Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the First Lesson just read, from Acts 4. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- What is so significant about a “cornerstone”? We don’t know so much anymore, because we are not involved in building with large stones any more. When a building is built of stones, the cornerstone is the first stone laid – and therefore the reference stone for every other stone in the building. So it is the chief, or most important stone!
- In our text, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, stated the truth. The One that the rulers and elders crucified and rejected “has become the cornerstone.”
- Obviously, this is figurative – and we might like to ask, “the cornerstone of what building or structure”? The answer that Peter gives is that it is the “structure” that brings and gives “salvation.”
- One might then ask, “Salvation from what? What kind of salvation”? To which the Bible would answer: salvation from the condemnation of our sins, forgiveness, salvation from our slavery to sin – freedom through the renewal of our nature to truly love, and also salvation from death and hell, freedom to live at peace with God here and now, and forever, in His glorious heavenly kingdom.
- This “cornerstone” begins the entirety of mankind’s eternal future, which is God’s work, God’s gracious love toward us. So there is nothing more important than Jesus – everything that is of genuine value and importance to us, to creation, to all of humanity, begins with and is founded upon Jesus.
- And this is true whether the other “stones” recognize it to be so, or not. But by nature, every human being starts out like the priests and the Sadducees, skeptical, unbelieving, rejecting of Jesus. But we see in our text that:
I. The Preaching Of Jesus Moves Things And Makes Things Happen
A. The Apostle’s Preaching Was Annoying To Some, And Caused Their Arrest
Text: “As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed, because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.”
B. But Many Others Came To Faith Through The Preaching Of The Word
Text: “But many of those who heard the Word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.”
Statement: Imagine that – that the authorities became so annoyed at the disciples preaching that they arrested them! Of course, we already know what they were capable of – when they became annoyed at Jesus Himself! Now they had the additional guilt of killing an innocent man upon them, and this business of Jesus rising again from the dead. They were being accused by these disciples of Jesus of being murderers, and people who reject the work of God!
On the other hand, look at the people coming to faith through the preaching of Peter and the others, the message of God’s gracious love and salvation in Christ Jesus! This is wondrous – and we wish it were so today, that such numbers of people would hear the Word of Jesus and come to faith in Him, and to salvation!
Application: This two-fold response to Jesus, and to the message of the church, and the life of the church, has continued to this very day! So it should not surprise us that many today are “annoyed” by the Word of Jesus. They have determined to live, to think, and to construct their “mental” and spiritual world, based upon evil and ungodly things. They have rejected the call to repent of their sins. They have rejected God’s precious gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation – deciding that they can save themselves.
We must not give up, however, for even in the midst of this animosity from the priests, scribes, Sadducees, and Pharisees, many people were coming to faith in Jesus! And the same happens today! So we continue to base our lives on the cornerstone, to rejoice in God’s salvation, and to speak the Word to others. And this is all good, for:
II. The Preaching Of Jesus Must Go On Even In Hostile Settings
A. It Goes On, As Does All Activity In The Church, By The Power Of Jesus
Text: “let it be known to all of you 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 is standing before you well.”
B. It Must Go On For Mankind’s Salvation Is In Jesus Alone [And This Means The End Of Religion]
Text: “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other Name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
C. And All Of This Goes On By The Power Of The Holy Spirit
Text: “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit . . . “
Statement: This continues to be the life of the church to this very day – that it is accompanied by the power of Jesus, that it alone has the One in Whom alone there is necessary and certain salvation. There is no other true and genuine “salvation.” Likewise, it is the working of the Holy Spirit that accomplishes everything within the church! And it is all built upon Jesus – “THE CORNERSTONE.”
Application: So also today, regardless of the acrimony and opposition of some, we continue to preach Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God Who gave Himself as sacrifice for our sin and guilt, and Who was raised again in glory – the Son of God, for our justification and salvation. The power of Jesus continues to accomplish remarkable things, and the Spirit of God continues to compel and accompany the ministry of God’s Word. And the church does grow – and we pray that it grow and succeed in the world even more!
Conclusion: As cornerstone and foundation, Jesus is the place to build your life! He is the main thing in the church, our life and salvation, our peace with God and our eternal life!
He continues to move and stir things in the world today, by means of His church – annoying some, but bringing joy and peace and salvation through faith to others.
Thanks and praise be to God – that He is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the only Way to the Father, the only One in Whom we must be saved”! He has saved us – through the ministry of His church! And we are privileged to serve the kingdom of God to this day – and He is still with us to this day to bless our work. Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.