Finding Hope in Rejection: Christ as Our Cornerstone
Summary
In our journey toward the cross this Lenten season, we reflect on the theme of rejection, both in our lives and in our relationship with God. Rejection is a universal experience, whether it comes from a job opportunity lost, a relationship that didn't last, or feeling unseen and ignored. These experiences can lead to deep wounds, causing us to doubt our self-worth and even question God's love and plan for our lives. However, we must also confront the reality that we, too, reject God, often in subtle ways. We ignore His voice, prioritize other things over our relationship with Him, and resist His authority.
Jesus tells a parable about a vineyard owner whose tenants reject his messengers and ultimately his beloved son. This story reflects Israel's history of rejecting God's prophets and, ultimately, Jesus Himself. The rejection of Jesus is not just a dismissal but an intentional rejection of His authority. Yet, Jesus, the stone the builders rejected, becomes the cornerstone—the foundation of God's kingdom. Despite being cast aside, He is the one who holds everything together.
Rejection doesn't have the final say. God's love and mercy in Christ remain steadfast. As Paul writes in Romans 8, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Rejection may feel final, but in Christ, love is the last word. Our worth is not determined by human approval but is secured in Christ. Even when we reject God, His arms remain open, and His grace is greater than our rejection.
We are called to build our lives on the firm foundation of Christ, the cornerstone. The world offers many foundations, but only one will last. As we persevere through rejection and life's storms, we are reminded that God is redeeming all things. Like Fred Rogers, whose gentle approach was initially rejected but became his greatest strength, Jesus, the rejected stone, is the cornerstone of our salvation. In Christ, no failure or rejection can separate us from His love. This is our hope and the foundation on which we build our lives.
Key Takeaways:
1. Rejection is a painful but universal experience that can lead us to doubt our self-worth and question God's love. Yet, it is crucial to recognize that we also reject God, often subtly, by ignoring His voice and prioritizing other things over our relationship with Him. [05:29]
2. Jesus' parable of the vineyard owner and the tenants illustrates Israel's history of rejecting God's messengers and ultimately Jesus Himself. Despite being rejected, Jesus becomes the cornerstone, the foundation of God's kingdom, holding everything together. [12:00]
3. God's love and mercy in Christ remain steadfast, even when we reject Him. As Paul writes in Romans 8, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Rejection may feel final, but in Christ, love is the last word. [17:12]
4. Our worth is not determined by human approval but is secured in Christ. Even when we reject God, His arms remain open, and His grace is greater than our rejection. We are called to build our lives on the firm foundation of Christ, the cornerstone. [12:00]
5. Like Fred Rogers, whose gentle approach was initially rejected but became his greatest strength, Jesus, the rejected stone, is the cornerstone of our salvation. In Christ, no failure or rejection can separate us from His love. This is our hope and the foundation on which we build our lives. [17:12]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to the Journey of Stones
- [01:00] - The Pain of Rejection
- [02:30] - Subtle Rejection of God
- [03:45] - The Parable of the Vineyard
- [05:29] - Israel's History of Rejection
- [06:45] - The Rejected Son
- [08:00] - Jesus as the Cornerstone
- [09:30] - The Foundation of God's Kingdom
- [11:00] - God's Unchanging Love
- [12:00] - Building on the Firm Foundation
- [13:30] - The Promise of Romans 8
- [15:00] - Fred Rogers' Legacy
- [17:12] - Conclusion and Hope in Christ
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Mark 12:1-12 - The Parable of the Tenants
2. Romans 8:38-39 - Nothing Can Separate Us from God's Love
3. Psalm 118:22 - The Stone the Builders Rejected
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Observation Questions:
1. In the parable of the tenants, what actions did the tenants take against the vineyard owner's messengers and son? How does this reflect Israel's history with God's prophets? [05:29]
2. How does Jesus use the imagery of the cornerstone in His teaching, and what significance does it hold in the context of the parable? [12:00]
3. According to Romans 8, what are some of the things that cannot separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus? [12:00]
4. How does the sermon describe the subtle ways in which we might reject God in our daily lives? [05:29]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. What does the parable of the tenants reveal about human nature and our tendency to reject God's authority? How does this apply to modern-day believers? [05:29]
2. How does the concept of Jesus as the cornerstone challenge the way we prioritize our lives and values? What does it mean for Jesus to be the foundation of God's kingdom? [12:00]
3. In what ways does the assurance in Romans 8:38-39 provide comfort and hope to those who feel rejected or unworthy? How can this passage reshape our understanding of God's love? [12:00]
4. How does the sermon illustrate the idea that rejection can lead to something greater, using the example of Fred Rogers? What lessons can be drawn from this analogy? [17:12]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt rejected. How did it affect your self-worth and your relationship with God? What steps can you take to heal from that experience and find your worth in Christ? [05:29]
