Signs, if they're doing their job points to something, or sometimes someone greater, the purpose of a sign is to indicate that you have arrived or that you are so many miles away. You know, I'm grateful for signs that tell us of new places and new things. For example, on the way driving in this morning, notice the newer billboard there that share that there is a Handel's ice cream that's opening up this summer at Lone Mountain in Scottsdale Road. And so, uh, that's my kind of sign, uh and my kind of place there and so ice cream. Awesome place. So II I didn't know that they were opening until I saw the sign right now. Some of you came to our church when we were meeting in a school because you found a, a frame on some of that. We put a frames out on, on the streets when we were meeting the school to find a direction on how to get to the church. In fact, uh the Holmes family. So Holly is our children's director. They actually came to our church the first time because they were driving around and they saw the sign for the church and then they turned in and, and the rest is history from there. And so signs point to something or in today's message case someone that is greater. Now, when you're driving, it's interesting that when you drive a interstate highway or major highway, most of them, if not all are marked by the mileage, they are from the state border or from the mileage they are to or from the beginning or end of that particular highway. So, for example, if you come up to a exit 153 on a major highway, you are either 100 and 53 miles from, or 100 and 53 miles to the edge of the state or the edge of where that highway ends. Now, I say all that because I remember, uh, a few years ago, uh, more than a few years ago at this point when, uh, my family and I were moving from Florida out here to Arizona, my wife flew out with her two young boys and I was driving the moving truck that was then towing one of our vehicles. And so, so I it was a cross the country trip, uh, by myself. And so I, I don't know if you ever drive a lot in the car by yourself, you find yourself entertaining yourself in different ways. And so maybe listening to a podcast or music or making a phone call. Uh, but then you also just start looking for things there on the road. And so for me, I was counting exits and so I was going through Florida. Oh, cool, cool. Reach the edge of the state of Florida. Awesome. Louisiana was crushing it just driving through. And then I got to Texas and I was so discouraged when the first exit was labeled exit 880 because it is 880 miles on I 10 to go from one side of the state to the other. Uh It's so far and I almost ran out of gas so many times because I underestimated how much a moving truck uh eats up, especially when they put those little governors on there. So like you're just getting passed by everybody. It's not great. Anyway, uh Fun little fact that El Paso Texas is actually closer to Santa Monica, California than it is to the other side of Texas. And so I was so discouraged seeing exit 880. But at the same time as I started seeing those exit numbers go down, I knew I was getting closer and closer and closer to the edge of the state. See signs point to something in the future. They point us to something or in our case today, someone greater. Now, why do I share that? Because today we are continuing our study through the book of Psalms, the greatest album of all time. It's a collection of 100 songs or praises. Or poems that were written over a long period of time in the Old Testament that then has been the songbook for people for generations and generations. And so every week we've been taking a look at a different psalm. Well, today we're gonna take a look at two Psalms psalm 110 and 118, they are described as Messianic Psalms. And the purpose of a Messianic psalm is that Messianic Psalms point to Jesus, they point to Jesus. They are a sign of the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Now in some way, shape or form, you could say that all Psalms point to Jesus, but there are some specifically that have phrases and wording and prophecies that are then directly quoted in and shared in the New Testament. And so the two we're gonna look at today are quoted by Jesus himself and by the early apostles, Matthew, Mark Luke John Peter Paul. And so we're gonna see these Psalms that were literally the Psalm of Jesus. They were, they were, they were pointing to the coming of Jesus. And Jesus comes onto the scene 1000 years later and says, hey, what you read back then it was really about me. And so, and really if you think about pointing to Jesus, that actually is the very vision and existence of our church that our vision here at Mission Grove is that we exist to help every man, woman and child experience, Jesus that our, our, our hope is that for every person to have a transformational relationship with the God who made them and a God who saves them, that if you have a personal relationship with Jesus, it changes everything. Ok? So if you're taking notes, you can write down our big idea for today. And it's this, that Jesus is our authority, our salvation, and our foundation, Jesus is our authority, our salvation and our foundation. And these pictures come directly out of these two psalms. And another way to put that in, in more churchy terms is that Jesus is our king. Jesus is our high priest, and Jesus is our cornerstone. And if, if you're not familiar with church terms, OK, we'll walk through it all together. But this, it gives us this picture of this depth, this the strength and foundation of our faith because I don't know about you. But these times you seem very unstable, right? Like I don't think anyone that watched the presidential debate came out of there like, yeah, I'm feeling great about our country right now. You know what I mean? Like, I, I believe in our country and