JESUS THE CORNERSTONE
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Stones are useful for strength and stability when building a house or building
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Stones are used when the builders want something to stay put and not sink
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Stones are used to give the structure strength from weather and strong winds
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Stones last and do not wither
In Psalms 118:22-23 it says “the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. In the book of Joshua, you can learn about God fulfilling the promise he gave to Moses and used Joshua to lead the people of Israel to the promised land. There is an interesting moment that happened as the people started their journey and obeyed God. The Lord opened the Jordan River and allowed the people to cross on dry ground. The Lord also gave Joshua instructions about making a memorial out of stones using the stones from the bottom of the Jordan River.
Joshua 4:19-24
On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. 20 And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea [a] when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over.
24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.” 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.”
This memorial is also pointing to how Christ will be the stone in which people go to. Through his life, they will not only see the mighty works of God, but it would also remind us in whom we have salvation and in whom we should use to build our life. Believing and being obedient to Christ will enable us to have a house(life) that will be strong, will not sink, and will last forever.
Jesus said in Matthew 21:34, “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken from those who rejected the stone and given to those who will produce its fruits, anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces: anyone on whom it falls will be crushed, but anyone who builds on this stone will have eternal life.”
I encourage you to build your life on the teachings and biblical truths set by God for us as a memorial. Building takes time and work, but Christ is the beginning. The stone that we can rely on to be strong, stable, and will not fail is the stone many people today reject. They build on weak materials like their own understanding and their own belief and in return, their house will not stand but crumble and fall.
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
