California sits atop several fault lines and the most notable one is the San Adreas Fault, which extends 750 miles through the state. This is why California is a state known for earthquakes. People in California are used to feeling the ground beneath their feet shake. Most earthquakes are minor, but some have literally demolished cities, crumbled tunnels and bridges, and shattered lives. Through the years, codes for new buildings have become more stringent… codes that can withstand horrible earthquakes. If the buildings fail to have these codes in place, then their structure is more likely to crumble when an earthquake strikes.
Well, the Bible gives us a similar picture of this. Jesus calls it the cornerstone. In fact, He says that He is the cornerstone. That cornerstone is what holds up the church and the family. That Stone is what will keep the structures that God built from falling or crumbling beneath the weight or the pressure of culture – the world. In Matthew 15:15-19, Jesus had an interesting conversation with His disciples. He asked them: “Who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied to Peter:
“Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and
upon this rock I will build my church, and all the
powers of hell will not conquer it.”
Jesus wasn’t saying that the church would be built on Peter himself, but on what he had just declared… the truth about Jesus. Here’s the thing… if Jesus remains the cornerstone, then evil cannot destroy what God has built. It’s strong, sturdy. Sadly, we are witnessing a weaker church and a faltering family. The cornerstone has been taken out in a lot of instances. Let’s examine two specific things that will remove the cornerstone.
1) Rejecting biblical mandates for new thought! In our modern world, new thought is seeping into the church in alarming ways. Influencers and leaders are modernizing the Bible to fit into our 21st century. The apostle Paul said that maturity in faith is what will keep us from “being tossed and blown about by every wind of new doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). The Bible may be ancient to us but it’s timeless… meaning, it still retains its doctrine.
2) Abandoning God’s design! God has a design and here it is…. Christ – man – woman. Now, this does not mean that woman is less inferior or less valued than man. Nor does it mean that man can abuse their power. It means that men and women have different roles in the church and in the family. We compliment each other but we should never assume a role that is not meant for us. In fact, the role of pastor is specifically designed for men. But that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t choose women to teach His Word. I’ve been called for sure. But I have never sought the title Pastor. We must make sure not to abandon God’s design.
We must work really hard to keep the cornerstone in place in the church and the family. Everything we do must be built upon what Jesus taught. When the cornerstone is securely positioned at the center, then we will fare so much better and we CAN withstand the strongest winds coming against it.