Reason #226
Another full Sunday. Another good message. We talked about rocks this morning. Casting stones and dodging stones.
The woman, the adultress, stands humiliated in front of the town and, I'm sure with wide frightened eyes and shortened breath, she counts the final minutes of her life. I can imagine the thoughts racing through her head, her last opportunity to think them. And the anticipation of pain must be prevalent in her mind. Trapped. She has no where to go. No sympathy is shown for her. Judgemental thoughts are sent her ways, judgemental eyes pick her a part, judgemental toungs rip her to pieces. She stands alone, hopeless. A woman who made a terribly poor decision. A woman who messed up. A woman, about to feel pain, has also caused pain, just the different kind. A woman whose actions have been fully exposed, put on public display for all to see, for all to know. And so the crowd stands, stones in hands, clenched fists, ready to get justice, to make retribution.
But the Savior steps in and He silences the crowd. A man fully aware of not only this woman's mistake, but the mistakes of every single face in the crowd. A Savior who could quickly humiliate every one of them. One who could expose the deepest, darkest, ugliest secrets of each attendee. A Savior, stepping in to save a desperate woman in great need of saving. Saving from a self-righteous crowd, saving from pain, saving from demise, saving from herself. A Savior who had shown up to save a sinful woman, to rescue her from the hands of sinners, and to give her another opportunity.
And the crowd listened to Him. They watched Him and He challenged them. "Let the one without sin throw the first stone." (John 8:7) Silence. Sighs of frustration, of realization, of conviction. And the stones hit the ground, only the ground. Justice was not to be served by those sinful hands. Retribution was not to be made by mere humans. Rather, grace was extended. And, in their eyes, it didn't seem quite fair, at least not until a comparison was made. And when they reflected internally, they dropped those stones, and I have to think they were grateful grace was the only thing being cast in that situation.
I've got a pocket full of rocks. Rocks that weigh me down. Rocks that have been uncomfortably shoved into small pockets. Rocks I have picked up as I've walked a few miles down a long, winding road. And I realize that I've picked these rocks up for a lot of reasons. Frustration, anger, protection, spite. So I keep these rocks to use when I want. When I feel mad, I may throw one. When I'm sad, I may kick one. When I feel threatened, I may use one. And when I feel wronged, I really feel the urge to sling-shot one. And so, I stand with all of the other self-righteous sinners and I clench my fist around the biggest rock I can find. The one that can do the most damage, cause the most pain, because that only seems fair. Justified.
But I stand in that circle of ignorant sinners and I listen to the voice of grace. The voice reminding me that I may very well be the next one in the middle of the circle, the one who is praying for a rock shield. And I look into the her eyes, into the eyes of the exposed one, the one who stands in public humiliation, and I realize that I should be there. I'm just fortunate enough that my mistakes haven't been exposed to the whole town. But I'm not spotless, no, I'm deserving of that very rock I hold in my hand. And I drop my rock.
So the pockets are emptied and the rock collection is no more. Because if anyone deserves a shower of rocks, it's me. It's all of us. And I realize how much more important and effective grace is than any other emotion that could be expressed. Bitterness, anger, hatred, condemnation... but it's grace that wins every time. And I thank the Lord that He took that rock from my hand because enough damage has been done. And the truth is, there is no justification for throwing a rock. Sure, it may feel nice at the moment, it may temporarily release frustration, but throwing rocks can be as hurtful, and possibly even more hurtful than the behavior that warranted a rock circle in the first place.
As I emptied my pocket full of rocks, as I laid them at His feet and decided not to throw any more, the familiar words of this old hymn came to mind.
#226 - Because He never throws rocks.
"Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” - John 8:10-11
The woman, the adultress, stands humiliated in front of the town and, I'm sure with wide frightened eyes and shortened breath, she counts the final minutes of her life. I can imagine the thoughts racing through her head, her last opportunity to think them. And the anticipation of pain must be prevalent in her mind. Trapped. She has no where to go. No sympathy is shown for her. Judgemental thoughts are sent her ways, judgemental eyes pick her a part, judgemental toungs rip her to pieces. She stands alone, hopeless. A woman who made a terribly poor decision. A woman who messed up. A woman, about to feel pain, has also caused pain, just the different kind. A woman whose actions have been fully exposed, put on public display for all to see, for all to know. And so the crowd stands, stones in hands, clenched fists, ready to get justice, to make retribution.
But the Savior steps in and He silences the crowd. A man fully aware of not only this woman's mistake, but the mistakes of every single face in the crowd. A Savior who could quickly humiliate every one of them. One who could expose the deepest, darkest, ugliest secrets of each attendee. A Savior, stepping in to save a desperate woman in great need of saving. Saving from a self-righteous crowd, saving from pain, saving from demise, saving from herself. A Savior who had shown up to save a sinful woman, to rescue her from the hands of sinners, and to give her another opportunity.
And the crowd listened to Him. They watched Him and He challenged them. "Let the one without sin throw the first stone." (John 8:7) Silence. Sighs of frustration, of realization, of conviction. And the stones hit the ground, only the ground. Justice was not to be served by those sinful hands. Retribution was not to be made by mere humans. Rather, grace was extended. And, in their eyes, it didn't seem quite fair, at least not until a comparison was made. And when they reflected internally, they dropped those stones, and I have to think they were grateful grace was the only thing being cast in that situation.
I've got a pocket full of rocks. Rocks that weigh me down. Rocks that have been uncomfortably shoved into small pockets. Rocks I have picked up as I've walked a few miles down a long, winding road. And I realize that I've picked these rocks up for a lot of reasons. Frustration, anger, protection, spite. So I keep these rocks to use when I want. When I feel mad, I may throw one. When I'm sad, I may kick one. When I feel threatened, I may use one. And when I feel wronged, I really feel the urge to sling-shot one. And so, I stand with all of the other self-righteous sinners and I clench my fist around the biggest rock I can find. The one that can do the most damage, cause the most pain, because that only seems fair. Justified.
But I stand in that circle of ignorant sinners and I listen to the voice of grace. The voice reminding me that I may very well be the next one in the middle of the circle, the one who is praying for a rock shield. And I look into the her eyes, into the eyes of the exposed one, the one who stands in public humiliation, and I realize that I should be there. I'm just fortunate enough that my mistakes haven't been exposed to the whole town. But I'm not spotless, no, I'm deserving of that very rock I hold in my hand. And I drop my rock.
So the pockets are emptied and the rock collection is no more. Because if anyone deserves a shower of rocks, it's me. It's all of us. And I realize how much more important and effective grace is than any other emotion that could be expressed. Bitterness, anger, hatred, condemnation... but it's grace that wins every time. And I thank the Lord that He took that rock from my hand because enough damage has been done. And the truth is, there is no justification for throwing a rock. Sure, it may feel nice at the moment, it may temporarily release frustration, but throwing rocks can be as hurtful, and possibly even more hurtful than the behavior that warranted a rock circle in the first place.
As I emptied my pocket full of rocks, as I laid them at His feet and decided not to throw any more, the familiar words of this old hymn came to mind.
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,
there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.
Grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that is greater than all our sin!
Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
threaten the soul with infinite loss;
grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
points to the refuge, the mighty cross.
Dark is the stain that we cannot hide.
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
brighter than snow you may be today.
Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see his face,
will you this moment his grace receive?
grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,
there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.
Grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that is greater than all our sin!
Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
threaten the soul with infinite loss;
grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
points to the refuge, the mighty cross.
Dark is the stain that we cannot hide.
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
brighter than snow you may be today.
Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see his face,
will you this moment his grace receive?
And I'm truly thankful that His grace really is greater than all of our sins!
#226 - Because He never throws rocks.
"Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” - John 8:10-11
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