Precious Cornerstone

1 Peter 2:4-6 - As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

Romans 9:32 - Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone."

Psalm 118:22-23 - The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

Acts 4:11 - He is " 'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.

Conclusions:

• The failure of Israel was not that she pursued the wrong thing, but that she pursued it by works in a futile effort to merit God’s favor rather than pursuing it by faith
• The stumbling stone is Jesus, the Messiah
• God’s rejection of Israel was not arbitrary but was based on Israel’s rejection of God’s way of gaining righteousness (faith)
• The stone the builders rejected is most likely a reference to the king, who had been looked on with disdain by the kings invading his realm—the builders of worldly empires
• Others suppose that the stone refers to Israel, a nation held in contempt by the world powers
• The capstone or head of the corner—is either a capstone over a door or a large stone used to anchor and align the corner of a wall, or the keystone of an arch
• By a wordplay, the author of Psalm 118 hints at capstone meaning chief ruler
• This capstone, disdained by the worldly powers, has become the most important stone in the structure of the new world order that God is bringing about through Israel
• Jesus applied Psalm 118:22 to Himself
• Believers are not literal pieces of rock, but are persons
• Believers derive their life from Christ, who is the original living Stone to whom they have come, the life-giving Spirit
• The holy priesthood is the whole body of believers
• As priests, believers are to (1) reflect the holiness of God and that of their high priest, (2) offer spiritual sacrifices, (3) intercede for man before God and (4) represent God before man
• The New Testament refers to a variety of offerings: bodies offered by God, offerings of money or material goods, sacrifices of praise to God and sacrifices of doing good
• Sacrifices are acceptable to God through the work of our Mediator, Jesus Christ
• Believers are living stones that make up a spiritual temple in which, as a holy priesthood, they offer up spiritual sacrifices

Application:

• Do you pursue works to merit God's favor?
• Do you see Jesus as the capstone, the most important stone?
• Do you see Christ as the fulfillment of prophecy?
• Do you reflect God's holiness, offer spiritual sacrifices, intercede for man and represent God?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible