---

I. VIEW THE CHURCH AS A HOUSE OR BUILDING (Isaiah 2:2, 3; 1 Corinthians 3:9).

II. THE CHARACTER GIVEN TO CHRIST WITH RELATION TO THIS BUILDING. He is "the Stone" in a way of eminence and excellency. He is the matchless and incomparable Stone, for He is the chief Stone of the corner; the brightness of His Father's glory is in Him, and the express image of His Person.

III. THE WORKMEN EMPLOYED IN REARING THIS SPIRITUAL BUILDING OR FABRIC OF THE CHURCH HERE CALLED BUILDERS.

IV. THE FATAL ERRORS OF THESE BUILDERS SPOKEN OF IN MY TEXT. They reject the Stone, without which their whole building was nothing but a medley of confusion, however glorious it might appear in their own eyes.

1. This fatal error of theirs proceeded from their ignorance of Christ, in the excellency of His person, and of the glorious mystery of redemption and salvation through Him (Acts 3:17; 1 Corinthians 2:7, 8).

2. Mistaken notions of the nature of the Messiah's kingdom was another cause of their rejecting this precious stone. What a dangerous thing it is not to have right conceptions of the spiritual nature of Christ's kingdom.

V. INQUIRE WHAT MAY BE IMPLIED IN CHRIST'S BEING MADE THE HEAD STONE OF THE CORNER, NOTWITHSTANDING THE ATTEMPTS OF THE BUILDERS TO JOSTLE HIM OUT OF HIS PLACE.

1. It implies Christ's exaltation and victory over all His enemies and opposers.

2. It implies that God has a great regard for the glory of His Son, as the Head and King of His Church.

3. It implies that the whole spiritual fabric or building of the Church hangs upon Him, as the superstructure leans upon the foundation and chief corner stone.

4. It implies that He alone is the centre of unity in the Church.

5. It implies that Christ is the beauty and ornament of His Church, for much of the beauty and ornament of the building lies in the corner stone.

6. It implies that they who would build the Church of Christ must still have Him in their eye, and that the whole of their conduct and administration in the house of God must be regulated with a view to His glory and honour.

7. It implies that God and corrupt builders are driving quite different measures and designs.

VI. APPLICATION.

1. Let us beware of the fatal errors before mentioned, whereby the Jewish builders ruined their once glorious fabric, and buried themselves in the ruins thereof.

2. Let us seek the builders' word from the great Master-builder; for there is a word which Christ gives to His faithful ministers, whereby the art of building is much conveyed (John 17:14).

3. Let us take care that every stone of the building corresponds with the foundation and corner stone. In order to which, let us examine our own and others' doctrines and conversation by the plumb-line and infallible rule of the word (Isaiah 8:20).

(E. Erskine.)

---

---

KJV: The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

WEB: The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.