Jesus Christ - The Chief Cornerstone

Title: Jesus Christ - The Chief Cornerstone

Category: Pastoral

Subject: Dedication of Cornerstone

Introduction

We gather today to rededicate the cornerstone of the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church of Spanish Fort located in Spanish Fort, Alabama.

To dedicate means to set something apart for a purpose. In a spiritual sense dedication involves consecration. To consecrate means to set something apart for God’s service.

This sanctuary was dedicated the second Sunday of 1962. Now, fifty years later we come together on this day, March 4, 2012, to rededicate the cornerstone of the sanctuary.

We look back with grateful hearts for the things God has accomplished in this place for His honor and glory. Now we look to the future with a sincere desire to rededicate this cornerstone and the facilities that it symbolically represents. May we continue to look up to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Head of the church for His hedge of protection, hand of provision, and hope of promotion. May our ordered lives confess the beauty of His peace and the benefit of His power. To God alone be the glory!

In a message titled “Cornerstone” based on 1 Peter 2:4-8, Dr. Joel Gregory shares, “Today a cornerstone is merely decorative. In biblical times such a stone was structurally significant. It bound the building together.”[1]

Using a Bible concordance you will discover the term “cornerstone” many times in the Scripture. According to the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, “The climax of all these references speaks of “Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone” (Eph 2:20) of the metaphoric temple consisting of believers.

The cornerstone image is further amplified by allusions to the “stone of stumbling” and “rock of offense” images found in Isaiah (8:14; 28:16). The combination of these Isaiah passages, along with the one cited above from Psalm 118:22 (cf. 1 Pet 2:4-10), links the early church’s understanding of faith with its emerging Christology: to the one who has faith, Jesus Christ is the chosen, precious foundation stone; but to the one who does not have faith, he is a stone of stumbling.”[2]

Allow me to share five points about Jesus Christ: the Chief Cornerstone.

I. Jesus Christ is the principal stone.

“The cornerstone is the principal stone around which construction in antiquity was achieved. In the lexicon of biblical images of architecture, no image is more evocative than the cornerstone, the focal point of a building, the thing on which it most depends for structural integrity. Thus early in the catalog of God’s acts of creation in Job 38:6, the divine voice from the whirlwind asks regarding the world, ‘Who laid its cornerstone?’”[3] We read in Psalm 33:9a, “For [God] spoke, and it was done.”

Don Fleming, a prolific author and Bible teacher from Belmont, Queensland, Australia, explains, “Another picture illustrated this truth. Jesus was likened to the cornerstone of a building, which in ancient buildings was the stone upon which the structure depended. In rejecting Jesus, the Jews were like builders who threw away the cornerstone. God now took this rejected stone and used it in the construction of a new building, the Christian church. This new community would be mainly Gentile, and all of it built around and built into Jesus Christ (Matt. 21:42-43). People's attitude to Jesus determined their destiny, and those who rejected him guaranteed their own destruction. The leaders of the Jews knew he was talking about them and wanted to arrest him, but they were not sure how the crowd would react (Matt. 21:44-46).”[4]

II. Jesus Christ is the prophesied stone.

Isaiah and Zechariah record prophesies of Jesus Christ the Cornerstone (Isaiah 8:14; 28:14-16, and Zechariah 10:4). In Isaiah 8:14 we read, “He will be as a sanctuary, / But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense / To both the houses of Israel, / As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” Then in Isaiah 28:14-16 we read, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men, / Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, / Because you have said, / ‘We have made a covenant with death, / And with Sheol we are in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, / It will not come to us, / For we have made lies our refuge, / And under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.’ Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, / A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; / Whoever believes will not act hastily.” From Zechariah 10:4 we read, “From him comes the cornerstone, / From him the tent peg, / From him the battle bow, / From him every ruler together.”

We read the following about Isa. 28:16 in A Dictionary of Bible Types, “Here is a type of the mainstay and foundation of the church. As the cornerstone of a building indicates its official character and its permanent construction, so Christ is to the church. He is the principal stone, the main foundation, the center One in all of God's purposes and plans. (See also Matthew 21:42; Ephesians 2:20.)”[5]

According to the Expository Dictionary of Bible Words, “This term is found nearly thirty times, and is usually translated ‘corner’ or ‘cornerstone.’

[The Hebrew word] pinnāh refers to the literal corners of the altar in the tabernacle and temple (cf. Exod. 27:2; 38:2; Ezek. 43:20; 45:19); and to the corners of towers, gates, and houses in Jerusalem and elsewhere (cf. 2 Kgs. 14:13; 2 Chr. 26:9; Neh. 3:24 ff.; Prov. 7:12; 21:9; Jer. 31:38 ff.).

