Who Will Throw The First Rock?

By John Stallings

“It’s a terrible thing for a sinner to fall into the hands of his fellow sinners.”—F.B Myer


Recently I was shocked & saddened to learn that an acquaintance of mine, the pastor of a church in a city not too far from where we live was arrested for soliciting sex from an undercover police woman. We ministered in this man’s church on a Sunday several years back but hadn’t heard much if anything from him in recent years.

Juda & I did have the opportunity to have a couple of meals with him & his lovely wife while we were with them in the late nineties. They treated us with kindness & respect & I have to tell you we’re still stunned over this news.

The thoughts that flood my mind are; how does a man call his wife to drive fifty miles one way to a large city & bail her preacher husband out of jail at 2:a.m, especially in the light of what he was charged with. It happened on a Friday night. How does he explain it to his wife? How does a preacher walk into the pulpit of the church he built & explain this to well over one thousand people on the next Sunday.

It’s not a “he-said-she- said” deal. There’s no plausible deniability built in here. Law enforcement had apprehended him, they had video & audio tape, they cuffed him, finger-printed him & there was one of those awful mug-shots. Caught red-handed. -- [Whatever that means.] We’re earnestly praying for this man & his wife & kids & church family.

WOMAN CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF ADULTERY

As I pondered this, my mind went to the story of the woman caught in the act of adultery, in John 8:1-11. The religious leaders of the day, the “teachers of the law” & Pharisees brought her to Jesus & crudely threw her down at His feet as He addressed a large crowd. It’s easy to see that though these men were religious they weren’t godly & their motivations & intentions weren’t good. As the story unfolds we discover that they were proud, self-confident, arrogant, ruthless, cunning, clever, calculating, & hypocritical to the core. The Feast of the Tabernacles had just come to an end which meant that great crowds were still in Jerusalem.

This story is so popular that even those who rarely read the Bible know about it. Though its 2,000 years old the story still captures our imagination. Our culture has even picked up on the line-“Casting the first stone,” & you’ll often hear it used. No wonder the Bible is still relevant to our day; this story could have happened this week.

A woman has been caught in the very act of adultery by a bunch of rock-throwing legalists. Like the minister I spoke about, she couldn’t deny it because of the circumstances of her situation. Maybe she was sleeping with another woman’s husband or maybe she was a prostitute & earned her living from what they call “the world’s oldest profession.”

Either way she was caught in the act. She knew what it meant to be caught like this. She knew she’d broken Jewish law, she knew she was wrong & she knew the penalty. She knew she’d be taken outside the city where the whole religious community would throw rocks at her until she was dead. After all she was guilty, plain & simple.

Boy was she guilty! She’d been guilty as long as she could remember. All her friends would know how guilty she was now & the unkindest cut of all was; now they were going to tell Jesus on her. To her, [that is-up until now]-Jesus was just another religious leader.

The people who’d caught this woman were “rules driven” folk. They were all about doing the “right thing.” They were “squeaky clean.” Black is black & white is white. They couldn’t remove the sin so they were going to remove the sinner.

I’ve always had a tendency to view these people a little on the mean & cruel side. So harsh, so cut & dried. That’s true in one way but in reality, legally, they were right. They were disgruntled & hostile. The woman’s breaking of a very important law in their society made them angry & they had every right to be doing exactly as they were doing; in a manner of speaking.

So they were going to take rocks in their hands & take care of God’s business here, & if Jesus didn’t take vengeance they certainly would get the job done. They were people with a strong sense of justice & if something had to be done they were going to do it.

There was really no need for a trial here. There was no need for a jury. There was no need to wait for a verdict. She knew it & they knew it; she was dead.

But there are lots of unanswered questions here. Who was this woman? We don’t know. Was this a basically good woman who had a weakness & had just gone astray? We don’t know. Maybe she had just made some bad choices & had ended up hurting the people she loved most. Was she single, engaged, or married? We don’t know. Is she young or middle aged? We don’t know. Had she had any previous relationships with any of her accusers? We don’t know.

How did they catch her in the “act of adultery?” We can’t be sure but it’s almost certain something fishy is going on here. The law was clear that she’d committed a capitol offense but it also states it must be a detailed & precise case with two eyewitness testimonies.

IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO

Where is the man, after all “it takes two to Tango.” Adultery by definition requires two people. Was this a set-up? Did they by prearrangement let the man go free? Let’s not forget, all this was done to put Jesus on the spot so they could very well have set up the adultery. They were hoping to impale Jesus on the horns of a dilemma & it might have worked with an ordinary teacher but not with Jesus.

One thing we do know; this woman was now about to be publicly exposed & her reputation was going to be dragged through the mud.

At this point Jesus enters the story. In some ways this resembles one of those T.V reality shows. Jesus was going about His business, preaching to a large crowd in the Temple when all at once this real life drama imposed itself on Him. How would Jesus respond with no preparation at all? All at once the heat is on & Jesus stands right in the middle of a drama with a woman’s life hanging in the balance.

Imagine with me for a moment that you, like the members of this mob have a rock in your hand. Feel the weight of that rock. Maybe you can also remember someone who’s hurt or humiliated you & the pain from the incident stills lingers with you. Feel that rock. Maybe your spouse cheated on you or hurt you in some other way. Maybe you’ve been abused or abandoned with more responsibility & baggage than you can carry.

You try not to hate the person but you surely hate what they did to you. Maybe you were hurt by your parents. Maybe it’s a business partner who took money from you. Maybe that’s why you’ve got a rock in your hand right now. Maybe you’d love to find some way to get back at that person & you’re going to have to make the decision to hold the rock, drop it, or throw it. Hold that imaginary rock for awhile & let’s look at what Jesus did.

Jesus doesn’t suffer from mental blocks. He’s always ready with the answer. Aren’t you glad you know Him? It would be an understatement to say that Jesus saw right through these people & knew exactly where they were coming from. They told Him what Moses’ law required & asked Him what he thought. Was this Jesus a compromiser? Maybe they could trip Him up.

