설교자 : 담임목사 서삼정
본문말씀 : 마태복음 21:42-46
Jesus is the Savior and Judge.
Matthew 21:42-46
Matthew 21:42-46
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone, the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’ ?
43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a
people who will produce its fruit. 44 He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he
on whom it falls will be crushed.” 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’
parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they
were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.
Jesus is both Savior and Judge. Last Sunday, I shared a message about meeting Jesus would
make us happy. Any sinner will be saved when they meet the Savior Jesus, and any unhappy
person will become happy when they meet Jesus. However, if you do not meet the Savior
Jesus, that is not the end of the story. We must meet the fearful Judge, Jesus. Today’s
scriptures reveal that Jesus is the Savior and Judge.
1. Jesus is the Savior.
Verse 42: Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone the
builders rejected has become the capstone, the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in
our eyes’ ?
These words are quoted by Jesus from Psalm 118.
Psalms 118: 22-23 “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the
Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.”
Just like a stone the builders rejected, David was rejected and driven away by King Saul and his
servants. However, God saved him in an extraordinary way, exalted him, and made him a king.
Not just simply a king, but God made him a king who is like the capstone of the Israel Kingdom.
Just like in today’s scripture, it is as if the stone the builders rejected became the head of the
cornerstone. In this Psalm, David sang about the amazing thing God had done to him and
prophesied the Messiah at the same time. By quoting the words of this Psalms, Jesus made it
clear that what David was saying was referring to Jesus himself.
* Jesus is the cornerstone of heaven.
Jesus is the cornerstone of God’s kingdom. The head of the cornerstone is like the principal
capstone or the foundation stone. After measurement, builders put cornerstones in their
construction projects. The cornerstones are the largest and the most solid stone, usually placed
at the corner of the construction, to guid the builders in their course. Therefore, the cornerstone
is the most important core of any construction. No matter how well-built a house is, it will
collapse if a cornerstone is removed from it. Likewise, the house of God, the kingdom of God,
cannot be built without Jesus as the cornerstone. No matter how plausible and great it seems,
religion and morality without Jesus will all crumble. The house of God is built on the foundation
of Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:11 “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid,
which is Jesus Christ.”
It is built on the foundation of Jesus Christ as people saved through Jesus. Just as walls are
built up from east to west, north and south, it is built up by people from all nations. After the
house is built, they write the name of the house on the cornerstone.Our church has also placed
a mark of the cornerstone next to the entrance.
* Jesus, the cornerstone, is the only savior.
Acts 4:11-12 “He is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected which has become the capstone.’ ”
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men
by which we must be saved.”
This is a sermon given by Peter, who was filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
Jesus, the stone you rejected, became the cornerstone of the house. The cornerstone Jesus is
our savior. Jesus is our savior, our only savior. There is no other name under heaven by which
we can be saved. No one’s name or any merit and good deeds can be saved. Only Jesus can
save. We must believe in Jesus as our Savior, our only Savior.
Let us say it altogether. “Jesus is the only Savior.”
* Jesus is the legitimate Savior.
“Jesus whom you crucified…”
On the cross, Jesus took all the judgement we deserve from God. Otherwise, our sins cannot be
solved by any means. No matter how much we suffer in hell, the wages of sin will not be
diminished in the slightest. But instead of us, the Son of God suffered all judgement himself.
Because Jesus has been fully judged by God, He is a very proper and lawful Savior for us.
Therefore, if Jesus saves you, no one can stop that. When Jesus saves, no one can argue or
question why He saves that person. Not even Satan. No one can undo the salvation of those
saved by Jesus. When Jesus saves, no one can cancel or nullify that salvation. Jesus is the
lawful Savior, the only Savior, the perfect Savior.
* Such a marvelous thing!
Verse 42: Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone the builders rejected has
become the capstone, the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’
It is a very strange thing that the stone the builders threw away as useless became the most
precious cornerstone of the construction. Just like that, it is such a strange and marvelous thing
that Jesus, whom the Jews rejected and crucified, became the Savior and the Sovereign of
God’s Kingdom. Think about it. How could Jesus, who was crucified and died on the cross,
became the Savior of all peoples and the King of kings? This is really strange and surprising. It
is a wonderful and marvelous thing God has done.
* It's strange that he made us believe.
1 Corinthians 2:12 “What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit
who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.”
He said that the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, has been given to us so that we can understand
what God has given us by grace. What God has given us by grace is His Son, Jesus Christ.
It is a strange thing that we cannot comprehend in our own knowledge that God gave His Son to
judgment on our behalf. Therefore, the Holy Spirit has been given to us so that we may
understand and believe. It is a marvelous thing that the Holy Spirit has done for us to believe in
Jesus, who died on the cross as our Savior.
Let us say it altogether. “It is a marvelous thing God has done that I believe in Jesus.”
* What God is doing now is also marvelous.
