DO NOT CAUSE SOMEONE TO STUMBLE

PROCLAMATION

“Then said He unto the disciples, ‘It is impossible but that offences will come; but woe unto him, through whom they come!  It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.’ ”  Luke 17:1-2 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to Luke, the physician.  Jesus acknowledges that people, even believers, are going to sin.   Then Jesus said, but woe be unto the person through which the temptation comes.  They would be better off being thrown into the ocean with a large stone tied around their neck.  Serious punishment is coming to anyone who causes a believer to stumble and sin. (Luke 17:1-2)  If a believer sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them, even if they do it and repent seven times, we must still forgive them. (Luke 17:3-4)  Then the apostles asked Him to increase their faith.  Jesus explained “mustard seed faith” to them. (Luke 17:5-6)  Then He talked about the master and servant relationship. (Luke 17:7-10)  As Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, He entered a village and met ten men who were lepers.  They called out to Him, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”  Jesus told them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”  And as they went, they were healed. (Luke 17:11-14)  One of them, a Samaritan, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, praising God and threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked Him.  Jesus asked him where the other nine men were, then told him, “Arise, go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.” (Luke 17:15-19)  When the Pharisees asked Him when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus told them that the kingdom of God was not something that can be observed.  Then He told His disciples what it would be like when The Son of Man returns. (Luke 17:22-37)

 

APPLICATION

Things and situations and temptations are going to come and present themselves to people, including believers, and they will stumble and fall into sin.  We all know that it is wrong for us to sin.  It is worse for us to cause someone else to sin or to engage in sinning with us, especially a believer.  Christ clearly does not like those who lead believers into sin and His punishment for them will be severe. (Matthew 18:7 and Luke 17:1)  We should do our best to avoid sin.  Believers and others see our behavior, so we should also abstain from even the appearance of sin. (1 Thessalonians 5:22)  Let us not be the reason that someone stumbles and falls into sin.