Buried

The Cornerstone.

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The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:22-24

I have learned through the study of Scripture, and other men of God who have studied the Scriptures that the cornerstone was the stone that determined the size and the shape of a building. The bigger the cornerstone the bigger the building; and if the stone was rectangular  then the building would be rectangular. That means the cornerstone is the most important part of beginning a building.

How important is the Psalms in prophecy, especially concerning the Messiah? Well to ease our minds about this question let’s see what Jesus said,

“These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Me.”  Luke 24:44

So Jesus said that the Psalms, along with the books of the Law, and the prophets were prophetic and must be fulfilled.

Concerning the text for this study it is quoted by Jesus in Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10, and Luke 20:17. It is quoted by Peter in Acts 4:11, and the First Epistle of Peter in chapter 2 verse 7.

There is much to learn from the study of Jesus Christ as the Cornerstone, and I believe that the most important thing to know is that He is only one who can save us from our sins. We cannot just lay Him aside and forget about Him. He presented Himself to His own people, and they rejected Him, thus He was convicted of the crime of blasphemy, and other false accusations, found guilty and crucified on a Roman cross,

Remember, if the cornerstone sets the size and the shape of the building, then Jesus Christ as the Cornerstone, determines the size, shape, and completion of the Church He is building.

There is coming a day when a final soul will call on the name of the Lord for salvation, they will be saved; and there will be no more. That day has not come – Thank You Lord. So today is the day of salvation. Your last chance for salvation might be today.

As the rejected cornerstone He was killed on a cruel Roman cross, He was buried, and He arose and came out of that tomb, alive forever more. When we put faith and trust in Him, turning from our sin, He saves us.

Fall on Him. Hear what Jesus said,

“What is this then that is written, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?’  Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.’     Luke 20:17

 

The One Keeping Them In The Way

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Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.   Beware of Him, and obey His voice, provoke Him not; for He will not pardon your transgressions: for My name is in Him.              Exodus 23:20-21

Who is this One, this One called “Angel” in these verses. In the verses which follow He would be like hornets to those who opposed Him and His people (v. 28).

This One was named by Stephen in Acts 7:30 as an angel who spoke in the burning bush (Exodus 3) and He calls Himself “I Am”.

It has been said, by more intelligent, and Biblical scholars; that you can see Jesus on every page of the Old Testament; and I believe that is true. Jesus Christ the Son of God is also God the Son.

Jesus in His pre-incarnate Person was with the children of Israel as they journeyed through the wilderness.

Since He came as Man and died on the cross for the sins of the world, and was buried, and He rose again for our justification, then we can know God, with the forgiveness of our sin, being born again becoming His sons, and inherit all that is His.

He is called Immanuel [God with us], may we who name that holiest of all names, live like Him.

Fear the LORD; Opened Eyes

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“Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.”  Proverbs 3:7-8
“And their eyes were opened, and they knew Him; and He vanished out of their sight.”  Luke 24:31

Let us pray that we fear God and nothing or no one else, because that is relying on His wisdom and not our own. Let us also ask Him to always keep our eyes opened to the truth of the identity of Jesus Christ who died on the cross, was buried, and He bodily arose and came out of the grave.

May we also pray for the eyes of the many who are hopeless, helpless, hurting and lost might be opened to see who Jesus is as well; that they might be delivered from sin and hell.

When Stones Would Cry Out

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“And He answered and said unto them, ‘I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.’ ” Luke 19:40 (KJB)

Jesus had come into Jerusalem fulfilling Scripture riding on a donkey. This was a presentation of the humble King, not a conquering king, but a servant King (Zechariah 9:9). The people who had some wisdom, recognized the Scriptural significance, laid palm branches down as a coronation and worshiped Him, saying,

“Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.” v. 38

The response Jesus gives to the spiritually blind Pharisees is one that sounds quite odd, and we might think and say, “Well, that would be impossible”. We need to remember that nothing is impossible with God.

If people will not recognize the King of kings, then the rocks of God’s creation can and will.

Let me leave you today with thoughts from teachers from the more recent past:

From John Gill –

“And he answered and said unto them, I tell you,…. As a truth, which may be depended on, and you may be assured of; this he spake with great earnestness, fervour, and courage:
that if these should hold their peace; be silent, and not sing the praises of God, and ascribe glory to him, and profess the Messiah, and make this public acknowledgment of him:
the stones would immediately cry out; either against them, or in a declaration of the Messiah: by which expression our Lord means, that it was impossible it should be otherwise; it would be intolerable if it was not; and rather than it should not be, God, who is able out of stones to raise up children to Abraham, would make the stones speak, or turn stones into men, who should rise up and praise the Lord, and confess the Messiah; hereby commending his disciples, and tacitly reflecting upon the Pharisees, for their stupidity; and also giving a hint of the conversion of the Gentiles, who might be compared to stones, especially in the opinion of the Jews.” From John Gill’s EXPOSITION OF THE BIBLE

From John Wesley –

“If these should hold their peace, the stones, which lie before you, would cry out – That is, God would raise up some still more unlikely instruments to declare his praise. For the power of God will not return empty.” From John Wesley’s NOTES ON THE BIBLE

Have you cried out to the Lord for His mercy and grace in salvation? His presentation that day was as the Servant King to serve as a sacrifice for the sins of Adam’s race. He died, was buried, and He rose again.  Call on His name. He will hear. He will save.

