Our scripture is a part of Peter’s defense after healing the blind man at the Beautiful gate of the Temple. When he spoke of “the stone which was set at nought,” but which became the head of the corner… When Peter spoke of the stone that was rejected by the builders of Israel, he took Israel’s leaders back to a well-known Biblical reference. The thought was first introduced in the 118th Psalm, and then Isaiah and Zechariah referred to it. It was highlighted by the Lord Jesus so prominently that it is recorded in all three Synoptic Gospels. The theme of “the stone which was set at nought,” was so well-known to the Jews in his day that Paul pointed to the idea several times, and Peter brought it up again in his first Epistle. But I must point out that this “chief cornerstone” is used by the Spirit to teach a couple of different things. While touching on most of them this morning, I am primarily concerned with Peter’s application here: “Neither is there salvation in any other.”
The other day in my devotional reading, I ran across a statement which pushed me just a little bit off kilter. I have always pictured “the rejected corner stone” in a metaphorical way – Christ the rejected Messiah. That is definitely one of the correct ways to apply the picture. That is definitely Biblical doctrine. But the author of that devotional, a man unknown to me, made this statement: “Besides its emblematical meaning, (this statement) commemorates a REAL transaction and literal occurrence at the building of Solomon’s temple, when a certain stone, designed for the “head corner stone,” was rejected by the builders and cast away as useless, but, as no other stone could supply its place, either from necessity or Divine warning, the once despised stone was sought out and exalted to the position for which it had been destined by the Divine Architect, Who was Himself superintending the building of His house.”
If you will remember, David wanted to build a temple unto the LORD in Jerusalem, but God forbade him. In 1 Chronicles 22, David was told that – because he had been a man of blood – he was not to build the Lord’s Temple. However, his son, Solomon, had the Lord’s permission to move forward with the idea. At that point David began to gather all the gold, timber and stone necessary for the project. It is said that skilled workers and engineers cut the beautiful stones for the walls of temple walls off-site. Then after the death of David, in 2 Chronicles 2, Solomon and Huram, assembled the Temple starting with the pre-prepared parts. The Temple was put together like a modern log mansion, destined to be hidden in the woods, but it was all cut and labeled at a site in the valley before being reassembled up on the side of the mountain.
And that takes us back to the quote I just shared with you. Just as the reconstruction began, the first and most important stone was, at first, considered unacceptable. But then it was recognized that there was no other, and no better stone, than the original. Do I have proof that this actually occurred? I do not. But my author said that this was history, and it is certainly quite possible. It even makes sense.
As I said, it was one of the Psalmists who first applied this illustration. Please return to Psalm 118:14-23 – Notice as I read that the subject is “salvation,” and the penman was in fear of death, possibly even under the hand of God, the holy Judge. But he pleads for entrance into the LORD’S palace, where he promises to offer the sacrifices of praise. Of course, only the righteous can enter such a holy place, so how can this man? It is possible because, as he says, “Thou art become my salvation.” “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.” “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.”
Verse 14 – “The LORD is my strength and song, and is BECOME my salvation. The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. I shall NOT die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death (eternal death?). Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art BECOME my salvation. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.”
Now, let me remind you that the New Testament tells us that this headstone of the corner is Christ Jesus. And why did the Christ, the Son of God, come into this world? We are clearly told, over and over again, that it was to become a ransom for many – the salvation of sinners. As Peter told the leadership of Israel: Christ Jesus “is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Why am I bringing this lesson and trying to preach this message? Because like that Psalmist so many centuries ago, YOU need this Saviour. Because like those self-righteous Jews, angrily looking at Peter, we ALL need to be saved. There is no other Saviour than Jesus of Nazareth, and there is no other salvation except through His sacrifice on the cross. We need to cry out with the Psalmist – “Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter,” and this chief cornerstone, is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.
The evangelical Old Testament prophet Isaiah referred to this rejected cornerstone more than once. Please turn to Isaiah 28 for one of those references. Isaiah 28:14 sounds like a scripture Peter could have preached to the Jews in Acts 4. “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, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.” Peter was standing before the High Priest and his liberal, Bible-denying, Sadducee friends – men who were in league with the Greeks and Romans. Essentially, they were living under a covenant they had made with death, which they thought would spare them, but in just a few years they would all be slaughtered. In the New Testament those words “shall not make haste” are explained by Peter as “shall not be CONFOUNDED,” and by Paul as “they shall not become ASHAMED.” The person who puts his faith in Christ will never have a reason to regret his decision. The person who has genuine faith in the Lord, will never have reason to hastily run from his testimony.
Matthew 21, Mark 12 and Luke 20 tell us about some of Christ’s lessons as He was coming closer and closer to Golgotha. They come after His “triumphal entry” into Jerusalem. By this time the Son of God had presented Himself to the builders – the leadership of the nation. The Cornerstone of the Kingdom was right in front of them, but He didn’t look good enough for them. So it was from under the shadow of the cross, “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.” At that point, when they tried to arrest Him, they couldn’t.
