This week we come to a very solid and high topic in the Psalms and in the whole Bible – Christ as the Cornerstone for God’s building (see Psalm 118). Many believers praise Christ as the Lamb of God, being filled with appreciation for what Christ has done for us on the cross for our redemption.
But the Bible reveals time and time again that Christ is the stone for God’s building – He is at least nine kinds of stones for the building of God. It is so easy to enjoy Christ only as the Lamb of God, but He is also the Stone – rejected by the builders but set by God in the head of the corner! May we see the importance of Christ being the stone for God’s building!
Christ is at least nine kinds of stones
Praise the Lord for Christ as the Lamb of God, and praise the Lord as the stone for God’s building!
The Bible reveals Christ in at least nine aspects as the stone, the rock, for God’s building work. Christ is the eternal rock (Isa. 26:4; Matt. 16:18), the foundation stone (Isa. 28:16; 1 Cor. 3:11), the living stone (1 Pet. 2:4), the cornerstone (v. 6; Acts 4:11; Eph. 2:20; Psa. 118:22; Isa. 28:16), the precious stone (v. 16; 1 Pet. 2:4, 6-7), the topstone (Zech. 4:7), the cleft rock (Exo. 17:6; 1 Cor. 10:4), the crushing stone (Dan. 2:34-35; Matt. 21:44b), and the stone of stumbling (Isa. 8:14; Rom. 9:33). Wow, what a Christ!
Experiencing Christ as the stone in many aspects
Do we experience Christ in our Christian life as the stone for God’s building in a positive way in all these aspects? What are we actually building in our life? We may have our project, our career, our family life, our business, etc – but does Christ fit in our project? Is Christ the foundation stone?
Do we take Christ as the cornerstone supporting the whole building? What about the finish, the conclusion, the topstone? If our career is for God’s building, Christ will fit and He will become the cornerstone! But when we have “our own thing going on”, our own project, we may be like the Jewish builders, rejecting Christ as the stone.
In the ancient times the Jews used to build their dwellings with at least three main stones: the foundation stone (a large rock on which to put the building), the cornerstone (a strong support, equivalent to today’s columns), and the topstone (the roof, joining all the building together).
We need to experience Christ as the foundation stone – especially in the times of troubles we are experiencing Christ as the foundation stone for the church. Christ is the only foundation which has been laid by God – there is no other foundation that man may lay! Christ is the rock on which we build, which can withstand the storm and the tide.
After we experience Christ as the foundation stone, we will gradually experience Christ as the cornerstone – the One who joins the building of God together. Who holds us together in the church, the building of God?
It is not having the same doctrine or our preference – it is Christ as the cornerstone for God’s building! The walls may be solid, we may be constituted with the truth, but we need to be connected and joined by Christ as the cornerstone.
All this is experienced and made real to us in the church life – outside of the church life, we cannot experience Christ as the stone for God’s building. Praise the Lord for the church life!
Christ has been made the cornerstone!
In His resurrection Christ has been made the cornerstone for God’s building! Christ is the stone which the builders (the Jewish leaders) have rejected, but God has made the head of the corner (see Psa. 118, Matt. 22).
On the day of His resurrection – the Lord’s day, “the day which the Lord has made” – we rejoice and are glad because Christ has been chosen to become the head of the corner!
People in the world and even religious leaders may reject Christ as the stone, but in the church – especially in the recovered church life – we need to rejoice and be glad on the Lord’s day, taking Christ as our cornerstone for God’s building!
Lord, cause us to see that You are not only the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world but that You are also the Stone for God’s building. Open our eyes, Lord, to see the importance of Christ being the stone and to praise Christ as the Stone! Lord, may we learn to take You as the foundation stone in the church life. You are the cornerstone uniting the building of God! Praise the Lord, Christ is the foundation stone, the cornerstone, and the topstone for God’s building!
References and Further Reading
- Sharing inspired from The Kernel of the Bible (ch. 11), and brother Andrew Yu’s speaking in the message, as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on the Crystallization-Study of Psalms (2), week 19.
- Hymns on this topic:
# The chief Cornerstone Thou art, Lord, / Jewish builders did despise; / God by resurrection placed Thee, / Thou art precious in His eyes. / Through Thee we receive salvation, / And, together built by Thee, / Jews and Gentiles are Thy dwelling, / One new man, in harmony.
# Christ is made the sure foundation, / Christ the head and cornerstone, / Chosen of the Lord and precious, / Binding all the Church in one; / Holy Zion’s help forever, / And her confidence alone.
# Thou art the Rock everlasting, / Spiritual Rock cleft for me; / Drinking of Thee as the Spirit, / Thus I become one with Thee.
God has laid a foundation stone in Zion – this is the resurrected and ascended Christ! He is building His habitation on this foundation, in Zion! For this Christ is also the precious cornerstone, joining us together, and when the building is completed He will be the topstone. Then all God's people will rejoice! Hallelujah for our "Stone-Saviour"!