I Will Shake the Heavens, and the Earth

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“For thus saith the LORD of hosts; ‘Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the Desire of All Nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory,’ saith the LORD of hosts.” Haggai 2:6-7 (KJB)

There is a world wide shaking of the heavens and the earth yet to come. Ezekiel 38 and 39 tells of a world wide shaking of the earth, an event unlike anything we have seen.

That One who is called the “Desire of All Nations” is the Person of the Messiah of Israel, the One Christians and the New Testament call Jesus the Christ, Son of God, and is God the Son.

Jesus is coming soon. Be ready. Call on the name of the crucified, buried, and risen Son of God who loved so much He gave His own life for you.  He truly is the Desire of All Nations.

Offended by Jesus and His Teaching

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In the United States of America people are easily offended. I will probably offend someone with this post today; but that is on your shoulders, not mine.

We have a Constitutional right of Free Speech. That right, however, does not mean that we can say hurtful, evil, things that will cause harm to others. It does mean that we have the right to speak what we believe to be the truth without fear of bad repercussion. If the truth offends someone else, then, they just need to deal with it.

Some who are offended easily by the Truth, turn to Jesus Christ as a picture of having never offended anyone. People who think that do not know Jesus Christ or anything about Him. For example:

“And He went out from thence, and came into His own country; and His disciples follow Him. And when the Sabbath day was come, He began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing Him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this Man these things? And what wisdom is this which is given unto Him, that even such mighty works are wrought by His hands! Is not this the carpenter, the Son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us? And they were offended at Him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And He could there do no mighty work, save that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And He marvelled because of their unbelief. And He went round about the villages, teaching.” Mark 6:1-6 (KJV)

Jesus had gone into His own city where He was raised, and the people recognized Him as the Son of Mary with brothers and sisters; yet they were offended by His life, and His teaching – “They were offended at Him”.

If Jesus offends you; it is because you do not know Him. Are there other times when Jesus offended others? Think of the two times He drove the money changers from the temple (John 2:13-17; Matthew 21:12-13). Do you think they were offended at Him? I would think so.

We as Christians should not seek to offend others; but if we live a life like Jesus lived; faithful to the Father, and our Saviour; then there will be people offended by our life, and walk, and our talk.

“I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ lives in me…” How about you?

Bone of Life

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“And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year. And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.” 2 Kings 13:20-21 (KJV)

Elisha’s death was not a good thing for Israel. It spoke of their death, their future captivity. Just as Elijah was honored after his departure, and during his departure (2 Kings 2:11); so too was Elisha honored following his death.

In Elisha’s life and ministry there had been resurrections (2 Kings 4:31-37), and other great miracles (chapter 5 Naaman is healed of leprosy).

Here is a man being buried by his family possibly. The Moabite invaders are coming suddenly, and in haste they put the body of the man in an already prepared tomb; which is the tomb of Elisha. They get more than they expect, and as the body of the dead man touches the bones of Elisha; showing all that there is life after death; the man is resurrected.

This power shows us that Elisha is still living. It shows us that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (Mark 12:26-27).

Jesus the living Son of God, and God the Son came out alive after 3 days in the tomb. He Himself is the giver of life. Believe Him to be delivered from death; and to live eternally with Him.

Who Jesus says He Is

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I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”  Revelation 1:8 (KJV)

In Matthew 16 Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I am?”  The disciples gave many various answers, including Elijah, or one of the prophets,  then Jesus asked them, “Who do you say that I am?”  Peter jumped in with, “You are the Christ, Son of the living God.”  Jesus told him, “Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father which is in Heaven.”  He was applauding Peter for his answer, for it was the correct one.

Some say that Jesus never said that He is the Son of God.  He has, He did, and He is.

Yet, He is much more than the Son of God.  He too is eternal; from Alpha [Beginning] and Omega [Ending].  That is not the beginning and/or ending of God, but of all that He has made.  Who did Jesus say that He is?

Alpha and Omega.  See Jesus for who He says he is; for who the Father says He is; for who His works say that He is.  He is the Incarnate God; crucified, buried, and bodily resurrected, and returning King.  He is the Saviour and King of the universe.

-T.A.