Jesus knelt & started writing in the dust with His finger. As a matter of fact, during this dramatic event He knelt down twice & wrote on the ground with His finger. We don’t know what He wrote but He wrote something. Could He have been ignoring these men, hoping they’d go away? Was He trying to buy time? Did He kneel down & momentarily drop his head toward the earth because He was embarrassed for the women? Maybe He was embarrassed for this blood- thirsty mob. There was a lot for a sensitive person to be embarrassed about. Think about it; all of this happened so quickly we are left to wonder what the poor woman was wearing if much of anything.

Or could it be that He wrote a message? We don’t know but I think so. I think what He wrote was very relevant & very telling. He could have started writing The Ten Commandments, knowing these boys had broken a few of them. Or He might have started writing sins like anger, pride, greed, arrogance or lack of love. Either way, it got their attention. Then Jesus uttered one of His most famous statements; “Let those who’ve never sinned throw the first rock.”

Jesus was saying in essence, “If you’re not living in a glass house, go ahead & throw the first rock.” In recent years we have heard this statement of Jesus used to justify prominent people & the way they use it is far removed from the way Jesus used it & meant it.

Have you ever noticed that those with the least moral authority in their lives are often quickest to tear out the throats of other people? It’s as if they think no one is going to remember or point out that they don’t have the credibility for the job. That never ceases to amaze me.

In fact, in another place Jesus plainly said. “Judge not or you too will be judged.” If you want to start playing God, you’d better be sinless yourself. If we’ve ever needed forgiveness & mercy for our actions maybe that should govern the way we respond to somebody else.

CONSIDER HOW POWERFUL THE “FIRST ROCK” IS

The first rock is an extremely influential rock. It has an awesome power. If the first rock is never thrown then no stones will be thrown. The first rock isn’t going to kill the victim but it will open the door for the others to throw their rocks. I often think about the terrible violence in our public schools & wonder if the “first rock” was the violent video games that made our kids feel comfortable with violence. I believe in a way violence & sexuality in our movies, television & music are truly the “first rocks” that have opened the door to a landslide of sinful rocks that threaten to bury a generation of youth.

The “first rock” of gossip & slander often open the door that will result in a person’s life being destroyed. The first rock of criticism or unnecessary murmuring in a church will give permission to others to throw their rocks & soon unity is buried under a pyramid of broken fellowship.

The “First lie told” is often the first rock that starts an individual down the broad road to deception & hypocrisy.

The “First drink” is often the first rock that opens the door to alcoholism for multitudes of people.

The “First flirtation” sometimes opens the door to a life of sexual promiscuity. There are some things God doesn’t want us to do even once.

Ephesians 5:3 says, --But fornication & all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not be ONCE named among you…..

Jesus knew the law said this woman should be stoned to death but He also knew the throwing of those rocks was, in the long run, not only going to create damage for the woman, it was also going to damage those who threw them. He also knew that behind this little vignette was more than met the eye. It wasn’t exactly an open-&-shut-case.

Jesus knew the incredible damage holding bitterness & hatred inside & trying to exact revenge takes on people. I mean, how is holding hate against someone who hurt you in the past, even though the pain is real, helping your life? Will throwing that rock bring you joy & bring more of God’s blessings to your life or will it just cause more hurt & frustration in your life & the lives of those around you?

DO YOU HAVE A ROCK YOU’RE READY TO THROW?

Here’s what I think Jesus is saying to you & me today; do you have a rock in your hand? Go ahead-- Throw it. Take vengeance, for after all you’ve convinced yourself that your cause is “righteous.” But know this. That rock, in the long run is going to create more trouble for you than it ever is for the person you hurt with it. Before you throw the rock, look at your own life, because you too will ultimately need love & grace & forgiveness for your sins & mistakes.

Let’s watch this story play out. The accusers slip away quietly, beginning with the older first & then they all went away. They dropped their rocks when they saw the damage they were about to cause & when they’d gotten a good look at their own need for forgiveness.

It’s interesting that the older ones went first. Maybe it was because the longer you hold hate & hurt & judgment the more you realize how heavy it is... The more real the pain-the more costly the price of holding it is. Hopefully there was a little more maturity in the older ones.

If that’s you & God is talking to you—drop your rock. Don’t hold it one moment longer. Let a new era of your life begin.

“NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU-GO & SIN NO MORE”

After the mob leaves it’s only the woman & Jesus standing in the middle of the crowd. He simply says, “Where are your accusers?” Didn’t anyone condemn you? Then neither do I.” I have this visual of this woman sitting on the ground, embarrassed & sick & tired of life. She’s sitting there crying & feeling guilty. Then I see Jesus lift her head & say something like, “Daughter, you’re not going to die today & not on this hill. Go & live all your tomorrows different than you lived today.”

In the eyes of Jesus, this woman looked better than the men who were accusing her. No doubt these men were troubled by what Jesus said. They saw a “slam dunk” but it all came to naught. They wanted to talk about the woman but Jesus wanted to talk about them. They wanted to talk about the law as it relates to outward behavior but Jesus wanted to talk about the law as it related to their hearts.

It’s easy to see why she looked bigger to Jesus than her accusers. She denied nothing & they admitted nothing. Jesus didn’t smooth over this woman’s sin & dismiss it as if unimportant. He forgave her but told her to get out of the sin business. If we are not walking in God’s plan for our lives, we’re in danger of damaging our souls.

Isaiah said, --Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they shall be as wool. Ish. 1:8

There is more to this story than the obvious dismissal of charges. This woman saw in Jesus an authority she had to respect though she’d never met Him before. She waited patiently for His verdict.

In Christ she saw a man who was different from all other men, a man who treated her with grace & not contempt. Why didn’t she leave when the Pharisees left? Because she knew she was a sinner & she didn’t try to hide it.

Let’s go back to that rock that you & I may be holding in our hands. As we hold the rock, lets ask a question; do we really want to be like Jesus?

If you saw the movie Forrest Gump, you’ll no doubt remember the scene when he & his lifetime love Jenny went back to the house where she grew up & was sexually abused by her father. She stood in front of the house for quite a long time with tears running down her cheeks, hurling rocks at it as if to somehow ease the pain she felt for all the years she was a helpless victim of her abusive father.

