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DON\’T BE A STUMBLING BLOCK
Luke 17:1-10
DON\’T BE A STUMBLING BLOCK
V:1-2. Jesus said to His disciples, \”It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! 2 \”It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble.\”
- Jesus was continued His teaching about the rich man and Lazarus ( the poor man).
The rich man overlooked Lazarus suffering outside his gate.
- The rich man refused to lend a helping hand as Lazarus laid dying at his gate.
- The stumbling block of the life of the rich man was his wealth.
- What the story of the rich man and Lazarus points to is the certainty of death.
- This story points to two final destinations; heaven or hell.
- Your destination after death is determined by your faith or lack of faith in Jesus.
- The rich man\’s faith was in his wealth, a stumbling block to heaven.
- Lazarus lying outside the rich man\’s gate had but one hope, Jesus Christ, which
sealed his destination in heaven.
SIDE TRACKED BY THE WORLD
- We live in a materialistic world where there a many stumbling blocks to our faith in
in Jesus.
- It is easy to get side tracked and lose sight of what is important in this life.
- It is easy to get side tracked in this life and lose sight of heaven.
- Believers who get caught up in materialism and selfishness become stumbling blocks
to the faith of others.
- When someone weak in the faith see us acting like the world, we become a
stumbling block to them.
- When we fail to act upon our faith, we become a stumbling block to others
weak in the faith.
- There is a penalty for those who are stumbling blocks to others.
- Believers who become stumbling blocks pay a price somewhere in their
walk with Jesus.
- Jesus is very protective of children, orphans, widowers and those struggling
in their faith
- We harm ourselves when we neglect those who are helpless and need
thoes strong in faith as their role models.
QUALITY OF LIFE DETERMINED BY FORGIVENESS
- Believers destination of heaven is secure in Jesus Christ.
- Our destination has been sealed by the Holy Spirit.
- Our quality of life on earth is determined by how we treat our neighbors.
- Our quality of life has nothing to do with wealth, possessions or education,
but everything to do with the love we show our neighbors.
FORGIVENESS SHOULD BE AUTOMATIC
V:3-4. \”Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 \”And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, \’I repent,\’ forgive him.\”
- The key to not being a stumbling block is forgiveness.
- The test of our faith comes when we face adversity at the hands of family, friends
and brothers and sisters in Christ.
- When we judge others by our own standards, we are at risk of becoming a
stumbling block.
- When we are not able to tolerate, the behavior of others, we are at risk of becoming
a stumbling block.
- We find it difficult to forgive for any reason, we are at risk of becoming a
stumbling block.
- Jesus warns us to be on guard, because everyday someone, somewhere, will do
something to you that you will consider wrong and offensive.
- Daily you need to be ready to forgive.
- Forgiveness should become your trade mark of peace, joy and harmony with
others.
- The spirit of forgiveness or un-forgiveness is a mind thing.
- It can affect you emotionally, mentally and eventually physically.
- When you can\’t forgive, Satan is attacking your mind.
- The Spirit of un-forgiveness allows the thought and the sight of another
person to control you.
- To forgive is a decision you have to make daily.
- According to the text you have to be willing to forgive the same person
an unlimited number of times.
- Jesus recommends that we warn the person that his/her actions are offensive.
- If he says he want do the same thing again, forgive him
- The person may, not change, but Jesus says forgive as if the person
did change.
THE APLICATION OF FAITH
V:5-6. \” The apostles said to the Lord, \”Increase our faith!\” 6 And the Lord said, \”If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, \’Be uprooted and be planted in the sea\’; and it would obey you.\”
- The disciples, having heard the words of Jesus, prayed for more faith.
- They were trying to shift their burden of un-forgiveness to Jesus by asking
for an increase in faith.
- Each of us have been given a measure of faith. Romans 12:3
- In His response, Jesus told His disciple that had enough faith to forgive.
- It is not the amount of faith that you have that is the problem, it is the
application of your faith.
- In His example, Jesus said that a very small faith can move mountains.
- A mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds.
- A mustard seed is an herd planted in a garden.
- Once planted, it can grow up to twelve feet in a few months.
- A mulberry tree (sycamore) is a very large tree with deep roots that grows in a
field.
- A very small faith exercised in the name of Jesus can cause a very large obstacle
to be moved out of you life.
- Forgiveness is an act of love to the offending individual.
- Forgiveness frees us from barriers we set up against other individuals.
- Forgiveness frees us from the mind control of Satan.
- Forgiveness keeps the doors of restored relationships open.
- The seed of faith grows when exercised in the name of Jesus.
HUMBLE SERVICE
V:7 \”Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, \’Come immediately and sit down to eat\’? 8 \”But will he not say to him, \’Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink\’? 9 \”He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? 10 \”So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, \’We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.\’
- Pride is another stumbling block to our faith. 1 Cor 4:6
- In this example, Jesus uses the relationship between a land owner and a slave.
- You could think of it as the relationship between your boss and you.
- When you do what you are paid to do, you are due no praise.
- If you are paid an hourly wage, you owe an hour worth of work.
- It is a privilege to be able to serve Jesus.
- We were chosen before the foundation of the earth to be in the Body of Christ.
- We were all given spiritual gifts to serve. Romans 12:6
- We have a responsibility to serve 1 Cor 1:29-31
- Serving is not an option, but a duty.
- No one is due special praise because of their service. 1 Cor 4:7
- No one\’s gift is more important than another\’s.
- No one\’s work is more important than another\’s.
WHAT PRIDE DOES TO YOU
- Pride sets you up to be offended by another person.
- When you are puffed up, you will be easily disappointed when you don\’t
the pat on the back that you think you deserve.
- You can get to the point where you can\’t forgive because you didn\’t get
recognized for your service.
- If some one gets recognized and promoted for same thing that you did
your spirit of un-forgiveness will be heighten.
- If pride was not the issue, you would not be affected by what happens to
another person.
The reason for our being is to give God praise and glory.
God does not need us, we need Him.
We don\’t do God a favor by serving Him.
God does us favor by allowing us to serve.
Jesus came down from heaven, took on human flesh, died for our sins,
to Glorify His Father.
IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO GLORIFY GOD WITH OUR SERVICE
FORGIVE AND BE BLESSED
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Church
Houston, Texas