As I said, that statement which I just read, came in the midst of several of Jesus’ parables. But this was in no way parabolic. This was pure and simple prophecy. Not only was the kingdom of Israel going to be crushed and turned to dust by the Romans in 70 AD, but the blessings of the gospel were soon to be preached among nations other than Israel. When Jesus said, “whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder,” it was spoken as a promise. Those who would turn against Christ, falling on Him with a desire to rid themselves of His demands for repentance an faith, wanting to kill and crucify Him, they would be broken in their attempt. But even more importantly, that same rejected stone would return to crush those men and all those who refuse to put their trust in Him. And yet – again, in the words of Peter, “this is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
All that I have just shared with you has been the introduction to a very brief and simple sermon. Gleaning from several of these scriptures, we see that the cornerstone is, in truth, three important things: He is precious; He is dangerous; and He is salvation to us.
In both Old Testament and New Testament scriptures this cornerstone is said to be PRECIOUS.
In the providence of God, after I started thinking about this message, Judy and I were reading from Spurgeon’s devotional book “Morning and Evening.” Perhaps some of you saw it as well. For February 8, Spurgeon highlighted the name of “Jesus,” saying, “When a person is dear, everything connected with him become dear for His sake. Thus, so precious is the person of the Lord Jesus in the estimation of all true believers, that everything about Him they consider to be inestimable beyond all price. Certain it is – that there is not a spot where that hallowed foot has walked – there is not a word which those blessed lips have uttered – nor a thought which His loving Word has revealed – which is not to us PRECIOUS beyond all price. And this is true of the NAMES of Christ – they are all sweet in the believer’s ear. Whether He be called the Husband of the Church, her Bridegroom, her Friend; Whether, He be styled the Lamb slain from the foundation of the Word – the King, the Prophet, or the Priest – every title of our Master – Shiloh, Emmanuel, Wonderful, the Mighty Counsellor – every name is like the honeycomb dropping with honey, and luscious are the drops that distill from it.” And one of the names or titles that our scriptures add to Spurgeon’s list is: “CORNERSTONE.” I Peter 2:6 – “Also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.”
I won’t try to dazzle you with logic or flowery thought; you know the meaning of the word “precious.” Things which are rare are said to be “precious.” Things and people we especially love are “precious” to us. Sometimes things which are important or essential are said to be “precious.” More importantly, what God declares to be valuable, they are exceedingly “precious.” As Spurgeon said, everything about our Saviour is inestimable beyond all price. Even this special title is like the honeycomb dropping with honey, and luscious are the drops that distill from it. A proper foundation can be considered seriously “precious.” “I will liken (the man who builds upon Christ) unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.”
In contrast to the preciousness of this cornerstone to those who trust and build upon Him…
This cornerstone is incredibly DANGEROUS to those who reject Him.
Isaiah exhorts Israel in chapter 8, verse 13 – “Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary.” When sinners come to understand their wretched condition in the sight of the Lord… When they look on God with fear and reverence, acknowledging the judgment which their sins deserve… When sinners approach the Lord in humble repentance and faith, He becomes their sanctuary. But the next verse says that this same Lord of hosts “will be for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence… and many… shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and snared, and be taken.” And what follows that? Revelation tells us, “And they were judged every man according to their works. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Verse after verse, which speak about this chief cornerstone, also speak about the danger which He is to them who do not lay their souls and their eternal future on Him. Jesus said, “whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”
The most horrible day in human history has not yet been recorded. It was not the day “that music died,” February 3, 1959. It was not the day Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated, plunging the world into “the war to end all wars.” It was not the day your precious grandmother passed away. The most horrible day in human history will be that day which is described in Revelation 20, when “the dead, small and great shall stand before God” to be condemned to eternal judgment. And one of the factors ex-acer-bating that horrible day will be the fact that the Judge upon that throne will be One who gave His life on the cross – the Saviour of all those who repent and trust Him. The stone upon which eternal life could have been founded, will be at that time the stone which will grind the unbeliever to powder.
That will be the saddest, most horrific day in the history of mankind. But I will conclude with the good news.
This Divine Cornerstone is SALVATION to those who trust Him.
Zechariah in his chapter 3 speaks of God’s servant, “the Branch,” the “stone.” Zechariah is preaching and prophesying to Israel, and he concludes his thought by saying, “and I will remove the iniquity of the land in one day.” That will be a glorious day – for Israel. But that national removal day is yet to come. Zechariah was speaking of a future day. One day, the Chief Cornerstone will graciously forgive Israel for her sins, and will remove her iniquity.
While not exactly referring to Zechariah, the Apostle Paul, in Romans 9, refers to Israel, but then moves forward to people like you and me, when he says, “Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” Listen to those last words: “whosoever BELIEVETH on him shall not be ashamed.” Why shall the believer not be ashamed? Because the chief cornerstone, this rock of offense to Israel and so many others, will have become the foundation of the believers’ eternal security. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” – I Corinthians 3:11.
And with that I return to Peter’s offensive defense before the rulers of Israel. “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
This chief cornerstone, this rock of offence and Judge of all men, is also the precious Saviour to all those who put their trust in him. Will you join the many others who have already believed on the Lord Jesus Christ? I beg of you to admit to your sinful unworthiness, but at the same time, trust that Christ, the Saviour, died to deliver your soul from God’s wrath. Won’t you please, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”