Trusting the Precious Cornerstone
Isaiah 28-31
This morning I want to talk about a misunderstanding many people have about what it means to trust Jesus. Here’s a picture to show you what I mean. Here’s your life with lots of different parts: work, marriage or singleness, maybe parenting, finances, entertainment, geopolitical issues (you will see later why I mention this), friends, health, hobbies, and spiritual concerns -- like forgiveness of sins and heaven and hell. So here’s your life.
Many people think that faith just means trusting Jesus for your spiritual concerns -- trusting Him to forgive you so you will go to heaven. So becoming a Christian means adding faith as the foundation for this area. Faith doesn’t have much to do with work or marriage or finances; faith has to do with spiritual concerns like forgiveness of sins and not going to hell.
But this morning God wants to show us from His Word that faith is much, much more than this. God certainly will take care of our spiritual concerns. But God will do much, much more than just take care of our spiritual concerns.
So let’s turn to Isaiah 30. If you need a Bible, go ahead and raise your hand and we will bring one to you. Isaiah 30 is on page 590 in the Bibles we are passing out. Isaiah was a prophet raised up by God to speak God’s Word to Israel at around the year 700 BC. And to understand what Isaiah says about faith we need to start by asking what was going on with Israel at this time?
Here’s a picture of Israel’s life. We know that she had some sort of faith in God for spiritual concerns like forgiveness of sins, because we have seen in Isaiah that she went to the temple on the Sabbath, and offered animal sacrifices as commanded by God, and kept the food laws and the special feast days. So Israel had some sort of faith in God for spiritual concerns.
But at this time she also had some geopolitical concerns. Assyria was going to invade and conquer her. So what did she do? There’s Assyria ready to invade – but down here is relatively friendly Egypt. So she made an alliance with Egypt – where they both agreed to defend each other in case Assyria attacked.
So Israel has faith in God for spiritual concerns – and is taking other steps to take care of her geopolitical concerns. You might think that sounds just fine. But that’s not what God says. Look at what God says in Isaiah 30:1-2 --
1 "Ah, stubborn children," declares the LORD, "who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;
2 who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!
So this was not God’s plan. This was not what God’s Spirit wanted them to do. And in making this geopolitical plan they have added sin to sin, because they did not ask God for direction.
But now think about our own lives. We are trusting Jesus for forgiveness of sins so we don’t go to hell – but how often do we not ask God for what his plans are for work or friends or parenting? How often do we not ask God for direction when it comes to marriage, or hobbies, or finances? So when it comes to faith – do we look like Israel?
And what will happen to Israel as a result of this? Look at Isaiah 31:1 --
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the LORD!
Israel has part of her life in which she is not looking to the Holy One of Israel or consulting the Lord. Instead, in this category, she is looking elsewhere for help; she is trusting something besides God.
And what does God say about that? What God says is “woe.” What does “woe” mean?
Woe is a lament, full of sadness and pain, about the fact that God is bringing punishment.
So because they are not trusting God for this geopolitical part of their lives – God speaks woe to them – lament, sadness and pain, because of the punishment God is going to bring. Even though they had some sort of faith in God for spiritual concerns – the fact that they did not trust God for their geopolitical concerns meant God would punish them.
But why was what Israel did so wrong? What’s so serious about not trusting God for her geopolitical concerns? The answer is found in Isaiah 28:16. Start with v.14 to get the flow of thought:
14 Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers, who rule this people in Jerusalem!
Now in v.15 Isaiah is going to sort-of quote Israel. I say “sort-of quote” because he doesn’t use her exact words. He has her talking about her covenant and agreement with Egypt, but Isaiah explains what this covenant and agreement really involves. Look at v.15 --
15 Because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement, when the overwhelming whip passes through it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter"; [so because Israel has ignored God and trusted Egypt instead…]
16 therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: 'Whoever believes will not be in haste.'
The reason Israel was wrong was because God has laid in Zion a precious cornerstone as a foundation. What does that mean?
It means that God has given Israel a foundation for every part of her life. Notice that this is called a foundation – “I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion.” If you are building a building, and I give you a foundation, the intent is that the whole building rests on the foundation. You don’t put the kitchen on the foundation, and the living room off the foundation. No. So here God is giving Israel the foundation for every part of her life.
And what is this foundation on which we should build every part of our lives? God explains what it is at the end of v.16 – it is the truth that “whoever believes will not be in haste.” In every part of our lives, the way to not be in haste -- the way to not be harried, panicked, disappointed – is by believing in God; trusting in God. That’s the foundation for every part of our lives: believing in God.
And notice that this foundation is tested – nothing can change it or weaken it or undermine it. For centuries this foundation has held up those who have built their lives upon it. And notice that this foundation is a precious cornerstone – it is of infinite value because when you line up every part of your life on this cornerstone-foundation – when every part of your life lines up with trusting God – every part of your life will be strong and secure and healthy and whole.
So try to picture what this means. Your life is like a building with many different parts. And just like a building needs a strong foundation, so your life needs a strong foundation. But where will you find this strong foundation? What will you build your life upon?
As you look around, you find quicksand over here; mud over here; sandy gravel over here. None of those are strong enough to build your life upon. But the good news is that God Himself has given us a foundation for our lives – that if we will trust God we will never be in haste.
So take your marriage. The foundation for your marriage is to trust God – trust His promises, trust His commands, surrender your will to His. And if you do this you will not be in haste. Take your work. The foundation for your work is to trust God – trust His promises, trust His commands, surrender your will to his. And if you do this you will not be in haste.