where we're going, right? But it was like, uh yeah, everyone had a little bit of, you know what I'm talking about if you watched it, but we'll just leave it there. And so like these are unstable times right now. But here's the thing that when we're worried about like what today or tomorrow might bring. And we think in these terms, God thinks in terms of generations and nations and millennium and that he is playing like, well, we're trying to deal with daily checkers. God is playing eternal chess. The reason I say that is because Psalm 110 and Psalm 118 really serves almost as 1000 year mic drop, 1000 year mic drop. A mic drop is when you say something that's like boom. It's, it's incredible like you can say it drop the truth and, and walk away because it's so powerful. And we say this is 1000 year mic drop moment because what David in the Psalmist wrote 1000 years prior, Jesus comes on to the scene quotes it and says, hey, what you've been saying, what our people have been saying for 1000 years. It's about me. It's about me. Let's jump into it here. Uh One more thought with that. And the reason this is important to understand is that when you see scripture and you see prophecies and predictions and, and comments fulfilled, spread over 1000 years, what it should do is that it should anchor your faith and solidify your faith that you can have confidence that God is still in control. You know, they have those big oil rigs out in the ocean and it's amaz, it amazes me how they can withstand all the massive waves and storms that happen out in open sea. But the reason these oil rigs can, can withstand the waves and the storms that come their way is because that how deep the anchors really go, that they go hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of feet deep underneath the surface, holding it in place that even in, uh, the, the craziest of storms, these pla these rigs can actually survive. Well, I want you to know that our faith and, and what Christians believe runs so deep that really Jesus himself serves as our cornerstone. So we're gonna, that's what we're gonna finish today. But let's jump into a little bit here. Background to Psalm 110, Psalm 110 is quoted or alluded to over 25 different times, 25 different times in scripture. And what we see here is Martin Luther, the, the one who started the reformation back in the 15 hundreds. In one of his sermons, he described Psalm 110 this way, he says, this is the high and chief Psalm of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, in which his person and his resurrection ascension and his whole kingdom are so clearly and powerfully set forth that nothing of a similar king is to be found in all the writings of the Old Testament. So it's gonna see here in these first four verses Jesus described as a king and then as the great high priest. And so let's, let's go into these verses here and then we're gonna read them and then we're gonna show you where they're quoted in the New Testament and why that matters to us? Psalm 110 verses 1 to 4. The Lord says to my Lord now notice right off the bat, it's a conversation between persons of the Trinity. So the Trinity is really one God, three persons. So God, the Father Jesus, the Son and then the Holy Spirit. So it says the Lord says to my Lord, right, similar to how in Genesis, one God is speaking to himself and saying, let us make man in our image. And so here we see this here, the Lord says to my Lord. So one God, two distinct persons here, you're gonna see the Holy Spirit come in a little bit later. But it says, so sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. So the right hand is seen as a position of rank and authority to sit at the right hand of God. It's similar to sit at the right hand of the king to have the full authority of the king. And then in its poetic imagery, it says that your enemies, the ones who you think are in control are merely a footstool. You know, we have a foot stool at home that was used for the kids, right to reach the sink, you know, wash your hands kind of thing. You got to step on a little stool or I was fixing uh irrigation in our backyard the other day. And so I was using it as a seat on it just like out in the, in the backyard. And so the purpose of a footstool, right. You're just standing on it or sitting on it. I mean, it's tiny. Like if, if you like basketball, like, I do one of the newest forms of trash talk is if you dunk on somebody or you score on somebody, they run down and they go, oh, you're too little right? Like you put your hand down like that. This is the theological version of that, right? That, that God is so victorious that your enemies are so small. They're best described as a footstool. OK? Continues on the Lord sends forth from Zion, your mighty scepter rule in the midst of your enemies. And he continues on here. Verse three, he says your people will offer themselves freely on that day of your power in holy garments. From the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. And then verse four, we're gonna see this here as him being a high priest. And we'll explain this guy why he's important in a second. He says, the Lord has sworn and will not change his mind that you are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. So you have the Psalm of David, roughly 1000 BC. Now fast forward to the New Testament that Jesus himself is having a conversation with the Pharisees. And in Matthew 22 also described in Mark 12, Luke chapter 20. So we're gonna read the Matthew account here in verse 41. And Jesus is says this here, he says, now, while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question saying, what do you think about the Christ whose son is he? And they said to him, well, he's the son of David. And he said to them, how is it then that David in the spirit? So there's that third part of the Trinity in the spirit