1 Peter 2:7-9 (NLT)
Yes, he is very precious to you who believe. But for those who reject him,
"The stone that was rejected by the builders
has now become the cornerstone."
And the Scriptures also say,
"He is the stone that makes people stumble,
the rock that will make them fall."
They stumble because they do not listen to God's word or obey it, and so they meet the fate that has been planned for them.
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God's holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
No doubt Peter often thought of Jesus’ words to him right after he confessed that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the living God”: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:16-18). What is the stone that really counts in the building of the church? Peter answers: Christ himself. What are the characteristics of Christ, the cornerstone? (1) He is completely trustworthy; (2) he is precious to believers; (3) and, though rejected by some, he is the most important part of the church.
Jesus Christ is called “the stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” Some will stumble over Christ because they reject him or refuse to believe that he is who he says he is. But Psalm 118:22 says that “the stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,” the most important part of God’s building, the church. In the same way today, people who refuse to believe in Christ have made the greatest mistake of their lives. They have stumbled over the one person who could save them and give meaning to their lives, and they have fallen into God’s hands for judgment.
No comments:
Post a Comment