The Cornerstone
Pastor Jamie Self - 4/5/2026
This Easter sermon centers on the "cornerstone" — the rejected stone of Psalm 118 — revealing Jesus as the one rejected, killed, and buried, yet risen to become the foundation of all life. Through the parable of the wicked tenants, Jesus exposes how the religious builders passed over the very stone God chose, and warns that this same choice confronts everyone. Drawing from Peter's own journey from betrayal to belief, the message unpacks 1 Peter 2:4-10, declaring that all who come to Christ become "living stones" — a chosen race, royal priesthood, and holy nation built upon Him. The sermon calls believers to proclaim the excellencies of God not just in singing, but in forgiveness, humility, and joyful endurance through trials.
Weekly Reflection
“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone... It’s not just a slab buried under the soil, but it is now a living stone. As you come to the stone that is living, you too will be alive.”
Easter is the story of a dramatic reversal. Jesus was the stone rejected by the "builders" of this world—disregarded, killed, and buried. But the resurrection changed everything. He is no longer a dead artifact to be studied in a museum; He is the Living Stone, the foundation of a new reality.
When we attach our lives to Him, we aren't just observing an exhibit; we are "living stones" being built into a spiritual house. We are misfits and outsiders who have been given a new identity: a chosen race, a royal priesthood, and God’s own possession. Our purpose now is simple but profound: to overflow with the "proclamation of His excellencies" in how we forgive, how we suffer with hope, and how we love others.
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This Week’s Challenge:
Identify Your "Builder" Tendencies: Are you currently a "world builder" trying to secure your own life, or a "kingdom builder" resting on the cornerstone? Remember, there is nothing you can do to save yourself—you must simply trust "the guy on the middle cross."
Action: This week, look for one "ground-level" way to proclaim His excellencies. Choose to respond to a trial with joy or offer forgiveness to someone the world would write off. As you do, thank God for calling you out of darkness and into His marvelous light.
Scripture:
Psalm 118:21–24, Matthew 21:33–44