Cornerstone
Scripture Reading — Ephesians 2:11-22
You are . . . members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ himself as the chief cornerstone.
Christian churches around the world are built using a wide variety of materials. Construction materials may be of stone, wood, metal, mud, and straw—to name just a few examples. But all Christian churches have one thing in common: Jesus is the key building component of the church.
Paul calls Jesus Christ the cornerstone of the church. In constructing ancient buildings, the cornerstone was the principle stone placed at the corner of a building, and all other stones were set in reference to it. The cornerstone set the direction so that the structure would be straight and true.
Jesus Christ is the cornerstone on which the whole church depends and to which the whole church aligns. And as the apostle Peter describes it, all who believe in Christ are "like living stones . . . being built into a spiritual house" (1 Peter 2:5), which holds together as the one edifice of God's people spread throughout the earth.
What is your church made of? Let this imagery remind you that the church is not a building but the gathering of God's people established on the cornerstone of Jesus Christ.
Let us all give thanks for Christ's mercy in joining us with his followers around the world!
Jesus, in and through you as our cornerstone, we belong to your church here at home and around the world. By your grace, help us to be your presence wherever we are. Amen.
About the author — Kurt Selles
Kurt Selles is the director of ReFrame Ministries and serves as the Executive Editor of Today. He is a graduate of Calvin College and Seminary, and received his PhD from Vanderbilt University. Before coming to ReFrame, he served 19 years in Taiwan and China with CRC World Missions. Kurt later taught missions at Beeson Divinity School, where he also acted as the director of the school’s Global Center. Kurt and his wife, Vicki, reside in Grand Rapids and have three adult children.
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