Jesus: The Chief Cornerstone
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19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
As we pray tonight in the Name of Jesus, realize that Jesus is our Chief Cornerstone.
As such he furnishes 3 things for us as we pray.
First, He is our stability in uncertain times.
First, He is our stability in uncertain times.
We live in a time when everything that can be tested and shaken is being tested and shaken.
When we entered into the teenage years or when our children entered the teenage years every established was tested to see if it was valid.
That is what every generation does.
Usually, after much shaking and testing we arrive at the conclusion that what worked for mom and dad will work for us.
Kind of like that old chorus: Give me that old-time religion… It was good for Paul and Silas … it will do when I am dying … it’s good enough for me.
Unfortunately it seems this generation after shaking and testing Biblical morality rejects it.
They don’t believe it stands the test.
Oh, if they will only shake and test Jesus.
They will find that He can take any test, any shaking and come through with flying colors.
He is the stability we NEED for uncertain times.
The cornerstone was part of the foundation of the building and helped provide stability to the structure. We are God’s building and Christ is the foundation of our life.
* 1 Corinthians 3:11—For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Christ gives steadiness and stability to our life. The house built upon the sand falls when the storms come, but our lives are built upon the solid rock. When we make up our mind to serve the Lord, we will find stability in our life. If we are indecisive about serving Christ, we will be unstable.
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”
* James 1:8—A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
How stable are you in your life?
If we are built on Jesus, no matter what comes, we will stand.
Maybe we need to pray that those going through covid will see Jesus for what He is the STABLE Chief Cornerstone that can withstand the rain, the floods and the winds — even a Cat 4 almost Cat 5 storm like Ida.
Second, He gives us the standard to Follow
Second, He gives us the standard to Follow
The cornerstone directs the building of the walls and its angles.
It controls the design of the building.
Christ guides us too.
He provides direction and guidance for us.
He shows us which way to go.
God says in Psalm 32:8 (NASB95) I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
In the confusion of today and the shouted advice to just do what WE want to do, let’s turn to Jesus for His direction and guidance.
Let’s ask Him to be the Guiding Chief Cornerstone of our lives.
Third, He binds us Together
Third, He binds us Together
And, thirdly, the cornerstone joins the walls together.
Christ, the Chief Cornerstone brings unity to His church.
Believers who are Jews or Gentile are united in Christ.
Christ unites men with God.
Perhaps that is the strongest message spoken in our text.
Jesus takes foreigners and eunuchs.
He takes old covenant Jews
And He knits us together.
It’s like 2 walls of the house of God are being build.
One wall is built on the foundation of the OT prophets.
The Jews build on this foundation.
The other wall is built on the foundation of the Apostles.
Christ followers, especially Gentile Christ followers built on this foundation.
In Christ the 2 walls are joined together.
We are being built into a habitation in which God will dwell.
After all the racial upheaval of last year, the church proclaimed over and over that in Jesus the races are brought together.
That’s what the chief cornerstone does.
This morning I talked about God’s plans for us: to be a house of prayer for all nations or all peoples.
That can only happen as we are built on Jesus, the chief cornerstone.
Only He can bring together Jew and Gentile, Occupier and victim.
Our hearts will only be welcoming as we build on Him and His great love for all people.
His desire to tie us all together as on habitation for Him.
And yet...
And yet...
And yet, as I said this morning, we are given a choice.
We can choose to accept or reject Jesus as the chief cornerstone of our lives.
But, if we reject Jesus as the Chief Cornerstone of our life, then we will stumble and the stone will fall on us.
HE PRODUCES STUMBLING
17 But Jesus looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written: ‘The stone which the builders rejected, This became the chief corner stone’? 18 “Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”
Some people stumble or reject Jesus Christ.
His truth creates a problem for them and they resist His call to them to be saved or to serve the Lord.
When I’m hiking, I trip when I’m not paying attention to the path with its rocks and roots.
I also trip when I’m walking in darkness and can’t see the path.
People without Christ trip when it comes to the Lord because they are walking in darkness, and backsliders trip because they are not paying any attention to the Lord.
What about us?
Have we accepted or rejected Jesus as the chief cornerstone of our life?
Are you paying attention to the Lord?