Forrest, who was supposed to be educable slow said to Jenny, “You know, sometimes there just aren’t enough rocks.”

That statement showed more insight than would be expected from the not-so-smart Forrest.

And the same is true for you & me. There just aren’t enough rocks if we take vengeance into our hands for the pain we’ve known on our journey.

So let’s ponder a scripture or two.

For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world…..John 3:17.

Let’s also consider….Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..... Romans 8:1

And let us not forget the words of Jesus in this story,

Neither do I condemn thee, go & sin no more.

As we drop the rocks, let’s run to The Rock.

Whether we are holding a rock getting ready to throw it, or whether we’ve been almost destroyed by the rocks someone has thrown at us, Christ & His restoring love is our only answer.

I pray everyone who reads this will give some thought to the wonderful mercy God has shown all of us, through “The Rock Christ Jesus.”

I love Dottie Rambo’s song, “I go to the rock.”


I GO TO THE ROCK OF MY SALVATION,


I GO TO THE STONE THAT THE BUILDERS REJECTED,


I GO TO THE MOUNTIAN & THE MOUNTIAN STANDS BY ME.


WHEN ALL AROUND ME IS SINKING SAND, ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK I STAND,


WHEN I NEED A SHELTER WHEN I NEED A FRIEND,


I GO TO THE ROCK.


Blessings,


John

The Man Who Saw God Everywhere

By John Stallings

"For we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28)

Do all things really work together for good? 

Of all the questions that trouble the hearts of God’s people, none is the greater than the question Why? No matter how many sermons we hear or how many Bible verses we memorize, the question returns again and again.

Why did this happen? Lord, why didn’t you answer our prayers?

When we see the pain of a fallen world, we wonder, “Where is God?” Over the centuries the greatest minds have wrestled with the problem of pain and suffering and still the questions come:

Why me?

Why now?

Why this?

The questions hang in the air. We wonder why things happen the way they do, why a teacher in Libya is shot and killed, why the bus didn’t make it to the church, why the baby was born with such disabilities.

Why do these things happen? Why do they happen to good, decent people? Why do they happen to people who love the Lord? Let’s drill down a bit into this subject.

Providence

The doctrine of Providence of God helps us understand. If it does not answer every question, it surely provides the only possible basis for understanding. Though the word itself is not found in most modern translations of the Bible, the concept is certainly biblical. Providence refers to “God’s gracious oversight of the universe.” Every one of those words is important. God’s providence is one aspect of his grace. Oversight means that he directs the course of affairs. The word universe tells us that God not only knows the big picture, he also concerns himself with the tiniest details.

Here are five statements that unfold the meaning of God’s providence in more detail:

He upholds all things.

He governs all events.

He directs everything to its appointed end.

He does this all the time and in every circumstance.  

He does it always for His own glory.

Providence is the invisible hand of God.

The doctrine of God’s Providence teaches us several important truths: 

First, God cares about the tiniest details of life. Nothing escapes his notice for he is concerned about the small as well as the big. In fact, with God there is no big or small. He knows when a sparrow falls and attends every funeral, and he numbers the hairs on our head. With some folk God has to do a lot of subtracting. He keeps track of the stars in the skies and the rivers that flow to the oceans. He sets the day of our birth, the day of our death, and he ordains everything that comes to pass in between. 

Second, he uses everything and wastes nothing. There are no accidents with God, only incidents. This includes events that seem to us to be senseless tragedies. 

Third, God’s ultimate intention is to shape His children into the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). He often uses difficult moments and human tragedies to accomplish that purpose.

Many verses in the Bible teach these truths, including Acts 17:28 (“in him we live and move and have our being”), Colossians 1:17 (“in him all things hold together”), Hebrews 1:3 (“He upholds the universe by the word of his power”), Proverbs 16:9 (“The heart of man plans his way but the Lord establishes his steps”), and especially Psalm 115:3, (“Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases”).

The doctrine of God’s providence is really a combination of four other attributes:

Sovereignty—He is in control

Predestination—He is in charge of how everything turns out

Wisdom—He makes no mistakes

Goodness—He has our best interests at heart

Someone has said, “God doesn’t roll dice.” Nothing happens by chance. Ever! Devine providence is the invisible hand of God moving through the circumstances of life.

Providence Illustrated through Joseph

In many ways Joseph’s whole life is the Old Testament illustration of a profound New Testament truth. Deep in our hearts we know that Romans 8:28 is true.

Joseph’s story goes something like this. Because Joseph was the favored son of his father Jacob, he was the object of envy by his many brothers. The day came when his brothers conspired to sell him to the Midianites who happened to be passing by. They splashed his “coat of many colors” with the blood of a goat in order to make it appear that he had been killed by a wild animal. They showed the coat to Jacob, who believed their lie and sorrowfully concluded that Joseph was dead.

Meanwhile Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Midianites. There he was sold again, this time to Potiphar, who was head of Pharaoh’s security force. Genesis 39 tells us that Joseph gained favor with Potiphar because the Lord was with him to bless him. Eventually Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his entire household. This was a high honor for a Hebrew slave. Because he was competent, confident, and good-looking, Potiphar’s wife approached him about having a sexual affair. Joseph refused, pointing out that he could not betray Potiphar and he would not sin against God .The woman persisted, to the point that one day when everyone else was gone, she attempted to pull him down on her bed. Joseph fled from the scene, leaving his cloak behind. Joe had a difficult time keeping a coat didn’t he? Humiliated by his refusal, she accused him of rape. It was a false charge, of course, but Potiphar believed his wife and had Joseph thrown in prison.

In prison Joseph prospered once again and gained the respect of his fellow prisoners and of the guards. This happened because the Lord was with him to bless him. Eventually the cupbearer and the baker were thrown in the same prison and Joseph befriended them. One night they both had dreams they could not interpret. But Joseph was able to interpret them with the Lord’s help. The dreams came true exactly as Joseph had predicted—the baker was hung but the cupbearer was released. Joseph asked him to remember him after he was out, but he didn’t.

