The stumbling blocks in the world; John 16:1; Mat 18:1-10.

Title: The stumbling blocks in the world; John 16:1; MAT 18:1-10.

 

ROM 13:1

 Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.

 

Last night we noted the intensification of the angelic conflict on the world stage during the CA and the reasons for that.

 

We noted that two witnesses were used in the dispensation of the HU; God the Son in the person of Jesus and God the Father. We also noted that two new witnesses are used in the CA; God the HS in the individual adult believer.

 

According to the rules of the conflict neither satan or GHS may be visible or speak, but both may use humans to their ends. Satan uses unbelievers and believers who are students of his cosmos and the HS uses believers who are students of doctrine with special emphasis on mystery doctrine.

 

John 16:1 "These things I have spoken to you, that you may be kept from stumbling.

 

Verse 1 - the purpose of the briefing. We have throughout the two discourses (Upper room and Gethsemane) the phrase, “These things” - this is the doctrinal content of the previous chapter and the doctrine taught by Jesus Christ the night before He was betrayed and the night before His crucifixion.

 

“These things” is a constant reference to what Jesus Christ has just taught. He has just taught the antagonism of cosmos diabolicus, the seven reasons why the world hates the believer.

 

Regardless of what we may think and how we may be treated by segments of the world, the world has a permanent antagonism toward us because the ruler of the world, Satan, is antagonistic toward us. This antagonism is deceptive antagonism for it often comes in the form of false doctrine and intolerance.

 

 “stumbling” - skandali,zw[skandalizo] = to put a snare or a trap or a stumbling block in the way, to cause someone to experience anger or shock because of what has been said or done.

 

The stumbling block is a theme throughout the OT and NT. In fact Christ becomes a stumbling block to those who reject Him, however the context of this verse is the stumbling blocks to the believer in the form of designed traps made by satan and the KOD in his cosmos.

 

The trapsnarestumbling block is only successful if it takes a believer away from listening to doctrine daily.

 

Often these stumbling blocks cause us to commit certain sins that we rebound and recover from, but do not cause us to quit on doctrine. This is not to condone sin; it’s just a fact of a younger, weaker believer who is pressing on to maturity. We often react badly to the sudden shock of pressure when we are young believers and we sin, but we confess and recover and there is no glitch in our doctrinal intake.

 

As we mature we will find that we are more ready for the stumbling blocks and we don’t commit certain sins that we used to, which were normally in the area of MAS’s.

 

The believer has been designed to be shock proof. Through doctrine he is to expect what has suddenly come upon him after some initial adjustments, 1PE 4:12.

 

Remember, the stumbling block is designed to slow down or hopefully halt your doctrinal intake. Many, many have fallen over these stumbling blocks all throughout Church history.

 

However, satan needs people to execute the traps. Those who willingly fall into this service of the fallen angel will be judged, MAT 18:7.

 

Matt 18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

 

The kingdom of heaven refers to a spiritual kingdom that will exist forever and not a political kingdom as the disciples now picture it. They picture themselves as governors or senators in Christ’s political kingdom and so they equate greatness as the world does. Christ’s kingdom is nothing like man’s; he who is least among you, this is the one who is great (Luke 9:48).

 

Stumbling block in the Church - approbation lust

 

Peter is away paying taxes, so most likely they are in Peter’s house and it may be that this young child is Peter’s child, but that is only conjecture.

 

Matt 18:2 And He called a child to Himself and set him before them,

 

Matt 18:3 and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.

 

He is not converting the child. He says “converted” because there is one in the room, also arguing about being the greatest, who isn’t even converted.

 

 “become like children” - paidi,on[paidion] = infant or small child. Children this age learn almost everything by faith.

 

God is not what anyone would have expected as an unbeliever, and the world around an infant child is nothing that he expected either. Everything is brand new and fascinating and the child learns from his parents by means of faith and sometimes discipline.

 

He’s not asking us to act like babies but to respond to our Father in faith and to respond to our Father’s discipline and to rely on our Father’s logistical grace as we once did to our parents or guardians. 

 

 “child” - a believer who lives by faith in the plan of God.

 

Stumbling block in any area = no fellowship with the Father or no faith in His plan.

 

Matt 18:4 "Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

 

 “humble” - tapeino,w[tapeinoo] = to be brought low, to level off, to grade the high points and low points for levelling, i.e. grace orientation.

 

The word therefore comes to mean to not to think too lowly of yourself, which is self-humiliation and is a very subtle form or arrogance, and not to think too highly of yourself which is blatant arrogance, but to think in terms of grace. God provides and does all the work and we receive though we never have or ever will deserve it. God doesn’t give because He feels bad for us nor does He give because we have some form of human merit. He gives because He is gracious and His plan is grace. Therefore, in humility we orient to that system as a very young child would in his home under his parent(s) or guardian(s).

 

Stumbling block in any area = subtle (too lowly) and blatant (too highly) arrogance.

 

Matt 18:5 "And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me;

 

The child is an illustration representing any believer in Christ. We have only one system of perception in the CWL no matter what stage of growth we are at, and that is faith; faith in Christ for salvation and faith rest in the doctrines of the mind of Christ.

 

How you receive any believer is how you receive Jesus Christ. de,comai[dechomai] = to receive readily with open arms, to take hold of.

 

Stumbling block in the church = failing to recognize believers as all being “in Christ.”

 

Vs. 6 - Now Jesus turns to the ones who will lay the traps at the behest of satan’s cosmos.

 

Matt 18:6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it is better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea.

 

This is not specific to the category of young children, nor does it ignore child abuse, but in this context, as our Lord is addressing the disciples who are arguing over who’s the greatest. The phrase “little ones” refers to believers. Then we have the same word we have in John 16:1.

 

  “stumbling” - skandali,zw[skandalizo] = to put a snare or a trap or a stumbling block in the way, to cause someone to experience anger or shock because of what has been said or done.

 

Notice the incitement against the one who sets the trap so that a positive believer will stumble away from doctrine. it is better for him that a heavy millstone [large stone pulled by an ass or mule] be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea.

 

This is simply to illustrate the seriousness of the offense. This offense can only be done by someone who truly has gone apostate to the point that he has allowed himself to be commandeered by satan’s cosmic system to actually lay traps for positive believers so that they will quit on doctrine. The divine discipline on that offense is likened to have a asses millstone tied to the neck and drowned in the deepest sea.