calls him Lord Sane. And he now quotes Psalm 110 says, the Lord said to my Lord sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet. Verse 45 if then David calls him Lord, how is he his son? And no one was able to answer him a word. Nor from that day, did anyone question or dare to ask him any more questions? So Jesus is quoting Psalm 110 to say, look, even David in the Old Testament recognized the power of the one that was to come. Now, did he know it was gonna be Jesus? Not necessarily, but we know that his words were prophetic in that and and through the power of the spirit was given those words, the Lord saying to my Lord. So there's a recognition that there is a higher power, right? There is a higher power. So now Jesus says these words ultimately would die on the cross rise again. On the third day spends 40 days there appearing to like over 500 people, his disciples, you know, eating, drinking, speaking, he ascends to heaven. Then in acts two, the Holy Spirit comes down at Pentecost. And so the church begins Peter, the very first sermon in the history of the church also quotes Psalm 110. Peter says these words in, in acts two, starting in verse 33 being therefore exalted at the right hand of God having received from the Father, the promise of the Holy Spirit. He has poured out this, that you yourselves are seeing and hearing for David did not ascend into the heavens. But he himself says, the Lord said to my Lord sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. He's quoting this psalm directly. He says, let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ. He is Lord and Savior, this Jesus whom you crucified. So the very first sermon quotes Psalm 110 to demonstrate that Jesus was Lord and Savior. And then Paul later writes this letter to the church in Colossi in Colossians. Three verse one says this, that if then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. He is seated, not because he is tired, but because his mission was complete Hebrews one. It says that he paid for our sins. A fancy word for that. It's called pro uh appreciation of sins. So this payment for our sins and that when he did that, he then sat at the right hand of God. That's the opening of Hebrews chapter one. A few verses later. He's describing how Jesus is greater than the angels. And in Hebrews one verse 13, he says, and to which of the angels has God ever said, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. And so this position of being at the right hand of God, the Father is reserved only for Jesus Christ who is Lord and Savior. That was quoted 1000 years later by Jesus, by Peter and by Paul, it's pretty cool, right? And then another thing that's interested in here that Jesus King is Jesus as high priest. And he quotes this guy named Melchizedek. Now, Melchizedek is only referred to three different times in the Bible in Genesis. And what we just read in Psalm 110 and then several times in Hebrews. Now Melchizedek was known as a high priest. So what's the purpose of a high priest? Well, high priest is this that a high priest is a representative from the people that was responsible for restoring the relationship between man and God. So God is perfect, man is not when we sin, there becomes a separation from God. In order to restore the relationship, there was some level of sacrifice for that to restore them. And so a, a high priest or a priest would offer a sacrifice on behalf of the people to restore the relationship of the people to God. And then they would also receive messaging from God to through the priest to the people. Now, priests in that day really worked through the line of Aaron, the brother of Moses. And so there's these Levi priests. And so there had to be a very specific order to this. But this guy Melchizedek doesn't follow the same order of normal priests in the Old Testament. You see in Genesis, there was actually this guy um who Abraham, who he would actually, you know, really started Israel, OK. Kind of a big deal. Uh For those that grew up in the church, we'd sing little songs like father Abraham and man, his sons, man, his sons had father Ab I, I'll keep going if you don't start singing. No, I'm just kidding. I won't, I won't do that to you. Um For those that grew up in church, you get that and you're probably gonna have that stuck in your head. And if you didn't grow up in church, I'll, I'll send you some songs, right? It'll be great. It'll be great. But so Abraham big deal, right? He's going on the Mount Rushmore, like of the Old Testament, one of the greatest people there of all time that we know of that started faith, OK? That we, as we describe it. Now, Abraham wins. This battle goes to this town Salem, OK? Where we they say is and then the same place where we get Jerusalem. And this guy Melchizedek is both king and priest. He's a king and a priest. And his name means king of righteousness. So you have this guy who you don't quite know his history. He is before Moses and before Aaron. So he comes before that who is a king of righteousness, a king of peace that receives a tithe from Abraham. And in exchange, here's another interesting fact with that exchange gives him two things, gives him bread and then actually gives him a cup of wine, which is a foreshadow to what would be practiced in at Passover. And then as now in modern day, we have communion. So all the way back in Genesis, Jesus is still setting up for communion. So he's thinking about Jesus the whole time. And so now these writers are referring to Melchizedek again, someone who is responsible to restore the relationship between man and God. And so Melchizedek is seen as a type of Christ, this this picture that and there's several types in the Old Testament that when Jesus would enter the scene realize, oh, it was Jesus the whole time, not the same person, but there was a set up or a picture of