Foundation

When we began construction on our first church building, my friend Al and I met every Monday morning to evaluate the progress. I was never happy with what had been accomplished. One day, Al got fed up with my whining. He walked me over to where the foundation was being dug and said, “Ron, I know they are digging down instead of building up. But if they don’t dig deep and build this building on a solid foundation, whatever is above ground will crack and crumble. Be patient. Digging deep to ensure a solid foundation is the most important part of this project.”

Atonement. Perfection of Jesus. Depravity of man. Reconciliation. Substitutionary Atonement. Resurrection. Today’s passage is packed with theology. Let’s read it and then break it down.

Quoting Psalm 118:22, Peter likens those who do not believe as a builder who foolishly decided to forgo the most important detail of the project. The cornerstone, defined as “the chief foundation on which something is constructed,” determined the alignment and integrity of the building. Only a misguided, reckless builder would “reject” the cornerstone. For believers, this “stone” must be the starting point.

In his writing, the apostle Peter often referred to the Old Testament to make his point about Jesus. In today’s passage, Peter cites Isaiah 28:16. Here, he likens Jesus to the “cornerstone chosen and precious” used to build a secure and sure foundation.

Peter was fond of using the word “living” to describe the essential elements of the Christian faith. In 1:3, he used the words “living hope” to describe the confidence we have in our future with God that is fresh, vibrant, certain, and eternal in comparison to the things of the world that are empty, deceptive, and temporal. In 1:23, he described the Bible as the “living…word” to show how Scripture, inspired by the living God, is as powerful, relevant, and life-changing today as the day it was first penned (or chiseled). Here he describes Jesus as the “living stone.”

He is the cornerstone joining the walls and making the building strong. All peoples come together in Christ and grow “into a holy temple in the Lord.”

The solid foundation belongs to those who hear the words of Scripture and put them into practice.

When God wants you to do great things for Him, He is not satisfied with a good start but no follow-through. Get up and get to work. Finish the task God has called you to!

False prophets and teachers will be around until the end of time. Therefore, we need to know how to spot them. Ezekiel 13 gives us three important things to look for.