Where Is the Cornerstone?

Acts 4:11-13
This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

The reference Peter makes to "the stone you builders rejected which has become the capstone" refers to Psalm 118:22. Tradition has it that in Solomon's day during the construction of the temple, the engineers called the quarry for the cornerstone. They responded saying, "We sent it to you weeks ago." But the builders, not knowing what it was (it didn't fit), rolled it into the Valley of Gehenna -- the place where all the refuse or waste went. They went searching and indeed found it there, this vitally important component of construction -- upon which everything else is based.

Jesus walked and taught among all the people. He went to church went to the market and traveled around the country. All the while the religious leaders were seeking and waiting for the Messiah. They knew he was coming but were so blinded by their traditions and self importance they did not see Jesus as He was. In other words, they received something they didn't understand, so they rejected it -- sent it away with all the garbage. But Peter reminds us, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men, by which we must be saved." This man Jesus, the foretold messiah -- like the cornerstone was thrown away -- yet had great value. They wanted a king and the king came riding on a donkey. They wanted a leader who would change the political climate and they hung the only who could do that on a cross.

Verse 13 tells us that when the Jewish leaders saw the courage of Peter and John, and they knew these men had not been educated yet they clearly understood scripture they were astonished -- they took note of the fact these men had been with Jesus. I think those words are worth repeating, "these men had been with Jesus". We too are changed from the inside out when we spend time with Jesus.
Be honest with yourself, how much time do you spend with Jesus each day? If you are struggling in any area of your life, the solution will start with one-on-one time spent with the Lord. Begin slowly at first, commit to a time and a place, then stay committed. This time you spend with Jesus will become the most valuable part of your day. It will become the "cornerstone" in the construction of your life -- from which everything else is measured, adjusted, and built upon.