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13th in Matthew 2004 Ocala "The stone, which the builders rejected, the same is become the cornerstone." Matthew 21:42 This verse from St. Matthew's Gospel is truly a prophecy as recorded by the Prophet and Psalmist David in Psalm 118, verse 22. These were the very same words used by our Lord to respond to the Scribes and Pharisees, who sought every opportunity to incriminate the Lord. This verse is a profound teaching, because the very stone, which the builders cast aside as unusable in construction, this same stone became the cornerstone of the building. These words, the Lord applied to Himself, since He was rejected by the supposed morality builders of His time, in the person of the fanatic Scribes and Pharisees. But, this same Stone, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ became the cornerstone for the Eternal Skyscraper of Christianity. If we ponder for just a moment, we shall see how applicable this verse is, to the many known and unknown people, who were cast aside as rejected stones. But their ideology, their teachings, their scientific discoveries, their intellectual acumen and moreso their exemplary living, became veritable cornerstones, which have supported the superstructures of so many things, which we hold today as noble, and as having helped enhance our society. The Lord repeated the verse we mentioned, after having related the Parable of the husbandmen, that is the tenants of the vineyard. Briefly, I would like to repeat it for you. The Lord said, a certain landowner planted a vast vineyard with a larger tower and a winepress. He then departed to a far off land, leaving the tenants to take care of the crops. When the time came for the grapes to be picked, the landowner sent three of his servants in succession to collect the crops. The tenants beat one, killed another and stoned the third. The Landowner in spite of what happened sent more servants, but they suffered the same fate. Then he decided to send his only son, thinking, that they would respect him. Instead, the husbandmen saw the opportunity to kill the son, and seize upon his inheritance. They then, proceeded to execute their sinister plan. At this point of the parable Jesus turned to his followers and asked: "when the landowner comes, what will he do to those husbandmen?" And they answered: "He will destroy those wicked men, and He will let out His vineyard to other husbandmen, who will render to Him the fruits of the Vineyard." It is at this point that Jesus emphasized: "The stone which was rejected by the builders, the same is become the head of the corner." Then he addressed the Scribes and the Pharisees saying: "the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to the Nations, who will bring forth the fruits thereof." By way of interpreting this Parable, it is easily understood, that the servants, which the Landowner sent to collect the fruits of the vineyard, were the Prophets of the Old Testament sent by God to preach to the chosen people of God, the Israelites, to bring them back to God's ways. These Holy Men were scourged and even put to death by the rulers of that time. Since they did not heed the teachings of the Prophets, then God sent His only Begotten Son, Whom the rulers of the day, the Scribes and Pharisees did not only scorn, but finally succeeded in putting Him to death. The Lord Jesus was the rejected stone; but He no less became the Cornerstone, which supports unshakeably the Edifice of Christianity. This Parable in essence is dogmatic or doctrinal in character. The Lord alludes to Himself as the Son of the Landowner, that is God, the Father. Jesus distinguishes Himself from the Prophets of old, who also had come to instruct the people of Israel, and whom He calls servants; but the Lord describes Himself as the Son of the Landowner, and thus He is the inheritor. The Parable also has a prophetic character, in that the Lord foretells His death at the hands of the rulers of Judaism at the time, who are presented as the wicked husbandmen. Furthermore, the Lord prophecies the founding and building of the Church, of which, He is the Cornerstone, even though the builders, that is, the rulers of Judaism had rejected the Stone and cast it aside. These facts, constitute the historical teaching and the truths of the Parable. But, there is another aspect, besides the dogmatic and prophetic, which brings us to our present day living. It is the ethical character of the Parable. For instance,-- God has planted the vineyard, which we recognize as our Christian Society, and which was destined to bring forth the fruits of the spirit, which are understood as Christian happiness on earth and the inheritance of life everlasting. God gave and gives a vineyard to every Christian, to cultivate the seedlings of the Christian virtues of love, -- of faith, -- of hope, -- of mutual guarantee, -- of reverence and self respect. But, instead of Christians cultivating these virtues, and bringing forth nourishing and pleasing fruits, we see Christians uprooting the seedlings of Christian virtues, originally planted by God, and in their place planting their own seeds; the seeds of egotism, of selfishness, of lust, of envy, of hate, of avarice, of revenge, of disrespect, of disbelief and unbelief. Enveloped then, in this egocentric complexity, the people who are Christians in name only, ignore the moral precepts of the Son of God, our Saviour. Instead of having Christ as the cornerstone of their life, the Christians in name only, reject, or cast aside the Stone, that is our Lord, and commence to erect their own building, virtually without the proper foundation, since the true and saving faith is totally lacking. But, without the Lord as our Cornerstone, our happiness cannot be built on a firm and unshakeable foundation. Rather, it shall be as the Lord taught in St.Matthew's Gospel, Chapter 7, verses 24-27: "Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house on a rock; and the rain descended and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house and it did not fall, because it was built upon a rock. And everyone that hears these sayings of mine, and does them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell; and the fall was disastrous." Dear Friends: As tenants of the vineyard of the Lord, we, as dedicated Christians must always cultivate our spiritual self to bring forth rich and wholesome fruits, which will nourish us, and all those around us. The Lord expects this from all His faithful children. We must be careful not to resist Him, nor His will, lest we run the risk of falling into the category of the wicked husbandmen. Our submission to His saving will commences with a sound spiritual foundation, based on the Cornerstone, which is none other, than our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. +Fr. George Papadeas
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