Stumbling stone and Rock of offense

 

Why God Laid a Stone of Stumbling

And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture: "Behold I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and he who believes in Him shall not be disappointed." This precious value, then, is for you who believe. But for those who disbelieve, "The stone which the builders rejected, this became the very corner stone," and, "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense"; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.

What I would like to do this morning is draw out the main point of verses 6–8 and then encourage your faith with the way this truth applies to our present situation here at Bethlehem.

Last week we looked at verses 4 and 5 and saw how coming to Jesus, God's Living Stone causes us to be living stones and shapes us into a spiritual house for God's dwelling and makes us a holy priesthood so that we can offer spiritual sacrifices of praise and obedience that will be acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

The key was Christ. He is the Living Stone which is the foundation of this house and his life is imparted to all the little stones—us believers—who are built into a temple that throbs with life.

Now what we have in verses 6–8 are three Old Testament quotations to show where Peter got this idea of Christ as a Stone that God set down in Zion. But there is something remarkable about the way Peter quotes these three texts. He doesn't just quote them; he interprets them and gives them a tremendously encouraging twist for people in our situation.

Believing on the Stone: You Can't Lose

In verse 6 he quotes Isaiah 28:16 and says, "Behold I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and he who believes in Him shall not be disappointed." The point here is that if you trust Christ, God's corner stone, you will not be disappointed. This stone will not prove faulty. If you build your life on this stone, your life will not crumble in the storm. If you hide behind this stone, you will be safe. If you stand on the truth of this stone, you will not be ashamed. If you join with others in the spiritual house built on this stone, you will be proud of your foundation and your fellowship will stand. "Behold I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and he who believes in Him shall not be disappointed."

Then in verse 7a Peter draws out the lesson in his own words: "This precious value, then, is for you who believe." He takes the word "precious" from verse 6—"he is a precious corner stone"—and says that the preciousness is for believers. If you believe on this stone—if you trust him and bank your future on him—then he is precious, because you will never be disappointed in him or ashamed of him. Jesus will never let you down. Others may, but Jesus never.

Now that is a great encouragement: if there were a way never to be disappointed or a way never to be ashamed, wouldn't you want to know that way? Peter says: the way is to trust what Jesus will be for you as God's "chosen and precious corner stone." God says, "You cannot lose. You cannot be disappointed in having done this. You cannot be put to shame." That is tremendously encouraging.

Disbelieving the Stone: You Can't Win

But now, why not stop there? Why does Peter go on in the middle of verse 7 to talk about the negative side of things? Why not just stay positive and talk about the good effects of belief, rather than going on to talk about the negative side of unbelief?

Look at what he says in verse 7b: "But for those who disbelieve, 'The stone which the builders rejected, this became the very corner stone.'" Now what's the point of that? Here he's saying that not believing in Jesus is like rejecting the stone that God has laid as the corner stone. God sends his Son to be the main stone in the building of his church—his people. But some do not trust him; they reject him.

But what effect does that have on the purpose of God? This is the point: it does not defeat God's purpose at all. "The stone which the builders rejected, this became the very corner stone." The point is: If you believe on this stone, you can't lose; and if you disbelieve on him, you can't win. Human unbelief does not frustrate or defeat the ultimate purposes of God. If God plans for Jesus to be the chief corner stone, humans can betray him, desert him, deny him, mock him, strike him, spit on him, hit him with rods, crown him with thorns, strip him, crucify him, and bury him—but they cannot stop him from being what God destined him to be, the Living Corner Stone of a great and glorious people.

"Unto This You Were Appointed"

So the point of mentioning the negative side of unbelief is to stress that it cannot win. It can't frustrate God's ultimate purposes.

I think this is the point of the shocking verse 8 as well. Peter goes on to say (quoting Isaiah 8:14) that Christ, became "'a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense'; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this [doom] they were also appointed." Peter's words at the end of this verse are intended to sever the last strand of self-reliance: "to this—this stumbling, this disobedience—they were appointed."

