Too often, when we surrender our lives to Christ, we expect pastors to conduct the ministry of our local church. Peter offered a different perspective, one that modeled the life of Christ and centered on Him, The Living Cornerstone. You might see the underlying premise as a radical idea: You are a priest.
The cornerstone was the first stone situated on the foundation of a building. As the central point of measurement, the remaining stones were built upon it, aligned with it, and then connected to it. Two walls coming together at a right angle would set atop the cornerstone. By God’s design, a spiritual house builds, aligns, and connects with the Living Cornerstone, Jesus Christ.
Peter wrote: “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by human beings but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4-5). Jesus Christ is the Living Cornerstone, the foundation of life. He revealed His identity as The Rock to His disciple, Peter (Matthew 16:16-18).
Every Christ-follower in God’s spiritual house is a priest. We as believers are the living stones being built into a spiritual house, a movement to impact our culture in Christ. As you come to him communicated a continual approaching of Jesus Christ The Living Cornerstone. This is His design for our lives: As we get banged up by the world, we return to Jesus to be built up by Him, so that our culture will connect with the eternal and abundant life only found in Christ.
Continually come to the Living Cornerstone and experience communion with Him. Begin each day by reading the Bible. Engaging with one verse every morning will yield more benefit than intending to read an entire chapter and never setting aside the time to do so. Reading one chapter a day in Proverbs will provide you the wisdom needed for every choice you make. Reading a chapter a day in the New Testament will reveal Wisdom personified in Jesus Christ. Reading the Old Testament daily will put in perspective God’s story with His people. When you read the Word, pray that God will open your heart to anything He wants you to know, do, or change. Then apply what you read as you serve others in community. If you are not part of a small group of believers with whom you can confess your sins and meet the needs of others, ask God for your next steps to begin this journey. He will demonstrate your value and identity as a priest.
Episode 400: Restoration Theology | Ecclesiology: The Study of the Church from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.