"Cornerstones"

 

“Cornerstones”

 

This past spring my brother received a picture of the 1960 cornerstone ceremony at our newly constructed church building on Long Island from a friend who had served on the Building Committee. The three of us had some fun identifying people in the photo, many of whom are now with the Lord. Various mementos were placed behind the slab—a Bible, hymnal, program of the day’s activities and a copy of the church’s constitution are the ones I remember—which will likely never be seen by those in attendance. 63 years later the gospel is still faithfully preached there to God’s glory.

We see cornerstones on many buildings today, usually with the year of construction prominently etched, but they are ceremonial, not structural. Not so throughout history. In Baker’s Dictionary of Theology, a reference tool I’ve used throughout my ministry, Professor E. Earle Ellis describes it as “…the first laid cornerstone above the foundation and, hence, the stone by which the other stones were measured.” He contrasts the cornerstone with the capstone which “…completes the building and which is placed at the summit of or (probably) above the entrance.” So today’s decorative cornerstones are more like capstones in their significance.

Interestingly Jesus is identified as both the cornerstone and capstone of His church. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably but as Ellis notes they’re not the same. Paul states that the church is “…built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together…” (Ephesians 2:20-21, emphasis added). Compare this truth with the psalmist’s (possibly David’s) words, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone.” (Psalm 118:22, emphasis added, quoted five times in the New Testament and always referring to Christ). So Jesus is both the One by whom all things in His church are measured (“…No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”--1 Corinthians 3:11) and its Completer and Head (“…He is the head of the body, the church…so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”—Colossians 1:18). But yet He “…humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8)—for you and me.

So as we see cornerstones on church buildings in the coming days let’s not give praise to the physical structure but to the One who established and sustains His church.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan