Christ

Christ, The Foundation Stone

One of the first impressions one gets when traveling in Israel is how many rocks there are. There are rocks everywhere, from small, throw-able rocks you might call stones, like the ones the so-called Palestinians throw at Israeli soldiers, to mountains made of rock.

Let's turn to Mat 16:18 and read a familiar verse:

Mat 16:18 (NKJV) "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades [equivalent to the grave (Sheol) in Hebrew] shall not prevail against it.

I tend to interpret "gates of Hades" as "Satan's realm of corruption and hopelessness."

This verse brings up a question familiar to all Bible students: What is Christ saying to Peter? Is Peter to be the original leader of the Church? Catholics use this verse to support their position that Peter was the first infallible Pope. But see Acts 15:13-19.

What is the true meaning? The word "Peter" is from the Greek word "Petros" and means a piece of rock or a stone. This is clarified in John 1:42.

John 1:42 (NKJV) And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (Kay-fas') (which is translated, A Stone).

As you can see, Jesus, Yeshua in Hebrew, is naming Peter "Cephas" (Kay-fas'), which again means "a stone".

But in Mat. 16:18, Jesus describes Peter as a rock. "Rock" comes from the Greek word "Petra" and means a mass of rock, like a mountain. Metaphorically this describes the man Peter as being like a mountain, by reason of his firmness and strength of character.

Essentially, the Bible uses the word "rock" to describe a mountain of huge, natural rock; the word "stone" to describe a rock shaped by man or a piece of rock, which can be very big too, like mill-stones or even the four hundred ton stones of the temple mount.

Today I want to talk about stones.

Let's turn to Romans 9:30-33.

(Rom 9:30-33 NKJV) What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; {31} but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. {32} Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. {33} As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

In today's English these verses say, "Why didn't the Jews seek righteousness by faith in God instead of the works of the law? Because they stumbled at the stumbling stone. As it is written: `Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and he who believes on Him will not be ashamed.'"

This is quoted from Isa 28:16 and 8:14:

(Isa 28:16 NKJV) Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.

Isa 8:14 (NKJV) He will be as a sanctuary, But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense To both the houses of Israel, As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Christ was and is that stumbling stone. Judaism insists He be so to this day.

Some years ago I bought a couple of books from a Jewish author in Israel. A peculiarity of these books was that the author always printed the word "Christian" with a lower-case "c". I wrote to the author asking why he always used a lower-case "c" for Christians but used a capital "M" for Moslem. He wrote back stating that he had over-done this, that he had little or no respect for the Moslem religion, and that he used the lower-case "c" to emphasize separation from the Christians with whom he worked. My impression is that he was trying to impress the Rabbi who endorsed the books. From the tone of his letter, I gather he thought I was a fellow Jew. I probably do resemble a religious Jew in some ways. But you can see how even today Jews stumble over the stumbling stone of Christ. When I say "Jews", I’m talking about non-Christian Jews, Jews following Judaism.

But Christ offended not just the average Jew on the street but His very own disciples. Some of His disciples were offended to the point of leaving Him. Let's read of it in John 6:

John 6:54-69 (NKJV) "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. {55} "For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. {56} "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. {57} "As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. {58} "This is the bread which came down from heaven; not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever." {59} These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. {60} Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard <this>, said, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?" {61} When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, "Does this offend you? {62} "<What> then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? [Proving Psa 110:1] {63} "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and <they> are life. {64} "But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. {65} And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." [Now you know why most people are not called.] {66} From that <time> many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. {67} Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" {68} But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. {69} "Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ [ha Mashiach in Hebrew], the Son of the living God."

Jesus Christ's sayings offended some of his disciples. He was a stumbling stone.

Mat 11:1-6 (NKJV) Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. {2} And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples {3} and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" {4} Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: {5} "<The> blind see and <the> lame walk; <the> lepers are cleansed and <the> deaf hear; <the> dead are raised up and <the> poor have the gospel preached to them. {6} "And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."

"Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."? Why would one be offended at Christ? Why are people offended at Christ today? Because he said things that sounded crazy to the average person. People who are ashamed of Christ today are ashamed for the same reasons they were ashamed in Christ's day: They don't want to be seen by others as being associated with what others perceive as a kook, whether that kook is their perception of Christ himself or those people who follow Him. People want to be seen by others as going along with the crowd - which today means speaking favorably about religion in general when you have to, but doing what you want. To go along with the crowd, religion must not be, can not be, a way of life.

Let's turn to 1 Corinthians and see how Paul described this:

1 Cor 1:17-31 (NKJV) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. {18} For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. {19} For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent." {20} Where <is> the wise? Where <is> the scribe? Where <is> the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? {21} For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. {22} For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; {23} but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, {24} but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. {25} Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. {26} For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, <are called>. {27} But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; {28} and the base things of the world and the things which are despised, God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, {29} that no flesh should glory in His presence. {30} But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God; and righteousness and sanctification and redemption; {31} that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."