Two years passed and Pharaoh had a dream that he could not interpret. That’s when the cupbearer remembered Joseph’s amazing ability and mentioned it to Pharaoh who ordered Joseph brought before him. Joseph correctly interpreted his dream and was rewarded by Pharaoh, who made him the Prime Minister of Egypt. Not bad for a Hebrew slave who had been sold into slavery by his brothers!

Eventually a famine settled on the Near East. Jacob told his sons to go to Egypt and buy some grain. They go and in the process meet Joseph—only they don’t know it’s Joseph. This happens twice. Then Joseph reveals his true identity. They are shocked and then scared because they betrayed him and now he’s in a position to get even. But Joseph doesn’t do that. In fact, he stuns them with these words:

And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.  And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt (Genesis 45:5-8).

But that’s not the end of the story. The brothers go back to Canaan and tell their aged father that Joseph is still alive. He can’t believe it, but eventually they convince him to come to Egypt with them. He makes the trip and is reunited with the son he had given up for dead many years ago. Then he meets the Pharaoh who offers to let Joseph’s family settle in Egypt for as long as they like. The family settles in Egypt and lives in peace there for many years. Finally Jacob dies at the age of 147. Now it’s just Joseph and his brothers. They fear that with Jacob’s death Joseph will be free to take revenge on them. So they tell Joseph, “Oh, by the way, before Dad died he told us to tell you to treat us kindly.” It sounds like just one more deception to cover their guilt.

JOSEPH SAW GOD EVERYWHERE

Listen to Joseph’s response. These are the words of a man who believes in the providence of God.

But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:19-20).

How could Joseph talk like that after all that happened to him? The answer is simple: He saw God everywhere!

Look how Joseph says it: “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” 

 Both sides of that statement are true. “You meant evil against me”—what the bothers had done was indeed evil and Joseph doesn’t sugarcoat the truth. They are 100% responsible for their sin. “God meant it for good”—this doesn’t mean that evil isn’t evil. It just means that God is able to take the evil actions of sinful men and use them to accomplish his plans. Joseph saw the “invisible hand” of God at work in his life. He understood that behind his conniving brothers stood the Lord God who had orchestrated the entire affair in order to get him to just the right place at just the right moment in order to save his whole family.

Providence Applied

Joseph is saying, “Though your motives were bad, God’s motives were good.” Though it took years and years for God’s purposes to be clear, in the end Joseph saw the hand of God behind everything that had happened to him.

Think about the implications of that statement:

At just the right moment Joseph’s brothers threw him into the cistern.

At just the right moment the Midianites came along.

At just the right moment he was sold to Potiphar.

At just the right moment Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him.

At just the right moment he met the baker and the cupbearer.

At just the right moment the cupbearer remembered Joseph.

At just the right moment Pharaoh called for him.

At just the right moment he was promoted to Prime Minister.

At just the right moment Jacob sent his sons to Egypt.

At just the right moment the brothers met Joseph.

At just the right moment Jacob’s family moved to Egypt.

At just the right moment Pharaoh offered them the land of Goshen.

At just the right moment they settled there and prospered.

All of this happened at “just the right moment” and in “just the right way” so that the right people would be in the right place so that in the end everything would come out the way God had ordained in the beginning. God never violated anyone’s free will, yet everything happened as he had planned. That’s the providence of God in action.

At just the right time Joseph was thrown into prison.

Think of the “minutiae of providence.” If we look with the eyes of faith, we can see God’s fingerprints everywhere.

Here’s a mighty question from Joseph’s life,

“Can you trust God with the details of your life?”

But that’s not quite the right question. We need to change one word.

Not “Can you?” but “Will you?”

“Will you trust God with the details of your life?”

There’s another way to say this. Either you run the universe or he does. A lot of people try to run the universe, but it never works out. Or you and I can bow before the Lord and say, “You are in charge… I’m not. I will trust you with every detail of my life.”
 

If you’ve been around for a while, you can look back and see how God has likewise lead you with his gracious beneficence. I know I can.

He Maketh No Mistake

In the 1920s a young man named A. M. Overton became the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Baldwyn, Mississippi. Baldwyn is a small community in north Mississippi on the road between Tupelo and Corinth.. In 1932 Mrs. Overton was pregnant with their fourth child, but when it came time for delivery there were complications and both she and the baby died. During the funeral, the preacher officiating at the service noticed Pastor Overton writing something on a piece of paper. After the service the minister asked him about it, and he handed him the paper with a poem he had just written. The poem was unknown for many years until someone set it to music. It eventually went around the world.

The poem is called “He Maketh No Mistake.”

My Father’s way may twist and turn

My heart may throb and ache,

But in my soul I’m glad to know,

He maketh no mistake.

My cherished plans may go astray,

My hopes may fade away,

But still I’ll trust my Lord to lead,

For He doth know the way.

Tho’ night be dark and it may seem

That day will never break,

I’ll pin my faith, my all, in Him,

He maketh no mistake.

There’s so much now I cannot see,

My eyesight’s far too dim,

But come what may,

I’ll simply trust and leave it all to Him.

For by and by the mist will lift,

And plain it all He’ll make,

Through all the way, tho’ dark to me,

He made not one mistake.

That will be the testimony of every child of God. When we finally get to heaven, we’ll look back over the pathway of life and see that through all the twists and turns and seeming detours that he was with us all the way.

Until that morning comes and the sunlight of God’s presence fills our faces, we move on through the twilight still believing that though life is often hard, God is good. In the end we will say with all the children of God as we look back on our earthly pilgrimage, “He made not one mistake.”

Fear not! We have a great God!

There is more to this intriguing story but we will have to wait until we get to heaven. 

Joseph, the man who saw God everywhere will tell us the rest of the story in his own words.

Blessings,

John

Mary And Martha...Sitting Or Serving

By John Stallings



…Martha, Martha, you’re fussing far too much about nothing.--The Message Bible. Luke 10:41


I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “The devil’s in the details.” A general interpretation of the phrase is – “An important venture or enterprise can be ruined by the malfunction of even the smallest part of the plan.”

This principle proves true in things as complicated as the Space Shuttle & as elementary as baking a cake, or forgetting a button was missing on a garment. Attention to detail is very often the thing that sets excellence apart from mediocrity.

