27/09/09

Are you ready to cast the first stone?

2 Corinthians 10:5,6 - casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.


When the Pharisees brought unto Jesus an adulterous woman, they knew according to the Word (Old Testament) the woman should be stoned for the act. Although their interest was not the Word; but was more to break the popularity of Jesus among the people. They knew Jesus could not go against the Word by telling not to stone her and also they knew that if Jesus told them to stone her then His image of being merciful would take a hit. Jesus did the unexpected; He told them the person without sin should cast the first stone.

Today the Lord is telling us the same thing to us. He is drawing a line around His people and telling you and me unless we have not brought our obedience into fulfillment we should not stone or condemn any other child of God.

Jesus after getting her out of that situation did not tell her to go and continue what she was doing, He did tell her to stop what she was doing and to live a good life. We can warn a person or rebuke as per the Lord leads us, but we have no right to condemn anyone for we ourselves are not perfect.

So before we cast a stone at anyone we need to look at ourselves and hear our conscience, like those people did when Jesus spoke to them.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Father God, You are a merciful God. Although You get angry when your children disobey You, yet in your mercy You do not let problems to completely destroy them. Your mercy and grace keeps them and gives them another opportunity to change. Lord forgive us if we have condemned anyone and we ask You to bring that person to our minds that we may show your grace and mercy unto them. The grace and mercy by which we ourselves live...

We make this prayer in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
John 8:2-11
2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)