Building Our Lives on the Cornerstone of Christ
Summary
### Summary
This morning, we delved into Psalm 118, a psalm rich in history and significance for God's people. Psalm 118 has been a cornerstone of Jewish worship, especially during the Passover, and it continues to resonate with us today. We began by reading the psalm congregationally, reflecting on its themes of God's enduring faithfulness and love. The psalm serves as a reminder that God is our foundation, our refuge, and our salvation.
We explored the metaphor of a house to understand our lives in relation to God. Just as a house needs a strong cornerstone to stand firm, our lives need Jesus as the cornerstone. The cornerstone is not just any stone; it is the first stone laid, setting the direction and strength for the entire structure. Jesus, as our cornerstone, is strong enough to hold us up, upright to guide our lives, and the perfect representation of what we should aspire to be.
Psalm 118 emphasizes that God is good and His faithful love endures forever. This foundational truth helps us navigate life's challenges and uncertainties. We often don't see God's hand in our present circumstances, but by looking back at His past faithfulness, we can trust Him for our future. The psalmist recounts how God has been a refuge, delivering him from distress and enemies. This refuge is not just a temporary shelter but a lasting security that surpasses any earthly provision.
The psalm also raises the question of worthiness. Can we afford to enter the home that God has built for us? The answer lies in Jesus, the stone the builders rejected, who has become the cornerstone. Through His sacrifice, we are made worthy to enter God's presence. This psalm points forward to Jesus, the Messiah, who fulfills its promises and offers us eternal refuge and salvation.
As we transition to communion, we remember that Jesus, our cornerstone, was rejected and crucified, yet He rose again to become the foundation of our faith. By partaking in communion, we acknowledge His sacrifice and reaffirm our commitment to build our lives on Him.
### Key Takeaways
1. God's Faithfulness as Our Foundation: Psalm 118 reminds us that God's goodness and faithful love are the bedrock of our lives. Just as a house needs a strong foundation, our lives need the unchanging truth of God's character to stand firm through all seasons. Reflecting on His past faithfulness helps us trust Him in our present and future circumstances. [30:52]
2. Jesus as the Cornerstone: The metaphor of the cornerstone in Psalm 118 and its New Testament references highlight Jesus as the essential foundation of our lives. He is strong enough to support us, upright to guide us, and the perfect representation of what we should be. Building our lives on Jesus ensures that we are aligned with God's purpose and direction. [41:18]
3. God as Our Refuge: The psalmist's recounting of God's deliverance from distress and enemies illustrates that God is our ultimate refuge. Earthly securities like money, health, and relationships are fleeting, but God's protection and provision are eternal. Trusting in God as our refuge provides lasting peace and security. [53:04]
4. Worthiness Through Jesus: The question of our worthiness to enter God's presence is answered through Jesus. Though we are unworthy on our own, Jesus' sacrifice makes us worthy. He is the stone the builders rejected, yet He has become the cornerstone, offering us salvation and a place in God's eternal home. [01:00:17]
5. Living in Light of God's Promises: Psalm 118 points forward to the Messiah, Jesus, who fulfills God's promises. As we live our lives, we must decide whether to build on the temporary foundations of this world or on the eternal cornerstone of Jesus. Building on Jesus ensures that our lives are aligned with God's will and purpose, providing us with lasting hope and security. [01:06:24]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[30:52] - Introduction to Psalm 118
[32:04] - Congregational Reading of Psalm 118
[36:04] - Metaphor of a House
[41:18] - Jesus as the Cornerstone
[44:33] - God's Faithfulness and Past Promises
[53:04] - God as Our Refuge
[57:21] - Trusting God Over Earthly Securities
[01:00:17] - Worthiness Through Jesus
[01:06:24] - Building on Jesus
[01:07:53] - Communion and Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
- Psalm 118
- Hebrews 13:5-6
### Observation Questions
1. What are the key themes highlighted in Psalm 118? How do these themes relate to God's character? [30:52]
2. How does the metaphor of a cornerstone in Psalm 118 help us understand Jesus' role in our lives? [41:18]
3. According to the sermon, what does it mean for God to be our refuge? How does the psalmist describe God's deliverance? [53:04]
4. What does Hebrews 13:5-6 say about finding refuge and security in God rather than in earthly things? How does this connect to Psalm 118? [57:21]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it significant that Psalm 118 has been a cornerstone of Jewish worship, especially during the Passover? How does this historical context deepen our understanding of the psalm? [30:52]
2. In what ways does Jesus fulfill the role of the cornerstone as described in Psalm 118? How does this metaphor guide our understanding of building our lives on Him? [41:18]
3. How does the psalmist's recounting of God's past faithfulness help us trust Him in our present and future circumstances? Can you think of a time when reflecting on God's past faithfulness helped you in a difficult situation? [44:33]
