Don't Remove the Cornerstone!

Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin

4 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas,John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is

“‘the stone you builders rejected,
    which has become the cornerstone.’[a]

12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

As the number of believers swells to to 5,000, the religious leaders become very suspicious of the disciples, especially Peter and John.  It is interesting to see what they claim to be so troublesome about their teaching. The preaching of the resurrection of the dead through Jesus Christ.  This is the core of our preaching, Jesus Christ crucified for our sin and raised from the dead after three days.  They were put in jail for the night, and then they were brought before the high priest, his family and other leaders. The presenting question they gave them was, "By what power or name did you do that?"  They are specifically referring to their healing of the man was lame.  

This is the perfect opportunity for Peter to preach that it is only in the name of Jesus, whom they crucified but was resurrected, that this kind of power can be accessed.   He quotes Psalm 118:22, which predicts that stone that would be rejected would be the cornerstone.  The cornerstone was the stone that all the rest of a building was built on.  Remove the cornerstone and the building cannot stand.  Jesus is the cornerstone on which salvation stands.  Peter summarizes, "Salvation is found in no one else, for their is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved."  

Specifically his name is Jesus Christ of Nazareth.  This points out the humanness (Jesus of Nazareth) and the divinity (Christ=Messiah) of Jesus.  

In Jesus' day a name meant everything.  It showed what family you were from, and where you descended from.  Your name respresented your status and power.  Peter makes it clear there is no other "Name" which one may be saved. This is pretty clear.  While there have been other names of religious importance, Gandhi, Mohammed, Moses, Abraham; there is NO other name in which we can be saved.  Why?  

If there was another person who could save us, he or she would be our Savior.  They would have had to die for us on a cross. They would have had to be sinless.  They would have had to be resurrected from the dead.  Only Jesus did that and we can be saved only through Jesus.  That is why it is so important when we teach and preach that we don't leave out the most important part that Jesus was crucified, died and rose from the dead.  It is the central fulcrum of our faith upon which all of our belief is built on.  It is the cornerstone and without it the church will collapse into ruin.