Jesus: Cornerstone, or Stumblingstone

"THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER"
Jesus: Cornerstone, Or Stumblingstone? (2:4-10)

When the infant Jesus was being presented to the Lord at the temple, an interesting statement was made concerning Him by Simeon: "Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel..." (Lk 2:34). In other words, Jesus was destined to have different effects on different people.... To some, He would be the cause of their rising. For others, He would be their down fall. In 1 Peter 2:4-10, the apostle Peter expands upon this same theme... To some people, Jesus serves as a "cornerstone". To others, He is a "stumblingstone".

What's the difference? Well to those who believe, Jesus is a "cornerstone". He is a living stone according to verse 4, “unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious,”. Which was rejected by men. As stated by John in Jn 1:10-11 “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not.” Instead, they crucified Him. And yet, He was chosen by God, considered to be precious as foretold in Ps 118:22, God has taken that which was rejected by men and made it the "cornerstone".

The cornerstone of what? The "cornerstone" of a great spiritual house or temple, (5-6) “ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.” Upon which we are being built. The same thought or illustration is used by the apostle Paul - 1 Co 3:9-11 “For we are God’s fellow-workers: ye are God’s husbandry, God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder I laid a foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon.”, 16-17 “Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye.”; Ep 2:19-22 “So then ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone;”

As this spiritual house built upon Christ, we fulfill certain responsibilities. We serve as a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices to God, for example:
1) Our bodies - Ro 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
2) Our praise - He 13:15 “Through him then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his name.”
3) Our doing good and sharing - He 13:16 “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
4) Even our deaths - 2 Ti 4:6-8 “For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure is come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved his appearing.”

We therefore serve as God's special people (9-10) “But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”
We are a great spiritual house or temple with a special task of proclaiming the praises of God for by His grace we have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light; we who were not a people, are now the people of God; we have obtained mercy!

Jesus is also the rock upon which we as individuals build our lives - MT 7:24-27 “Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and if fell not: for it was founded upon the rock. And every one that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and smote upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall thereof” By following His teachings, we are able to establish our lives on solid ground and this enables us to withstand the "storms" of life. So in more ways than one, Jesus is truly a "cornerstone" to those who believe in Him and follow Him.

But what about those who do not believe in Jesus, who do not make Him the "cornerstone" of their lives? To those who do not believe, Jesus is a "stumblingstone". There is no other alternative, (7-8). “For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” Either Jesus is the cornerstone upon which we are being built as stones in His temple (the church). Upon which we are building our lives by following His teaching. Or He will be the "stumblingstone" over which we will meet our doom!

That Jesus would be a stumblingstone to some was foretold by Isaiah, who Peter quotes - Isa 8:13-15 “Jehovah of hosts, him shall ye sanctify; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall stumble thereon, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.” We saw that Simeon also foresaw the same thing when Jesus was presented in the temple as a newborn - Lk 2:34 “and Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel; and for a sign which is spoken against;” Even Jesus saw Himself as this stumblingstone - Mt 21:42-44 “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; This was from the Lord, And it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And he that falleth on this stone shall be broken to pieces: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust.”

Sadly, Jesus became a stumblingstone to Israel. Ro 9:30-33 “What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who followed not after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith: but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by works. They stumbled at the stone of stumbling; even as it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.”; 1 Co 1:23 “but we preach Christ crucified, unto Jews a stumblingblock, and unto Gentiles foolishness;”. Jesus was a stumbling block to many of the Jews because they thought that they could attain righteousness by keeping the Law. They could not accept the need for a suffering Messiah to atone for their sins!

In a similar way, Jesus is a stmblingstone for many people today. Pride prevents them from accepting Jesus on His terms! They think that they can please God and go to heaven on the basis of their good deeds. Therefore, they are unwilling to confess their sinfulness, and their need for Jesus Christ; to turn their lives over to Jesus, and to do His Will

The sad part is this. To those who stumble by being disobedient, doom awaits! They become angry, arrogant, and combative when their sinfulness is made known to them. For such doom has been appointed by God - 1 Pe 2:8 “and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” Such is logically necessary, for without Christ we will die in our own sins - Jn 8:24 “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for except ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” Righteous punishment can only follow - Re 20:11-15 “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, even the lake of fire. And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.”

We often sing "Jesus, Rock of Ages," for truly Jesus is like a rock. But what kind of rock is He to us? If we are willing to believe and obey Jesus, He can be the CORNERSTONE.... Upon which we can be added as part of His church, the spiritual temple. Upon which we can build our lives so as to have a full and meaningful life. But if we disbelieve and are disobedient. then by necessity Jesus will be our STUMBLINGSTONE.... Over which we will fall. Under which we will be broken and be ground to powder. There is no middle ground. What will Jesus be for you? Are you obedient to His Word?