"Coming to Him a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame. Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone, and a stone of stumbling And a rock of offense. They stumble, being disobedient to the word, which they also were appointed."
What is the Living Stone?
Spiritual House
- Matthew 7:24-27
The wise man built his on a rock and when the rains and winds beat down on it that house did not fall because it had the solid foundation of the rock.
The foolish man build his house on the sand. If you've ever stepped on the sand you know that you sort of sink a little. When the elements hit that house, it crashed because it was on a weak foundation.
We being lively stones need to have a strong solid foundation.
- 1 Timothy 6:19
We see that if we have a good spiritual foundation we can have eternal life.
- 1 Corinthians 3:9-10
We see that the members of the church are building on the foundation.
- 1 Corinthians 12:27
As the body of Christ we know that we continuously are building the church. We are the living stones building up the church.
- Romans 12:1
As builders, we need to be putting off the old things, and put on the new things, being a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.
What is the Living Stone Foundation?
The Chief Corner Stone
- Isaiah 28:16
- Psalm 118:22
- Ephesians 2:20-22
Built upon the foundations of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ is the Chief Corner Stone.
When a foundation is being laid one stone from there the foundation is built upon it. And, if that corner stone is wrong the entire building will be wrong.
We can know that if our foundation is Jesus, we can never be wrong.
- 1 Corinthians 3:11
There is no other foundation that can be laid but Jesus. That is the only foundation we need to have for our spirituality.
Why is the Living Stone a Rock of Offense?
The Rock of Offense
At the teaching of Jesus many were wondered and were offended.
- Matthew 11:6
- Mark 6:2,3
- Mark 1:22
We see that they were shocked at Jesus, who was the son of a carpenter, teaching with authority. So those who were scribes, and Pharisees were offended by His teachings.
- 1 Corinthians 1:23
The crucifixion can be a stumbling block. Those who did not believe in the resurrection would not believe and it became a rock of offense. 
We see how the lively stones need to help build up the house of God by being living sacrifices. We need to grow individually as strengthening the church as a whole.
We see how Jesus is our only foundation.
And we can see how for some the teachings of the Bible become a stumbling block, a rock of offense. We have the Bible, we have the proof, yet some people will not believe.
- 1 Corinthians 8:9
- Romans 14:13
We should not act as stumbling blocks for one another either.
- 2 Timothy 2:19
The foundation of God, it stands sure. It stands true.
The foundation that God has laid through Jesus Christ is the one true foundation.
With Speaker: Derek Wiesemann, Member, Oak Grove Church of Christ