He renews and makes a new life to those who seem to be abandoned and failed. God makes
them the most worthy people. God rebuilds the desolate city and restores it to be filled with its
people. God’s work is so marvelous!
2. Jesus is the Judge.
Verse 43-44 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people who will produce its fruit. He who falls on this stone will be broken
to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
Jesus is not only the Savior but also the Judge. Just as children must know the love of their
parents and know the authority of their parents at the same time, we need to know that Jesus is
not only the benevolent Savior, but also the fearful judge.
God has entrusted to his Son all judgment to judge the world.
John 5:22-23 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the
Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the
Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.”
* If you do not believe in Jesus, you will be judged.
Verse 43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and
given to a people who will produce its fruit.
The Jews prided themselves on being the chosen people of the kingdom of God, but they
rejected Jesus, the cornerstone. So they lost the kingdom of God. Rather, the Gentiles believed
in Jesus as their Savior and became a fruit-bearing people, and the heaven was inherited to
them.
* Jesus is the fearful judge.
Verse 44 “He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will
be crushed.”
Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken, whether individual or nation. Anyone who
opposes Jesus Christ will be broken and destroyed. The break started from the Jews. They
were all broken and destroyed in AD 70 because of their sin of rejecting Jesus. They lost their
nation and wandered around for almost 2000 years. Not only the Jews, but there is no other
nation that has resisted Jesus and has not been destroyed. There is no country that has
rejected Jesus and is prosperous. There is no country that lives poorly that believes in Jesus.
Individuals, societies, and nations who oppose Jesus will all be broken.
* When this stone falls on a person, he will be crushed.
This is the last day, when Christ returns, that all unbelievers will be judged. If you do not repent
and reject Jesus, a more terrible judgment awaits. As a stone falls on a person and grinds it to
dust, so the last day of judgment is the day of mankind's greatest fear.
* If you do not believe in Jesus, you will be judged.
John 3:18 “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe
stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and
only Son.”
God has given us salvation until He brings judgment on His Son, and if you reject Jesus, you
cannot escape the judgment. The judgment does not end with being judged on this earth.
There is eternal punishment awaiting.
Matthew 25:41
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed into the
eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
Eternal Fire is a place prepared for the devil and his angels. But those who have been cursed,
those who have rejected Jesus, will go there too. Judgment is not for any other sin, but for the
sin of rejecting Jesus.
* Those who believe in Jesus will not be judged.
John 5:24 “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has
eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”
If you believe in Jesus, you will have eternal life, and you will not be judged because you have
crossed over from death to life. The salvation of Jesus and the judgment of Jesus are final.
When Jesus saves, no one can undo or change that salvation. When Jesus judges, no one can
cancel or change his judgment. Let us say it altogether. “If you do not believe in Jesus, you will
be judged.”
3. For those who believe in Jesus, the day of judgment becomes the day of glory.
Matthew 24: 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.
41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
* Those who believe in Jesus will be raptured when Jesus returns.
Those who are raptured on that day participate in the heavenly wedding feast in heaven. There
is nothing more glorious than this. But those who are abandoned will be judged. They will
experience terrible tribulation.
From Matthew 24, it continues to talk about the glory that believers will receive on that day and
the punishment that non-believers will receive on that day. Matthew 25 also speaks of the glory
that believers will receive and the judgment that unbelievers will receive.
Through the parable of the ten virgins, it is said that the five wise virgins will participate in the
wedding feast on that day, and the five foolish virgins will weep bitterly and not participate. He
also spoke of rewards and punishments through the parable of the talents. He commanded
those who made a profit to share in the joy of their masters. For those who have not made a
profit, cast them out into darkness. There he will weep and grind his teeth. Also, through the
parable of the sheep and the goats, the sheep on the right are told to enter into eternal life, and
the goats set on the left will go into eternal punishment.
In this way, the end of unbelief is solemn. But the end of faith is so glorious. Today, we must
know how great a blessing it is to believe in Jesus and be saved. The blessing of salvation we
received is that we are freed from the terrible punishment of hell. Furthermore, he was able to
enjoy the blessings of eternal heaven.
There is no greater blessing than believing in Jesus and being saved. It is a greater blessing
than having everything in this world. Even if you believe in Jesus and receive salvation, you will
face many difficulties. But no matter what kind of hardship you face, it is nothing compared to
the misery of not being saved. Therefore, live your life not to lose gratitude for the grace of
salvation. The day of the second coming of Jesus is the day of the greatest tragedy for
unbelievers. The greatest glory will come to those who believe.
If you have received today's Word by faith, please respond with Amen when I proclaim.
“Jesus is Savior and Judge.”
“I believe in Jesus as my Savior.”
I believe that I crossed over from death to life.”
“I believe I will not be judged.”
“I believe that I will join the glory of the Lord that day.”
Jesus is the Savior and the Judge.