think about if you watch a movie and, and there's all these things happening, you're not quite sure what happens and in the end it brings it all together and you're like, oh, that's why A B and C and D happened, right? It makes sense. Now, this is how the Bible is put together to where when Jesus is revealed, you see, oh, it's been Jesus the whole time. And so there's this picture now in the New Testament, we see this in, in the letter to the Hebrews. It says here Hebrews chapter six, verse 19 and 20. It says, we have this a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul. I love that imagery. You have an anchor for our soul. A hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain. This imagery of the of the temple here says where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. All the way back in Genesis was just a foreshadow or picture of Jesus to come. And then David highlights this in Psalm 110. And then when we get to the New Testament, it say it's been Jesus the whole time. Jesus is our king, meaning that he is our authority, he reign and rules over all the earth. Then we see that Jesus is our salvation, that he himself became the sacrifice. He was our great high priest, but he gave his own life And if you think about it, sin separates us from God who is perfect, who is holy. So the only acceptable payment from eternal damnation is an eternal sacrifice or a perfect sacrifice, which was Jesus himself. So 1000 years before Jesus comes in and comes back and, and quotes this psalm to say, hey, even David knew that it was about me. OK? Now let's jump into Psalm 118 because this is an interesting one. It's sandwiched right in between Psalm 117, the shortest book and uh shortest chapter in all the Bible and Psalm 119, the longest chapter in all the Bible. So if you're gonna split up reading with somebody take Psalm 117 and give them Psalm 119, right? You got like 1 to 2 verses and then, and then Psalm 119 has 100 and 76. Ok. So in between you have this Psalm 118, what's cool about this? Psalm? Um can I just kind of Bible nerd out for a second with you? Is that, can we do that? Because this is just really cool, like if you like like background stuff and context and here this is just, this is just too cool and if you don't like it, you just gotta go with me because I'm speaking and you're not. So, um, so here we go. No, it really is cool. There, there's, there's power on this. So here's, here's what's cool about this So Psalm 118 was a part of something known as the Egyptian Hallel, which was Psalms 113 to 118. And the reason these were special was because for the Jewish faith for thousands of years that when they practice Passover or a Passover Seder as you might think of today, ok, that they would read or sing these praises, which is a Hebrew word for Halal. And so think of hallelujah, those type of things. And so they, they would read these Psalms and then remember how God delivered the people of Israel out of Egypt. Now, they would read Psalms 113 and 114 before the meal. And then they would sing Psalm 115 to 118 after the meal. Now, what's cool about that one? It's, it's a remembering of the time that God delivered them that a steadfast love endures forever. But here's what's also cool. So I didn't really think about it until recently. Passover is what was happening the week that Jesus was killed when Jesus was in the upper room with his disciples before he would get arrested. They were celebrating Passover and Jesus then passes the bread and the wine who they've been practicing. Now as people remembering God's deliverance and says this is about me. Now check this out, they then sing Psalm 118 together in the upper room, Jesus with his disciples to which Jesus then says, this is about me. Isn't that cool? And so it goes through and he, and he shares this passage and it's so cool. Not only was this shared in the New Testament, it was even shared in the Old Testament as well. It's quoted in Ezra three verses 10 and 11. And the reason that's important is because uh we think it's David and the, as I say, I think it's David because it gets attributed to him in Ezra. But a couple of 100 years after that, the people get taken into captivity and at some point, they come back to their village and the and Nehemiah and Ezra, they're rebuilding the temple, they're rebuilding the walls and they actually read Psalm 118 in the, the dedication of the rebuilding of the temple. So there's connections everywhere. So we got David writing it. You got Ezra and Nehemiah uh singing it, you got the Israelites reading and singing it every single passover and then you have Jesus reading this passage with his disciples right before he gets arrested. So a lot of cool context here. So what does he actually say in Psalm? 118, let's read some of these verses together. Psalm when verses 14, all give thanks to the Lord for he is good for his steadfast love endures forever. Let Israel say his steadfast love endures forever. Let the house of Aaron say his steadfast love endures forever. Let those who fear the Lord, say his steadfast love endures forever and may all of mission grove collectively together say that his steadfast love endures forever. So think about this, people have been saying that for thousands of years, ok. At this point, we're three thousands away, 3000 years away from when this was written and it still stands true. Well, ok, John, but how do we know that talks about Jesus? Because steadfast love endures forever. And that's not that specific. Let's check out these verses a few verses later. Verse 21 to 26. He says, I thank you that you have answered me and become my salvation says the stone that had, that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. So notice here there is people that reject a stone that ultimately is the cornerstone and a cornerstone represents the first stone, the