4. What does it mean to be made worthy through Jesus, the stone the builders rejected? How does this concept challenge or affirm your understanding of salvation and worthiness? [01:00:17]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's faithfulness in your life. How can remembering this help you trust Him in your current circumstances? [44:33]
2. Jesus is described as the cornerstone of our lives. What practical steps can you take to ensure that your life is built on Him and not on temporary or earthly foundations? [41:18]
3. The sermon mentioned that God is our ultimate refuge, surpassing any earthly provision. What are some earthly securities you tend to rely on, and how can you shift your trust to God instead? [53:04]
4. The psalmist speaks of God's enduring love and faithfulness. How can you remind yourself of these truths daily, especially during challenging times? [30:52]
5. The sermon raised the question of worthiness through Jesus. How does understanding that Jesus' sacrifice makes you worthy impact your relationship with God and others? [01:00:17]
6. Psalm 118 points forward to the Messiah, Jesus. How does this forward-looking perspective influence the way you live your life today? What changes might you need to make to align more closely with God's will and purpose? [01:06:24]
7. During communion, we remember Jesus' sacrifice. How can you make this remembrance a more integral part of your daily life, not just during church services? [01:07:53]
Devotional
Day 1: God's Faithfulness as Our Foundation
God's goodness and faithful love are the bedrock of our lives. Just as a house needs a strong foundation, our lives need the unchanging truth of God's character to stand firm through all seasons. Reflecting on His past faithfulness helps us trust Him in our present and future circumstances. Psalm 118 reminds us that God's enduring faithfulness is a constant source of strength and stability. When we face life's challenges and uncertainties, we can look back at how God has been our refuge and deliverer, knowing that His love and faithfulness will continue to guide us.
The psalmist recounts how God has been a refuge, delivering him from distress and enemies. This refuge is not just a temporary shelter but a lasting security that surpasses any earthly provision. By remembering God's past faithfulness, we can trust Him for our future, knowing that His goodness and love will never fail. This foundational truth helps us navigate life's ups and downs with confidence and peace. [30:52]
Psalm 33:4-5 (ESV): "For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord."
Reflection: Think of a time when you experienced God's faithfulness in your life. How can remembering this instance help you trust Him in your current circumstances?
Day 2: Jesus as the Cornerstone
The metaphor of the cornerstone in Psalm 118 and its New Testament references highlight Jesus as the essential foundation of our lives. He is strong enough to support us, upright to guide us, and the perfect representation of what we should be. Building our lives on Jesus ensures that we are aligned with God's purpose and direction. Just as a cornerstone sets the direction and strength for an entire structure, Jesus sets the course for our lives, providing stability and guidance.
Jesus, as our cornerstone, is not just any stone; He is the first stone laid, setting the direction and strength for the entire structure. By building our lives on Jesus, we ensure that we are aligned with God's will and purpose. This alignment brings us peace, security, and a sense of direction, knowing that we are following the path that God has set for us. [41:18]
Ephesians 2:19-20 (ESV): "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to realign with Jesus as your cornerstone? What steps can you take today to ensure that He is the foundation of your decisions and actions?
Day 3: God as Our Refuge
The psalmist's recounting of God's deliverance from distress and enemies illustrates that God is our ultimate refuge. Earthly securities like money, health, and relationships are fleeting, but God's protection and provision are eternal. Trusting in God as our refuge provides lasting peace and security. When we face trials and uncertainties, we can find comfort and strength in knowing that God is our safe haven, offering us protection and provision that surpasses any earthly security.
God's refuge is not just a temporary shelter but a lasting security that we can rely on in all circumstances. By trusting in God as our refuge, we can experience a peace that transcends our understanding, knowing that He is always with us, protecting and guiding us through life's challenges. This trust in God's eternal refuge allows us to navigate life's uncertainties with confidence and hope. [53:04]
Psalm 46:1-2 (ESV): "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea."
Reflection: What earthly securities do you find yourself relying on more than God? How can you shift your trust to God as your ultimate refuge today?
Day 4: Worthiness Through Jesus
The question of our worthiness to enter God's presence is answered through Jesus. Though we are unworthy on our own, Jesus' sacrifice makes us worthy. He is the stone the builders rejected, yet He has become the cornerstone, offering us salvation and a place in God's eternal home. Through His sacrifice, we are made worthy to enter God's presence, experiencing His love and grace in our lives.
