THE STONE OR THE HAND

The Scripture

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NIV): "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up."

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The Idea: Balancing Grace with Truth

To truly live out the Great Commission, we must challenge ourselves to understand those with whom we disagree—those whose struggles and sins look different from our own. To reach those who are different, we must master the balance of grace and truth. Scripture shows us that Jesus led with both, and we follow His example by putting "Jesus first and people always."

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The Point: The Choice of the Crowd 

Think about the woman caught in sin. Jesus didn’t pick up a stone to throw; He picked up grace and truth to rescue her. If we were standing in that crowd, knowing the Law as we do, would we have done the same? Would we have looked at her and felt superior, or would we have seen our own need for mercy reflected in her?

When we approach the throne of God, do we stand with that person behind us in condemnation, or do we place them before us—graciously asking God to show them the same transformative love He showed us?

"Unconditional love, not for the benefit of you, but for the person on the other side." 

- Shaun Moyer (10/5/25)

Senior Pastor of Central Christian Church

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