2. Identify subtle ways you might be rejecting God in your daily life. What practical changes can you make to prioritize your relationship with Him and listen to His voice more attentively? [05:29]
3. Consider the foundations you are building your life upon. Are there areas where you need to realign your priorities to ensure Christ is the cornerstone? What specific actions can you take this week to make that shift? [12:00]
4. How can the assurance of God's unchanging love in Romans 8:38-39 help you face current or future rejections? What specific verse or truth can you hold onto during challenging times? [12:00]
5. Think about someone in your life who may feel rejected or unworthy. How can you extend God's love and acceptance to them in a tangible way this week? [12:00]
6. Reflect on the story of Fred Rogers and how his initial rejection became his strength. How can you view your own weaknesses or rejections as opportunities for growth and strength in Christ? [17:12]
7. What is one specific area in your life where you need to trust in God's redemption and His ability to work all things for good? How can you actively surrender this area to Him? [17:12]
Devotional
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Quotes
"Rejection is painful, and it can lead us to having and incurring some deep wounds. Deep wounds that lead us to doubt our own self-worth, to build walls to protect ourselves, to stop taking risks, or struggling with trust, or even questioning God's love and plan for our lives." [00:02:08] (24 seconds)
"And so for us, we probably don't think of ourselves as ones who reject God. Most of us in this room are probably not hostile toward God. We don't scream at His face. We don't push Him away, and yet the reality is that rejection is often not this loud thing, but more subtle. Right? Rejection comes in the form of ignoring His voice." [00:02:50] (25 seconds)
"Rejection happens when we resist His authority. When we desire and seek control over surrender. When we act as if we own everything instead of being God's stewards. Right? Jesus knows this about us, and so He tells this parable about a vineyard, some tenants, and a rejected son." [00:03:26] (24 seconds)
"And so, the vineyard manager, the owner, he has one last-ditch effort. There's one more person that he could send, his son, because surely the tenants will respect his son. And so, Mark says that he had still one other, a beloved son. Now, this echoes Jesus's baptism and transfiguration. Two moments in Jesus's life when God the Father says, steps into the moment and says, this is my son, or this is my beloved son, the one whom I love and am well pleased with." [00:06:07] (44 seconds)
"And so, Jesus, in this moment, doesn't stop there at the end of the story. He continues a little bit further by dropping a bombshell truth on them. He quotes Psalm 118, which for the people of the day would have been a very important and familiar psalm. It was spoken during the Passover celebrations. It's a psalm of victory and deliverance, and Jesus says this, that the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." [00:08:13] (35 seconds)
"And so, in this moment, Jesus is applying this to himself, because he is the fulfillment of the prophecies. But this idea of rejection isn't a simple dismissal or looking the other way. It's not an accidental oversight. No, it's an intentional rejection of Jesus's authority. It's as if they have evaluated him and found him unworthy. And so, they reject him. They cast him away." [00:08:52] (31 seconds)
"So it's as if what Jesus is saying is this, that you may reject me, that you may think that you're trying to safeguard the faith, when in reality you're actually tearing it down. You may reject me and cast me aside, but I am the foundation of God's kingdom, and nothing can be built that lasts without me. So in this moment, what happens here is the one that they cast aside was the only one who could hold everything together." [00:10:08] (32 seconds)
"But thank goodness that the story doesn't end in this devastating place, but rather our rejection of Jesus doesn't change his love for us. The world casts him aside. We even cast him aside. And yet God does this marvelous reversal where he takes this rejected stone, and it becomes the most essential thing, the foundation of our faith, the foundation that we build our lives on." [00:12:00] (36 seconds)
"Paul gives us this list of just about everything that could stand between us and God's love. And at the end of it, he crushes doubt, and he gives us this assurance and confidence by saying that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. Neither death nor life. As you take your last breath or when you're drowning in the chaos of life, God's love holds you." [00:13:29] (31 seconds)
"And so, what does this mean mean for us? It means that if you feel rejected, remember where you belong, that your worth is not determined by human approval or human standards. It's secured in Christ, that the world may push you aside, but God never will. In fact, the psalmist says this, though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me." [00:15:00] (27 seconds)
"And if we feel as if we're building our life on something other than the firm foundation of Christ, we are called to remind ourselves and to shift gears a little bit. Because the world offers us many foundations, whether it's wealth, status, power, and the list goes on, there's only one that will last." [00:16:14] (24 seconds)
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