Like Children, Part 3 - Stumbling Blocks
Author: Joseph
Date: December 11, 2022
Do you remember the moment that you first came to faith? How about when you decided to tell the whole world about Yeshua? Perhaps you remember the time you felt a fervor for doing the work of God and then… suddenly you were greatly discouraged, perhaps even rebuked or mocked. Even worse, perhaps you were nearly coerced into denying your faith or into rejecting God’s words and the pressure seemed too great to bear that you almost did. If you have experienced any of these, woe to the one through whom this stumbling block appeared.
"Yeshua warned with great severity..."
Yeshua warned with great severity, “…but whoever causes on of the little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around this neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6). Yeshua stated that for someone to cast doubt on a believer or to entice them to sin would warrant the punishment of an inescapable drowning into the depths of the sea. It may sound harsh unless we keep in mind the reality that through faith a person is saved. Anyone attempting to harm this faith is thereby attempting to cause them to fall away and condemn that fallen believer for eternity.
Of course, the believer should develop resilience to these sorts of stumbling blocks through an active relationship with God. Prayer, reading the Bible, building community with other believers, and living out God’s calling in your life all help in developing this resilience. Even still, since we are like children, holding onto a faith that the world sees as foolish mockery, no matter how much we grow in faith, any stumbling block intentionally placed before us will still be felt. We cannot pretend to be completely unaffected – we may even grow cold in our love towards others because of it.
The prophet Jeremiah experienced this abuse from those who rejected his message from God. Jeremiah was beaten, locked up, and publicly humiliated by an evil priest who despised the prophecy Jeremiah spoke towards the people of Judah. Then, Jeremiah cried out to God, “…I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me. For each time I speak, I cry aloud; I proclaim violence and destruction, because for me the word of the Lord has resulted in reproach and derision all day long” (Jeremiah 20:7-8). Jeremiah did not lose his faith, but he was greatly distressed because of the evil men who had mistreated him, though he was only speaking the words of God. The same happens with us as we spread the Good News of God's kingdom.
Yeshua tells us that the world is full of stumbling blocks and that encountering them is inevitable, but he reassures His righteous judgment against this evil when He says, “but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!” (Matthew 18:7). Stumbling blocks will come, but have confidence that not only has God forewarned you of them, but that He is just to enact righteous judgment on those through whom they come.
Do not let your faith be shaken, no matter what stumbling blocks come. Encountering stumbling blocks can make you feel beaten up and deserted, but God will not let wicked men escape righteous punishment and He will not abandon you as you hold onto Him. Have confidence in God at all times and you can be sure He will lead you faithfully through all sorts of discouragements and opposition.
Matthew 18:6-7
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
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