In three significant texts, however, pinnāh refers to the ‘cornerstone’ that God will raise up in the process of establishing his universal kingdom. The description of this kingdom involves several building metaphors, one of which is the ‘cornerstone.’ In each case (i.e., Ps. 118:22; Isa. 28:16; Zech. 10:4), a messianic understanding of pinnāh may be gleaned from both the immediate and wider context of the term itself. This is particularly the case in Zech. 10:4; Isa. 28:16, where the cornerstone is associated with the divine renewal of Judah and Zion, respectively. In both cases, the establishment of this pinnāh indicates that God's program of redemption, on behalf of his people, will focus on this object. It is this ‘cornerstone’ that finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person of Christ.”[6]

III. Jesus Christ is the precious stone.

Colonel Henry Gariepy (1930–2010) explains, “The cornerstone holds the most honored position. . . . The word precious equates with honor.”[7]

We read in 1 Peter 2:4-10, “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, ‘Behold, I lay in Zion / A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, / And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.’ Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, / ‘The stone which the builders rejected / Has become the chief cornerstone,’ and / ‘A stone of stumbling / And a rock of offense.’ They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”

Dr. Henrietta C. Mears (1890-1963) shares the following on the word translated “precious” in What the Bible is All About, “‘Now to you who believe, this stone is precious’ (1 Peter 2:7). Peter talks about seven precious things. Mark these in your Bible:

Precious trial of faith—1 Peter 1:7

Precious blood—1 Peter 1:19

Precious Cornerstone— 1 Peter 2:4-6

Precious Christ— 1 Peter 2:7

Precious spirit— 1 Peter 3:4

Precious faith— 2 Peter 1:1

Precious promises— 2 Peter 1:4.”[8]

Dr. Lawrence O. Richards shares, “In ancient times the cornerstone was the anchor of a building's foundation. Psalm 118:22 and Isaiah 28:16 which refer to cornerstones were understood by Israel's rabbis to have messianic implications, and are applied to Jesus in the Gospels (Matt. 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17), by Paul (Rom. 9:33; Eph. 2:20) and by Peter. Jesus is the foundation of our faith, and also of the church in which believers are living stones (1 Peter 2:4-7).

God, enables us to choose the path that Jesus Himself trod.

‘A chosen people, a royal priesthood’ 1 Peter 2:9-10. It is only right that we choose to live by God's values, for He has chosen us. In the Old Testament, priests officiated at sacrifices and led the worship of God. In first-century Roman culture, pagan priests also led worshipers in offering sacrifices and praises to the gods. In both contexts, it was considered a high honor to serve as a priest. So the imagery of a Christian royal priesthood was clear, and powerful. We who because of sin were not even a people of God have been called out of darkness, and given the highest position of all!”[9]

On 1 Peter 2:6-8 Don Fleming explains, “Christ is the chief cornerstone in this living building, and those who believe in him will never be disappointed (6). The people of Israel, who were originally intended to build God a living temple, threw out the main stone when they rejected Christ. A rejected building stone lies in the way and becomes an obstacle to the builders, preventing them from doing their work as they should. In the same way Jesus Christ, whom the people of Israel rejected, becomes an obstacle to them, so that they cannot do what God requires of them. God has now taken this rejected stone and made him the chief cornerstone in a new living temple, the Christian church (7-8).”[10]

Dr. Walter A. Elwell shares, “Peter carries through his theme of God's Word by quoting three "stone" passages which were applied to Jesus from a very early date (the tradition seems, in fact, to originate with Jesus himself; Matt. 21:42): Psalm 118:22f.; Isaiah 8:14; 28:16 (cf. Rom. 9:33). A stone can look most unimpressive—but it can perform a vital function if made the cornerstone of a large building; or it can bring a person tumbling to the ground if he or she stumbles over it. Jesus has become the cornerstone of God's spiritual temple, and there are two possible responses. We can either take our own angle and position from the Cornerstone, and line ourselves up on him; or we can refuse to live by reference to him, and stumble over him instead. It is a vivid picture.