But what did Israel do? She had some sort of faith in God for her spiritual concerns, but she did not trust God for her geopolitical concerns. She ignored the precious cornerstone foundation that God had laid. That’s why what she did was so wrong.
So God judges Israel according to this foundational cornerstone. God will line up a plumb line based on this foundation – to see if all of her life is built on this foundation. And look at the results of God’s judgment in v.17 –
And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter."
And you can see the outcome of this judgment in v.22 –
Now therefore do not scoff, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord GOD of hosts against the whole land.
So what does this mean for us? First of all, let me show you what Peter says about this precious cornerstone. Turn to 1 Peter 2:4-6 (p.1014)
4 As you come to him [Jesus Christ], a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 For it stands in Scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."
This cornerstone is Jesus Christ. The Old Testament saints had a less-clear picture of this cornerstone – but we who live after Jesus’ coming have a crystal-clear picture of this cornerstone. Through Jesus’ death paying for our sins – we can see how sinful people like us can receive such an amazing foundation on which to build our lives. Through Jesus’ resurrection we can see that He is alive today as the One whose power will work in every area of our lives as we trust Him. Through His birth, life, death, and resurrection we can see His love -- His powerful, passionate, deep love -- which promises to help us in every area of our lives. This cornerstone is Jesus Christ.
But in v.4 Peter says Jesus is rejected by men. So we need to understand that if we build our lives upon Jesus we will be going against the grain of Silicon Valley culture. Many of our neighbors and work associates will see our lives built on Jesus – and will join us in trusting Jesus. But many will see our lives built on Jesus – and will reject Jesus. But we can’t let that discourage us – because even though Jesus is rejected by men, in the sight of God He is choice and precious.
So God calls us to build our entire lives on the cornerstone of Jesus Christ, by trusting every part of our lives on Him. Saving faith is not just trusting Jesus for the spiritual part of our lives; saving faith means trusting Jesus Christ for every part of our lives.
Take your work, for instance. Is your work and your career built on the cornerstone of Jesus Christ? Are you trusting Jesus in the way you work?
See, your work as a secretary or engineer or waiter is just as holy and important to God as my work as a pastor. And God wants us to trust Jesus Christ in our work; to work with trust in His promises to care for us and satisfy us with Himself and give us wisdom. And He wants us to work with trust in His commands – to be honest and diligent and not be slackers. There’s lots more to say – but see your work as a holy calling from God, and work diligently and excellently – because that will open doors for the Gospel.
Or take entertainment. Is the entertainment part of your life being built on the precious cornerstone of Jesus Christ? Are you trusting Jesus in the way you pursue entertainment?
So how would we do that? I heard Matt Chandler say that he asks – is this entertainment strengthening or weakening my joy in Jesus? Are the images I’m looking at drawing me from Jesus? Are the jokes I am laughing at quenching the spirit of Jesus? See, Jesus Christ is your all-satisfying treasure – nothing will satisfy you more than Him -- so why pursue entertainment that’s going to lessen your all-satisfying treasure?
One last example, which I felt like the Holy Spirit wanted me to mention this morning. Sex. Sex is a precious gift from God, given to be enjoyed within the context of life-long marriage between a man and a women. So is the sex part of your life being built on the precious cornerstone of Jesus Christ? Are you trusting Jesus in the way you handle sex?
Part of what this means is trusting God’s commands about sex. So does God ever say that premarital sex is wrong? I’ve heard about Christians discussing this question when no one had a clear answer. But I want everyone at Mercy Hill to have a clear answer. Here’s what I think is the clearest answer.
The words “premarital sex” occur nowhere in the Bible. But the Bible clearly says premarital sex is wrong. Turn to 1Thessalonians 4:3 –
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.
So sexual immorality is wrong. So what is included under sexual immorality? The Greek word is porneia. So we need to find out what this Greek word included. So I looked up in Friberg’s Greek Dictionary and here’s what he said:
Porneia includes “every kind of extramarital sexual intercourse.”
Extra-marital sex means sex outside of marriage – which is what pre-marital sex is. So every time God in His Word urges us not to commit sexual immorality – he’s talking about any sexual activity outside the context of marriage between a man and a woman – which would include pre-marital sex.
God is not a kill-joy. He gave us the gift of sex. But sex is such a precious and intimate gift that it must have the life-long commitment of marriage around it protecting that level of intimacy and openness.
So trust Jesus in the way you handle sex.
So faith doesn’t just mean trusting your spiritual concerns to Jesus Christ. Faith means trusting every part of your life to Jesus Christ – the cornerstone – the precious tested foundation. That’s what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
Questions?
Conclusion
You could easily be overwhelmed thinking that you need to work on every area at once. But let me suggest that you work on one area at a time.
So where to start? Start with whatever area you are most stressed about. Isaiah said that whoever believes will not be in haste – will not be striving or stressed. So whatever area is causing you the most stress is probably the one you need to work on entrusting to Jesus Christ.
So take that area, and surrender it to Jesus Christ. Entrust it to Him. Ask Him for forgive you for not trusting Him for this area. He will fully and freely forgive you.
Then maybe ask a brother or sister in your home group to pray with you about this area. Find promises that apply to that area – and trust Him to work those promises in that area. Find commands that apply to that area – and trust His commands for that area.
As you do this, Jesus Christ will work. You will see His power transforming that area in your life.