Oct. 14, 2026: The Tested Stone

BIG IDEA: “A truly sent life is built around the cornerstone of the person of Jesus Christ.”

MEMORY VERSE FOR THE WEEK:
1 Peter 2:6 “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.’”

Hebrews 4:15  
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

1 Peter 2:22-23
“He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.”

Isaiah calls the promised cornerstone “a tested stone.” Jesus was tested through temptation, rejection, suffering, humiliation, abandonment, and crucifixion. Yet He never sinned. He never retaliated. He never abandoned the Father’s will. As the sermon says, “He passed the test so that we might be forgiven.”

This matters because Jesus is not distant from our struggles. He knows what temptation feels like. He knows what pain feels like. He knows what betrayal, loneliness, and pressure feel like. But unlike us, He endured it all perfectly. That means He is not only compassionate toward us—He is fully qualified to save us.

When you are tempted, you can run to Jesus instead of hiding from Him. When you fail, you can come to Him instead of drowning in shame. The tested stone is strong enough to hold you. Jesus does not collapse under the weight of your weakness, your questions, your past, or your pain. He has already proven Himself faithful.

Action Step: Think of one area where you are currently being tested. Spend five minutes praying specifically about that struggle and ask Jesus for strength to obey.

Song of the Day:
Above All / All in All - Michael W. Smith | MASS ANTHEM Cover