Peter urges his readers to see that they are being built in line with Christ: sharing all the angles of his life, experiencing his rejection as well as the glory. His opponents stumble fatally, but those joined to Christ are a chosen people, a royal priesthood (v. 9), contrary to all appearances. In verses 9 and 10 Peter piles up phrases from the Old Testament (Exod. 19:6; Isa. 42:12; 43:20f; Hos. 1:10; 2:23) to show how all that is true of God's chosen covenant people is true for those who believe in Jesus, however rejected and weak they may seem.”[11]

IV. Jesus Christ is the praiseworthy stone.

Jesus is praised in poetry, as we read in Psalm 118:21-24, “I will praise You, / For You have answered me, / And have become my salvation. The stone which the builders rejected / Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing; / It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made; / We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

On Psalm 118, Dr. Merrill F. Unger (1909-1980) explains, “Messiah exalted as the Chief Cornerstone. This great hallelujah psalm was sung along with Psalm 114-117 and 136 by our Lord and His disciples in observing the Passover the night He was betrayed (Mt 26:30; Mk 14:26). He applied verses 22-23 to Himself (Mt 21:42). The psalm looks beyond the rejection of the Stone (Christ) to His ultimate exaltation in the kingdom.”[12]

We read the following in the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, “In Ps. 118:22 ‘head of the corner’ (KJV; HCSB, cornerstone) refers metaphorically to a king delivered by God when others had given him up (cp. Matt. 21:42; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:7, where it is used in reference to the rejection of Christ). ‘Head’ designated one in authority in the sense of the foremost person. It can mean leader, chief, or prince (Isa. 9:15), and it can have the idea of first in a series (1 Chron. 12:9). Israel was the ‘head’ (translated ‘chief’) nation, God’s firstborn (Jer. 31:7). Damascus was the ‘head’ (capital) of Syria (Isa. 7:8). A husband is the ‘head of the wife’ (Eph. 5:23).

A distinctive theological use of the word ‘head’ was seen in the NT concept of the ‘headship’ of Christ. Christ is the ‘head’ (kephale) of His body the church; the church is His ‘bride’ (Eph. 5:23-33, wife). In His role as ‘head,’ Christ enables the church to grow, knits her into a unity, nourishes her by caring for each member, and gives her strength to build herself up in love (Eph. 4:15-16). Not only is Christ ‘head’ of the church, but also He is ‘head’ of the universe as a whole (Eph. 1:22) and of every might and power (Col. 2:10). The divine influences on the world result in a series: God is the ‘head’ of Christ; Christ is the ‘head’ of man; man is the ‘head’ of the woman, and as such he is to love and care for his wife as Christ does His church (Eph. 5:25-30).”[13]

Paul writes in Ephesians 2:19-22, “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

Rev. John Chandler (1806-1876) translated the lyrics of a hymn from Latin to English. The first stanza reveals the depth of this poetic expression: “Christ is our Cornerstone, / On Him alone we build; / With His true saints alone / The courts of heaven are filled. Our hopes we place on His great love / For present grace and joys above.”[14]

V. Jesus Christ is the prudential stone.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary “prudential” means, “of, relating to, or proceeding from prudence” or “exercising prudence especially in business matters”. From the same resource we understand “prudence” means, “the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason”, “sagacity or shrewdness in the management of affairs”, or “skill and good judgment in the use of resources”.[15]

Paul writes in 2 Timothy 2:19, “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

From Matthew 7:24-27 we read, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. ‘Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ ‘Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. ‘But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.’”

Dr. Walter Lewis Wilson (1881-1969) explains, “Christ is warning us in this passage that if we build in this life on any other foundation than Himself, we shall not be able to stand in the Judgment Day. He is the Rock of Ages, the Cornerstone, the rock foundation. Good works, religious observances, church activities, gifts of money, and all other such activities, if depended on for salvation, will be like the sinking sand, and the sinner will not be able to endure the storm of God's judgment if he depends upon these. (See also Luke 6:49.)”[16]

We read the following under “Build-Building” in the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, “Christians individually (1 Cor 3:16-17; 6:19) and corporately (2 Cor 6:16) are the temple of God. Jesus promised to ‘build’ his church on the rock of Peter’s confession that Jesus is ‘the Christ, the Son of the living God’ (Mt 16:16-18).

The image of building is used to picture the life choices that individuals make in following or refusing God’s way. Jesus paints a memorable portrait of wise and foolish house builders (Mt 7:24-27; Lk 6:47-49; 18; cf. Jesus' parables of builders in Lk 12:13-21; 14:28-30). Individual Christians build on the foundation of Jesus Christ, and the adequacy of the material with which they build will be tested at the Last Judgment (1 Cor 3:10-15).”[17]

Conclusion

Paul the apostle writes in Romans 10:9-13, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”

Please note that when he writes in Romans 10:11, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame”, he cites Isaiah 28:16. Here Isaiah writes, “Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, / A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; / Whoever believes will not act hastily.”

Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe reminds us as genuine believers to ask, “‘Am I rushing ahead impetuously, or am I willing to wait?’ We have already learned that faith and patience always go together. . . . The Christian who waits for God's leading, and waits on God's working, will not be disappointed or ashamed. True faith is not in a hurry until God opens the way. If you find yourself impatiently rushing ahead of the Lord, beware! You are sure to act in fleshly unbelief instead of in true spiritual faith.”[18]

Dr. John Phillips (1927-2010) explains, “Christ is called the chief cornerstone because of its key position in the foundation. The cornerstone was hewn out first, and its corners, planes, and angles were all true. It was dropped into place last to bind all the other stones together and to ensure that all the foundation’s lines were accurate. The cornerstone is called ‘the stone of testing.’ Likewise the doctrines must line up squarely with what Christ revealed.”[19]

From Ephesians 2:19-22 we read, “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

Dr. Elon Foster (1833-1898) shares, “A case of conviction was that of one aroused during [Robert Murray] McCheyne’s [1813-1843] sermon on ‘Unto whom coming as unto a living stone.’ As he spoke of the Father taking the gem out of his bosom and laying it down for a foundation-stone, she felt in her soul, ‘I know nothing of this precious stone: I am surely not converted.’ This led her to come to speak with him. She was not under deep conviction; but, before going away, he said, ‘You are a poor, vile worm: it is a wonder the earth does not open, and swallow you up.’ These words were blessed to produce a very awful sense of sin. She came a second time, with the arrows of the Almighty drinking up her spirit. For three months, she remained in this state, till, having once more come to him for counsel, the living voice of Jesus gave life to her soul.”[20]

In these days of “political correctness” many would consider McCheyne’s approach totally unacceptable. In fact, in our day, it is inappropriate in the eyes of some even to call someone a sinner at all. Well, God reminds us in His Word, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Today, millions of people feel that Jesus Christ is irrelevant. We hear a lot about relevance. Who determines relevance, man or God? Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

Do you repentantly and believingly know Jesus Christ: the Chief Cornerstone?

[1]Joel C. Gregory, Gregory's Sermon Synopses, (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1991), p. 269, Database WORDsearch Corp.

[2]Dictionary of Biblical Imagery: An encyclopedic exploration of the images, symbols, motifs, metaphors, figures of speech and literary patterns of the Bible, General Editors: Leland Ryken, James C. Wilhoit, Tremper Longman III, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA®, 1998), p. 166, Database © 2006 WORDsearch Corp.

[3]Dictionary of Biblical Imagery: An encyclopedic exploration of the images, symbols, motifs, metaphors, figures of speech and literary patterns of the Bible, General Editors: Leland Ryken, James C. Wilhoit, Tremper Longman III, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA®, 1998), p.166, Database © 2006 WORDsearch Corp.

[6]Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Word Studies for Key English Bible Words Based on the Hebrew and Greek Texts, ed. Stephen D. Renn, “pinnāh [‏פִּנָּה‎, <H6438>]”, [Coded to the Revised Strong's Numbering System] (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2005), p. 2111, Database © 2007 WORDsearch Corp.

[7]Henry Gariepy, 100 Portraits of Christ, (Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1987), p. 160

[8]Henrietta C. Mears, What the Bible is All About, (Ventura, CA: Gospel Light Publications, 1996), pp. 613-614

[13]Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, General Editors, Chad Brand, Charles Draper, Archie England, (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), “Head”, [Available from: http://bible.lifeway.com/crossmain.asp Accessed: 02/15/12], Database WORDsearch Corp.

[14]John Chandler, “Christ Is Our Cornerstone”, (1837)

[15]Available from: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prudential Accessed: 02/14/12 Available from: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prudence?show=0&t=1329275980 Accessed: 02/14/12

[17]Dictionary of Biblical Imagery: An encyclopedic exploration of the images, symbols, motifs, metaphors, figures of speech and literary patterns of the Bible, General Editors: Leland Ryken, James C. Wilhoit, Tremper Longman III, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA®, 1998), p. 128, Database © 2006 WORDsearch Corp.

[18]Warren W. Wiersbe, The Strategy of Satan: How to Detect and Defeat Him (Fleming H. Revell Company, 1979), also published by (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1979), p. 92, Database WORDsearch Corp.

[19]John Phillips, The John Phillips Commentary Series, Exploring Ephesians: An Expository Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 1993), [originally published (Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1993), p. 76], Database © 2009 WORDsearch Corp.

[20]Elon Foster, 6000 Sermon Illustrations: An Omnibus of Classic Sermon Illustrations (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1992), p. 142

By Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey, pastor First Baptist Church of Spanish Fort 30775 Jay Drive Spanish Fort, Alabama 36527

Author of Sound Biblical Preaching: Giving the Bible a Voice Available on Amazon.com and WORDsearchbible.com

http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Biblical-Preaching-Giving-Bible/dp/1594577684

http://www.wordsearchbible.com/products/Sound_Biblical_Preaching_1476.html

http://www.webspawner.com/users/franklinlkirksey / fkirksey@bellsouth.net / (251) 626-6210