Mark 9: Scandalized

Today’s reading is Mark 9.

Whoever causes one of these littles ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.
–Mark 9:42 (ESV)

Tempting and dropping stumbling blocks are a big deal to Jesus. Jesus says it is better to die than cause someone else to sin.

The word translated “causes…to sin” is “skandalizo.” We get our word “scandalize” from it. Of course, our modern use of “scandalize” has diverged greatly from this ancient one. Today, we scandalize by shocking or horrifying others through some some improper or immoral behavior. However, in Jesus’s vocabulary, we scandalize others by tempting them to improper or immoral behavior.

Certainly it is awful to scandalize others. But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He moves from scandalizing others to scandalizing ourselves. Better to throw ourselves into the sea tied to a millstone than scandalize others. Likewise, it is better to cut off our feet and hands or pluck out our eyes than to allow them to scandalize us.

It would be an awful scandal if we were unable to be part of the kingdom. And it is better to be part of the kingdom while lame, crippled, or blind than to be thrown into hell completely whole.

Sin matters. Let us not think because we are in Christ we can sin indiscriminately. The wages of sin is death. Let us take up arms against sin in our own lives. Let us take up arms against causing others to sin.

Are you fighting sin?

Today’s reading is Mark 10.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

What do you want to share with others from Mark 9?

John 16: Don’t Fall Away

Today’s reading is John 16.

Because we are reading one chapter per week, we may miss the interlocking nature of what we find in our Bibles as John 15 and John 16. In John 15:18-25, Jesus spoke of persecution. In John 15:26-27, He spoke of the coming help of the Holy Spirit. In John 16:1-4, He speaks again of persecution. In John 16:5-15, He speaks again of the help of the Holy Spirit.

Smack in the middle of this, Jesus provides the reason for the back and forth repetition of these teachings:

I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.

John 16:1 (ESV)

Let’s think about that for a minute. Jesus believed the apostles were in danger of falling away. Folks can bicker about what this word means in order to try to protect their pet doctrines, but it is the same word Jesus used in Matthew 13:21 to describe the outcome of the seed sown on rocky soil. Jesus used it in Matthew 24:10 to describe what many disciples would do when tribulation and persecution occurred. It is the same word Jesus used in Matthew 26:31 to describe what all the apostles would do when Jesus was arrested. And it is the same word Peter used to describe what he would never do in Matthew 26:33 (but, of course, he did).

However, notice this: Jesus is not talking about what would happen at His arrest or in the three days of His burial. He is talking about what would happen after His resurrection and after the apostles start proclaiming the gospel. Jesus goes on in John 16:2-3 to discuss the events that would occur in Acts. And, I repeat, Jesus believed the apostles were in danger of falling away.

At the same time, Jesus believed falling away was avoidable. He provided for them what they needed to avoid it. He prepared them for the potential. He warned them of the events which might tempt them. He told them of the help they could have and the source of strength they could rely upon. He taught them truths to counter the falsehoods the enemy would use. They could fall away, but if they took Jesus’s way of preparation, they wouldn’t.

What does this mean for you and me? First, let none of us think God has so saved us that we cannot abandon Him. We can. Further, let none of us think we are so strong we can’t possibly surrender to the enemy. Some do. Second, let none of us think God has so chosen, predestined, predetermined that any of us must of necessity be lost and condemned. Further, let none of us think our God is so weak that we cannot but help fall prey to the enemy. We can fall away. That doesn’t mean we will.

Finally, and here is the truly important part of this. God doesn’t want us to fall away, so He has provided all we need in order to stand firm and overcome the enemy. We must choose to avail ourselves of the truth, strength, and help God provides. But He has given it. We don’t have to fear God has left us hanging out to dry. Ask God for strength. Seek God’s righteousness. Knock on the gates of God’s kingdom. All who ask receive; those who seek find; and those who knock will have it opened to them. God wants you healed, whole, and heading for heaven. Be honest with yourself, with God, with others, and with the Word. Reach out to God and rely on Him, His Spirit, His Word, His people. And refuse to fall away no matter what happens. Hold on to Jesus no matter what.

