Learning the Jesus Way of LifeSample

The Cornerstone

Pray: Jesus, give me the faith to go where you go, do what you do, trust what you say, and love how you love. Today, I commit to following you. Amen.

The pace of Matthew’s retelling of Jesus’ story picks up in this action-packed chapter. Jesus returns to Jerusalem, prophecies are fulfilled, the temple is cleared, and injustice is confronted. Jesus always intended to return to Jerusalem, even though it’s here that He knows He will meet His end.

Woven throughout this chapter are references to Psalm 118, a song believed to be written by David. It praises God for His goodness and looks forward to the coming Messiah and His kingdom—it speaks of Jesus and the things He is doing.

As Jesus enters Jerusalem humbly, on the back of a young donkey, the crowds cut down branches for the donkey to walk on. They shout out: “... Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! …” (Matthew 21:9)

They are echoing Psalm 118:26, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord …”

What’s interesting is the line that follows:

… From the house of the Lord we bless you. The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. Psalm 118:26–27 NIV

As members of Jewish culture, every young person was taught the Scriptures. They had to memorize them to the point where if their rabbi said a line within a passage, they could pick up where their teacher left off and finish the rest of the chapter. In other words, most of the crowd shouting blessing over Jesus as He entered the city would know where this procession ended—with a sacrifice on an altar. Other versions spell it out clearly:

The Lord is God, shining upon us. Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar. Psalm 118:27 NLT

This crowd, without even realizing it, was speaking prophetically over Jesus.

When this week would come to an end, Jesus would be leading a very different procession. No longer would He be leading a crowd of people into the city from the back of a donkey, as they sang praises to God. Rather, He would be leading a group of people out of the city, carrying a wooden cross on His back, while they cried out for His death.

But before we get there, Jesus has some pit stops to make, and, not by accident, He follows the trail of Psalm 118 straight to the temple. That Psalm speaks of the house of the Lord as a place of blessing; however, what Jesus finds is a house defiled.

Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” Matthew 21:12–13 NIV

The temple was always meant to be a connection point between heaven and earth. A place of communion with God where His presence dwelt and could be felt. But that’s not what’s happening now. The temple has been corrupted. It was supposed to be a place where genuine repentance happens and people find wholeness. But now, all you can find are people cutting deals and looking for shortcuts. Instead of a place where people worship the God whose image they bear, they are finding ways to boost their own image. It was always God’s intention that justice and righteousness would flow out of His house and into the world, but now His home was the very place where injustice was carried out and righteousness was ignored.

This was not okay with Jesus, so it shouldn’t be okay with us.

What if we cared about the culture of our churches the same way Jesus cared about what was happening at the temple? What if we were passionate about Jesus’ vision for His Church? What if we were willing to take responsibility for the ways we have used this space to boost our own image instead of glorifying Jesus’ name? What if right living and justice for our communities were what naturally came from time spent with our church families? This is the vision that Jesus’ passion and actions invite us to see. A vision that takes His Father’s house seriously.

The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. Matthew 21:14 NIV

This is what it’s about. Coming to Jesus. Receiving healing. Finding wholeness. All in God’s presence as we worship our King. But, the religious leaders responded to the transformation of the temple with indignation. They were angry over what Jesus was doing and the praise He was receiving. They questioned His authority and Jesus responded, as He often does, with His own questions and parables.

Because, just like us, these religious leaders did not enjoy the feeling of being called out for their wrongdoing. Being confronted for our sinfulness is really uncomfortable—it’s also necessary. And even when it doesn’t feel like it, it is absolutely an act of love.

Which leads us back to Psalm 118. After His second story, Jesus quotes this passage:

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” Matthew 21:42–43 NIV

What is Jesus saying? The people of Israel, specifically their spiritual leaders, were the builders. They were chosen by God to be His special people, a family, a nation that represented who God is to the rest of the world. But, when Jesus came announcing the kingdom of heaven and extending the invitation to everyone, they rejected Jesus and His message. They rejected Him, but God exalted Him. Everything God did, is doing, and will do rests on the work of Jesus. He is the cornerstone of New Creation and the foundation of our faith.

And God’s kingdom is for those who will produce its fruit. What is the fruit of the kingdom? It’s a life that looks like Jesus. One that represents who God is to the rest of the world. The fruit of the kingdom is righteousness and justice. It’s peace, joy, and goodness. It’s all the things that were always meant to flow from an intimate connection with our Creator. It’s not something we have to muster up in order to be worthy. It’s the natural result of being in God and living by faith.

Application: What will you do with Jesus? Will you reject Him like the Jewish leaders, or will you follow Him and begin producing the fruit of the kingdom? He is what this way of life is all about; His vision for relationships, for life, for work, for rest, and for worship playing out in our day-to-day lives and communities. As you reflect on that today, think about any impure motives you need to confess when it comes to your relationship with church. Then, think about any injustices you need to confront and ask God to help you lead the way in making a change. Remember, we are kingdom people, and kingdom people always look in the mirror before we point a finger.