Jesus' rejection and crucifixion were not the end but the beginning of our salvation. By becoming the cornerstone, Jesus offers us a way to be reconciled with God, making us worthy to enter His presence. This worthiness is not based on our own merits but on Jesus' sacrifice, which covers our sins and grants us eternal life. [01:00:17]
1 Peter 2:4-5 (ESV): "As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
Reflection: How does understanding your worthiness through Jesus' sacrifice change the way you approach God in prayer and worship? What steps can you take to live in the confidence of this truth today?
Day 5: Living in Light of God's Promises
Psalm 118 points forward to the Messiah, Jesus, who fulfills God's promises. As we live our lives, we must decide whether to build on the temporary foundations of this world or on the eternal cornerstone of Jesus. Building on Jesus ensures that our lives are aligned with God's will and purpose, providing us with lasting hope and security. By choosing to build on Jesus, we align our lives with God's eternal promises, experiencing the peace and security that comes from living in His will.
Living in light of God's promises means making daily decisions that reflect our trust in Jesus as our cornerstone. It involves prioritizing our relationship with Him, seeking His guidance, and aligning our actions with His teachings. This intentional living brings us lasting hope and security, knowing that we are building our lives on a foundation that will never fail. [01:06:24]
Hebrews 6:18-19 (ESV): "So that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain."
Reflection: What temporary foundations have you been building on in your life? How can you begin to shift your focus to building on the eternal cornerstone of Jesus today?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "His faithfulness does not have an expiration date. And there are two things that are pointed to here that I want to point out. First of all, we give thanks to the Lord because he is, good. What does that mean? Well, that can take us back to Genesis 1. You think about when the Lord was creating the earth, and you remember each day he creates something new, or he puts something new in the earth, and then he looks on it, and what does the Lord see? That it is good." [47:05] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The good news is that we can look at how God has been working in our lives day after day. After year. After decade. After century. He has been faithful to us. He has been good. And we can see that as we look in the rearview mirror and see what all God has done to bring us to this moment. And we can trust that his hand will continue to be on us today, in the hospital room, or wherever we are. And he will continue to have his hand on us with whatever we face going forward." [46:18] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "So the question is, are you looking for solutions to get you through the next 10, 20, 30, 40 years? Or are you looking to the one who will create a foundation, and a refuge for your home that will last forever, as you were intended, and will stand through both good times and bad times, and everything in between? It will be there that the Lord will be your refuge." [55:48] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Will you build on Jesus? Will you see him as the cornerstone and, and put your hope in him alone? Or, will you seek to build your own home that will not last upon money or who wins the election or all these other things that will fail you? Will you build on Jesus?" [01:06:24] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The sermon in a sentence this morning is that Psalm 118 shows us that we should build our lives on Jesus, the only cornerstone that is strong enough to hold our lives and upright to make us worthy to live the life that God has called us to." [41:18] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "The cornerstone is the first stone that was laid when you were building a new home or a new building. And the reason is that it was critical because it's the first stone, and it's got to be strong enough. Like, this is at the foundation. This has to be able to hold the home together. It needs to be strong. But it also was significant for establishing the direction of the home. And so when you laid that cornerstone, you wanted to make sure that it's facing in the right direction. Because everything else is going to be built around this." [42:29] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "We can know that if he is good, even we're in circumstances that are not good, that we can trust that at the foundation, God knows exactly where things are going, that his hand is on us, and that it is for our good. Now this is one of those, this word faithful love, it's actually one word in the Hebrew. And it's one of those things like the capital L-O-R-D, where you can kind of spot it and you can go, oh, I bet I know what the Hebrew word is there." [48:40] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "And so I think about for us, like, what does it look like for us to reject Jesus as the cornerstone? The reason that you would reject a stone as the cornerstone, it could be because it's not strong enough or not straight enough. But oftentimes, the reason a stone gets rejected as the cornerstone is as simple as, this isn't the kind of building I'm trying to build. This could be a good cornerstone for some other building, but it's not the building that I'm trying to build." [01:04:49] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "And so that's the question that we should be asking about the home that we are building that is our lives. What's at the foundation? What's at the foundation? What's the structure of this life? Could this house hold you up through all seasons, both good and bad?" [40:15] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "And so you can see this. It's the most common used word in the Old Testament to describe how God loves his people. He doesn't just love his people. He loves his people. He loves his people. He loves his people. Just see something admirable in them. But from the moment that he began making promises, and we've been, we've been looking at the whole Old Testament and seeing how God makes covenants with his people, how he makes these promises with them, and we see here his faithful love endures forever, that he will continue to keep those promises that he has made over and over again." [50:10] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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