The Rejected Stone and Sovereign Lord
Discovering Unshakable Faith in the Exalted Savior of Luke Twenty
Sermon Summary
The central issue facing humanity is the temptation to reject Christ's absolute authority in favor of self-governance and religious pretense. Luke 20 teaches that Jesus Christ is the divinely appointed cornerstone and sovereign Lord, exalted by God despite human rejection. Believers are called to respond by surrendering every area of life to His lordship, honoring Him with sincere worship, and trusting His eternal reign.
Introduction
In our daily lives, we constantly encounter competing authorities—societal expectations, personal desires, political powers, and cultural trends. It is easy to navigate life trying to maintain control, treating God as an optional advisor rather than our supreme ruler. Yet, when life encounters trials or spiritual confrontations, human self-reliance crumbles. In Luke 20, Jesus enters the Jerusalem temple court during His final week of earthly ministry. Surrounded by hostile religious authorities who question His credentials and plot His destruction, Jesus unmasks their spiritual bankruptcy and declares His true identity. He reveals that though human builders may reject Him, God has established Him as the unshakeable cornerstone of eternity. This profound passage challenges us to examine who truly holds authority over our lives and invites us to align our hearts with the sovereign Lord.
Main Scripture
Luke 20:17-18
But he looked at them and said, “ Then what is this that is written, ‘ The stone which the builders rejected was made the chief cornerstone ’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but it will crush whomever it falls on to dust.”
Luke 20:17-18 serves as the structural and theological center of the entire chapter. In these verses, Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22 to interpret His impending rejection and crucifixion by Jerusalem's religious establishment. By identifying Himself as the rejected stone made the chief cornerstone, Jesus demonstrates that human opposition cannot defeat God's redemptive plan. Furthermore, He sets forth an unavoidable choice for every human heart: we either fall upon Him in brokenness and repentance to receive salvation, or face ultimate judgment when His sovereign kingdom prevails.
Main Sermon Points
1. Submit to Christ's Unshakable Divine Authority
On one of those days, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the Good News, the priests and scribes came to him with the elders. They asked him, “ Tell us: by what authority do you do these things? Or who is giving you this authority? ”
The religious establishment demanded human credentials, failing to recognize that Jesus speaks and acts with inherent divine authority as the Son of God.
Jesus declared that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him, proving that His lordship transcends earthly institutions.
When challenged by those who prized human prestige and institutional power, Jesus exposed that true authority comes from heaven. The scribes and elders sought to preserve their influence, but Jesus revealed that God's authority cannot be compromised or conditioned by human permission.
Examine your heart to see where you resist Christ's leadership. Stop relying on human approval or self-made credentials to justify your actions. Yield your personal decisions, career goals, and family choices directly to the Word of God, bowing daily to the authority of King Jesus.
Quick Insights
- True authority originates from God, not human approval.
- Questioning God's right to rule reveals a hardened heart.
- Surrendering to Christ's authority brings true spiritual freedom.
- Faithful believers bow to the Savior before every decision.
2. Honor the Son Whom the World Rejected
But he looked at them and said, “ Then what is this that is written, ‘ The stone which the builders rejected was made the chief cornerstone ’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but it will crush whomever it falls on to dust.”
Jesus explicitly pointed to His upcoming rejection by Israel's builders, warning that refusing to honor the Son results in spiritual collapse and divine judgment.
The apostles boldly proclaimed that Jesus is the rejected stone who became the head of the corner, emphasizing that salvation exists in no other name.
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants illustrates God's incredible patience throughout redemptive history. God sent prophet after prophet, and finally His beloved Son. Human rebellion reached its peak in rejecting Christ, yet God transformed that rejection into the very foundation of eternal salvation through the cross and resurrection.
Do not be discouraged when the culture rejects Christ or biblical truth. Stand firm in your commitment to Jesus, trusting that He is the chief cornerstone of your life. Repent of any hidden self-righteousness, falling upon Christ in humble faith rather than stumbling over His cross in pride.
Quick Insights
- Human rejection cannot alter God's divine purpose.
- Jesus is the essential cornerstone of the entire Church.
- Humility falls on the Stone; pride is crushed by it.
- God turns human rejection into glorious eternal redemption.
3. Render Your Whole Life to God
He said to them, “ Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar ’s, and to God the things that are God ’s.”
