Jesus is the Corner Stone

Jesus is the Corner Stone

 

Our Bible Study teacher, Linda was showing us how we can build our lives on Jesus the Rock and Corner Stone.  I took notes and have digested her lesson here.

Matthew 5:12 (NKJV)   Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Many of life’s  problems, are the consequence of our own decisions.  Some spread gossip and we consider it persecution.  We get our feelings hurt and think we are being persecuted.

A Pastor in Egypt continually lives in danger and it is hard to leave.  His children were recently beaten up by those against Jesus.

How do we survive when our family is led away by the police because we are Christians? How do we prepare ourselves?

God is revealing Himself even in Syria and Iraq.

Once you have tasted the sweetness of Christ and His Word, you cannot change, for it is the real deal.

1 Peter 2:1-3 (NKJV)  Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

New born babies can’t eat heavy food.  A source of milk is their comfort.

Parents feed the babies and set up boundaries, and the children say, “Okay.”  As they learn to obey they discover that obedience brings reward.

This is why we as God’s children desire to do what God commands.  When we read the word, do the word, maybe we see something there, that we don’t like and we put the breaks on - - to our BAD.

I Peter 1:22-25   Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,  having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, The word of the Lord endures forever.”  Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

Christ Jesus is the cornerstone living and precious.  Those that believe shall not be confused, disappointed or defeated.  Those who don’t believe will suffer the results of disobedience.

Jesus became a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence, but you are a chosen generation.

Jesus is the foundation rock, but we are also small stones and we build on Him.  This is a metaphor of Christ.

The first stone in construction determines the position of the entire structure.  It is of most importance, and must be right or the entire structure is off.

Jesus the stone was rejected by the Jews, for they said, “We follow Moses, and stumbled over the stone.  The Word went out to the Gentiles.  We as Gentiles have the opportunity to build our life on Christ.    When situations irritate us, we must remind ourselves that our responses will allow us to grow.  2 Timothy 3:16  (NKJV)  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Hebrews 4:12  (NKJV)   For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Allow the Word of God to change us.  We are not forced to follow, but the offer is there.