How do you align your life with Jesus Christ? This is one of the most significant questions each of us must address because God has designed Christ-followers to be His ambassadors to a lost and hurting world.

Jesus Christ the Living Cornerstone is the benchmark, the central point of measurement, for every living stone, each person who surrenders their life to Christ. Jesus’ disciple, Peter, referenced God’s plan as described by the prophet Isaiah: “For in Scripture it says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame’” (1 Peter 2:6; c.f. Isaiah 28:16). Isaiah’s passage exhorted Yahweh’s sovereign rule over history in spite of appearances to the contrary. Peter selected the first prophecy concerning Ephraim. The leaders had been given great promises, symbolized by the stone laid in Zion, but they rejected the stone, choosing disobedience, apathy, and indulgence over a living, vibrant relationship with God. Similarly, in the first century AD, people were rejecting Jesus.

Peter preached Jesus the Precious Living Cornerstone was the Messiah: “Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’” (1 Peter 2:7; c.f. Psalm 118:22). John clarified: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them” (John 3:36). Paul taught that religious rule-keepers were crushed by The Rock because they trusted in themselves and did not pursue Him in faith (see Romans 9:30-33).

For anyone who disobeys the message of Christ, He becomes their stumbling stone: “And, ‘A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.’ They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for” (1 Peter 2:8; c.f. Isaiah 8:14).

Align your choices with Jesus Christ the Living Cornerstone by entering a discipleship relationship. Meet each week with another believer to study the Bible, pray, confess sins, and share the Holy Spirit’s promptings in your lives. Just like a chiropractor aligns a spine that falls out of alignment, God will honor your facedown humility to align your lives with His.

Episode 400: Restoration Theology | Ecclesiology: The Study of the Church from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.