Jesus, the Cornerstone

‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was God’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.’[1]

In early times, many large cathedrals and buildings were made of masonry and stone. The first stone laid (in the corner) was called the cornerstone. It had to be perfectly square as well as perfectly laid out, because the outside walls were laid subsequently in the direction that the corner stone was laid. Since cathedrals and other large buildings may have had exterior walls extend hundreds of feet beyond the corner, you can imagine the importance of having this stone square and laid correctly.[2] The cornerstone or foundation stone concept is important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the true of the entire structure. 

Jesus was given all authority on earth, he became head of the new covenant church, its purpose being to build up the body into its authority, Jesus, with him being the cornerstone and true foundation. This makes perfect sense as he is the word of God, the way, the truth, and the life. This church being built with 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.[3] We know that the spirit of God dwells in us as we are his children but when two or more are gathered together in his name, God the Father is there. When he is praised and glorified by his people, his presence is like a holy temple, and we can boldly come before his throne for grace and mercy. Unbelievers who come into this temple fall on their face in his presence, evangelism happens when we make Jesus the chief cornerstone.

This principle of a cornerstone, being fitted together, and growing into his image is a principle that applies to his people anywhere; in the temple, in the marketplace, on missions, and in our personal lives and values. A Christian business is a ministry, working to put forth his workmanship. While operations in ministries are different, the end result is the same; to glorify him, to build people up by discipline in his ways, to produce workers who work for the harvest. If we view the seed as the word of God or Bibles then we know someone has to provide the Bibles and support those that deliver the word. If we focus too much on the harvest, the sowers, or the gatherers we can forget the seed providers, thus we neglect the golden goose, so to say. Unfortunately most do not look at the workplace or marketplace as a ministry but we should, as most are called to go into the marketplace, to provide seed. Whether sower, provider, or gatherer we are all workers and will reap in the harvest, no matter when we began.

When we make Jesus the cornerstone and focus on building up to the calling of our ministry, evangelism happens. We are to build a foundation on the rock, placing a perfect stone in place to guide in building. Without this perfect stone our foundation will not be true. Yes it will have strong values and principles that will help us in life but when the storms come, we will be shaken. What does it mean to make Jesus the cornerstone? Jesus said, everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.[4] Jesus is the word of God, he is God.[5] He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.[6] I do well to listen to his sayings, I do well to not override these sayings in the name of other principles in the Bible. The Bible is the word of God, thus it does not and can not contradict itself, this is not His nature, he is true. Jesus is the exact imprint of His character, his nature. 

Jesus told of a man who built a vineyard, who hired servants to care for it until his return. He later sent others to gather of the harvest but the servants sent them away empty handed, he then sent his own son whom they killed. Jesus spoke of the religious leaders, who under the cloak of God's kingdom where building their own. Woe to them, in danger of hell fire, he said! In Not A Fan a story is told similar to this parable. A man goes away for a time, he leaves instructions to house sitters, on how to take care of his home. On return he finds his home in disarray. He is greeted by the house sitters; we love your instructions, we have been reading them, we know many by heart, we have even added more and started a small group to discuss them. The owner looks at them and then at his house, his pets have died, hurriedly buried outside, the basement is flooded... they did not follow his instructions. The owner turns to them... depart from me...[7] To place Jesus as our cornerstone is to follow his instructions. The cornerstone must be true, if it is not the rest of what we do will be false.

What does this mean, to place Jesus as a cornerstone? It means first and foremost to seek a relationship with him, to request adoption into his family through the only means possible; Jesus, the way, truth, and life. Jesus is the author of faith and the word of God, seek Jesus the word he gives faith, he is true. Seek, ask, knock and it will be given to you, God has made a way. When chosen as a child, adopted, you will be sealed with his spirit as a guarantee of your inheritance, you will know he lives in you. When he is the cornerstone we can grow true in him, adding other stones; values, principles, which are fitted to the foundation stone. But what values do I add? Read on in Mark 12, we are told to know God; know the scriptures and the power of God, know the kingdom of God, know the principle of the greatest commandment,[8] know that you are sons of God, we are told to beware of self-righteousness and hypocrisy,,[9] to render to Caesar what is Caesar's, and we are told to plan ahead, to count the costs, to be willing to sacrifice.[10]

Placing Jesus as our foundation stone comes at a price, it is cheaper and easier to "wing it" to build without a strong foundation, to build on sand. Jesus said, whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him...[11] To lay a true foundation requires purpose, it is an act of will, not emotion. And as such is the nature of man, beasts struggling to come under control. The mystery is that we can't, we can only take on his yoke. We will always be yoked, but his yoke is easy and with a light burden. True life and freedom comes in the yoke of Jesus, as he is meek and lowly, good at heart. We must bind the body, by coming to the altar a living sacrifice and with cords for binding.
 

God is the Lord,

And He has given us light;

Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, and I will praise You;

You are my God, I will exalt You.[12]

Bind the sacrifice with cords... The sacrifice we are to offer to God, in gratitude for redeeming love, is ourselves, not to be slain upon the altar, but "living sacrifices" (Rom 12:1) to be bound to the altar; spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise, in which our hearts must be fixed and engaged, as the sacrifice was bound "with cords to the horns of the altar." -Matthew Henry.

I Lay Me Down - Michael W. Smith
Lay Me Down - Chris Tomlin