February 1, 2024 - The Cornerstone

Exodus 13:17-15:18

Matthew 21:23-46

Psalm 26:1-12

Proverbs 6:16-19

One Year Bible Audio & Daily Reading (oneyearbibleonline.com)

Matthew 21:42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone the builders rejected    

has become the cornerstone;

the Lord has done this,

and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

From NewStudioArchitecture.com they write on June 3, 2019, that "In relation to architecture, a cornerstone is traditionally the first stone laid for a structure, with all other stones laid in reference. A cornerstone marks the geographical location by orienting a building in a specific direction."

God the Father the Great Architect placed God the Son here as the Cornerstone to build His church on. Imagine if a building was built with no reference to the corner stone. If the stones were placed at the whim of the builders. Not only would it not look like what the architect designed but it would be weak and lack the ability to function as the architect designed it to do. Jesus is talking to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They are rejecting Jesus as the Messiah which fulfills this prophecy. The prophecy not only speaks to their actions as a fulfillment of the prophecy, but it also reminds us that Jesus is the stone that when we orient ourselves to Him, we are able to grow in the specific direction that He would have us go. And if we as individuals are oriented on Jesus just as every brick in a building is individually oriented to the cornerstone then the Church of Christ like the building will be strong and be able to function as God designed it to.

Matthew 21:43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”

Telling the chief priest and teachers of the law that the people whom they call unworthy and sinners are going to enter the kingdom of God before they will is quite a slap in the face to them. Their pride blinds them to the truth of who Jesus is. They are orienting their lives to their own understanding and therefore can't even see the cornerstone. It's like they started building their own house on themselves as the cornerstone. The lost and broken find it easier to humble themselves before the Lord. In humility we can look to Christ for guidance. When we are humble we acknowledge our lack of knowledge and ability to follow God's design on our own. But when we stay oriented to Christ and let Him guide our path we will produce fruit as we function as God designed us to.

Psalm 26:2 Test me, Lord, and try me,

    examine my heart and my mind;

This I pray as I look to you Lord to build my life. May my heart and mind be always fixed on you.

Psalm 26:12 My feet stand on level ground;

    in the great congregation I will praise the Lord.

May my feet stand on the strong level foundation of the cornerstone that I might function as you intended in the body of Christ. May the church live and function in a way that brings you all the praise honor and glory that should be yours!

Proverbs 6:16 There are six things the Lord hates,

    seven that are detestable to him:

17         haughty eyes,

        a lying tongue,

        hands that shed innocent blood,

18         a heart that devises wicked schemes,

        feet that are quick to rush into evil,

19         a false witness who pours out lies

        and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

Lord open my eyes to the things in my life that are detestable to you that I may repent and prune them out of my life and serve only you.

In the name of your Son and the Cornerstone of my life Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen.