Sovereign Grace Chapel, located
at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to
listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. If you have your Bibles this
morning and want to follow along, turn with me to 1 Peter 2. 1
Peter 2, and I want to read verses 6-8. 1 Peter 2, 6-8. wherefore also it is contained
in the scripture. Behold, I lay in Zion a chief
cornerstone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on him
shall not be confounded. Unto you, therefore, which believe,
he is precious. But unto them which be disobedient,
the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made
the head of the corner. and a stone of stumbling, and
a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being
disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed. When we read in scripture and
we read about those who are called Pharisees and those who are called
Sadducees, it is referencing those of the religious in those
days. So when we read of them in scripture,
they are examples of those who are religious in our day. The
religious in our day are no different than those of that day. They
teach men and women to build by keeping the law. They teach
men and women to build by their own righteousness. They teach
men and women to build on keeping their own traditions that they
have always held to. They teach men and women to build
on their own will. I want to be clear, I said will,
not free will. Because free will does not exist. They want to build their own
way to God by their self will. This kind of building is building
upon sand. This is that kind of building
that when the waters of judgment come, all of it will be washed
away to nothing. It will fall, and Christ says,
great will be the fall of it. In Matthew 7, verses 24 through
27, we read this. Matthew 7, verses 24 through 27. Therefore, whosoever heareth
these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a
wise man which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended,
and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that
house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. And
every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them
not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon
the sand. And the rain descended, and the
floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and
it fell. And great was the fall of it. Just think. You go through this
life thinking you have a building that will stand in that day.
But it being one that is built on sand and the fall of it will
be a great fall. It may be, it may just be that
you will stand before Christ saying as they do in Matthew
7 and verses 22. Many will say to me in that day,
Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name
have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful
works. Then Jesus Christ will say unto
them, I want to point out that Christ never says they did not
do these things. He just says the following to
them in verses 23. And then will I profess unto
them, that is Jesus Christ, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye
that work iniquity. So the question seems to be,
does Christ know you? Does Jesus Christ know me? Jesus
Christ is that rock which we must build upon. 1 Corinthians
10 and verse 4 says, and did all drink the same spiritual
drink, for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed
them, and that rock was Christ. So let's look at who Jesus Christ
is as it is seen in our passage. I want to go through the following
as it concerns the passage which we have read. The chief cornerstone
and disobedient builders. The chief cornerstone, 1 Peter
2 and verse 6 says, wherefore also it is contained in the scripture. Behold, I lay in Zion a chief
cornerstone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on him
shall not be confounded. Here in our passage, it says
that God will lay in Zion a chief cornerstone. The word here means
the extreme corner. It is a stone placed in the corner
that is the foundation for bringing two walls together. It says of
this chief cornerstone that it is elect and precious. Jesus
Christ himself was the elect of God. It was he that was chosen
to redeem his people from their sin. Isaiah 42, 1 reads, Behold
my servant, whom I uphold, that is God, mine elect, in whom my
soul delighteth. I have put my spirit upon him. He shall bring forth judgment
to the Gentiles. Jesus Christ is God manifest
in the flesh. God himself coming down to this
earth. He had to be a man because only
that which is of the same kind can bring forth those of the
same kind. So he had to be a man or salvation
would not have come to mankind. This man, Jesus Christ the Lord,
was chosen because it was he and only he that could do the
work. This is what makes him precious. He is so precious that
there is none like unto him. Scripture says of us that even
our righteousnesses are as filthy rags in his sight. But he is
one of a kind. There is none like unto him.
