It doesn't help when God's people cast stones at one another... a church divided will crumble...
Those without sin may cast the first stone.
Jesus said it, and I'm amazed at how many people refuse his teachings yet quote his words. In fact, I've often seen that those reminding others not to throw stones are, in fact, doing so as a stone is being hurled from their own hand. The truth to Jesus' teaching is to remind us, every single one of us, the adulterer and those in the crowd, that we're all broken. We've all messed up. And the purpose has nothing to do with stones. Rather, it has everything to do with Jesus.
It's hard being wrong. It is. It's hard messing up, especially when it's made public. The true way, the Jesus way to do things, is never how we actually do them. If we really wanted to take Jesus at his word, we'd follow it. Jesus said, "If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector." (Matthew 18:15-17) Jesus took it to a different level. A personal level. Notice the steps, notice the intentionality. Jesus said point it out. Tell them. Rescue them from their sin. Don't sit idly by and watch them ruin their lives. Don't endorse it. Don't turn your head the other way and pretend like it's really not that big of a deal. Tell them. If you're like me, you may need to rub your toes in repentance a bit right now because the truth is, we don't always do things Jesus' way. We usually do it the wrong way. The shaming way.
"Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted." (Ephesians 6:1) Because it's easy to see the rocks being thrown and think we're the only ones without rocks in our hands. Judgmentally, we say, "Look at those judgmental people." We judge the judgers and blame it on them. But we have to be careful. We have to watch ourselves. It could easily be us. It so often is us. And yet it seems like we're more concerned about making sure the world doesn't feel convicted as we, Jesus' people, throw rocks back and forth at one another.
A house divided will not stand. A church divided will crumble. A body at war with itself will not win. Jesus told his disciples, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35) He wasn't telling the disciples to love the world. No, he was telling them to love one another. Because Jesus knew the enemy would try to divide and conquer. He knew that, even thought these men were sold out to Jesus, they were still wrapped in flesh and still as vulnerable as the next. He knew they would struggle and be tempted. He knew they were imperfect, and so love would be the very thing that set them apart from the world. They were to learn to love one another as Jesus had loved them. They weren't called to tear one another apart. They weren't called to argue and be divisive. They were called to be one. To live in unity. To build one another up. To encourage and support one another. To keep each other on track and hold one another accountable to the things Jesus taught them. And by loving each other the whole time, by pursuing and living out truth together, people would know they belonged to Jesus.
If we can't be nice to one another, why would anyone ever want to join our team? Why would anyone want to be a Jesus follower when we treat one another with contempt? When we aren't unified, when we throw our brothers and sisters under the bus, when we disagree and divide and turn on one another, how in the world will we convince others that Jesus really is the best way? It's hard to say "be apart of this" when "this" is one big, selfish mess with its own agenda. When "this" is completely focused on opinions of social issues and not on the solidarity of Jesus issues. When "this" won't stand up for truth, for one another, or for the word of God. Sometimes "this" doesn't look any different from the world, and when "this" can't get along, it certainly doesn't look appealing.
Jesus stood by the adulterer, not to judge her, but to save her. He stood up for her. He stood in the gap for her. He corrected her. He pointed her in the right direction. Jesus didn't encourage her continue down the path of destruction. He wanted more for her because he loved her. If he didn't love her, he would have simply stopped the stones from being thrown and then walked off without encouraging a life change. But he loved her enough to tell her the truth. She had to change her life. She couldn't keep on living the same way. And by his love, others saw it. By his love, Jesus removed her sin. By his love, Jesus did not let her die to sin. A call to Christianity, to being a Jesus follower and disciple, isn't a call to perfection. It's a call to continual change and repentance. A call to be more like Jesus and less like the world. A call to surrender your fleshly desires, take up your cross, and follow him. Jesus died for our sins so that we would turn from them, not continue in them. Christians are called to be different, to look different, and to act different...not perfect, but noticeably different. And we're called to love. To love each other. By doing that, others will know we belong to him.
"Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you." - 2 Corinthians 13:11
Jesus said it, and I'm amazed at how many people refuse his teachings yet quote his words. In fact, I've often seen that those reminding others not to throw stones are, in fact, doing so as a stone is being hurled from their own hand. The truth to Jesus' teaching is to remind us, every single one of us, the adulterer and those in the crowd, that we're all broken. We've all messed up. And the purpose has nothing to do with stones. Rather, it has everything to do with Jesus.
It's hard being wrong. It is. It's hard messing up, especially when it's made public. The true way, the Jesus way to do things, is never how we actually do them. If we really wanted to take Jesus at his word, we'd follow it. Jesus said, "If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector." (Matthew 18:15-17) Jesus took it to a different level. A personal level. Notice the steps, notice the intentionality. Jesus said point it out. Tell them. Rescue them from their sin. Don't sit idly by and watch them ruin their lives. Don't endorse it. Don't turn your head the other way and pretend like it's really not that big of a deal. Tell them. If you're like me, you may need to rub your toes in repentance a bit right now because the truth is, we don't always do things Jesus' way. We usually do it the wrong way. The shaming way.
"Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted." (Ephesians 6:1) Because it's easy to see the rocks being thrown and think we're the only ones without rocks in our hands. Judgmentally, we say, "Look at those judgmental people." We judge the judgers and blame it on them. But we have to be careful. We have to watch ourselves. It could easily be us. It so often is us. And yet it seems like we're more concerned about making sure the world doesn't feel convicted as we, Jesus' people, throw rocks back and forth at one another.
A house divided will not stand. A church divided will crumble. A body at war with itself will not win. Jesus told his disciples, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35) He wasn't telling the disciples to love the world. No, he was telling them to love one another. Because Jesus knew the enemy would try to divide and conquer. He knew that, even thought these men were sold out to Jesus, they were still wrapped in flesh and still as vulnerable as the next. He knew they would struggle and be tempted. He knew they were imperfect, and so love would be the very thing that set them apart from the world. They were to learn to love one another as Jesus had loved them. They weren't called to tear one another apart. They weren't called to argue and be divisive. They were called to be one. To live in unity. To build one another up. To encourage and support one another. To keep each other on track and hold one another accountable to the things Jesus taught them. And by loving each other the whole time, by pursuing and living out truth together, people would know they belonged to Jesus.
If we can't be nice to one another, why would anyone ever want to join our team? Why would anyone want to be a Jesus follower when we treat one another with contempt? When we aren't unified, when we throw our brothers and sisters under the bus, when we disagree and divide and turn on one another, how in the world will we convince others that Jesus really is the best way? It's hard to say "be apart of this" when "this" is one big, selfish mess with its own agenda. When "this" is completely focused on opinions of social issues and not on the solidarity of Jesus issues. When "this" won't stand up for truth, for one another, or for the word of God. Sometimes "this" doesn't look any different from the world, and when "this" can't get along, it certainly doesn't look appealing.
Jesus stood by the adulterer, not to judge her, but to save her. He stood up for her. He stood in the gap for her. He corrected her. He pointed her in the right direction. Jesus didn't encourage her continue down the path of destruction. He wanted more for her because he loved her. If he didn't love her, he would have simply stopped the stones from being thrown and then walked off without encouraging a life change. But he loved her enough to tell her the truth. She had to change her life. She couldn't keep on living the same way. And by his love, others saw it. By his love, Jesus removed her sin. By his love, Jesus did not let her die to sin. A call to Christianity, to being a Jesus follower and disciple, isn't a call to perfection. It's a call to continual change and repentance. A call to be more like Jesus and less like the world. A call to surrender your fleshly desires, take up your cross, and follow him. Jesus died for our sins so that we would turn from them, not continue in them. Christians are called to be different, to look different, and to act different...not perfect, but noticeably different. And we're called to love. To love each other. By doing that, others will know we belong to him.
"Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you." - 2 Corinthians 13:11
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