Stones can help you remember holidays or events. They can aid you in your journey by following cairns of stones. They can help you in defence either from attack or from the weather. They can give your home a good stable base to build upon. They can sharpen tools and grind grain.
Jesus is the rock that the builders rejected
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
We celebrate His rise from the dead today and we read the story of the women that arrive at the tomb to be the first witnesses of the risen Lord. They are met with angels and with a pile of neatly wrapped cloths just like perhaps the our neatly piled stones. The stone to the tomb is not a hinderance as it has been rolled away.
It is Easter and I am full of pride for my daughter who has been confirmed. It is a new start, a new life for all of us. We are called to be witnesses to the risen Christ and we are called to be joyful witnesses. When someone is confirmed I believe heaven itself pauses to sing the holy song;
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
The whole earth is full of His glory!”
Hear the sermon from the Rt Rev’d Cyril Ashton here
In every stone, every pebble there are different marks, different colours, different shapes. Even humble small stones bear an awesomeness about them, they have an inherent power of charm, like everyone has been individually sculptured by God himself – because they have!
We are all stones that are called to be stones to build the foundation and the walls of Christ’s church. We are the bride and our Lord has risen. On our own we are washed up the shore, but packed together and we make an solid wall of strength. The waves may crash against us and the wind may drive up against us but together we stand as witnesses to the risen Christ
The women were important first witnesses to Jesus’ song, and there are women that are important in my life; My wife who supports me with love and is a rock, my mother who has brought me up with unending love, and my daughter who just makes me smile as she grows up.
Lord I go forward asking for forgiveness for the times I have taken people for granted, for the times I have acted brashly without thinking and for not following your Spirit. I pray for my daughter in her growing journey with the Spirits guidance that she may do the Lords bidding. I pray for all Christians that have started on that new journey, singing the praises of the Lord in their song and praising the God on high. Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts
Amen
with blessings
Graham
365 Exhortations 