I want to speak to you about Jesus. Is He your cornerstone, or is He a stumbling stone in your life? When Jesus was presented at the temple as an infant, Simeon made a profound statement: “This child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel.” Jesus impacts each of us differently—some find in Him their foundation, while others stumble over Him.
Peter echoes this in 1 Peter 2:4-10, describing Jesus as the “living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God.” Jesus is that perfectly laid cornerstone upon which everything else in our lives should be built. Just as a builder ensures the first stone is plumb and level, God made Jesus the cornerstone of our spiritual house. We, too, are living stones being built into a spiritual temple.
But what does that mean for us practically? Paul in Romans 12 calls us to present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. Our responsibility is to offer ourselves completely to Him, to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, and to live lives that reflect His will. Hebrews 13 reminds us to continually offer sacrifices of praise and to do good and share with others, for these are the sacrifices that please God.
Paul, writing to Timothy, speaks of finishing the race and keeping the faith, knowing that a crown of righteousness awaits those who remain faithful. This is our calling—to live as God’s chosen people, a royal priesthood, to proclaim His praises, and to live in the light He has given us.
However, for those who reject Jesus, He becomes a stumbling stone, a rock of offense. Just as Israel stumbled by trying to attain righteousness through the law, many today stumble by refusing to submit to Jesus and trying to earn their way to heaven by their deeds. But without faith in Jesus, without building our lives on Him, we are doomed to fail.
I leave you with this question: What kind of rock is Jesus to you? Is He the cornerstone of your life, the foundation on which you build, or is He a stumbling block over which you trip? There is no middle ground. Jesus offers you a choice: Believe, obey, and build your life on Him, or reject Him and face the consequences. The choice is yours.
If you recognize that your life is not right with God, I urge you to repent, to turn away from your sins, and to change your life. Confess that Jesus is the Son of God, be baptized, and rise as a new person, washed clean of all sin. And if you’ve already done that but have stumbled, remember that you can always turn back to God and seek His forgiveness.
Consider where you stand with Jesus. Don’t hesitate if you need to make a change. Jesus is here, ready to be your cornerstone if you’ll let Him.
