A Cornerstone OR Stumbling Block
1 Peter 2:4-10 (NIV) 4 As you come to him, the living Stone —rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 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. 6 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.”
7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
8 and,
“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
How can Jesus be both a cornerstone and a stumbling block? I suppose it all depends on your perspective.
For those who believe, Jesus is the very foundation of our faith. If, however, we do not embrace Christianity then the cornerstone juts out like a misaligned section of wall. We can either build our hope and confirmation upon the most solid of rocks, or we will surely fall.
If you have ever lived in a house whose foundation is not firm, you begin to notice cracks appearing in the walls. The doors may not close properly or perhaps there are gaps in the the floor boards.
May we build upon the Solid rock, now and forever.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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Seeking Holiness 