Jesus is the Cornerstone

So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family. We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through Him you Gentiles are also joined together as part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22

God's kingdom is made up of all kinds of people. His kingdom includes people of ALL time who have placed their trust in Him and confessed Him as their Savior and Lord. There aren't any strangers, foreigners or second class citizens. Look what else it says...not only are we citizens of heaven, best of all, we are members of God's own family. It says we are His house, set on the foundation of the apostles and prophets...not the men themselves, but the important things they taught...the divine revelation of God's word they gave to us. The cornerstone sets the foundation and squares the building. So Jesus is the foundation for our "house" and keeps our "house" square. If the house is not square what happens...things over time will begin to warp and fall in...hmmm...so the cornerstone is very important. So if the cornerstone of my life is not Jesus....then my life will begin to warp and fall in. When we became believers, we became a stone in Christ's church or the body of believers. The commentary in my Bible says the building of His church will not be complete until every person who will believe in Him has done so....sounds like we have work to do!!! In the last verse the word dwelling indicates a permanent home. God the Holy Spirit (think about yesterday's sermon) takes up permanent residence in the stones of Christ's church.

You are God's child. He loves you as much as He loves the one He sent to save you. Be a living stone for His kingdom. As Max Lucado says: "If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it!"