In other words if any proud unbeliever should boast and say, "I have chosen my own destiny—my own disobedience and my own stumbling—to show God that I have the final and ultimate say in my life; I have the power of ultimate self-determination; and I can frustrate the purposes of God with my own self-determining will"—if anyone boasts in that way, Peter responds with the awesome words: No, you can't; you only think you can. But you will discover sooner or later that whatever you choose—and mark this, your choice is real and crucial—whatever you choose, "unto this you were appointed."

God and not man will have the last say. No mere human can thwart the ultimate purposes of God—not by belief or unbelief.

Why Does Peter Teach This Shocking Thing?

Now why does Peter teach such a thing? Why does he even bring it up? The reason is for our encouragement. What he means is that human choices cannot finally destroy the temple of God. They are not ultimate. A person can reject the chosen and precious Stone of Jesus Christ. But if they do, two things are still true:

1. the stone will not be rejected by God, but will still be put in the place of honor and glory forever and ever as the chief corner stone; and
2. the one who rejects the stone will never be able to boast over God that he frustrated God's ultimate design for his temple. Even unbelievers fulfill God's appointments. He cannot be defeated. He triumphs even in his own rejection.

The Lesson for Us in Our Situation

Now that's the lesson for us in our situation. God's great purposes for the building of his church, including Bethlehem, often come through seasons of rejection, but in the end he remains triumphant and none of us can bring his purpose to ruin. If we reject his way, we cannot destroy his plan. C.S. Lewis said once: "We all serve God inevitably, but it makes a great difference whether you serve like Judas or serve like John."¹ In the end God is triumphant in our belief and our unbelief. He is triumphant in our obedience and our disobedience. Human beings, whether good or evil, rejecting or accepting, believing or unbelieving, cannot thwart the ultimate purposes of God. "The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner."

God is calling us to trust him for this in these days at Bethlehem. And I want to give you a glance at some of the evidences of his triumphs in these awful and wonderful days.

Romans 9:33
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offense: and whoever believes on him shall not be ashamed.

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Behold, I lay in Zion a Stumbling-stone and Rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. It seems a strange thing that Jesus, the Saviour of men, should at all be set before us in this way. But the truth is, the great object is to cause us to consider what our own attitude is toward Christ. Have I accepted Jesus as my Saviour, or am I hesitating to commit myself to him? Am I clinging to him as my Rock of safety, or am I being repelled from him as from a rock of offence? It was no new idea, this which St. Paul brings forward here, of Christ being a Stumbling-stone. It was spoken of by Isaiah, when he said, "And he shall be for a Sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a Rock of offence to both the houses of Israel" (Isaiah 8:14). Jesus himself alluded to the same idea when he said to the chief priests and Pharisees, "Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The Stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the Head of the corner?" And then he added, to show the evil results of rejecting him, "And whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder" (Matthew 21:42, 44). The Stone of stumbling, the Rock of offence, and the Stone against which men fall to their own destruction, - all these convey the same truth. It is a truth which conveys a solemn warning - the danger of rejecting Christ. How is it, then, that men stumble at Christ? 

I. THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN CHRIST'S LIFE AND WORK AT WHICH MEN STUMBLE. I do not mean to say that there is anything in the life and work of Jesus Christ at which men ought to stumble, but such is the depravity of the human heart, such is the power of the great enemy of souls, that men find difficulties even in the way of salvation. They raise mental objections to the very way in which the Creator of the world wants to give them a share in his heavenly inheritance, and have their doubts as to whether there might not be some other way, some other Teacher, some other Saviour, just as good as the eternal Son of God, who, in his matchless love, gave himself to die for the redemption of their souls. 

1. Christ is a stumbling-stone to many because of the way in which he came into the world. So it was when he was on earth. Men asked the question, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" And when he was come into his own country, they said, "Whence hath this Man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's Son? And they were offended in him" (Matthew 12:54-57), or stumbled at this difficulty of his lowly parentage. And yet there should be no difficulty, no stumbling-block in this; for Jesus came in the very way and in the very place it had been predicted several hundred years before that he would come. Micah had predicted the place of his birth when he spoke of Bethlehem, and Isaiah the manner of his birth when he spoke of the miraculous event of a virgin who should conceive and bear a son, and call his name Immanuel. That which is a stumbling-block to many ought to be a strength and confirmation of faith in the Son of God. 