Let me read verse 23 to you again: {23} but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness

Isn't that exactly what we see today? The Jews are repelled by us; most everyone else thinks real Christianity is utter foolishness. But main-stream Christianity is OK, of course - as long as it has liberal doctrines and goes along with the "broad-minded" theories of the day - "God is neuter, real Christianity is a smile on Sunday morning" - you get the idea. Jesus gave us His impression of this kind of Christian. Turn to Matt 7:

Mat 7:21-27 (NKJV) "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. {22} "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' {23} "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' [The breaking of God’s law.] {24} "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: {25} "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. {26} "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: {27} "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."

Verse 24 says it all: Hold onto the Rock if you don't want to get washed away.

Is your Rock a foundation or a stumbling stone?

Some years ago I built a house on top of a hill. While we were excavating for the foundation we ran into the rock of which the hill was formed. I instructed the builders to drill into that rock and attach the foundation to it. That house never developed cracks because THAT foundation never moved. That rock was the house’s cornerstone.

We too must hold onto the Rock of our foundation, our cornerstone.

Isa 8:9-22 (NKJV) "Be shattered, O you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Give ear, all you from far countries. Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces. {10} Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak the word, but it will not stand, for God <is> with us." {11} For the LORD spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying: {12} "Do not say, 'A conspiracy,' concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. {13} The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; <Let> Him <be> your fear, and <let> Him <be> your dread. {14} He will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. {15} And many among them shall stumble. They shall fall and be broken; be snared and taken." {16} Bind up the testimony. Seal the law among my disciples. {17} And I will wait on the LORD, who hides His face from the house of Jacob; and I will hope in Him. {18} Here am I and the children whom the LORD has given me! <We are> for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells in Mount Zion. {19} And when they say to you, "Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter," should not a people seek their God? <Should they seek> the dead on behalf of the living? {20} To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, <it is> because <there is> no light in them. {21} They will pass through it hard pressed and hungry; and it shall happen, when they are hungry, that they will be enraged and curse their king and their God, and look upward. {22} Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and <they will be> driven into darkness.

These last few verses are a prophesy of the coming terrible years.

Christ was to be and is a stumbling block to Israel. We must not stumble on that Rock regardless of the actions of Satan, our associates, our family, our government, our vanity, our friends, or anything else.

Mat 10:24-39 (NKJV) "A disciple is not above <his> teacher, nor a servant above his master. {25} "It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more <will they call> those of his household! {26} "Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. {27} "Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. {28} "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna G1067). {29} "Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. {30} "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. {31} "Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. {32} "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. {33} "But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. {34} "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. {35} "For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; {36} "and 'a man's enemies will be those of his <own> household.' {37} "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. {38} "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. {39} "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

In other words, put Christ first before anything and anyone else.

1 Pet 2:1-12 (NKJV) Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, {2} as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, {3} if indeed you have tasted that the Lord <is> gracious. {4} Coming to Him <as to> a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God <and> precious, {5} you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. [So we are stones too, like Peter.] {6} Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." {7} Therefore, to you who believe, <He is> precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected [the builders were the Jews] has become the chief cornerstone," {8} and "a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. {9} But you <are> a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; {10} who once <were> not a people but <are> now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. {11} Beloved, I beg <you> as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, {12} having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by <your> good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Even when we occasionally do things which are bad examples to those around us, we must have enough good examples that those who observe us give God the glory in the day of their judgment.

Luke 20:9-19 (NKJV) Then He began to tell the people this parable: "A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time. {10} "Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent <him> away empty-handed. {11} "Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated <him> shamefully, and sent <him> away empty-handed. {12} "And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast <him> out. {13} "Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect <him> when they see him.' {14} "But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.' {15} "So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed <him>.....

To complete this parable, please turn to Matthew 21, verse 40. I think Matthew's rendering is a little clearer. Christ is talking to the chief Priests and Pharisees.

Mat 21:40-45 (NKJV) "Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?" {41} They said to Him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease <his> vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons." {42} Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes'? {43} "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. ["nation" is G1484 and includes Gentiles] {44} "And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." {45} Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them.

What does Christ mean in verses 42-45? Let's dig into this a little deeper. We'll start with verse 42. Verse 42 is taken from Psalm 118:22-23. Let's read it first:

Psa 118:22-23 (JNT) The stone <which> the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. {23} This was the Lord's (Adonai's) doing; In our eyes, it is amazing.

The Pharisees fate is described out of their own mouths in verses 40 and 41. He puts it to them, "When the Lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to these vinedressers?" He puts it to them who with their strong conviction, knew the judgment of God against those who do such things, thus making themselves even more inexcusable. They, the chief priests (verse 41), could readily answer, "He will destroy those miserable, wicked men."

Our Savior, in his question, supposes that the lord of the vineyard will come, and deal with them. God is the Lord of the vineyard; the property is His, and He will make them know it, who now lord it over his heritage as if it were all their own. The Lord of the vineyard will come. When he comes, what will he do to carnal instructors? What will he do to cruel persecutors? They will be called to account. They have their day now; but He and we can see his day is coming.

The chief priests and elders, in their answer, suppose that it will be a terrible reckoning; the crime appearing to be so very black. They reply that one may be sure:

(1.) That he will miserably destroy those wicked men; destruction is their fate.

(2.) That he will lease out his vineyard to other vinedressers.