Tomorrow’s reading is John 16.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does John 16 prompt or improve your praise of God?

Stumbling Blocks

Today’s reading is Matthew 18.

Jesus calls a little child into the midst of His disciples as an object lesson. “If you want to be in the kingdom of heaven, you have to become humble like children.” In the verses to follow, the children and little ones He is talking about are not biological children, but those disciples who are humble like children: the least, the last, the lowly.

Jesus contrasts two approaches to these “little ones.” The humble will receive them; the proudful will despise them. That is, the humble welcome them into our lives, associating with them, walking with them on this journey. The proudful despise them, looking down on them, pushing them away, fearing their humiliation will rub off on us. Those who have turned and become like children will receive, not despise.

But in between these two extremes is a teaching about stumbling blocks. The point for us to see is God receives these least, last, and lowly. They are His. Therefore, we must not do anything to prompt them to stumble. Temptations to sin will come. There will be plenty of people, situations, scenarios that will tempt all of God’s little ones. The humble, however, work to avoid such behavior and treatment. The humble are not only concerned about their own walk with the Lord, but how their walk impacts others.

Let’s face it, at every stumbling block, these little ones are responsible to follow God. In judgment, God will not say to the little ones who fall, “It wasn’t your fault. Don’t worry about it. That person was a stumbling block.” The little ones must grow to overcome temptation. However, let us humble ourselves enough to recognize if we are the ones who present the temptation, if we are the ones who help one of these little ones to sin, we will be judged right alongside them. In judgment, God will not say to the stumbling block, “It wasn’t your fault. They were responsible. They should have simply overcome the temptation.”

Today, let us watch our step. And let us watch the step of the little ones around us. After all, aren’t we little ones we hope others will watch out for as well?

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family

1. What are your initial reactions to the chapter and the written devo above?
2. In what ways can Christians cause other Christians to stumble?
3. Has there been a time when a Christian was a stumbling block for you? How? How did you respond?
4. What advice would you give to help us avoid being stumbling blocks?
5. What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this chapter and today’s post?

Offending Pharisees

Today’s reading is Matthew 15.

After rebuking the Pharisees about their law-violating traditions, Jesus called out to the people. He gathered a crowd and said, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” This worried the disciples. They questioned Jesus, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

What offended them? Were they offended because the teaching seemed different than theirs? Were they offended because it followed His rebuke of them? Were they offended because Jesus taught as if He were on par with them in understanding? I don’t know. What I do know is Jesus didn’t care.

The point in this story is not that we should disregard the feelings of those we teach. Rather, we have to remember that those who are not on God’s side don’t get to establish the rules. If Jesus were to kowtow to the whims of the Pharisees and play the game by their rules, He would become just as blind as they were. Anyone who followed them or Him in that scenario would end up in the ditch.

Our purpose is not to be offensive. We do not behave in a way to purposefully upset, offend, or anger others. However, our standard for behavior and teaching is not the feelings of those who reject Jesus. As much as depends on us, we strive to live peaceably with everyone. The problem is it often doesn’t depend on us. Many times it depends on others. When we play by God’s rules, if others get offended, that is on them. Further, we need to be prepared. Even when we are playing by God’s rules, plenty of people will get upset. They will push back. They will cry foul. They will persecute. And they for sure will not play by God’s rules in their reaction. We must stand firm.

That being said, let us always make sure we are playing by God’s rules. Only then can we behave as Jesus does in this account.

Tomorrow’s reading is Matthew 15.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family

1. What are your initial reactions to the chapter and the written devo above?
2. It’s a tough balancing act. When should we be concerned about offending others and when should we be unconcerned about it?
3. What will happen to us if we start to follow “blind” teachers?
4. How can we be sure we aren’t following “blind” teachers?
5. What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this chapter and today’s post?