2. Others, again, find a difficulty in the surroundings of his daily life. It was with the poor and lowly that he chiefly mingled; he ate and drank with publicans and sinners, and his intimate followers and disciples were chosen mainly from the humbler walks of life. Here, however, is the very proof that Christ was indeed Divine. God is no respecter of persons. Had Christ been a mere man, with an ambition to found an earthly kingdom, he would have sought the society of the great; he would not have put away from him all the attempts to make him a King. But his kingdom was not of this world. The very persons whom he chose to be its first ambassadors and founders were in themselves a proof that their religion was Divine. Without earthly rank or riches, without learning or worldly influence, they went forth from an obscure province of the Roman empire, and, only by the power of the words they spoke, founded a religion which today is placing a girdle round the world, and before whose mighty power the temples of heathenism and the mosques of the Mohammedan are destined yet to fall. God hath indeed chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. This fact also about Jesus Christ, his lowly surroundings and his humble followers, instead of being a stumbling-block, should be a strength to faith. 

3. There are many who find a great difficulty in the death of Christ. St. Paul said that in his day Christ crucified was to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness. And it is the cross of Christ that is the stumbling-block to many at the present day. They are willing to regard Christ as the greatest of all teachers, as a beautiful and holy example, but they can see no meaning in the atonement. They stumble at the cross. They call the preaching of salvation by the sufferings of Christ "a doctrine of blood," Be it so. And if you take the doctrine of blood out of the Bible, how much of it have you left? Was it not the shedding of blood that was the feature of Abel's sacrifice, which, because it foreshadowed the need of an atonement for sin, was preferred to that of Cain, in which there was no recognition of guilt or unworthiness? The lamb which God himself provided for a burnt offering in lieu of Abraham's intended sacrifice; the lamb slain, and the blood sprinkled on the door-posts of the Israelites in Egypt; the sacrificial offerings of the Mosaic Law; - were not all these but types, pointing to the great Sacrifice, and teaching the children of Israel their need for his atonement? But those who accept Christ as a great Teacher, and reject the doctrine of his atonement, are hardly consistent. It seems incredible how any one can accept the gospel narrative of Christ's own teaching, without believing that he taught that his death was a sacrifice. Just immediately after he entered on his ministry, he permitted John the Baptist to say of him, "Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world." He himself said, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life." Such words plainly convey that not only would there be the power of a good example in the life of Christ, but that there would be a healing, saving power in his death when he was lifted up upon the cross. He speaks of laying down his life for the sheep; and when he instituted the Lord's Supper, he clearly indicated that his sufferings on the cross were to be the leading thought in that commemoration, and that those sufferings were endured on behalf of his people. "This is my body, broken for you;!" "This cup is the new testament in my blood, shed for the remission of sins." If men stumble at the cross, they stumble at the very threshold of the gospel. "Without the shedding of blood is no remission." If men find a difficulty in the cross, they find a difficulty in the most convincing evidence given to men of God's love for the world and of the desire of Jesus Christ for their salvation. "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." Instead of stumbling at it, let me cling to it, let me live under its power. "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us who are saved it is the power of God." 

II. THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN THEMSELVES WHICH CAUSE MEN TO STUMBLE AT CHRIST. 

1. Christ is a Stumbling-block to human pride. If we are to be saved by Jesus Christ, then we must confess ourselves to be guilty sinners, we must lay aside all trust in any merit of our own, all hope of heaven because of our own good works. This is a stumbling-block to many. Penances are no stumbling-block. Men will freely inflict on themselves fastings and bodily sufferings, to purchase for themselves, as they think, the pardon of their sins and the hope of heaven; but simply to accept the salvation provided by Jesus Christ - when they are asked to do this, they hesitate, they raise difficulties, they entertain doubts. God's way of salvation is too simple for many. If he would bid us do "some great thing" we would gladly do it. Here, again, is it not plain that such a cause of stumbling is unreasonable? If I will not take God's way of getting to heaven, how can I expect to get there by any other? And if there could be any other way, what necessity was there for God to give up his own Son to death for us all? 

