“‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.’” — Mark 12:10–11

Coleton opened by recalling a childhood nickname—“The Master of Disaster”—a title that summed up his habit of breaking things and then turning to his brother’s belongings for replacements. He explained how nicknames often tell us something true about who a person is.

In this passage, Jesus gives Himself a title drawn from Psalm 118—the Cornerstone. This name, Coleton explained, reveals how Jesus wants to operate in our lives: as the foundation and guide upon which everything else depends.

Coleton invited the church to explore two key characteristics of a cornerstone—and how they reveal what Jesus wants to be for us.

A cornerstone was always the first and most important stone in ancient construction. It determined the direction, shape, and alignment of every other stone that followed. Builders would measure every subsequent piece against it.

“Whatever the cornerstone looked like, the other stones would look like.”

Coleton said that’s what Jesus wants to be for us: the one who shapes our lives, directs our paths, and forms our character.

He’s not trying to control us—He’s trying to lead and form us into His likeness.

Coleton then painted a vivid contrast between our human tendencies and Christ’s character:

We Are

Jesus Is

Impatient

Long-suffering

Selfish

Selfless

Proud

Humble

Discontent

Trusting

Fearful

Courageous

Worried

Peaceful

Busy & stressed

Unhurried

Afraid of rejection

Secure in the Father’s love

Lustful

Self-controlled

Unforgiving

Infinitely forgiving

Empty

Full and overflowing

“The virtues we’re searching for,” Coleton said, “are not found apart from Him—they are found in Him.”

Therefore, whatever or whoever is your cornerstone will shape your life into its image.

Coleton challenged listeners: If Jesus isn’t the one shaping your decisions, then something else is. That “something else” has become your cornerstone.

The cornerstone wasn’t just first—it was also the strongest. It had to bear the weight of the entire structure and withstand storms. If it crumbled, the whole building collapsed.

Coleton used this to illustrate why Jesus is the only foundation that won’t fail:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be shaken.” — Isaiah 28:16

Everything else in life—success, relationships, money, career, beauty, reputation—is fragile. If those things fall apart, so will we. But Jesus is the only foundation that can never be shaken.

Coleton shared personally about how, early in his life, his relationship with Rainey was his cornerstone. When things were good, he felt secure. When they weren’t, he was crushed. Later, as a pastor, his cornerstone often shifted to his church’s success or how well his sermon went. When those things faltered, his peace faltered too.

He said, “I can turn even my ministry into my cornerstone instead of Jesus.”

To reorient his heart, Coleton often stares at Rembrandt’s painting “Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee.”

Then he remembers Jesus’ question:

“Why are you so afraid?” (Mark 4:40)

Coleton said, “If He’s not worried, why should I be? If He’s not shaken, why should I be?”

That truth reshapes everything.

He invited listeners to apply that same faith to their own circumstances:

Coleton said, “Whatever shakes your life reveals your cornerstone.”

Coleton closed by teaching from Matthew 7:24–27, where Jesus says that the wise builder is the one who hears His words and puts them into practice.

“Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock… The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew… yet it did not fall.”

Simply calling Jesus “Lord” isn’t enough. Obedience is what builds a life on Him.

Coleton said, “There are people walking around calling Jesus their cornerstone while not doing what He says—and then wondering why their life is falling apart. It’s not the cornerstone’s fault.”

He illustrated this with his son Teddy’s LEGO set. Without following the instructions, the pieces might form something, but not what it was designed to be. Likewise, our lives can “look like something” without being what God designed.

To make Jesus your cornerstone:

He ended with a simple call: Make Jesus your cornerstone—because only He can carry the weight of your life.

Key Takeaway:

Your life will be shaped by whatever your cornerstone is. Only Jesus can bear that weight and make your life stand firm.