What’s in a Stone? A stone is a piece of the earth that is hardened. It is a nonmetallic mineral. A synonym might be rock. Stone and stones are used throughout the Bible. There are various meanings and uses of the word and the object.

What’s in a Stone? Gen. 28:11, 18 – Jacob used a stone for a pillow and then anointed that stone with oil and named that place Beth-el Gen. 31:44-46 – Jacob set up a stone and called for others to gather stones for a memorial marker Josh. 4:9 – Joshua set up twelve stones in the Jordan rover as a memorial

What’s in a Stone? Stones were also used has a grave. Josh. 7:26 – a heap of stones were used to cover completely the ashes of Achan and all that was his John 11:38 – a stone covered the entrance to the cave where Lazarus was buried

What’s in a Stone? The idea of stone is also used. 1 Sam. 25:37 – Nabal became like a stone when he heard what Abigail had done for David Ezekiel 11:19 – God speaks about the heart that is hard like a stone 1 Peter 2:5 – believers in Christ are called living stones

What’s in a Stone? Stone is also used to describe Jesus. Gen. 49:24 – the Stone of Israel 1 Cor. 10:4 – Jesus was the spiritual rock with Israel in the wilderness Isaiah 28:16 – God would lay in Zion a stone Mark 12:10-11 – Jesus uses the psalm, 118, to tell the people who He is Isaiah 8:14 – Jesus is called a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense for Israel

What’s in a Stone? Jesus is described as being the stone of stumbling for many. ________________________________________ A stone is something that we can stumble over. We aren’t paying attention and we stumble. We don’t judge the stone correctly and we stumble. The stone moves as we step on it and we stumble.

What’s in a Stone? In this instance the stone is ways of the devil. He is the one who casts the stumbling stones before us and his desire is that we will stumble and continue to stumble to our destruction.

What’s in a Stone? The devil cast stumbling stones before Jesus. Matt. 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13 – These three Gospels contain something about the temptations of Jesus.

What’s in a Stone? Satan evens uses stones to try and cause Jesus to stumble. Luke 4:3 – command this stone to become bread Luke 4:11 – lest you dash Your foot against a stone

What’s in a Stone? Today Satan uses the stones of this life to cause us to doubt and turn from serving God. These stones are the various ways of the world. These stones reflect the thoughts of man and cause us to put our trust in man not God. Matt. 7:24-27 – Jesus gives us this figure to describe the stones of Satan

What’s in a Stone? His stones are the shifting sands of man’s ideas. 1 Cor. 1:25 – in other words the smallest pebble of a stone of God is stronger than the largest boulder of stone that man could concoct

What’s in a Stone? What stones does Stan use? Stone of unbelief: John 8:24 – you must believe in Jesus, in God John 3:18 – condemnation awaits those who do not believe

What’s in a Stone? Stone of indifference: Rom. 12:11 – we must be active in service Acts 19:13-15 – it is not enough to believe, you must believe the truth

What’s in a Stone? Stone of worldliness: Rom. 12:1-2 – we must look beyond this world 1 Tim. 6:9-10 – the love of money will cause us to fall

What’s in a Stone? Stone of self-importance: Acts 8:18-21 – we can assume to be someone we are not qualified to be Acts 12:21-23 – we can think more highly of ourselves than we should

What’s in a Stone? Stone of denial: This is a two sided stone. Matt. 10:32-33 – we must not deny Jesus before man. This is done not with just words but the very actions of our lives Matt. 16:24 – we must deny self to follow Jesus

What’s in a Stone? Stone of ignorance: John 18:38–What is truth? John 17:17–Your word is truth. Acts 17:30 – God no longer overlooks ignorance Eph. 5:17 – we are to understand God’s will 2 Tim. 2:15 – study to rightly divide 2 Peter 3:18 – grow in Christ

These are the just some of the stones of Satan. Self-importance Unbelief Worldliness Denial Ignorance Indifference

What’s in a Stone? He knows the stones to throw at you and the stones to simply laying in your path. Will you stumble on his stones or will you walk through them and over them?