He is a man so he could touch man and not be defiled. He is
God so he can touch God and not be consumed. He is so precious
that He can bring both God and man together in Himself in honor
to His honor and glory. He is precious to the Father
because He is the perfect spotless Lamb of God in which no blemishes
are ever to be found. It was His sacrifice that was
well-pleasing unto God the Father. Christ is the only begotten of
the Father. He is also precious to the believer
because He took into His own body their sin so that they might
be made the righteousness of God in Him. He is precious to
them because not only is Jesus Christ life, He is their life. Jesus Christ is not just a way
of life. He is life itself to the believer. It is this one elect, precious
chief cornerstone, which is what the building is built upon. This
stone, that rock in which when the waters of God's judgment
come, the house will stand and not fall. It is a rock that we
can count on, knowing he was accepted of the Father, being
well-pleasing unto him. There is nothing to be added
to this rock. It is that rock which holds everything
in its right place. Nothing is to be added to it
or taken from it. If you, if I, am on this rock
when the judgment of God comes, I'm talking about any judgment
of God, whether it be now or that judgment to come. But if
we are on this rock, if this rock is our foundation, he will
say to us, well done, thou good and faithful servant. Why? Because if He is your foundation,
it is His work He will see, and not our works of righteousness,
which are filthy rags in God's sight. So who are these builders? These disobedient builders? It
is anyone who is building a house meant for protection against
the judgment and wrath of God. Those who are building for their
own righteousness before God. No human being as they are born
in Adam will build upon that stone. They hate this stone by
nature. What they say is they will not
have this man reign over them. That is religious or irreligious. Do they say these words with
their mouth? Most will not, but they are saying this if they
are trying to add something to this cornerstone. if they are
adding anything to salvation but Jesus Christ alone, if they're
trying to add anything other than that, other than Jesus Christ
alone for salvation. You are saying this if you think
or say or even when you try to keep the law for righteousness
before the thrice holy God. You are doing this by trying
to work, when you try to work enough righteousness, that is,
enough good works to outweigh your bad works. Some may not
say they can keep the law fully, but believe they can do just
good enough to make their good outweigh their bad. It simply
is not true. The scripture says the plowing
of the wicked is sin. In Proverbs 21 verse 4 it says,
and high look and a proud heart and the plowing of the wicked
is sin. We are all wicked by nature. God does not demand good. He
demands perfection, the keeping of the law fully. James 2 and
10 says, for whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend
in one point, he is guilty of all. If you do not believe this,
then read what James says just before this verse, in verse nine
of James 2. But if you have respect to persons,
you commit sin and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
So if you prefer someone over another, you have respect of
persons. For whatever reason it is that you prefer them, it
does not matter. You prefer a person over another,
therefore you have respect of persons. People also do this,
and they do this by saying, I must make a choice to believe God.
And it is because of my choice that God will accept me. Some
call this free will, but free will does not exist. Christ told
the disciples, ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. John 15 and verse 16 we read. Christ says, ye have not chosen
me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that ye should go
and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain. That
whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give
it you. But Christ also says, you cannot
and will not come to him that you might have life. He says
in John 5 verse 40, he says, and ye will not come to me that
ye might have life. And again in John 8 verse 43
it says, why do you not understand my speech? Even because you cannot
hear my word. Anything you try to add with
this chief cornerstone, what this chief cornerstone did for
the acceptance before God is an abomination before God. This
is adding to that chief cornerstone. This is saying, I will not have
this man reign over me because what he did is not good enough.
I have to do more. These works God does not recognize
because they came from a fallen dead alien sinner and it is not
accepted of God. Only those works done by his
son Jesus Christ the Lord are accepted by God and they in fact
have already been accepted of God. He is satisfied with the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ the Lord. God cannot be satisfied
with anything we do because the scripture says, without faith
it is impossible to please God. And all men do not have faith.
2 Thessalonians 3 verse 2 says, and that way we may be delivered
from unreasonable and wicked men, for all men have not faith. Faith is not just a gift from
God. It says in Ephesians 2.8, for
by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God. It is for sure the gift of God,
don't get me wrong. But faith is intrinsic to Jesus
Christ. Hebrews 12 and 2 says, looking
unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who for the joy that
was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and
is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Faith given
by God, if he is pleased to give it, will point you to Jesus Christ
the Lord. because it is his faith. The
Holy Spirit having given you life and a part of the fruit
of the Spirit being faith. When the faith of Jesus Christ
is proclaimed, the Holy Spirit of God will seal that to your
heart, letting you know these things are true. The Holy Spirit
of God will never seal any work of your hands to your soul. If
you think he does, then the faith you have is another faith. Jesus
Christ is God the Holy Spirit is God Scripture says that the
Holy Spirit will not speak of himself. He will speak of Jesus
Christ the Lord and the work he has done So if you are looking
and believing in any work you do for salvation including looking
at your believing Then you are not looking at Christ the rock
which is our salvation Not only is Christ the chief cornerstone,
he is the head of the corner. He is the head of the corner. What is the head of the corner?
This head is one of two things. Not because he is different,
but because some of us are different. We either believe or we are builders
according to our passage. Those who believe are built up
a spiritual house by God himself. To those who believe, he is precious. But those who are builders, he
is to you a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. In other
words, those that stumble at the word, they hate the truth
of God, truth of Jesus Christ and him crucified. They are disobedient
to his truth. And that is he, that is Jesus
Christ and he alone who saves. These are they who were appointed
by God to this end. Believers are a chosen generation
that is chose by God to this end. He is what starts the building
and he is what completes the building. I have already said
it was the faith of Jesus Christ that wrought or that is worked
out salvation toward men Those for whom he chose all this was
done by Jesus Christ And he was bruised and he has bruised the
head of the serpent that is the devil the bruising being crushed
his head or that is gaped it wide open so that he is taken
out of the way and Those who are in Christ being made the
righteousness of God in Him, that is, Jesus Christ the Lord,
they look to and trust in His work for salvation. Who is this passage talking about,
these builders? Those builders are they who try
to build their building for some other place rather than the head
of the corner. Something man does, in other
words. As I've already said, they build many different buildings.
