The Stone Which the Builders Rejected, The Same Has Become the Head of the Church - Part 1070

And it came to pass, [that] on one of those day, as Jesus taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon [Him] and the elders, and spake unto him, saying, "Tell us, by what authority doest Thou these things? Or, who is He that gave Thee this authority?" And He answered and said unto them, "I will also ask you one thing, and answer Me; the baptism of John -- was it from heaven, or from men?"

And they reasoned with themselves saying, "If we shall say -- From heaven, He will say, "Why then believed ye him not?" But and if we say, "Of men" all the people will stone us, for they be persuaded that John was a prophet." And they answered that they could not tell whence [it was].

And Jesus said unto them, "Neither tell I by what authority I do these things." (Luke 20:1-8)

Note that this same question was later asked of the apostles. As the apostles spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple in Acts 4, the Sadducees came unto them being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them and put them in hold until the next day for it was eventide. Howbeit many of them which heard the Word believed, and the number of the men was about five thousand.

But when the morrow came, their rulers and elders and scribes and An-nas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest were gathered together at Jerusalem and when they had set them in the midst, they asked, "By what power, or by what name have ye done this?"

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost said unto them, "Ye rulers of the people,, and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole, be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified whom God raised from the dead [even] by Him doth this man stand here before you whole." (Acts 4:1-10)

What did Peter say next?

"This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the Head of the corner. Neither is there any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:11-12)

Indeed, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled, and they took knowledge of them. Why? Because Peter and John had been with Jesus.

Jesus -- the Head of the body of Christ. Jesus -- the chief cornerstone. Jesus -- the Word that was with God and was God, and later became flesh and dwelt among us so that we might know Him personally. (John 1:1-18)

Jesus -- the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Jesus -- the light of the world.

This is the SAME Jesus that John said, "I baptize with water, but there standeth one among you whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me; whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose." (John 1:26-28)

In other scriptures, John said, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He that cometh after Me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and [with] fire; whose fan [is] in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (Matthew 3:11-12; Luke 3:16-17)

The same Jesus that astonished the people in Capernaum with His doctrine "for His Word was with power." (Luke 4:32)

And yet, the modern day religious culture today wants us to settle for any other God but Jesus! How we miss the gospel truth when we don't align with His Word. Jesus told us to search the scriptures for within them, "they are written of Me."

Let him who hath ears to hear, hear. Stand in the offering plate.