However, in the story before us, I suggest that just the opposite is true. Attention to detail & failure to see the pressing, over-arching need of the hour earned some rather harsh words from Jesus.

Mary, Martha and Lazarus were a family who lived in the hamlet of Bethany, two miles from Jerusalem. Because of that proximity, Jesus and His disciples stopped by often.

They were a family particularly loved by Jesus; a fact that’s made crystal clear in the Gospels.

This story of Mary, Martha and Jesus has always intrigued me. Preachers use it in all sorts of ways. Martha represents works, and Mary represents faith. When we want to teach that work and busyness is good, we lean toward Martha. When we want to stress being spiritual and less busy, we lean toward Mary.

You probably know a lot more Martha’s than you do Mary’s. When you read this story it’s undeniable that Jesus put His disapproval on Martha’s busyness, and His approval on Mary’s choice to sit at his feet.

Frankly, Jesus made an interesting yet perplexing house guest. What would you have served if He came to your house; how would you prepare for it? Would you go with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on paper plates, or Lobster on Grandma’s china?

Another complication was you could never know what Jesus would do or say. He called things as He saw them. Public opinion swayed Him no more than a gnat lighting on His sleeve. If a dog had plopped down at His feet, He probably would have scratched his neck a bit, pulled off a tick or two and used the occasion to talk about the love of God.

Jesus was massively unpredictable. He might stride into a room and start talking to a woman guest and ask about her fifth husband, (or live- in partner.) He might ask the prestigious dinner guests why they clamored for the best seats at the table. He might allow an uninvited woman to crash the party and make a spectacle of herself, pouring perfume on His feet; and defend her actions.

ONE THING IS SURE, THERE’S MUCH TENSION IN BETHANY TODAY!

Mary and Martha are a study in contrasts. Mary is a carefree, open spirit, & very tender hearted. She’s an “in the moment” type, less practical, more impulsive & demonstrative. She doesn’t live in the past or future but the present moment recognizing present opportunity & wanting to take full advantage of it. In many paintings she’s portrayed as the younger more beautiful of the two.

Martha is the hard worker who throws herself into her work. She’s committed, a dedicated water- hauler, chef, usually exhausted, a bit frazzled & stressed-out. She’s detail-focused if not detail-obsessed who knows how to get the job done. Jesus told her she was “distracted by her many tasks.” Luke 10:40. Martha was a prime-practitioner of Middle Eastern hospitality, self-righteous but also teachable.

Distant Martha- Devoted Mary. Angry Martha- Adoring Mary. Get the picture?

I feel somehow that Martha may have been an ancestor of mine because my mother and my grandmother were a lot like her. Though my mother was a preacher’s wife and a minister herself, she stayed so busy and frazzled; I believe it would have been possible that if Jesus himself had stopped by our house at certain times, she might have said as she ironed, “So, Lord, what brings you to our neck of the woods?”

Jesus was blunt with Martha in this story.
Some feel He was giving her a little pat on the head and telling her to calm down. The “Martha, Martha” comment seems to have a bit of “tone” to it. But I can also hear compassion in Jesus’ voice as He says… “Martha, Martha, don’t let the cares of the world weigh you down. It’s not worth it.”
Luke doesn’t tell us how Martha responded to this but I can guess. Though she loved Jesus dearly, I don’t think His words improved her disposition one bit.

In this vignette, The Sea Walker, The Blind Man healer, The Man the multitudes were following comes under one roof to enjoy food and fellowship with one family, perhaps his best friends. But He finds things a bit dysfunctional on this day and the air is crackling with tension. Martha, a “worker bee,” is in the kitchen preparing a meal and Mary has vacated the kitchen to curl- up at Jesus’ feet.

LET’S NOT BE TOO HARD ON MARTHA

Martha loved Jesus every bit as much a Mary did. Jesus was at this home this day by the invitation of both Martha and Mary. Martha had probably carried the scrub bucket under her arm all day and had cleaned her house from top to bottom. Remember, she didn’t have the options women have today.

She didn’t have a freezer. She probably had to kill a few chickens and grind flour to make bread. She had to walk into the center of the village to get clean water. Obviously Domino’s Pizza didn’t deliver in thirty minutes back then and KFC wasn’t an option either. Martha wanted to hear Jesus’ words too, but she was only hearing bits and pieces because she felt obligated to prepare the meal. Any woman who’s ever cooked for guests knows exactly the dilemma Martha faced. Another thing she needed was a microwave. Martha had places to go, people to see and things to do.

To me, this isn’t a “Martha bad-Mary good,” scenario. In Martha’s own words, “Mary has left me to serve alone”, indicating that they had both been working, & Martha was used to having Mary in the kitchen at her side. They both loved Jesus, and both wanted his fellowship. But obviously, on this day, Mary had all she could take, pulled off her apron and went to Jesus’ feet and sat down. As far as Martha was concerned, now the “fat was in the fire.”

Mary had a choice and she chose Jesus. In all probability, she had spiritual and physical needs that were crushing her, and she knew Jesus was the only one who could help her. Mary was sitting at the feet of infinite wisdom; the one whose words spun the planets, and she knew that a few moments at His feet would be life-altering.

I’m going to cut Mary even more slack here. We don’t know for sure because the text doesn’t tell us, but I truly believe she sensed in her spirit that this day & this visit was different than Jesus’ other visits. She sensed an urgency that caused her to believe this was an extraordinary visit. Maybe she truly felt this was the last time she’d have this kind of time with Jesus so she acted boldly & assumed a position of a disciple by sitting at Jesus’ feet.

Martha the entertainer was in a purple rage because she wanted Jesus to have an extraordinary meal and was extremely upset with her sister Mary for not helping her. Martha’s objective was an “event” to show Jesus a great time in her beautiful home and dazzle Him with her gourmet cooking. She wanted things perfect on this occasion and Mary was letting her down. Martha saw Jesus as her guest, but Mary saw herself as Jesus’ guest.

THERE’S A LOT OF MARTHA IN ALL OF US.

