Jesus the Cornerstone

TEXT:      Isaiah 28:14-19

C. I. T.:    God proclaimed to idolatrous Judah that His way was the only way of              salvation.

THESIS:  God has given Jesus as the only foundation for life and secure source of                           salvation. 

M.O.:       Consecrative

S. O.:        That we commit our lives to Jesus for security and salvation.

TITLE:    Jesus the Cornerstone

OUTLINE:   I.  The Cornerstone revealed.

                  II.  The Cornerstone rejected.

                 III.  The Cornerstone revered.

                 IV.  The Cornerstone reproduced.

INTRODUCTION

            Did you notice the recurrg theme in our music & praise worsh this AM?  J = th Song; He (Who?) Has Made me Glad; Sing to th Kg (Who = th Kg?)  ETC.  J = th bkbone, th focus, th centr o our worsh this AM.  J = th foundatn o this svc o worsh.  In bk o Isa, we have encountrd sevrl names for J… th Branch, Son o Virgin, Suffrg Servnt, Bannr for th Peops, Grt Light, Root o Jesse, Anointd One.  1 othr I’d like to intro this AM.  Title = found in ISAIAH 28:14 (TEXT).  There He = calld th Cornerstone.  I’d like to present to you this AM JESUS THE CORNERSTONE  (TITLE).  Used sevrl times in OT to refr to comg Mssh.

            Found in midst o passage pronouncg judgmt on God's peop for thr reliance on idols & false gods.  God = spkg to  Judah & Jeruslm whn He tells thm:  (C. I. T.)  Let's rd these vv. togthr.  R E A D  ISAIAH 28:14-19.  J = th Cornrstone.  In midst o this pluralistic, postmodern, relativistic age we live in, we need to proclm (THESIS).  My prayr = (S. O.) 

TRANSITION:  Let's lk 1st @ . . .

BODY

I.  THE CORNERSTONE REVEALED.

            1st o all, just what = cornrstone?  Constructn term, usd by bldrs & archtcts.  Cornr-stone = lg stone placd in th foundatn @ princ cornr o bldg.  Joins 2 walls where they nmeet @ cornr & ties togthr th bldg.  Gives it form & structure.  Proprly aligns th walls joind to it.  Oftn an ornamntl stone in our day, gvg names o those who constructd bldg.  May be laid as very 1st / very last.  Imp to structure o bldg.  w/o propr foundatn, bldg wll not std.

ILLUSTRATION:  Told you this before, but we lrnd imp o sound foundatn in ch in Mesquite, TX, that I servd durg semnry.  ~1973 blt Fam Life Ctr.  w/in yr, prob w/ bldg.  Cracks in floor, doors didn't fit, floors not level, walls crackg.  Whn got arch & engineer bk to ck it out, prob w/ found.  Dirt undrnth = not proprly prepard.  Prhps undrgrd watr source.  More probs ovr yrs w/ watr & gas lines pullg loose, havg to brace walls.  All bec foundatn = not rt.

            This = why God took such grt care in selectn o cornrstone in Isa. 28:16.  R E A D  v. 16.  Who / What = this Cornrstone?  Th Cornrstone = none othr thn J Hmslf.  What does this say c/ this cornerstone?

1.  Tested.  Tried, & provn to be best qual.  Temptd by Satan in wildrnss & J came thru “w/ flying colors.”  “temptd in evry way like we =, yet w/o sin.”  Tried & testd by rejectn & oppositn o evil men, durg own life & since.  Ultimately tried in torture & dth o cross.  Tried & testd by evrythg hell & snfl man could throw agst Hm.  Found to be solid stone.  w/o flaw / defect.  w/ no faults / cracks.  Able to bear th sins o th world, th total redemptn o all manknd, & rulrshp o God’s Kgdm throughout etrnty.  He’s tested so you can bld yr life, both now & forevr on Hm.

2.  Treasured.  Precious Cornerstone.  Mns costly/valuable.  Also splendid & glorious, rare & highly prized.  Also mns weighty & powrfl.  This = why th Psalmist says in Ps. 118:22:  “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.  This came from the Lord; it is wonderful in our eyes.”  More valuable thn all th world.  If took all th diamonds frm all th earth's mines, all th timbrland frm th millns o acres of forest, all th oil & mineral stores frm earth, all that would not be 1/100 o 1% o th wondrfl value o LD JX, God's Cornrstone.  That = what God was wllg to give to bld Hs kgdm & etrnl life for you & me.  He alone makes all th diff btwn etrnl hvn & etrnl hell for th snnr.  Therefore, He is…

3.  Trustworthy.  R E A D  v. 16.  J = th basis & foundatn o God's Kgdm & Hs wkg w/ Hs peop.  J = th 1 who = tried & testd in fires o suffrg & dth.  He = th 1 who was 100% obednt, nvr sinng / strayg frm God's plan.  J = th most val Gift God had to give.  You can bld yr life & yr etrnty upon Hm & Hm alone.

TRANSITION:  Did you notice what Psalmst said?  "Th stone th bldrs rejectd has become th chf cornrstone"  Let's thnk for momnt c/ . . .

