The Stumbling Stone

Nathan Stam
Children/Communications Pastor

When we were living overseas my wife and I were blessed when my family came to visit with us for a few weeks. We had the opportunity to travel to the capital city and had a great time hanging out and seeing all the sights and eating some great food and laughing at each other. One night, we were walking back to our hotel, and all of a sudden my Mom tripped over a stone directly in front of me. The next few moments seemed to be happening in slow motion and I only wish I could convey to you in words what I can see in my mind's eye. She began to plummet forward, but somehow managed to keep putting a foot down just in time to break her fall over and over again. She was bent over like a skier and this went on for a good twenty yards until she finally regained her balance! You've got to understand that I know I shouldn't laugh at my Mother (especially because if she fell face first it could have been disastrous; just ask her about her trip around Lake Pine!), but we couldn't stop laughing. I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't even think to try and run behind and catch her I was so captivated by her grace and her coordination.

I'll be the first to point out though that if my foot had caught that stone and I had stumbled I would have splatted straight onto the concrete. The bigger they are, the harder they fall, right?

Did you know the Bible refers to Jesus as a stumbling stone? Paul, in the book of Romans wrote:

What should we say then? Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained righteousness--namely the righteousness that comes from faith. But Israel, pursuing the law for righteousness, has not achieved the law. Why is that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. As it is written:

Look! I am putting a stone in Zion to stumble over!

and a rock to trip over,

yet the one who believes on Him will not be put to shame.

How was Jesus a stumbling stone? The Jews couldn't get over the simple truth that they couldn't earn their salvation. That it was impossible to keep the Law. That the blood of animals held no power to save. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, it is a gift of God and not by works. I think it trips me up too, sometimes. I feel like I have to do "things" so that God will love me and accept me, but that's just not true at all. It's because I have the righteousness of Christ that God accepts me and not because of anything I do or don't do.

Now, because of my love for Jesus my life should overflow with praise and with loving and helping others, but that's not what makes me right before God. It's the blood of Christ that covers me and makes me right!

So, when you're walking down the sidewalk watch out for those stones that might send you into a graceless free-fall! But more importantly, don't get tripped up thinking you can earn favor with God or make yourself acceptable to God. It's only those who believe on His Name who won't be put to shame, not those who can keep their balance while tripping.