most important stone, the stone that sets everything else in the foundation. OK. Verse 23 this is the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it, save us. We pray. Oh Lord, oh Lord, we pray, give us success. And another verse that's gonna get quoted. He says, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord? We bless you from the house of the Lord. Now let me show you where this comes into play throughout scripture because we truly believe that the Bible is inherently perfectly inspired by God and that biblical truth is a core value of our church here at Mission Grove. Here's some of the reasons why we believe that the prophet Isaiah and Isaiah 28 verse 16 says, therefore, thus says, the Lord God behold, I am the one who has laid up as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation that whoever believes will not be in haste now. So there's a set up. So where is this idea of a cornerstone in the New Testament? First Matthew 21 9, Jesus is entering the city of Jerusalem. When everyone's shouting Hosanna, do you know what they're shouting? They're actually quoting Psalm 118. He's riding in on a donkey. The people are shouting here. It's also noted in Mark 11, Luke 19 and John 12, he says, and the crowds went before him and that followed him were shouting Hosanna to the son of David blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord Hosanna the highest. They are quoting this specific psalm when Jesus enters the city now to set up this next one before it comes up on screen. Jesus teaches routinely in parables. And there's a parable, for example, called the parable of the talents where he uses imagery of investing in what God gives to you that gets preached upon a lot because I think it's valuable for us to invest what God's placed in our hands. One of the less one of the fewest preach parables that Jesus gives is called the parable of the tenants. And if you own real estate, maybe you will love this. But I don't know, it gets really dark really fast just here. So he tells the story. There's an owner of a land owner who builds a tower plants a crop and then leases out the tower or leases out the land to tenants and leaves the country. And when the harvest time comes, when the fruit time comes, the owner sends servants back to the land. But the tenants of the land who are wicked reject the servants and actually kill the servants say, no, you can't have it. It's ours. So he sends some more servants, kills them again. So then he says, well, I'm gonna send someone who represents my identity, my I'm gonna send my own son. And so Jesus tells the story. Parable is a story AAA practical real story that has a spiritual point to it. And so he says, the owner sends his son and then the evil tenants say, whoa, if we kill his son, then we get the inheritance. And so they actually kill the son in the story. So Jesus is telling this story and then he's gonna tell them what it means. And so we pick up the story here in Matthew 21. It's also found in Mark and Luke as well. So Matthew chapter 21 verse 42 says, Jesus said to them, the Pharisees have you never read in the scriptures that the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing and it's marvelous in our eyes. So he's quoting Psalm 118. It says, therefore, I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to the people producing its fruits. It says, and the one who falls on the stone will be broken to pieces. And when it falls on him, on anyone, it will crush him. Now notice it, we'll see if the chief priest got it right? Because he's quoting something from 1000 years ago. And he says, actually this is about you and check out what it says here in verse 45. And when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was talking about them. It's like, wait, www, wait a second, what were the ones that get crushed were the ones who denied? And she's like, yeah, I was talking about you in, in uh chapel at college. Uh I went to a public high school Christian College. We'd have chapel and we'd go, sometimes you have these speakers. There's a speaker named Alister B, Scottish guy, great speaker and anybody with an accent. I think it's just smarter. I don't know how it works. But you know what I'm talking about? Like, if you ever listen to someone, it's awesome. Anyway, he was speaking to the crowd and he was speaking and everyone goes amen and they start clapping and he pauses, he looks at them and I don't know what you're clapping for. I'm talking about you and we're like, oh OK. And he was trying to make a point about convicting people like no, we are rejecting God, we are rejecting like that's what Jesus is doing here. He looks right at the Pharisees and say, hey, what was written 1000 years ago? I was writing about you fast forward again. He dies on the cross rises again, you know, promises eternal life for those who believe in him. The Holy Spirit comes down. The church has started one acts chapter three, Peter and John who again just months prior were afraid. Peter denied Jesus three times. John, his former nickname was the Son of Thunder. So he doesn't have a great reputation. They're both fishermen. They don't have the best history. They have no power, they have no titles, but they start preaching that salvation comes through. Jesus acts chapter three, they come across a guy who is lame who can't walk and he's begging for money. He's like, well, I can't get your money, but here's what I can give you in the name of Jesus. You're healed. Boom. The guy stands up, starts walking. Everyone goes nuts. People start believing in the power of Jesus and the leaders at that time. Don't like that, right? It's a threat to their authority. So they go and they lock Peter and John up the next day they're standing on trial for proclaiming Jesus because they don't, they wanna put down a revolution. OK? And so here's