Jesus distinguished between civic duties to temporal rulers and ultimate devotion to God, emphasizing that because humans bear God's image, our whole self belongs to Him.
Believers are exhorted to present their bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is reasonable spiritual service.
When trap questions were set regarding Roman taxes, Jesus looked at the image stamped on a denarius. Caesar's coin bore Caesar's image, but human beings bear the image of God. While Christians fulfill civil duties responsibly, our heart, soul, mind, and conscience belong entirely to the Creator.
Fulfill your civic responsibilities with integrity, such as paying taxes and obeying lawful authority, but ensure your supreme loyalty remains with God. Audit your time, finances, and talents to ensure you are rendering to God the devotion, stewardship, and worship that bear His image.
Quick Insights
- Civic duty honors order, but total worship belongs to God.
- You bear God's image and belong entirely to Him.
- A divided loyalty eventually leads to spiritual ruin.
- Integrity in daily obligations reflects a devoted heart.
4. Rest in the Exalted Lord of Victory
David himself says in the book of Psalms, ‘ The Lord said to my Lord, “ Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”’ “ David therefore calls him Lord, so how is he his son? ”
Jesus demonstrated from Psalm 110 that He is not merely a political human heir of David, but the pre-existent divine Lord seated at God's right hand in triumph.
God highly exalted Christ and gave Him the name above every name, ensuring every knee will bow and every tongue confess His supreme lordship.
Jesus challenged the limited expectations of His hearers by uncovering the divinity of the Messiah. As David's Lord, Jesus reigns victorious over all earthly and demonic opposition. His exaltation guarantees that every enemy will ultimately be placed under His feet, giving believers immovable hope.
Fix your eyes on the exalted Lord Jesus when facing life's battles, persecution, or uncertainty. Recognize that Christ has already conquered sin, death, and Satan. Walk in joyful confidence, submitting your daily cares to the reigning King who holds ultimate dominion over all creation.
Quick Insights
- Jesus is David's son by descent and David's Lord in glory.
- Christ's exaltation guarantees ultimate triumph over every enemy.
- Fixing our eyes on the reigning King dispels every fear.
- Living under Christ's victory brings deep peace to the soul.
Bottom Line
Jesus Christ is the rejected stone who became the chief cornerstone and sovereign Lord of all. Though human systems and proud hearts attempt to resist His rule, God has exalted Him to the highest place of honor. Salvation and peace are found only by surrendering our lives completely to His divine authority, rendering to Him the devotion He deserves, and resting securely in His eternal reign.
Memorable Quote
The stone the world rejects is the foundation God establishes; bow to Christ in humble faith or stumble over His sovereign reign.
Theological Point
Luke 20 reveals the deity, incarnation, and supreme lordship of Jesus Christ, who is both David's human descendant and David's divine Lord (Psalm 110:1). It highlights the doctrine of divine sovereignty in redemption, showing that God converts human rejection of the Son into the foundation of salvation, while affirming the reality of the future bodily resurrection and final judgment.
Prayer Guide
- Pray for a heart that willingly submits to the absolute authority of Jesus Christ in every area of daily life.
- Ask God to purge all religious hypocrisy, spiritual pride, and self-righteousness from our hearts and communities.
- Thank God for establishing Jesus as the unshakeable chief cornerstone of our salvation and hope.
- Seek God's help to render faithful stewardship, honoring civic obligations while giving complete worship to the Lord.
- Pray for strength and courage to stand firm in biblical truth when faced with cultural opposition or rejection.
Responding to God’s Word
In returning to our study of 'The Rejected Stone and Sovereign Lord', we are reminded that neutral ground does not exist in our relationship with Jesus Christ. The same Savior who faced hostile traps in the Jerusalem temple now sits exalted at the right hand of God Almighty. He is the chief cornerstone upon whom the Church is built, and the sovereign Lord before whom every knee shall bow. If you have been attempting to run your own life, relying on self-sufficiency or superficial piety, today is the day to surrender. Fall upon the cornerstone in repentance and faith, receiving the grace and forgiveness that flowed from His cross. Let us leave behind religious pretense, honor Christ as our supreme King, render our whole lives to His service, and proclaim His victorious reign to a world in need of His eternal salvation.