2. Christ is a Stumbling-block to human sins. Many would like to get to heaven, but they do not like to give up their sins. Many are inclined to ask, "May one be pardoned, and retain the offence?" How unreasonable to choose a few hours of sin and to destroy both body and soul, rather than to follow that Saviour whose service is perfect peace, and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore! 

3. Christ is a Stumbling-block to human selfishness. Many who are not the slaves of grosser sins are nevertheless the slaves of worldliness and self. They fear that Christ's service would be too much of a restraint upon them. They know that they cannot serve God and mammon. Their conscience tells them that if they would be conformed to this world and imitate the customs and fashions of those around them, they must violate. the precepts and incur the displeasure of Christ. And so they make their choice, like Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. They are not prepared for the service of him who said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." But how great is the loss of those who for any of these reasons reject Christ! - C.H.I. 

But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block.”   1 Corinthians 1:23; see also Galatians 5:11

  The message of Christ crucified is a stumbling block because it strikes at the root of man’s self-righteousness and rebellion toward God. To receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we must humble ourselves and acknowledge our unrighteousness before God.  By faith, we then depend on Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross for our righteousness.  This is what is called saving faith.  Unbelievers reject the message of Christ crucified because they do not want to acknowledge God and give up their soul-life by submitting to the sovereignty and righteousness of Jesus Christ.  “He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  And he who has found his soul-life will lose it, and he who has lost his soul-life for My sake has found it (Matthew 10:38-39).”  The message of the cross confronts each person with a spiritual crisis – a decisive moment in their life to choose whether to give up their self-identity, self-life and self-righteousness and submit to Christ’s authority. Many people are so fiercely determined to protect and control their soul-life (self-rule) that the   Holy Spirit cannot convict them of their unrighteousness and their need for Jesus Christ to save them.  Anyone who wants to maintain their own self-righteousness and self-sovereignty instead of submitting to Christ’s righteousness and sovereignty will stumble over the cross of Christ (see Romans 9:30-10:4). The Bible says, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him (John 3:36).”   

   However, the word of the cross goes far beyond just cleansing us from sin.  Christ’s death on the cross not only provided us forgiveness for sins; His death also provided us deliverance from sin’s power.  Christ not only bore our sins on the cross, He bore our sin nature on the cross with Him.  If we believe in Christ, then when Christ died we died with Him.  Since our sinful nature has died with Christ and been removed from us, we have been freed from sin’s power (Romans 6:6-7).  Jesus Christ not only died in our place, He now wants to live in our place.  This is Christ’s complete provision for us as a result of His crucifixion.  But why is this complete truth of the cross a stumbling block to even many Christians?  Why don’t more Christians want to embrace the exchanged life that is provided for us in Christ?  Why would any Christian be satisfied with a life that is just an outward cultural or moral change?

   Once again, the cross strikes at the root of our self-identity, self-righteousness and self-will.   The real crux of the matter is whether we are willing to lose our soul-life and submit to Christ’s authority.  In order to “see” that you have died with Christ so that He can live in you, you must be willing to completely surrender your whole life to Jesus Christ.  The exchanged life means you give up control of your soul-life in return for Christ’s Sovereignty and His divine life.  You cannot enter into the experience of Christ’s exchanged life unless you are willing to give up your soul-life (your natural attitudes, affections and abilities) for Christ’s attitudes, affections and abilities.  Jesus said, “He who loves his soul-life loses it, and he who hates his soul-life in this world will keep it to life eternal (John 12:25).”