what Peter says. Check out the story here in acts chapter four verse starting verse 10. It says, let it be known to all of you 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 is standing before you. Well. And then he says here, verse 11 and I love this. He quotes Psalm 118 and he adds the word you. I love it. He gives his own commentary. He says this Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you. The builders which has now become the cornerstone. We're talking about 1000 year mic drop like something that was written 1000 years prior about people who thought there was something reject the God reject a stone, uh try to put him down, that instead becomes the cornerstone for the largest movement in world history known as Christianity. And so he said, and Peter says that was you and there is salvation and no one else for, there is no other name under heaven given among by men, among men, by which we must be saved. And I love verse 13 here it says, and when they saw the boldness of Peter and John again, they had all the authority. They had the power, they had the backing of the religious system, they had the backing of the Roman Empire. They had everything in their favor. And yet here are these people challenging them to their face and they perceived that they were uneducated common men. They were astonished why. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Isn't that cool that when you're with Jesus, that's enough in verse 14. But seeing the man who was healed was standing next to them. They had nothing to say in opposition. I love that two big thoughts there. Number one, if you got Jesus, that's a majority. If you have no power, if you got no money, you got no nothing in your favor. But you got Jesus. That's enough to change everything and to give you courage and boldness. And then number 21 of the greatest things to preach and share the love of Christ is to transform life. In this case, they saw the healed lame person next to them in our context. Maybe it's someone who reconciles a marriage, someone who gives up drinking, someone who stops cursing someone who is now grace filled and kind and humble and it's overcome. It's completely changed their life around because when you see somebody's transformed life, what can you say in response? And they're like, wow, God is amazing and that's what happens here. Paul writes this in Ephesians 2 1922. He says, so then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with saints and members of the household of God built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone. And now he's gonna turn a personal in whom the whole structure being joined together, grows into a holy temple of the Lord in Him. You also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the spirit God isn't just the cornerstone. God is our cornerstone that our anchor runs eternally deep. OK? One last verse here for today. And I know we had a lot of verses, but I want you to see that this is not just coming from me, this is not just opinion, this is the word of God. Jesus is talking to Peter and asked him, who do you say that I am? And he said you are the Christ, you're the savior. And he says these words, I tell you you are Peter and on this rock, I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Now, Peter comes from Petros which means little pebble or small rock. So the question is this God saying Peter upon you, I'm going to build the church. Well, I used him to start it, but Peter had lots of lots of mess ups. So probably not. So what is the rock on which he starts the church. I believe it's the claim that Peter had made that Jesus is Lord and Savior, that Jesus is our king, our high priest, our foundation, our cornerstone. He said because with Jesus as our cornerstone, that the gates of hell will not prevail against it, gates are defensive. That means that the church should be on offense. That means empowered by God. The church cannot and will not fail. I don't know what you're going through today, but I want you to know that Christ is our authority. He is our salvation and he is our foundation that was written about thousands of years ago and written not about just something, but it was a sign pointing to someone and that person being Jesus. And these psalms quoted throughout history, then quoted by Jesus himself, Matthew Mark Luke John Paul Peter, and by us still today, all point to the fact that when Jesus Christ is our cornerstone, that your faith can and will stand that whatever you're facing, whatever storm you're battling, whatever issue you're facing, know that God is stronger still, we're gonna end today with something kind of fun. Uh Some of, you know, Kyle Randall is one of our interns here at the church and uh and talk about the power of a transformed life was recently attending a funeral with his grandmother. And if you ever attend a memorial, you can you, you start to think about your own life right, your own mortality. So considering that and then seeing a transform life, and Kyle start having conversation to where his grandmother Lisa said, you know what I wanna get baptized. And so Kyle shared that with me and I said, why wait, let's go this weekend. And so that's what we're gonna do. We're gonna sing about God being our cornerstone. And then Kyle, uh our intern is gonna get to do his first baptism, which is actually his grandmother who actually just decided right here. That is um that there is no time better than right now to accept Christ as your Lord and Savior. Amen. Will you pray with me, dear Lord? Just thank you for being our authority. Thank you for being our salvation. Thank you for being our foundation that upon this rock, this truth that you are Lord and that you are savior that all these signs point to you. We put our faith in you, we put our trust in you, we love you God and we celebrate you being our cornerstone.