wrongly thought that God blessed them, loved them, and forgave them as a result of the good things that they did.
Our sinful human nature also wants to think that the nice things that we say or do earn God’s favor, His forgiveness, and a place in heaven with Him. But how can that be when even our good works look like filthy rags to our God Who is perfect and without sin? (Isaiah 64:6)
Jesus is the only way to heaven. In John 14:6, He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me? The Holy Spirit inspired the apostle Paul who wrote, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” (Romans 3:23-25)
We also fall short of the glory of God when we reject Jesus’ word and the Holy Spirit’s efforts to mold and shape us to what our living Savior desires for us, our life, and our relationships. It is so much easier, convenient and more comfortable to go along with the ways and temptations of the devil and this world that appeal to our old sinful flesh. But Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, let Him deny Himself and take up His cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)
It is sad to think how some His own people rejected Jesus back then and tried to build salvation for themselves on different foundations. It is troubling how many people also do that today in spite of God’s clear word. The rejection by the Jewish religious leaders led to suffering and death on the cross for Jesus. They tossed Him aside, thinking that He wasn’t important. But how wrong they were! They missed what God had said about how He would deal with the punishment for sin. “He was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)
His rising to life from the dead on Easter day shows us how important Jesus was for them and how important He is for you and me and for all people. For without the Son, the stone that the builders rejected, who is indeed the solid and only cornerstone for the forgiveness of our sins and for the certain hope of eternal salvation, we would be rejected forever. But because of Jesus, through repentant faith alone in Him and His work for you and me at the cross and empty tomb, we receive the riches of His gracious work. Trusting in Christ alone, you are forgiven, you are spiritually alive and your eternal salvation in His heavenly love is on the firm foundation. Thanks be to God only in Jesus’ name! Amen!
God’s continued blessings to you!
In Christ, our Savior,
Pastor Rathjen
John 1:29, ESV: “The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’”
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