Lent Devotional

Psalm 118:22-24 (ESV)

The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.

In the parable of the tenants, the owner of a vineyard leases his property to others and travels abroad. While away, he sends his servants to collect his share of the fruit from the land, but the tenants beat his servants and then kill them. Finally, he sends his son to collect the fruit, reasoning, “They will respect my son” (Mark 12:6). But he is wrong. They kill his son too.

Jesus explained what the parable meant by quoting Psalm 118: “Have you not read this Scripture: ‘This stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” (Mark 12:10-11, cf. Matthew 21:42). In other words, God is the owner of the vineyard. The tenants are his people. They were supposed to give him the fruit of their lives through worship and obedience. But they rejected his prophets and messengers. Finally, he sent his Son. But they rejected him too. In rebellion, they would not respect or honor him as the Son of God. Instead, they killed him.

Yet Jesus was not swept away by a storm of angry and uncontrolled men. His rejection was according to the intentional plan of God — “the Lord’s doing.” This is “marvelous in our eyes” because the death of Christ defeated death itself. We rejoice because God picked up Jesus from the grave and made him the cornerstone of salvation for everyone who believes. In him, therefore, we will live and never die (John. 11:25-27).

— By The Park Forum (Bethany Jenkins)

Prayer

Lord, you work everything according to your good will. Although Christ’s death seemed like defeat, you vindicated him by raising him from the dead. In him, therefore, we sing, “We shall not die, but we shall live” (Psalm 118:17). He is our salvation. It is marvelous in our eyes. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

This devotional is courtesy of Redeemer Presbyterian Church.

Psalm 110 (ESV)

The Lord says to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”
The Lord sends forth from Zion
your mighty scepter.
Rule in the midst of your enemies!
Your people will offer themselves freely
on the day of your power,
in holy garments;
from the womb of the morning,
the dew of your youth will be yours.
The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever
after the order of Melchizedek.”
The Lord is at your right hand;
he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.
He will execute judgment among the nations,
filling them with corpses;
he will shatter chiefs
over the wide earth.
He will drink from the brook by the way;
therefore he will lift up his head.

People think of Jesus in many ways. Perhaps two of the most common is that he is a wise teacher or a great example. But this passage, which is the most cited in the New Testament, tells us of two of Jesus’ roles — priest and king.

The king in Psalm 110 is unequaled in power and might. He sits at God’s right hand in the place of highest authority. He is guaranteed victory over his adversaries and he rules his people in such a way that they freely follow him. He crushes opposing kings and executes judgment among the nations. He is exalted and has sure victory over all his enemies.

When Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, God restored him to his original place at his right hand. His resurrection was both a vindication of his status as the Son of God and his enthronement as the rightful king over creation. He defeated the power of sin and death and he presently reigns as king. This means that Jesus has the power and authority to protect us from all evil and wickedness and that he deserves our complete allegiance and loyalty.

This psalm also tells us that Jesus is a priestly king. Priests offer sacrifices and prayers on behalf of their people. But Jesus is a permanent priest in the order of Melchizedek, who was greater than all other priests. Jesus offered himself as a perfect sacrifice for our sin and he continually intercedes for us. He clothes us in holy garments, so that through him, we can draw near to God.

Prayer 

Father, thank you that you have raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at your right hand, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. Help us to trust in him daily as our priest and king. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

2 Samuel 7:1-5, 11-17 (ESV)

Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.”

But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? …

“‘And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

King David, finally settled in his cedar home, desired a house for the ark of God. However, the word of the Lord came to Nathan, telling David that instead of allowing him to build a temple, the Lord would establish the House of David, culminating in one who would “sit on the throne forever.”

Obviously God is not simply promising that he will ensure the continuation of David’s lineage as a sort of memorial to him — the common belief of many religions that we only live on in our descendants. He is promising to raise up his own Son from among the descendants of David, one who will bear our stripes and our iniquity.

How like God this is! We offer to him some grandiose plan of how we plan to honor him, and he counters with a completely counterintuitive plan, one in which he is glorified by becoming both king and substitute.

Thankfully, God reads our hearts and edits our plans and our prayers so that they are far more than we would have dared to ask or imagine. Pray, pray and pray, to the limit of your vision and faith, and then be prepared for God to do something even better.

Prayer

O Lord, you are mighty and faithful. Let your righteousness and justice, steadfast love and faithfulness go before us. Allow us to walk in the light of your face and to exalt your name all day. Remind us of your covenant with David, how you built your throne for all generations with the wood of the cross. In Christ’s Name, Amen.