And yes, I’m guilty too. We are …“cumbered by many things?” We love to be busy. Don’t sit us in a room with nothing to do. It’s not that we like hard work all that much, but we’ve got to be doing something. If nothing else, it makes the time go faster.

Now Martha pulls the old classic triangulation tactic; pulling Mary into the mix to show the contrast between what she and her sister are doing. Martha said to Jesus, “Tell my sister to help me. Why do I have to do everything by myself?” Martha wants to make herself the pattern for Mary.

So now Martha decides to manipulate Mary through Jesus. But Jesus doesn’t bite. He sees that Martha has shouldered the weight of the occasion. He knows she’s slaving feverishly in the kitchen while Mary sits at His feet absorbing His teachings. Martha had opened her home to Jesus, while Mary had opened her heart and was soaking up every word He had to say. Martha was concerned with feeding bodies while Mary was interested in getting her soul fed.

Martha had invited Jesus into her house but didn’t have time to talk to Him. Before we judge her too harshly, haven’t you and I done the same thing at times? Mary was sitting in the presence of God and time had lost all meaning to her. Martha wanted to impress Jesus, but Mary was so impressed by Jesus that she could see only Him.

Then Martha brashly storms into the presence of God and starts ordering Him around; but He didn’t follow her orders. Jesus reacted to her brashness, but not as she may have expected. He saw something in Martha’s heart and whatever it was He didn’t like it a bit; then the stinging chastisement… “Now- now Martha, Martha, there- there- settle down. You’re up in the air about nothing.”
One thing Jesus sees is that Martha has slipped into self-pity. She pities herself and she implies, (no she comes out and say’s it, though she puts it in the form of a question) that Jesus doesn’t even care about her and her problem. In a sense she’s saying, “God, you don’t love me.” That’s where self-pity takes us.

SELF PITY IS A PROFOUNDLY DEEP HOLE, AND THERE’S NO BOTTOM.

When a person allows self pity to climb into the saddle, there aren’t enough hugs; there aren’t enough kisses or affirmations to satisfy them. A person in self pity will actually go so far as to indict the very God of heaven and call him loveless.

I can’t tell you exactly what’s going on with Martha, or why she seems to be so driven on this occasion, but it’s obvious that Jesus is having none of it.

However, I’m going to stick my neck out here and say that despite Martha’s complaints, it wouldn’t surprise me if she has no intention of sharing her work load with anyone. Maybe at first she did, but not now. She’s in a huff but really and truly she doesn’t want any help. If Mary had jumped up and ran to help her, she’d probably have infuriated Martha by peeling the potatoes wrong, and the two would have ended up in an intense standoff over where the soup spoons should go relative to the steak knives. Martha did what we all have done at one time or another; she got an “attitude.”

But Jesus would flatly not get involved in turning Mary over to Martha’s “fretting machine” and see her ground to emotional powder. He refused to affirm Martha’s attitude of “I do everything” and elevate her work above Mary’s sitting at His feet in fellowship.

JESUS ISN’T ASSAILING THE WORK ETHIC HERE.

As He would so often do, Jesus was taking this occasion to focus on a human problem; this time it’s the problem of learning to sit still. This “stillness” teaching has in it the very seeds of saving our lives and also saving our souls. Jesus is recommending Mary’s choice of activities, sitting quietly at His feet, marinating in his glory.

If you’re a “Martha” right now, something inside you is probably churning and saying, “Wait a minute, isn’t this the same Jesus who commanded us to work while it is day and to feed the poor and visit the sick? If everyone is sitting around at Jesus feet, who’s going to get out there and do the work? How are you going to get big extravaganzas’ off the ground without a few Martha’s on the planning committee? If everyone opts to sit and pray, then the work won’t get done and all the progress will stop.”

MARTHA-HOOD MAKES WRONG ASSUMPTIONS.

The “Martha” in us assumes that its “easy” to sit at Jesus feet like Mary did; and furthermore assumes that what Martha was doing was the hard work. BUT, if Martha’s work was harder than what Mary was doing and if Mary was shirking- not- working,------ then it seems to me that a lot more of us would be doing what Mary did; spending quiet time with the Lord.


It’s easier do dishes, balance checkbooks, wash our car, go canoeing, anything that has a little action in it, than to sit, listen, wait and pray.

God’s phone number is JER-33-3, Call unto me and I will answer thee and show thee great and HIDDEN things which thou knowest not.—but these things will be revealed only to those who seek His face in prayer.

Obviously we can’t stop all our work, but we need to embrace the thought that our church’s, homes and personal lives wouldn’t come to a grinding halt if we loosened up our schedules a bit and took more time to sit at the Lords feet. I’m afraid too many Christians these days suffer from an “overload syndrome.” There’s too much information flying around us to properly process, and if we don’t have a keen listening ear to God, our minds and spirits will be flying around also.

If our work, even our work for God, comes between us & hearing God, then in the final analysis, all of our efforts will be of non-effect.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE OF ETERNAL VALUE, THAT CAN’T BE TAKEN AWAY?

Jesus said at the end of this story in Luke 10:42 …One thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken from her.
Ask yourself, what do you have that absolutely cannot be taken away from you? You may matriculate from the highest halls of learning, build a successful business, travel the world and attain wealth and fame, but all of that can be lost and pales into insignificance compared to the incomparable riches in Jesus Christ. Mary’s “good part” sitting at Jesus’ feet included, greater understanding of the Kingdom of God, a closer relationship with Jesus, peace, joy, love, forgiveness, mercy, grace, all the benefits of The Kingdom of God. There are “many things”, and then there are the “best things.”

No one can interfere with our personal relationship with Jesus unless we allow them to. We all have a right to that, and no one should be allowed to demand so much of us that we can’t enjoy our relationship with Him. Everything else that Mary had, or ever could have, could be taken away from her, but Jesus said.... “The part that Mary has chosen won’t be taken away.”

Nothing is as important as knowing Him. Jesus said in Matthew 12:29-30,

Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly of heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Mary wasn’t going to stay at Jesus’ feet forever. Soon He would be gone and she would be back to her duties. Her work would always be there. However she was wise enough to take that golden opportunity that very well may have never come again.

