The Cornerstone

1 Peter 2:4–8 NLT

You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. As the Scriptures say, “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.

The Stone That Changes Everything

1 Peter 2:4–8 (NLT)

Big Idea: What we do with Jesus determines what He becomes to us—our foundation or our stumbling stone.

Introduction

Have you ever walked into a construction site and seen a pile of stones or bricks? At first glance, they may all look like ordinary pieces of material. But in the hands of a builder, each one has a purpose.

Peter takes that picture and applies it to Jesus.

He calls Jesus “the Living Stone.”

That sounds strange because stones don’t live. But Peter is making a powerful point: Jesus was rejected and crucified, but He is alive!

The world rejected Him, but God chose Him.

And now Peter says that we have a choice about what we will do with this Living Stone.

Jesus will either become the foundation upon which we build our lives, or He will become the stone over which we stumble.

Let’s unpack todays message:

1. COME TO THE LIVING STONE

1 Peter 2:4 “You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.”

Peter begins with an invitation:

“Come to Christ.”

Christianity isn't about coming to a church, coming to a denomination, or coming to a set of religious rules.

It's about coming to Jesus.

Notice what Peter calls Him:

The Living Cornerstone

Jesus is alive!

The cross wasn't the end.

The grave wasn't the end.

Death couldn't hold Him.

The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone.

Illustration:

Imagine building a house with a pile of stones. You look through the pile and decide one particular stone isn't useful. You throw it aside.

But the master builder picks up the very stone you rejected and says,“That's the one I want to build on.”

That's Jesus!!

The religious leaders rejected Him.

The crowd rejected Him.

Pilate rejected Him.

The world rejected Him.

But God chose Him.

Application: What does that mean for me and you?

You may feel rejected.

You may feel overlooked.

You may feel like your past has disqualified you.

But if God can take the stone that others rejected and make it the cornerstone, He can take your life and give it purpose.

Come to Christ. That is your first step!!

2. BUILD YOUR LIFE ON THE CHOSEN STONE

1 Peter 2:5 “And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.”

Peter shifts from Jesus to the people

Jesus is the Living Cornerstone, but now Peter says we are living stones.

God isn't simply saving us from something.

He is building us into something and giving us purpose.

You are part of what God is building.

There is an order:

Jesus is the cornerstone.

We are the living stones.

God is the builder.

That means our lives only make sense when they are connected to Jesus.

A stone by itself doesn't make a building.

A Christian living disconnected from Christ won't become everything God intended.

The question isn't: “Am I religious?”

The question is: “Am I connected to the Cornerstone?”

Your family needs Jesus.

Your marriage needs Jesus.

Your ministry needs Jesus.

Your decisions need Jesus.

Your future needs Jesus.

Your identity needs Jesus.

Everything needs to be built around Him.

Application

Don't build your life around:

Your feelings

Your accomplishments

Your reputation

Your finances

Your career

Your relationships

Your past

Your fears

Build your life around Jesus.

Because everything else can shift.

Jesus remains.

3. TRUST THE STONE GOD CHOSE

1 Peter 2:6 “As the Scriptures say, “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.””

Peter says something beautiful:

“Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”

The world may tell you that trusting Jesus is foolish.

But Peter says:

Trust Him anyway.

Why?

Because God chose Him!!!!

We don't have to understand everything to trust Him.

We don't have to know everything about tomorrow to trust Him today.

Faith doesn't mean having all the answers.

Faith means knowing Who holds the answers.

There will be moments when you don't understand what God is doing.

There will be moments when the circumstances don't make sense.

There will be moments when your prayers seem unanswered.

But the cornerstone hasn't moved.

Jesus is still trustworthy.

Illustration

When you sit in a chair, you don't inspect every screw before sitting down.

You trust the chair because you believe it will hold you.

Faith is saying:

“Jesus, I don't understand everything, but I trust You to hold me.”

Application

When life is uncertain:

Trust the Stone.

When the diagnosis is frightening:

Trust the Stone.

When the future is unclear:

Trust the Stone.

When people disappoint you:

Trust the Stone.

When your plans fall apart:

Trust the Stone.

Jesus is still the Cornerstone.

4. DON'T STUMBLE OVER THE STONE

1 Peter 2:8 “And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.”

Peter ends with a warning.

The same Jesus who can become your foundation can also become a stumbling stone.

That's a sobering thought.

Jesus demands a response.

Nobody can remain neutral about Jesus forever.

You either build upon Him...

or you stumble over Him.

The problem isn't with the Stone.

The problem is what we do with the Stone.

Jesus becomes a stumbling block when we refuse to surrender to Him.

We stumble when we say:

“I want Jesus as Savior, but not as Lord.”

We stumble when we want His blessings but reject His authority.

We stumble when we want forgiveness without repentance.

We stumble when we want heaven without obedience.

We stumble when we want Jesus to fit into our plans rather than surrendering our plans to Jesus.

The Cornerstone doesn't move.

We have to decide whether we will align our lives with Him.

Conclusion: What Will You Do With the Stone?

Peter gives us four movements:

1. COME to the Living Cornerstone.

Jesus is alive.

2. BUILD on the Chosen Stone.

Jesus must become our foundation.

3. TRUST the Cornerstone.

Jesus is worthy of our faith.

4. DON'T STUMBLE over the Stone.

Jesus demands a response.

The same stone can be:

A foundation for one person

and

a stumbling block for another.

The difference isn't the Stone.

The difference is what we do with Jesus.

So the question this morning isn't:

“What do I think about Jesus?”

The question is:

“What am I building my life on?”

Because everything else eventually moves.

People change.

Money disappears.

Health changes.

Plans change.

Circumstances change.

But Jesus doesn't change.

He is the Living Stone.

He is the Chosen Stone.

He is the Cornerstone.

And if you build your life on Him,

you will never have to rebuild your foundation.

Call to Action

Today, make the decision:

“Jesus, You are not just part of my life. You are the foundation of my life.”

Come to Him.

Build on Him.

Trust Him.

And don't stumble over Him.

Build everything on the Cornerstone.