S T O N E S
What Stone Will You Let Jesus Roll Away Today?
May 24th, 2023
INFIDELITY: Cast the First Stone
Luke 24:2, ‘But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.’ (NKJV)
“I love the imagery of the stone that covered Jesus’ tomb rolling away when He defeated death. The reality is, we all have stones in our lives…but the good news is: Jesus Christ rolls stones away!” (Christine Caine)
John 8:3-11, ‘The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now, what do You say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with His finger. When they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again, He stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”’ (NIV)
There is no greater stone to have Jesus remove than the one someone else wishes to hurl at you. Have you ever been there? I have.
Do you know that adultery and infidelity aren’t only marital terms? It means unfaithfulness, period. It can be a breach of trust or disloyalty to any relationship, even toward God. There are affairs of the heart in this life which occur all the time. In fact, we can be more in love with the trappings of this world; we can be in hot pursuit of pleasures in this life; we can be deeply in love with ourselves and all life has to offer; things can become more important than people. It is then when we are having a love affair with stuff, with the world, with something other than God, the Maker of you and me. We have succumbed to lusts of the flesh and are running after the achievement of such things, rather than running after God. We betray Him for all the other things in this world we desire more.
Whatever the passion is toward, whether it is marital or toward an addiction or self-inflation or even being the object of someone’s jealousy, we can become the target of those who throw stones. And that is when we need Jesus to roll away—or take away—the stones that others want to pitch. I love how He reminds us to take care of the plank in our own eyes, before attempting to remove the pebble from someone else’s. It reminds me how important it is to stay in my own lane and clean my own doorstep.
I also love that Jesus doodles in the dirt. How many times has He knelt in the dirt of my life and has He begun doodling, trailing His fingers over the ridges of my sin, and swiping at the contours of my shame. I love that He wipes away the things He has forgiven, that He removes the stain and the blemish, that my understanding of Him can’t even scratch the surface of the depth of His love for me. I love that, at the end of the day, He has oceans of grace He gently dips me in to wash me clean from the layers of dust and filth which cover me. Most of all, I am undone that He took my place, and He continues to stand in my stead. He takes the stones and the lashes that were meant for me. That when everything is said and done, He tells me to hold my head high, and instead of stoning me with my shame, He offers me the chance to go, to leave it all behind, to begin again, fresh and unblemished and clean.
“IT IS FINISHED!”
