"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock." Matthew 7:24

Let's look at this verse from last week and see what Scripture opens up to us as we look at the foundation on which the wise man built.

The Greek word for rock is petra, "Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words" says 'petra denotes a mass of rock...a type of a sure foundation.'

"So this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed.'" Isaiah 28:16

The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 tells us, "By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder; and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." (Read Vs. 5-15 concerning fellow workers with God)

Paul tells Timothy,
"Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, 'the Lord knows those who are His'..." 2 Timothy 2:19

In Acts 4:5-12 the Apostle Peter preaches Christ Jesus before the Sanhedrin and he says in verses 10-11, "Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the '
stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.'"

Then in his letter to the pilgrims of the Dispersion, the Apostle Peter says it this way, "Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.'" 1 Peter 2:7

"The Illustrated Dictionary of the Bible" says the following:
"Cornerstone -- a stone placed at the corner, or the intersecting angle, where two wall of a building come together. In biblical times, buildings were often made of cut, squared stone. By uniting two intersecting walls, a cornerstone helped align the whole building and tie it together."

Christ Jesus, the Chief Cornerstone, is the foundation of the church as we see in Acts 4:12, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must e saved."

In writing of the reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles in Christ, Paul says in Ephesians 2:19-21, "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being build together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit."

I will close with a quote from Martyn Lloyd-Jones from his "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount":
"The foundation, which seems so insignificant and unimportant because it  is out of sight, is nevertheless the most vital and important thing of all.
if the foundation is wrong, everything else must be wrong."

As we desire to know our Lord Jesus Christ in a greater measure let us be sure that we are building on the right foundation.

To our glorious Savior be all honor and praise now and forever. Amen