Ephesians 2:11-22
:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; :12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: :13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. :14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; :15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; :16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: :17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. :18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. :19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; :20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; :21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: :22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
I've shared a larger portion of scripture than usual today but as I was reading these verses i couldn't find a place to cut them off. This entire portion of scripture speaks to the Christ ministry of unification or bring things together that would have never been together otherwise. Jews and Gentiles, man and the law, man and God, Old Testament and New. The word cornerstone represents Christ perfectly in these verses and I believe is the keyword of theses verses. What is the ministry of a cornerstone? A cornerstone brings together two walls and is the common denominator between the two and not only the two walls but the entire building. In the day this epistle is written a cornerstone was common knowledge, especially to builders and stone masons. The cornerstone was the first stone that was set and precise detail and accuracy went into it's placement. If the cornerstone was out of measurement by any degree, before the building was complete the walls wouldn't be straight the roof would be slanting in the wrong direction and everything would be amiss. Every measurement made was drwn back to that first stone that was set and it served as the standard for the whole building. The north wall measured backed to the cornerstone, the south wall drew it's measurements from the cornerstone and the east and west wall as well. The roof, the floor, the walls, the foundation and every other aspect of the building all had a common denominator, they were all unified at one point. They all served their respective purpose, the walls keeping in the things that were meant to be in and keeping out the things that where meant to be out, the roof sheilding from the elements, the floor providing a place to walk and place the furniture of the building, the foundation holding everything up. Every aspect serrved in it's respective duty, yet all aspects where measured from and had a commonality in one place in the building, the cornerstone. These stones, because of their significance, were often ornate and inscribed with dates or names or other information the builder thought important to all who may visit the building. Consider as well the intent of a building, when a building is built it is with the intent to house people or things and all buildings are built with an intention in mind. Maybe a school house or a church house or even your house, they are all built with intent to be inhabited.
Now let's considers Christ ministry as the cornerstone. Christ sets in the chief position in the church and it is from him that the church has commonality. All our attitudes, ideals, actions should be measured by Christ. He is the standard and there is none other truer or more accurate than He. If measure ourselves among ourselves we can be sure the life we are building will be slanted, miss-measured and out of place but when Christ is in the Cornerstone position in your life you have a true standard to reference and a life or ministry that is measured by Christ' standard will stand the winds of adversity, the rains of sorrow and anything else that this life may throw at it. I want to speak more of the church as a whole though and how he brought all things together. Jew and Gentile, Law and Man, God and Man, Prophets and Apostles. Each one served/serves there respective duties. Christ is the messiah to jews and the savior of the gentiles, the prophets pointed to his coming, first and second, the apostles pointed back to his first coming and forward to his second coming, Christ took a body of flesh and in that body fulfilled the law, bringing together man and law and then suffered the punishment of the ordinances of the law. Abraham looked for his coming same as me, Noah moved with fear as I did, Paul preached Christ as I do. My aim is not to elevate my self to the high position of this men of God but rather to show that Christ is the common denominator of all believers, I'm not a prophet or a apostle but I serve the same Christ they did, I have the same father they did and operate by the same Spirit they did. We all Go back Christ, our cornerstone, the first stone that was set in the building of the church. You say; "But, Christ came after the prophets." Let me remind you He was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the earth and the first of many brethren. The Old testament points to Him the New Testament points to him, the law was fulfilled by him and we all find our root in him.
This building of the Church was with intention, as any other building would be, that intention being a habitation of God through the Spirit. We are the habitation of God on earth, through his Spirit he dwells among men, in men. In the OT he dwelt in a tabernacle and only one man could enter in and atone for the sins of men, the high priest, but now Christ has assumed the role as our heavenly high priest and His Spirit dwells in us. On the day of Pentecost this was signified when the cloven tongues of fire appeared above the believers that day. That fire that would only fall in the holy of hollies was now finding its abode in the hearts of men. The veil of the temple that kept men shut out God's presence was rent in twain from the top to the bottom and now we can enter in and find help in a time of need. God is building his church and he set Christ as the cornerstone, the apostles and prophets as the foundation and us as the walls and roof and every other part necessary for a habitation of His Spirit. I have brothers and sisters that are different than me but our common ground is Christ, we are much different than the apostles and prophets but our measurements are drawn from the same place, Christ, the cornerstone of the Church.
According to the riches of His Grace!!