I Am the Way: Building Towers from Stones

May 03, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Stones and Standing Christ

Stephen knelt as rocks struck his body. Dust filled the air while angry shouts drowned his prayers. Yet he gazed upward, declaring, “I see heaven open!” Amid the violence, he witnessed Christ standing—not seated—at God’s right hand. Even as death came, Stephen forgave his killers, mirroring Jesus’ words from the cross. [55:46]

Christ’s posture matters. By standing, He showed active solidarity with those suffering for truth. Stephen’s vision wasn’t escapism—it anchored him in reality’s fiercest storm. When we face modern “stones” of injustice or slander, Christ still rises to walk with us.

Many today feel stones of hardship flying—criticism, systemic oppression, or despair. But fixating on threats blinds us to Christ’s stance beside us. Where have you let the stones’ noise drown out heaven’s vision? This week, when opposition arises, pause. Lift your eyes. What might Christ want you to see beyond the immediate struggle?

“Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’”
(Acts 7:55-56, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to reveal where Christ stands with you in current trials.
Challenge: Write one sentence of encouragement to someone facing “stones” this week.

Day 2: I Am the Map

Thomas frowned as Jesus said, “You know the way.” The disciples’ confusion mirrored hikers lost without trails. Jesus didn’t hand them directions but declared, “I AM the way.” He shifted their focus from destination to relationship—not a path to follow, but a Person to trust. [51:08]

Maps give illusion of control; Christ demands surrender. He is both guide and road, truth and destination. Like Philip, we beg for visible proof, yet Jesus says, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” Trusting Him means resting in His presence more than plans.

You check weather apps, financial forecasts, and medical opinions—but how often do you consult the Way Himself? Where are you demanding a map instead of clinging to Christ’s hand? Practice this: When anxiety whispers “What if?,” answer aloud, “He is here.”

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”
(John 14:6, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one situation where you’ve sought control over Christ’s companionship.
Challenge: Identify a specific worry today. Speak Jesus’ name over it three times.

Day 3: Climbing Songs

The mountain’s slope burned muscles; loose stones threatened falls. When despair crept in, the climbers sang—weak voices weaving a melody about God clearing rough paths. Lyrics became ropes, pulling them upward. Their song didn’t remove the mountain but revealed the Climber beside them. [49:57]

Songs anchor us to truth when feelings lie. Like Stephen’s vision, worship reframes our perspective. The hymn’s promise—“He will clear the way”—didn’t mean eliminating the climb but guaranteeing strength for each step. Christ walks steep trails with us, turning grunts into grace.

What “mountain” makes you want to quit? Debt? Chronic pain? A strained relationship? Don’t numb the struggle—sing through it. Find one line from a hymn or Scripture and repeat it like a lifeline. What melody could Christ be singing over your climb today?

“When the road seems so rough, when the valley seems so low, when the mountain seems so high you cannot cross—look up high to the Lord. He will clear the way for you.”
(Sermon hymn lyrics)

Prayer: Thank God for one past trial where His song sustained you.
Challenge: Memorize Psalm 31:3 and whisper it when stress rises.

Day 4: Stones Into Towers

Stephen’s murderers hurled rocks to silence him. But the Church kept gathering those stones—persecution, poverty, slander—and built towers of mercy. Food banks replaced weapons; prayer vigils drowned hate speech. Each act transformed violence into witness, proving love stronger than death. [01:01:02]

God specializes in holy recycling. What others intend for harm, He repurposes for hope. Your scars—rejection, failure, loss—become materials for His kingdom-building. Like Stephen’s forgiven killers found salvation through Paul, our pain can birth others’ healing.

What “stone” have you been dodging or resenting? A financial setback? A betrayal? A limitation? Hold it up to Christ and ask: How could this become part of Your tower? Watch for His surprising blueprint.

“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood.”
(1 Peter 2:5, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to show you one hurt He wants to repurpose for good.
Challenge: Donate three cans to the food bank—one marked “Mercy,” one “Hope,” one “Grace.”

Day 5: Leave None Behind

Exhausted hikers gripped each other’s arms, chanting, “Leave no one!” They slowed paces for the weary, sharing water and bandaging blisters. Reaching the summit together made the sweat worth it—their unity mirrored the Church’s call to social holiness. [01:08:59]

Christ’s way isn’t a solo hike. John Wesley insisted faith without community care is dead. We sin when we privatize grace—keeping comfort while others starve. True holiness notices who’s lagging behind and offers a hand, not judgment.

Who’s “behind” in your circles? The single mom? The addict? The politically opposing neighbor? Holiness means stopping, listening, and sharing your strength. When did you last interrupt your stride for someone else’s survival?

“Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing, what good is it?”
(James 2:15-16, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one instance of ignoring a neighbor’s need.
Challenge: Text a marginalized person: “I’m here. How can I walk with you today?”

Sermon Summary

Announcements open the service with a call to community life and care, naming a fellowship feast, scholarship help, event committees, and encouragement for confirmation mentors. Worship moves into a call to worship, psalm, creed, and prayers that name personal and global needs, from individual illness to political and economic anxiety. The gospel reading from John 14 frames the theological center: Jesus declares himself the way, the truth, and the life, promising preparation, return, and empowerment for continued works in his name. A personal climbing story models faithful endurance when the path becomes steep, showing how memory, song, and mutual support enable continued ascent.

Acts 7 and the martyrdom of Stephen surface the cost of following the way. Stephen refuses to dilute truth, confronts injustice, and sees Christ standing in solidarity even as stones fly. Stones become a metaphor for violence, exclusion, and systems that seek to silence truth. The text urges a different response to those stones: collect them, build a tower, and speak from a place of visible compassion and resistance. John Wesley’s insistence on social holiness frames faith as active, public, and other-regarding; holiness requires addressing hunger, injustice, and neighborly need, not private inwardness alone.

Grace appears as a moving reality. Prevenient grace reaches before knowledge, justifying grace opens into salvation, and sanctifying grace continues cleansing and sending. Theological reflection turns into a practical question: will trust in the way produce motion and mission, or will fear freeze movement? The answer calls for solidarity, mercy even toward adversaries, and concrete acts that disrupt cycles of harm. The closing charge names concrete behaviors: do not return stones, transform them into witness; leave no one behind on the climb; build structures of mercy and justice that make the way visible to the city and beyond. The benediction sends the community with the hope that the vision of Christ standing will embolden public compassion, resilient faith, and persistent movement toward justice, mercy, and shared life.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus is the way, truth, life Belief in Jesus demands relational trust more than directional instruction. The way stands as a person who embodies navigational truth and life shaping, guaranteeing presence and power to continue the works of mercy. Commitment to this way means participating in Christ’s actions instead of following only rules. [40:41]
2. Cross and solidarity go together Following the way includes bearing cost and standing with the vulnerable, not escaping suffering for personal comfort. The cross does not isolate; it joins followers to those whom systems crush and invites shared risk for justice. Solidarity reframes sacrifice as public witness and shared strength. [53:04]
3. Turn stones into a tower Oppressive attacks and cast stones become raw material for prophetic architecture when collected and repurposed. Transforming instruments of exclusion into a visible tower enacts resistance, creates a platform for truth telling, and signals communal refuge. Concrete rebuilding disrupts cycles of violence and models alternative power. [61:02]
4. Grace moves and demands action Grace begins before recognition, opens to salvation, and continues to sanctify by sending into service. Movement under grace refuses static religiosity; it requires communal engagement, advocacy, and persistent care for neighbor. Active grace turns belief into tangible practices that heal and reform. [65:37]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:56] - Church life and announcements
[10:08] - Call to worship and prelude
[14:54] - Opening prayer
[15:47] - Scripture reading from Acts
[17:46] - Psalm and affirmation of faith
[23:14] - Prayers for people and nations
[29:42] - Choir and children’s moment
[40:41] - Gospel reading John 14
[44:02] - Mount Longonot climbing story
[53:04] - Stephen, stones, and vision
[60:18] - Build a tower from stones
[65:37] - Grace in motion and call to act
[69:34] - Invitation, offering, and sending
[81:21] - Closing hymn and benediction

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
John 14:1-14 (NIV)
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Observation Questions

In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” How does this statement contrast with merely giving directions or rules?
What specific actions did Stephen take in Acts 7:55-60 that reflect Jesus’ call to stand for truth and mercy, even at great cost?
The sermon described a mountain-climbing story where singing and mutual support helped the group endure. What role did memory and community play in their perseverance? [49:21]

Interpretation Questions

Why might Jesus emphasize relational trust in Himself as “the way” rather than providing a checklist for salvation? How does this shape our understanding of faith?
Stephen’s vision of Christ standing (Acts 7:55-56) differs from the typical image of Jesus seated at God’s right hand. What does this posture symbolize about Christ’s solidarity with those facing persecution?
The sermon compares stones of violence to “raw material for prophetic architecture.” How does repurposing harm into a “tower” challenge systems of injustice? [01:01:02]

Application Questions

Jesus says, “I am the way” — not a map, but a person. How might shifting from seeking “directions” to deepening trust in Christ change your daily decisions or struggles?
When have you faced a “stone” of opposition (criticism, injustice, or fear) that tempted you to compromise your faith? What would it look like to “build a tower” with that experience instead? [01:01:02]
The sermon urged leaving “no one behind” on the climb. Who in your community feels isolated or excluded? What is one practical step you could take to walk in solidarity with them this week?
Stephen prayed for mercy for his attackers. Is there someone in your life — even an adversary — whom you need to forgive or advocate for? How can grace move you to act? [01:03:29]
John Wesley stressed that holiness requires addressing hunger, injustice, and neighborly needs. What “concrete act of mercy” could your small group commit to as a response to this message?

