Introduction:

Peter wrote that Christians are stones. Normally being called a stone is not very flattering. Stone dead, stone deaf, stone broke, heart of stone, stone liar . . . none of these are very nice sounding. However sometimes we do honor stones. For example, I am sure many of you know the state stone of Michigan. You would find plenty of them on the shores of Lake Michigan. It is the Petoskey stone. The Petoskey stone is not very glamorous when you first get it off the beach. It is dull, dirty, and unassuming. However with a little cleaning, polishing and refining, it can look really nice.

It is the same with us. When God gets us, we need cleaning, polishing and refining because our sin. But by his grace, he shines us up and we look perfect. As the Petoskey stone does not clean and polish itself, neither do we. God does all the work.

Peter also wrote that God not only makes us into precious stones, but he also builds us up together founded on Christ. Individually we are OK, but when we are brought together on Jesus, we form something absolutely beautiful, God's Holy church. Christ is the cornerstone - On Him alone we build, for him alone we serve.

Part One: On Him alone we build

Jesus Christ, alone, is the living stone on which we build - as individuals and as a church. Without Christ we are nothing - as individuals and as a church. This Greek word for stone is a building stone, a stone that is useful and necessary. It is in contrast to the word for "rock" from which Peter's very name came from. The Greek word for rock is more like a boulder or chunk of stone sticking out of the ground. Jesus is rather described as a special, living stone.

In verse 6, 7, and 8, three different stones are used to describe the Savior. Verse 6 tells us that Jesus is a "chosen and precious cornerstone." Cornerstones in our world today usually just have symbolic significance. They typically mark the date of the founding of a building. If you look hard, you will find a few around St. Stephen.

But in Peter's day, the cornerstone was far more important that just a device to let people know the year the building was made. Back then, the cornerstone made all the difference in the building. Every line and angle of the building's foundation were measured exactly from the cornerstone. And so the cornerstone had to be perfect - straight, level, and smooth.

Jesus is the cornerstone for us as a Christian church. Because he is the perfect cornerstone, he makes all believers into perfect stones. Verse six says that "the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Our sins cause us great shame, don't they? Nobody likes to talk about the sin in their life because it is very shameful. We have disobeyed God who created us, loves us, takes care us, and provides everything we need in life. And yet like selfish little people, we reject God's will. How dare we! That is shameful and we deserve the eternal penalty of hell.

But verse six again tells us that the one who trusts in Jesus will never be put to shame. Jesus took the shame on himself. Christ had nothing to be ashamed of in heaven. But he left heaven and lived a shameless life of obedience to His Heavenly Father. He then took our shame from us and gladly became shameful on the cross. It was so shameful, the Father turned from Christ that day as he took our sin and guilt away. We know this is true because the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. The victory of salvation was won. Your sins are forgiven.

You will never be put to shame when you are built on Christ the cornerstone. We rely on everything Christ, especially Christ's righteousness. That is the foundation of our faith. Mark 16:16 tells us, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."

Verse seven of the Bible lesson for this morning also calls Jesus the capstone. The capstone was used in Roman architecture as the middle stone in an arch. It was the one stone that held the entry together. It had to be perfect and fit perfectly or the archway and the wall would come tumbling down.

Jesus is that perfect stone, but for many people of Jesus' day he did not fit the ideal they had for the capstone. They were looking for a religious leader who would take their nation to great prominence. And today, many people don't see Jesus as the perfect capstone either. They preach a social gospel, one that strives to make this world a better place to live in. The bloody Jesus who took away the sins of the world does not fit for them. And so many have rejected the capstone.

God does not want anyone to perish, but He wants all people to come to knowledge of the truth and be saved. However many disobey the message of the Gospel and reject Jesus as the capstone and the cornerstone. And so Jesus becomes a stumbling stone for them. Anyone who relies on their own good works refuses to build on the only perfect foundation, Jesus Christ. Jesus does not take kindly to those who reject him and the punishment will be severe. It is hell. Christ is both your cornerstone and capstone, or he is your stumbling block.

Christ, the cornerstone and capstone, was chosen by God. He was chosen to carry out the work of salvation - to live, die, and rise for us. He was chosen by God to be the foundation of the Holy Christian Church. We are built on Christ alone. He is our cornerstone. With Him, we will remain rock solid.

Part Two: For Him above we serve

Our sermon lesson not only gives Jesus distinctive names, but it gives us names also. When I say us, I mean Christians. We are called God's chosen people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation. These are titles of honor given to believers to set us apart from those who reject Jesus.

First of all we are chosen people. God chose us. We were elected by God's grace. It is God's undeserved love that made us his people. We are not worthy, but that did not stop God from making us his own.

We are also called a royal priesthood. Each of us has been made a priest of God. We have direct access to God through Jesus. We don't have to go through anyone else, nor are we supposed to. And as priests we are to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God.

And then we are called a holy nation. We are a people who belong to God. He bought us at a very expensive price - the blood of his one and only Son. Just as the God's Old Testament people were his holy nation, we have been made the new Israel.

We are all living stones that are built up into a spiritual house founded on Christ the cornerstone. We are God's temple here on earth. However we are not just the temple, but as I said before, we are also the priests of the temple. And as priests we have an obligation to carry out the work of priests. We cannot and will not just sit back and rest on these great titles God has given to us.

We, as priests, every one of us, must realize the responsibilities we have been given by God. We will preach. Proclaim the wonders of God. Confess the name of Jesus as you carry out your priestly duties. We must do this. That is why we are still on this planet - to preach the gospel so that others might believe and the spiritual house of God might grow.

As priests, we also will pray. We will offer prayers of repentance and thankfulness. We will offer prayers of petition, asking God to guide and bless us. We will offer prayers of intercession, praying for the needs of others. Spend the time in prayer. You have this solemn responsibility as priests.

And then sacrifice as priests. We do not sacrifice in order to earn God's forgiveness or favor. Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of the church, made that sacrifice once and for all. He made the payment in full. But rather we offer our sacrifices out of thankfulness to Jesus for that perfect one-time sacrifice. Give your entire being in service to Jesus. Use your God-given time to serve him always. Use your talents to build up the spiritual temple. Use your gifts of money to support the work of preaching and teaching the gospel. You are priests called to service. These are your responsibilities.

This is your thanks-living. Imagine if you were still that unpolished stone, dirty and rough from all the sin in your life. That would be horrible. But you are not. God has changed you. He has made you clean and smooth through the work of salvation. And he brings his believers together, making us something beautiful in the cross of Christ Jesus. Praise your eternal and loving God with your thanks-living. AMEN.