like a rolling stone

The Word for today:
Matthew 21:23-46

mark this: Matthew 21:42--

Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures:
"'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?

The Bible is a big book, held together by its central character, Jesus Christ.

Just as the universe would fly apart if he did not hold it together (1), the Bible disintegrates into mismatched meaninglessness without his presence on virtually every page.

A literary device called the extended metaphor also serves to hold scripture together. One of the most important of these extended metaphors is "the Rock." As the Rock appears and re-appears all the way through scripture, we see a related series of images which coalesce into a comprehensive portrait of Jesus.

Enough of this literary talk. Let's look at some pictures of the Rock!--

In Exodus, he is the rock that was smitten (2), from which life-giving water flowed. Just in case it escaped our notice that this rock represents Christ, the New Testament reminds us:

I don't want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, what happened to our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. For they all drank from the miraculous rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. (3)

In Psalm 118 (quoted today in Matthew 21) he is the stone the builders rejected, which became the cornerstone.

In the book of Daniel, he is the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands (4), which crushed the prideful institutions of man.

For unbelievers, he is the stone of stumbling and a rock of offense (5).

For believers, he is the Rock of our salvation (6), the foundation of the church (7), upon which the wise man builds his house (8).

Whether as 'stone' or 'cornerstone' or 'foundation,' be on the lookout for Jesus--the Rock who rolls through scripture.

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(1) Colossians 1:17; (2) Exodus 17:6; (3) 1 Corinthians 10:1-4; (4) Daniel 2:34; (5) Isaiah 8:14/Romans 9:33/1 Peter 2:8; (6) Psalm 95:1; (7) 1 Corinthians 3:11; (8) Matthew 7:24