Sermon Clips

49s

#ForgivenessIsResistance

“When the way is hard, we advocate for oppressed. When the way is hard, we interrupt the cycles of harm and pain caused to others. When the way is hard, we practice forgiveness. We practice letting go. Forgiveness is not is not weakness. It's a resistance to evil. When the way is hard, we create communities and include, you know, inclusive community where everyone feels to belong. And that way will be the stones that shines and that have built a tower for the presence of God to be felt on earth.”

61s

#ChristStandsWithUs

“You know, we are told that and even as we confess in our in our faith confession, we say that he's seated at the right hand of God, the father almighty. Stephen did not see a seated Christ. Stephen saw a standing Christ. This poster of Christ's innovation of Stephen signifies solidarity, signifies courage, signifies and advocacy without fear. Christ is standing. The way is in solidarity with you. The way may seem dawny. The way may seem tough and rough, but the way is in solidarity with us when we choose to walk the way.”

60s

#TurnStonesIntoTowers

“Let's look up to the path that seems when the path seems uncertain, when the climbing seems so steep, when the heart of mercy and justice requires courage, When the love and mercy feels costly, we can't sponsor that. We are called to look up and see the vision and see the way. When the stones are thrown to us, do not return them. Transform them. Make a tower. Build a tower. Call the easterners, the westerners, the northern, the South. Let them see us from the town as we speak about the way.”

40s

#JesusIsTheWay

“The Jesus of John in this time doesn't tell the people, the disciples, doesn't tell us. You know? This is the way, you know, when you are asking someone the direction, they will tell you, you know, follow this route, take that corner, go this way. Jesus doesn't know that's the doesn't set up the way. Jesus says, I am the way. So in this context, the way is the person, Jesus. Jesus doesn't point unto the way. Jesus embodies the way.”

57s

#TrustTheWayNotTheMap

“So Jesus requires us to trust the way, not to trust the map, not to trust the Google map, but the way, Christ himself. In the context of John, it was a time of crisis just like now. It was in a time of crisis, in a time of persecution, in the time of fear and terror. And these ones are brought forward to comfort the people. The disciples in the time of John did not know the way as, you know, Christ as, you know, someone whom you would follow with comfort.”

44s

#BuildATowerOfJustice

“From that that tower, let the world see and smile. From that tower, let the world know the way and feel good to live to lead the way. Build a tower, and building a tower is to confront the systemic sin of injustices. To build a tower is to do the act of mercy by abiding the compassion of God. Building the tower with those Huggies stones is to be present, to refuse to abandon what is good and what is godly.”

45s

#ActiveGraceForgiveness

“Stife Stephen's final words echoes Christ. Stephen said, Lord, do not hold this sin against them. These are that's not just passive resignation to say that, you know, Christ take my spirit. No. They are ones of active grace. Don't take this don't hold this sin against them. Humanly speaking, if I was stiffened maybe, I would say God crushed them. And you know you are seeing the Christ is right there. You are seeing that Christ in the vision, but you say, don't hold that sin against them.”

42s

#IAmTheWayTruthAndLife

“We kept going and singing, and the walking became easier, and we made it through the journey. So this morning, same way the ones of God or the the ones of Christ through John proclaims that do not let your heart be troubled. Do not let your heart be troubled. I am the way, the truth, and the life. This is not just a merely declaration, just a mere wants of comfort, but the godly wants that we shouldn't let our hearts be troubled.”

56s

“When the stones are thrown to us, do not return them. Transform them. Make a tower. Build a tower. Call the easterners, the westerners, the northern, the South. Let them see us from the town as we speak about the way. And so we got to go because the way is meant for us to go, not to sit, but to walk, to run, to roll, to crawl, but not remain statics static because the grace by which we are called is not static.”

49s

“Jesus doesn't point unto the way. Jesus embodies the way. So Jesus requires us to trust the way, not to trust the map, not to trust the Google map, but the way, Christ himself. In the context of John, it was a time of crisis just like now. It was in a time of crisis, in a time of persecution, in the time of fear and terror. And these ones are brought forward to comfort the people.”