But there is no head cornerstone in the building, so it will fall. Many build their building on
a denomination. It does not matter what denomination
it is, if that is your hope of salvation, because you belong
to a certain denomination or certain religion, then you are
building on sand. It does not matter if you are
building on atheism. If that is what your hope is,
whatever that hope is, whether it be to think you will just
die and that's the end of it, you're building on the wrong
foundation and your building will fall. If your building is
built on what your family has done or held to, then you're
building on the wrong foundation. If you are building on doing
good to your fellow man, you are building on the wrong foundation. If you are building on a decision
you made once upon a time, you are building on the wrong foundation. There is only one cornerstone,
one chief cornerstone. one head of the corner. That
is Jesus Christ the Lord. Salvation will not come any other
way. And this way is a shore foundation,
a rock that cannot be moved. He is either precious to you
or you will stumble at him. Jesus Christ says himself in
Hebrews 10 and verse 7, Then said I, lo I, come, in the volume
of the book it is written of me, to do thy will, O God. The scripture, the holy Bible,
is all about Jesus Christ and what he has done. So we read
that there are some that Jesus Christ will say he never knew
then. Matthew 7 and verse 23. It says,
and we've read it, and then will I profess unto them, I never
knew you. Depart from me, ye that work
iniquity. So the next question would be,
how do I know if he knows me? Here is how you can know if he
knows you. if you believe the record God gave of his son. That
is, Jesus Christ, being God, came down as a man, taking your
place to satisfy the justice of God against you. He did this,
and it is finished. Do you believe this? Scripture
says if you do, then you are born of God. The scripture says
we are all the children of wrath as we are born by nature. That
is, we hate God as we are born in Adam. For some, those who
were chosen in Christ before the world began, they have their
mind changed because he chose them to this end. But in God
choosing us, it was not just for the purpose of choosing a
people. It was first and foremost for
his glory, but it was also unto something. That is, sanctification
of the spirit, that is, God giving us life, and belief of the truth,
that is, believing the gospel of Jesus Christ to Him crucified.
He does this so that you can then believe the record God gave
of His Son. If you have any other name where
you are looking for salvation, then it is the wrong name. If
you are building in the name of free will, your building will
fall one day. If you are building in the name
of works for righteousness before God, you are building in the
wrong name and your building will fall one day. Turn with
me to Acts chapter four. Acts chapter four. Acts chapter four and verses
10 through 12. Be it known unto you all, and
to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ
of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead,
even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is
the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become
the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in
any other, for there is none other name under heaven given
among men, whereby we must be saved. Salvation is only found
in Jesus Christ and what he has done. If you are building on
anything else, you are building on sand, and great will the fall
be of it. Those who are his are glad to
build on Jesus Christ. He is, in fact, the only thing
they have. They have nothing else for which
to build their salvation on. He did all the work, and it was
his work that was accepted. These who build on this cornerstone
are in the household of God. Ephesians chapter two, verses
19 through 21, we read, Now therefore, ye are no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints,
and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation
of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the
chief cornerstone. In whom all the building fitly
framed together groweth unto an holy temple, in the Lord. Any other building will not grow
up in this way. It will not be a holy temple
in the Lord. Any other building is just filthy
rags in God's sight. You need the head of the corner
to be in total safety. His house will not fall and no
other building will do. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians
chapter three. 1 Corinthians chapter three.
1 Corinthians chapter three. 1 Corinthians chapter three and
verse 11. 1 Corinthians chapter three and
verse 11. For other foundation can no man
lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. What building do you want to
build on? There is but one which will stand in that day. Build
on that shore rock, so when that day comes and the rain comes
down, the building will stand forevermore. If you are building
on anything else, Scripture tells us, and it is clear, that your
building will fall, and great will be the fall of it. Just a reminder at 12 noon every
Sunday on WVVACW, we have a portion of one of our Sunday messages.
Please join us at that time and listen in. Or come and be with
us. We start at 1030. We're just
past Little Beaver State Park off of, you turn on Country Club
Drive and then on Annabelle Lane. Come hear Jesus Christ and him
crucified proclaim.