Laying Down Your Stones
Part 2
The Reason for Throwing Stones:
The Reality of the Throwing Stones:
Why were these men so intent on destroying Jesus?
Jesus took away the curve of sin.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT2)
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
The root of the cause flows from an unforgiving heart. A heart that will neither let go of past pains or endure current difficulties. Jesus has disturbed their way of life. He had challenged their preconceived ideas of religion. Jesus has disturbed their power by appealing to the masses that the religious leaders had forgotten. Jesus disturbed their position because He was drawing large numbers of people to be His disciples. Jesus disturbed their personal ideals that were not in line with the direction of the Father.
If we remember the wrongs which men have done us, we destroy the power of the remembrance of God – Abba Macarius the Great
If any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her
Can we really afford to throw stones?
We all make mistakes.
We all have sinned.
We all have the same spiritual need for Jesus.
Rom 3:23-26
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,
26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
We would never think of actually throwing stones at other people but we far too often throw emotional or spiritual stones at others.
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,
30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;
32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
Romans 2:1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.
3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?
- Hurtful comments just saying something to hurt someone
• Use generalizations all that kind is like that
• Gossip sharing what doesn’t need to be shared, sharing a prayer request
• Judgmental statements well they deserve that
• Harsh with the truth “speak the truth in love”
What is it that makes people want to throw stones?
- Frustration: When we become frustrated it distorts our ability to see things clearly
- Fatigue: Everything always looks worse when we are tired
- Failure: When others fail us, we are quick to judge their actions. When we fail others, we are quick to justify our actions
- False Assumptions: When we get only bits and pieces of the truth, we create assumptions based on faulty logic, looking with our earth eyes
- Feelings: If we make the choice to follow our feelings, we make the choice to be shallow,
The moment we seek retribution for wrongs done to us, either real or imagined, we lose a piece of our relationship with God. Once this happens, it becomes much, much easier to throw stones. We use the things that happen to us as a way of justifying our actions.
