The Cornerstone — Luke 20:1–26
Intro — The Stone You Can’t Ignore (2–3 min)
In the Bible, the “cornerstone” was the first stone set in a building’s foundation.
It determined the direction and strength of the whole structure.
If the cornerstone is crooked, the whole building is off.
If it’s solid, the building stands.
Jesus calls Himself the Cornerstone—the most important part of God’s Kingdom.
But in Luke 20, we see people rejecting Him because they don’t want to build on Him.
You either build your life on Him… or you trip over Him.
Tonight we’ll see three moments where people had the chance to recognize Jesus as the cornerstone.
Instead of building on Him, they tried to push Him out.
Let’s see how Jesus responds—and what it means for us.
Luke 20:1–8 — Who Gets to Be the Cornerstone? (6–7 min)
Hook:
Think about your phone—who gets to set the settings? The one who owns it.
If you think you own it, you’ll fight anyone who tries to change it.
That’s what’s happening here with Jesus in the Temple.
The moment:
The leaders interrupt Jesus:
“By what authority are You doing these things?”
They’re asking, “Who made You the cornerstone here? Who gave You the right to decide how the Temple should run?”
But they’re not looking for truth—they’re protecting their own “building project.”
Key truth:
We all build our lives on something—our image, our friends, our grades, our own rules.
But only one foundation will hold: Jesus as the cornerstone.
Discussion Questions:
- What are some “cornerstones” people your age might build their lives on that won’t last?
- Why is it hard to let Jesus be the one who sets the direction for your life?
- How can you tell if Jesus really is your cornerstone, not just part of your life?
Transition:
The leaders didn’t like that Jesus claimed authority in the Temple.
And in the next story, Jesus shows exactly what happens when you reject the rightful cornerstone.
Luke 20:9–19 — The Cornerstone Rejected (8–9 min)
Hook:
Imagine a sports team kicking out the coach and saying, “We’ll run the plays our way.”
It might feel powerful at first—but the team will fall apart without leadership.
That’s exactly what this parable is about.
The parable:
A landowner sends servants to collect fruit—beaten.
Sends his son—killed.
The tenants think they can keep the vineyard without the owner.
Jesus then quotes:
“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”
They were supposed to be building God’s house, but they tossed out the most important stone.
Key truth:
You can’t have the building without the cornerstone.
You can’t have God’s Kingdom without Jesus at the center.
Discussion Questions:
- Why do you think people “reject the cornerstone” today?
- What happens if you try to build your faith without Jesus at the center?
- What’s one way to put Jesus back in the center if you’ve been building without Him?
Transition:
The leaders knew Jesus was talking about them, but instead of changing, they looked for another angle to trap Him.
Next, they use politics as their weapon—but Jesus points them right back to who really owns the cornerstone spot.
Luke 20:20–26 — Whose Image Is on the Cornerstone? (7–8 min)
Hook:
When something is yours, it usually has your name on it—your locker, your homework, your jersey.
God has something like that too. It’s His image on you.
The trap:
“Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar?”
Jesus points to a coin—Caesar’s image is on it.
Then He says,
“Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
You bear God’s image—which means you belong to Him.
If He’s the one who made you, He’s the one who should be your cornerstone.
Key truth:
Your life was designed to be built on Jesus.
If you put another “stone” in that spot—success, politics, popularity—it won’t hold.
Discussion Questions:
- What does it mean that you’re made in God’s image?
- How does that connect to letting Him be your cornerstone?
- What’s one thing in your life that might be trying to take Jesus’ place as the cornerstone?
Transition:
So in each of these moments, the choice was the same:
Keep control… or build on the cornerstone.
Let’s wrap up with what that means for us right now.
Wrap-Up — Build or Stumble (2–3 min)
In every story tonight, people had a chance to recognize Jesus as the cornerstone.
The leaders rejected Him.
The tenants killed Him.
The spies tried to trap Him.
But the stone still stands.
You can’t ignore the cornerstone—you can only build on Him or trip over Him.
Final challenge:
If your life is a building, what’s in that cornerstone spot?
Is it Jesus… or something else?
Whole group question:
What’s one thing you can do this week to make sure Jesus is the actual cornerstone you’re building on?
