Christ the Cornerstone

John Farley
Pastor Teacher
Sunday,
April 21, 2024

Christ the Cornerstone.

JOH 17:20-23

The book of Ephesians
is our best guide to the unity of the church.

The Lord has established our unity. We don’t create it.

First, the Lord Jesus Christ secured our unity - once and for all time.

He died on the cross
to reconcile us
in His body.

EPH 2:11-16

He reconciled us to Himself.

He reconciled us to the Father.

And He reconciled us to one another.

This partition (the “soreg”) prohibited Gentiles from entering the temple courts.

When Christ died,
He broke down the barrier of the dividing wall.

Not the physical barrier, but the religious barrier.

He reconciled them both in one body to God through the cross.

GAL 3:26-28

Jesus secured this unity for us when He died on the cross.

On this ground the Holy Spirit builds the body of Christ-
the church.

EPH 2:17-22

You who were far away -the Gentiles. Those who were near - the Jews.

Our unity ties into the unity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

We are one family.
We share one citizenship -
a heavenly one.

A new Temple is being built. It’s a spiritual temple: the church.

Christ is the cornerstone of this temple.

1Pe2:4-6

Our cornerstone is Christ - the Rock!

Every believer in Christ is baptized into Christ by means of the Holy Spirit.

“baptized into Christ” means to be placed into Christ and identified with Christ.