Others, like Mary, reached out for “that good part” as Jesus passed their way. Some were leprous, others were blind, and some were tax collectors who had swindled good people out of their money. Some were Samaritan. Some were prostitutes. All were sinners and all of them found a “that good part” in Christ.

This story isn’t about Jesus disapproving of activity. Mary’s choosing “that good part” isn’t about being idle or living a cloistered life on our knees like Monks. Neither is it a story downplaying our physical needs, for a hallmark of Jesus’ ministry was feeding the physically hungry. This is a story about priorities, and it deals with the balancing of our WORK and our WORSHIP; about keeping our devotional lives strong so that we can better lead our lives supernaturally nourished by Christ’s fellowship.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:33 - But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteous and all these things shall be added unto you.

MARY CHOSE BEST THAT DAY ---BUT DON’T DISMISS MARTHA.

No matter what conflicting thoughts Martha’s behavior that day in Bethany might conjure up, there is something about her that is absolutely awesome.

In John eleven, there’s another story about this family that Jesus loved. Jesus heard that Mary and Martha’s brother Lazarus was sick and by the time He arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead four days.

When Jesus came into town Martha heard He was there, and leaving Mary sitting in the house, she ran to meet Jesus. The interaction and exchange they had there is most phenomenal, and it’s often overlooked.

Jesus was comforting Martha about her brother Lazarus and assured her… I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.
Then Jesus got in Martha’s face and asked her if she believed this statement. What Martha said to Jesus next is astonishing. Martha said:

…Yea Lord; I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, which should come into the world.

Do you realize how profound that statement is? Later Jesus and his disciples were in Caesarea Philippi when Jesus asked Simon Peter the same question He asked Martha … “who do you think I am?”
Peter answered…. Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
Before Peter spoke those words; the declaration that became the foundational proclamation upon which all of the Christian faith stands, Martha had already spoken them! Martha was actually the first one to know who Jesus truly was!

How much of Mary do see in yourself and how much Martha do you see? Do you share with me the deep desire to excel in Mary-hood? Aren’t you challenged by her example of patience, devotion and gentle nature?

If I admit that I’m a little more like Martha, then let me be the best Martha I can be. Don’t let me be the Martha who allows the pressures of life to overcome her; who lets the performance trap ensnare her, who feels she was “saved to serve” and is trying to work her way into God’s favor. Let me be the transformed Martha, the teachable Martha; the Martha with the revelation of The Christ, the Martha with the servant’s heart.

So you see, in the final cut, we can’t chose Mary, and dismiss Martha. Or vice versa. We all need a Balance of what both these sisters possessed.

I think Titus blended the two beautifully in Titus 2:14; speaking of Jesus,

Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

I don’t know about you but I’m ready for “that good part.” I’m ready to claim my full relationship with Jesus. I’m not satisfied with simply a DESIRE to be near Jesus, and I am willing to release whatever is keeping me from sitting down at the feet of my lord.

AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS: THERE’S PLENTY OF ROOM THERE FOR US ALL!

Blessings

John

"What The World Needs Now Is...Love!"

By John Stallings



We don’t control love. Love isn’t a tangible thing we can pick up off the floor, hold in our hands, caress and even throw against the wall.

Rather, love controls us. Love holds us in its hands and caresses us, and if you’ve had much experience you know love can throw us against the wall.

It’s helpful to have an understanding of the context of Paul’s statements on love to the church at Corinth. Corinth is located on an Isthmus in Greece. It had seaports on both the Adriatic & Agaean seas, was a center of commerce and a very important city in Greece. It became such a center of immorality they actuality made a religion out of it. Think Dodge City in the old west, or even modern day Vegas.

Corinth was a hotbed of immorality & it was in this city that Paul planted a church. Not surprisingly the church had problems & they were reported to Paul by people like Stephanas, Fortunatus & Achaicus who came to see him in Ephesus.

Paul was told of the immorality & the way the Lord’s Supper was being abused. Some were showing up drunk & being gluttonous. Others were in error about the Resurrection. They were also choosing sides & arguing over who the best preachers were. There were cliques, factions, animosities, backbiting & gossip going on; in short, it was too much like some of the churches I’ve known.

Division was the big problem Paul was addressing here. They had waded off into the spiritual “misty moonlight” sporting all the gifts. Paul was telling them it didn’t matter about how powerful the gifts were that they possessed; they meant nothing if not bathed in love.

Paul knew if he didn’t spell out love in simple terms it would go right over the heads of the Corinthians. He knew he was going to have to tell them what love is, then circle the field, come back around & tell them what love isn’t. In other words, Paul was going to have to preach love in them, up them, down them, over them, & around them. So he embarks on a whole chapter to accomplish this- 1 Corinthians 13.

Let’s keep in mind that when Paul uses the word love here he’s using the word “agape.” Maybe you’ll remember it. It simply means a selfless love for the welfare of others, not dependent on any loveableness in the person loved. It’s a product of a will to love in obedience to God’s command. Its love like Christ manifested on the cross. It has nothing to do with romance. It has nothing to do with friendship; it has nothing to do with emotion. It’s an act of the will.

Our basic understanding of God’s love is as flawed as we are. Eros or erotic love is what we hear most about in our culture. This of course is sexual love. As human beings we tend to embrace this kind of love. Eros love looks for something lovely or worth loving. Eros love is on a treasure hunt. This is the kind of love we give to things that are expensive, attractive or lends status to our lives.

Studies show that adults coo over & dote over “pretty” babies more than “plain ones.” If you don’t follow the news closely this may shock you but recently studies were released that show some parents (hopefully no one we know) will be more protective of “pretty” children than “plain” ones. Pretty kids are kept close in grocery stores while not so cute kids are left to wander all over the place, almost as if they wouldn’t be missed if they disappeared.

Agape love is a stronger, purer kind of love. This love is the kind that creates value in the object of the loved one. It’s the Amazing Love, the kind God has for you & me. In fact, were it not for this kind of love we’d have never been created in the first place. God created us so He could love & protect us & when man fell in The Garden of Eden He sent one third of all He was to redeem us. Romans 5.

Now let’s unpack Paul’s teaching to the Corinthians on Agape love. In a subtle way Paul is telling these people to “get a life” because all the other gifts they’re operating will burn on judgment day & minus love, they’ll have nothing to show for the time they spent on earth. Everything but love is perishable.

Paul never refutes the validity of the gifts the Corinthians were using but rather is warning them that they aren’t helpful without love. If I have faith to move a mountain but no love, I might throw it in someone else’s path. A person wielding the powerful gifts of the spirit without love would indeed be a dangerous individual.


The fifteen snapshots of love are as follows;


1. Love is PATIENT.

Love doesn’t demand immediate results. Love waits, waits, & waits some more. Love extends its grace in the most heated moments of life. Love isn’t easily frustrated & short-sided. Love considers the feeling of everyone involved. Love takes a long time before it will burst into flames.

2. Love is KIND.

Love doesn’t go on a rampage, like a bull in a China shop. Love thinks about the feelings of others. Love looks for ways to make peace & be helpful. It looks for the best in others. Love sees the good in a person that is often buried beneath layers of annoying characteristics.

3. Love isn’t JEALOUS.

Love won’t boil over with jealousy. It demonstrates an attitude of contentment for the way God has provided for others. It overcomes envy & resentment of others. Love wants others to thrive & blossom. Some will try to convince their spouse that the reason they’re so possessive is that they love & feel so deeply. This is obviously a ploy to cover for selfishness, the antitheses of love. If we allow it to, love will teach us to jump up & down over the good things happening to others.

4. Love doesn’t BOAST

Love is neither boastful, arrogant, conceited nor does it seek vainglory. Love has an accepting attitude of others gifts & abilities & also their weaknesses. Love doesn’t brag & isn’t puffed up with pride. When we love like God loves we will encourage others to succeed & are “watching their backs” so to speak.

5. Love isn’t ARROGANT,

Love doesn’t behave itself unseemly, and doesn’t go on rampages. Love isn’t obnoxious. It doesn’t harbor an inner sense of its own importance. It’s full of humility & recognition that every breath comes from God.

6. Love isn’t RUDE

Love will make us more tactful & polite. Love has a way of letting us see the needs of others more than our own needs. Love doesn’t seek to publicly embarrass & punish people & make public scenes.

7. Love doesn’t INSIST ON ITS OWN WAY

Love has a spirit of arbitration & encourages compromises & peace. It won’t be a party to confusion. Love is a truce seeker. Love is a peace-maker not just a peace-keeper. It seeks to bring all parties to the table & grieves at the thought of pettiness. Love doesn’t foster a rule-or-ruin spirit & will never ramrod people to get its own way.

When wise Solomon suggested cutting the baby in half to satisfy the two quarreling mothers, he knew the real mother wouldn’t allow it. Love won’t allow a church, home or nation to be torn asunder just to have its way. Love won’t cut things to pieces but bitterness & hatred will.

Love isn’t touchy. Some people are overly sensitive & cause those around them to walk on egg shells. They seem to need to live in bubble wrap.

8. Love isn’t IRRITABLE

Real love doesn’t overreact to people having differences of opinion. It’s never short tempered. Love shouldn’t be confused with softness because a loving parent will have to discipline a child, but its done out of love. If love for a three year old child is always shown in softness, the child probably won’t live to turn four.

9. Love isn’t RESENTFUL

Love doesn’t hold grudges & when hurt it forgives on the spot & moves forward with joy.


10. Love doesn’t REJOICE AT WRONG.


Love has a way of keeping us from enjoying it when bad things happen to others. Something twisted in human nature seems to make many people more ready to hear bad news than good news. People say “Did you hear about so-n-so” & go off with the dirty little details. Love won’t do this.

11. Love REJOICES IN RIGHT

Real love is thrilled to see justices served. It’s truly happy when things go right for others. Love rejoices in right.

12. Love BEARS ALL THINGS

Love enables us to hang in there when the going gets tough, no matter how difficult the situation. Love bears all things & will hold on when it seems all hope of a good outcome has vanished.

13. Love BELIEVES ALL THINGS

Love won’t accept a bad report on a person or situation unless compelled to do so. Love will encourage us to put the best construction on peoples & actions. In our world many people fly off the handle & jump to conclusions before they know the facts. Love isn’t gullible, naive’ or unrealistic but chooses to focus on the rose instead of the thorn. Love believes all things.

14. Love HOPES ALL THINGS

Love has a way of looking to God’s future & seeing a better day. Love is stubborn when it comes to a good outlook & holds to the proposition that God’s purposes will be accomplished no matter how things may look.

15. Love ENDURES ALL THINGS

Love never bails out, but helps outlast the circumstances & see them change. Love won’t cave in & give up but keeps on going even when all the prospects are negative. Love will endure even when it seems clear that others have evil motives & intentions. Love will do this because it delights in the virtue & happiness of others. Giving is to love what eating is to hunger. Giving is the way a Godly love manifests itself. 1 John 3:16-18.

Without acts of service, love has no skeletal structure. Love never fails. If you’ve had a problem succeeding, generate a giving, serving love & you can’t be defeated. Love, along with faith & hope will outlast the stars.

The hardest place to flesh out love is in families & marriages. Marriage isn’t a set-up where we say, “you do your part & I’ll do mine.” To be happy each partner must GIVE more than he/she expects to GET. If we try to use math to keep score we’ll be in crisis mode all the time.

How does your conduct measure up to Paul’s description of love? Do you manifest love in your dealings with others, be they friend or foe? How can God produce this kind of love in us? It starts with His saving grace & trust in Him. If you don’t know Jesus you’ll never be able to express or even understand agape love.

All God needs is our willingness to make ourselves available to Him. As He makes a home within us, our actions & attitudes change. Isn’t this what you & I, our families & those we relate to each day need more of?

As Christians we have our work cut out for us. Think of the multitudes of people all around us who don’t know God loves them. They need to hear that God loved them enough to send His son to save them.

Remember, we must show our love to the unlovely for without love our labor means nothing.

Luke 6:32 says..."If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? --New Living translation

 Love is truly the more excellent way.


Love is God's way!


Blessings,


John