II.  THE CORNERSTONE REJECTED.

            J pickd up on these OT pictures in Hs tchg.  Turn ovr in yr Bibs to Matt's gosp, chap 21.  J told a parable begnng in vs. 33.  R E A D  MATT. 21:33-44.  Who = this son whom th tenants rejectd?  J Hmslf.  Who = th stone th bldrs rejectd?  Agn, JX, God's most precious gift & th cornrstone o Hs kgdm. 

ILLUSTRATION:  Very wlthy man was collectr o grt wks o art.  Had paintgs & sculp-tures by grt mastrs:  Monet, Matisse, Renoir, Picasso.  Valued in th mllns o dollars.  Had only 1 son.  Stood in line to inherit evrythg.  Died as yg man.  Evryone wondrd who would inherit th man's estate whn he died.

            Yrs passd & 1 day th man did die.  Whn his will rd, it was lrnd that th grt collectn o art was to be auctnd to pub.  Day o auctn was well-publicizd & well-attnded.  Whn auctn began, only 1 picture was brot out.  Very simple, ordnry pict o man's deceased son.  Not worth a lot monetarily.  No one intrstd in that.  Wantd to see th mastrpcs.  Crowd grew restlss.  Auctneer said, "Must auctn this 1st.  Instrs in will."  Finally man's poor servant bid all that he had to buy th pict o th son.  Knew it was th fath's pers favorite.  Whn pict sold, auctneer said th sale = over.  Crowd began to cry out.  Complain.  "What c/ th othrs?  What c/ th collectn o val mastrpcs."  Th auctneer just smiled.  Said, "This = th instr o th master in his will.  Entire collectn goes to this humble man.  Bec whoevr takes th son, gets evrythg."

APPLICATION:  Today there = lots o peop in our world who = just like that greedy crowd.  Want it all, but want to reject God's way.  Want it on thr own terms.  No time for God.  No time for Hs son.  No time for Hs Kgdm / Hs ch.  Still like th Jwsh religs ldrs in NT days.  To thm God = sayg, "Unlss you rcv my Son, you have nothg.  He = th Cornrstone.  w/o Hm, there = no foundatn, no life, no hvn, no lastg wlth."

            Prhaps you = 1 o those rejectg J & Hs plan for yr life.  No time.  Othr thgs more pressg, more demandg, more imp.  Maybe get c/ to it 1 day, but not rt now.  Othrs live in open reblln.  More hatred thn evr before in our world today directd agst th cause o X, Xns, & ch.  Missg out on evrythg.  J = th Stone th bldrs rejectd.  Don't you make same mistake. 

TRANSITION:  Think for momnt c/ . . .

III.  THE CORNERSTONE RECEIVED.

            Hear agn what J said in Matt. 21:42ff.  R E A D  MATT. 21:42-44.  If only cast yrslf upon this Cornrstone, brokn & contrite ovr yr snflnss…helplss & worthless on yr own, He wll give you salv.  If resist & reject, He wll fall upon you in judgmt.  Whn Petr & Jn stood before Jwsh Sanhedrin, arrestd & tried for crime o prchg J res frm dead, listn to what Petr said, usg this same OT image:  “Rulers and elders of the people!  If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.  He is Ëthe stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.Ì Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”  (Acts 4:11-12).

APPLICATION:  If you wll trust Hm today as Savr, bow & worsh & obey Hm as LD, make Hm th cornrstone o yr life, you wll find life God has for you in Hm.  Find evn more. 

TRANSITION:  Close w/ a lk @ . . .

IV.  THE CORNERSTONE REPRODUCED.

            Turn w/ me to Eph 2:19.  R E A D  Eph 2:19-22.  You = in that bldg if you blv on J.  You = joind to JX by yr fth in Hm.  He = yr Chf Cornrstone.  You = part o that holy temple in th LD.  You = becomg a dwllg in whch God lives by His Spir. 

            Show you somthg else.  Turn w/ me to bk o 1 Peter.  1 Peter 2, vs. 4.  Peter just couldn't get away frm this image o J as Chf Cornerstone.  R E A D  I PETER 2:4-8. 

CONCLUSION

            Let me ask you, Who = J to you  this AM?  What = yr opinion o this testd, tried & provn Stone?  = He precious & valuable beyond meas to you?  Is He glorious & highly esteemd in yr sight?  = He yr only hope for salv & etrnl life?  Have you thrown yrslf upon Hm, brokn ovr yr sin & failure to live up to God's std, & have you rcvd frm Hm etrnl life & salv?  Have you rejectd / rcvd J today?  Be honest.

            If you could answr, "Yes," to those questns, thn = you in bldg, being blt up into holy dwllg place for God by Hs Spir?  = you daily growg in yr relatnshp w/ J?  Walkg w/ Hm?  Becomg more & more like Hm ea day?  = you servg Hm w/ all yr heart, soul, mind & body?  = you basg evrythg you do in yr life upon J as yr Cornrstone?

PRAYER

INVITATION

            Will you give yr life to J this AM?  Will you make Him yr LD & Savr today?  Take a stand for this one who came to be rejectd & die for you, but who rose agn to brg you salv.  Won't you std for Hm today?  Won't give Hm yr time, life , yr svc, yr all.  Come rt now as we std & as we sing.