Christ, in a further illustration and application of this, tells them, in effect, that they had rightly judged; they had judged correctly. In so doing, they had condemned themselves.

In verse 42, He illustrated it by referring to a scripture fulfilling this; "Did you never read in the scriptures?" Yes, no doubt, they had often read and sung it, but had not considered it. We lose the benefit of what we read if we neglect to meditate on it. The scripture he quotes is Ps 118:22-23, which we just read. The same words which yield praise and comfort to Christ's followers, speaks conviction and terror to his enemies. Such a two-edged sword is the word of God. That scripture, in which the Stone which the builders refused, has become the chief cornerstone, illustrates the preceding parable, especially that part of it which refers to Christ. Let’s review the main points.

(1.) The builders' rejecting of the stone is the same as the vinedresser's abuse of the son that was sent to them. The chief priests and the elders were the builders, they had the oversight of the temple which was God's building. They would not allow Christ a place in their building, would not admit his doctrine or laws into their beliefs. They threw him aside as a despised broken piece of pottery, a stone that would serve only for a stepping-stone to be trampled upon.

(2.) The promotion of this stone to be the head of the corner is the same as letting out the vineyard to other vinedressers. He who was rejected by non-Christian Jews was embraced by the Christ-believing Jews and Gentiles. His authority over the Christian assembly, and influence upon it, his ruling it as the Head, and uniting it as the Corner-stone, are the great tokens of our praises to Him. Thus, in spite of the malice of the Pharisaical religious leaders, he received his kingdom, though they would not allow him to reign over them.

(3.) The hand of God was in all this; This is the Father's doing. Even the rejecting of Him by the Jewish builders was with the foreknowledge of God; he permitted and overruled it; even more so regarding Christ’s advancement to the Head of the corner; it was God himself that highly exalted him, and gave him a name above every name. The wickedness of the Jews that rejected him is amazing; that men should be so prejudiced against their own interests! But we see this foretold in Isa 29:9-14.

(Isa 29:9-14 NKJV) Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; They stagger, but not with intoxicating drink. {10} For the LORD has poured out on you The spirit of deep sleep, And has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; And He has covered your heads, namely, the seers. {11} The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, "Read this, please." And he says, "I cannot, for it is sealed." {12} Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, "Read this, please." And he says, "I am not literate." {13} Therefore the LORD said: "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men, {14} Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work Among this people, A marvelous work and a wonder; For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden."

Peter made great use of Psalm 118:22-23 several times as recorded in the books of Acts and 1 Peter.

Acts 4:8-12 (NKJV) Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: {9} "If we this day are judged for a good deed <done> to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, {10} "let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. {11} "This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.' {12} "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

1 Pet 2:4-10 [We read this a few minutes ago.] (NKJV) Coming to Him <as to> a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God <and> precious, {5} you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. {6} Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." {7} Therefore, to you who believe, <He is> precious; but to those who are disobedient, "the stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone," {8} and "a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. {9} But you <are> a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; {10} who once <were> not a people but <are> now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

In verse 43 of Matthew 21, Jesus is notifying the Pharisees, the ancestors of the rulers of the Jewish religion today, that the kingdom, including their temple, has been taken away from them and given to fruit-producing Christians, destined for the Kingdom of God.

Verse 44 of Matthew 21 does not appear in all manuscripts, but it can be taken to mean from Isa 8:15, which we read, that anyone would sustain great spiritual hurt by attacking Christ, but that Christ’s kingdom would eventually destroy those nations who attacked Christianity (Dan. 2:34-35).

Verse 45 shows that the Pharisees knew He was talking about them. They must have known what they really were and been reasonably sure who Jesus (Yashuah) really was.

But there is even more about the subject of the Stone, particularly the cornerstone. Let's look at Ephesians 2:

Eph 2:19-22 (NKJV) Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, {20} having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner <stone>, {21} in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, {22} in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

What does this say?

1. We too are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets along with Jesus Christ who is the chief corner stone.

2. Through Christ we are to be joined together into a holy temple in the Lord. In other words, we are to become a part of the spiritual temple of God.

Let's look at Revelation 3:

Rev 3:12 (NKJV) "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And <I will write on him> My new name.

Now, linking this verse with Eph 2:22, we can see that we can become pillars, major supports, in God's temple. And, we will not be able to leave the temple. We will be an integral part of it. Keep in mind, this is a spiritual temple.

Let's look now at Haggai 2:

Hag 2:9 (NKJV) 'The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,' says the LORD of hosts. 'And in this place I will give peace,' says the LORD of hosts."

The greatest temple in Jerusalem up to this point has been the one built by Solomon. But God's temple of Christ and His supporters, his brothers, his bride, will surpass them all. And Jerusalem shall finally have peace. God will answer our prayers for the peace of Jerusalem.

In conclusion, let me ask you a question I implied earlier: Is your Stone a part of the strong foundation of Christ, a part of God's temple, or is your stone a stumbling stone?

Sermon given by Wayne Bedwell

1 May 2010

Studies in the Word of God

Church of God Most High
P.O. Box 89741
Tucson, AZ 85752-9741
USA

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