Acts 4 Jesus Christ is the cornerstone

Even though he has been (and will be) rejected by most men, he is the cornerstone of God’s program. He is the foundation and fullness of God’s kingdom in heaven and earth (John 1:14; Col 1:19; Col 2:9). Someday he will return to rule and reign as the rightful king of the universe.

 The stone that the builders rejected
     has now become the cornerstone.
This is the LORD’s doing,
     and it is wonderful to see.
This is the day the LORD has made.
     We will rejoice and be glad in it. 

Please, LORD, please save us.
     Please, LORD, please give us success.
Bless the one who comes in the name of the LORD.
     We bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, shining upon us.
     Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar.
You are my God, and I will praise you!
     You are my God, and I will exalt you! (Psalm 118:22-28 NLT)

Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem: Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:  therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone of sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.  And I will make judgment the line, and righteousness the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. As often as it passeth through, it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass through, by day and by night: and it shall be nought but terror to understand the message. For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon; that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act. Now therefore be ye not scorners, lest your bands be made strong: for a consummation, and that determined, have I heard from the Lord, the LORD of hosts, upon the whole earth. (Isaiah 28:14-22 ERV)

“My anger burns against the shepherds,
     and I will punish the leaders;
for the Lord Almighty will care
     for his flock, the people of Judah,
     and make them like a proud horse in battle.
From Judah will come the cornerstone,
     from him the tent peg,
from him the battle bow,
     from him every ruler.
Together they a will be like warriors in battle
     trampling their enemy into the mud of the streets.
They will fight because the Lord is with them,
     and they will put the enemy horsemen to shame. (Zechariah 10:3-5 NIV)

He began to tell the people this parable. “A man planted a vineyard, and rented it out to some farmers, and went into another country for a long time. At the proper season, he sent a servant to the farmers to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers beat him, and sent him away empty. He sent yet another servant, and they also beat him, and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. He sent yet a third, and they also wounded him, and threw him out. The lord of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. It may be that seeing him, they will respect him.’ “But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’ They threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy these farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.”  When they heard it, they said, “May it never be!” But he looked at them, and said, “Then what is this that is written, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the chief cornerstone?’ Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but it will crush whomever it falls on to dust.”  (Luke 20:9-18 WEB; Matthew 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12)

It happened in the morning, that their rulers, elders, and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and as many as were relatives of the high priest. When they had stood them in the middle of them, they inquired, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “You rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, if we are examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel,  that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in him does this man stand here before you whole. He is ‘the stone which was regarded as worthless by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.’ There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!”  (Acts 4:5-12 WEB)

According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each man be careful how he builds on it.  For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.  But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or stubble; each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man’s work is. If any man’s work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:10-15 WEB)

So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,  Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone;  in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-22 WEB)

Because it is contained in Scripture,  “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen, and precious: He who believes in him will not be disappointed.” (Isaiah 28:14-22; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15) For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone,” and, “a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.  (1 Peter 2:6-8 WEB)

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