   This means when Christ becomes your life, you died to the right to run your own life.  Knowing and acknowledging the truth that you have been crucified with Christ will affect all of your life’s decisions, such as whom you marry, which friends you choose, what job you have, how you spend your money, where you live and how you live.  “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple… none of you can be My disciple who does not give up everything he has (Luke 14:27 & 33).” Submitting wholeheartedly to Christ’s Sovereignty will impact every area of your life – spirit, soul and body.  “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me (Matthew 16:24).” Christ’s Lordship will completely pervade your daily life and all your pursuits, activities and associations. Christ’s Sovereign Spirit will ultimately transform even your natural temperament and your affections and attitudes.  If knowing Christ and submitting to His Sovereignty is what you really desire, then entering into the knowledge that you died with Christ is liberating.  However, if you do not want to wholeheartedly submit to Christ’s authority, then the message of the cross will offend you. Tragically, many so-called “Christians” love their soul-life too much to give it up for Jesus Christ and misuse God’s grace as an excuse to practice sin.  Just as the apostle Peter warned, “Do not use your freedom as a cover for evil (1 Peter 2:16).”

   Some Christians sincerely want to surrender completely to Christ, but they do not know how and their experience makes them feel that they will always fail.  The gospel of Christ crucified is indeed good news for these people, for the Word of God teaches us that because Jesus surrendered His life to God (to the point of death), we are capable by faith of doing the same thing because we no longer have a sinful nature and Christ now lives in us.  If you are willing to lose your soul-life so that you can find it, you do not need to suffer from defeat anymore.  Jesus said, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free… so if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed! (John 8:31-32, 36).”  The message of the cross is only a stumbling block if you do not want to submit to Christ’s Sovereignty.  If you are willing to lose your soul-life for Christ’s sake, then the gospel of Christ crucified is great news!

“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.  For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” John 3:19-21

Isaiah 28:16 “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.”

Isaiah pointed out that this Savior would be the very foundation of life,
So long as you would believe in Him.

However, we know that not all would.
As Daniel foresaw the coming Kingdoms of the world in a dream.

Daniel 2:31-35 “You, O king, were looking and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome. “The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. “You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. “Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.”

Daniel saw the head of gold as Babylon
The breasts and its arms of silver was Medo-Persia
The belly and thighs of bronze was Greece
The legs of iron were Rome
Then the feet of iron and clay were the hybrid kingdom of the Anti-Christ
But then Daniel saw a rock that would come and strike the Anti-Christ’s kingdom and destroy it.

This rock was of course the coming King.
However even Daniel saw a unique characteristic about this stone.
This stone “was cut without human hands”
The stone God selected was rejected by the builders.
This was the same thing that David prophesied.

Psalms 118:22 “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone.”

And of course Isaiah had a similar vision of the Messiah in mind
When he prophesied.

Isaiah 8:13-15 “It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread. “Then He shall become a sanctuary; But to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. “Many will stumble over them, Then they will fall and be broken; They will even be snared and caught.”

Isaiah shows us a picture of Jesus, not as Savior, but as a “stone to strike and a rock to stumble over”

Jesus would either be the one fact to bring salvation
OR
Jesus would be the one fact to keep men from being saved.

As we have been studying through John
We have seen many aspects of Jesus as the Savior of God.

Even in John 6, Jesus repeatedly says, “I am the bread of life”

But John 6 is not the fulfillment of God’s promise of salvation.
John 6 is the fulfillment of God’s promise of stumbling.

For with this obstinate group we see:
Jesus would not prove to be the One who would save them,
But the One who would condemn them.
He became to them “a stone to strike and rock to stumble over.”

Here is an interesting thought: If Jesus Christ came to give life more abundantly (John 10:10), why is His gospel called an offense (Galatians 5:11) and His life referred to as a stumblingblock (1 Peter 2:8) and why did Jesus say He came to “bring a sword”? (Matthew 10:34) The answer is that He came to bring the option of life more abundantly to those who choose to accept Him as their Savior and Lord. But to those in the world who would not choose, and to those even in the faith who chose Him, but will not change, the gospel is absolutely an offense, a sword and a stumblingblock.

“For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom. But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks.” (1 Corinthians 1:22-23) There are plenty of aspects of the life of faith that we all have the option to reject or accept and those choices come with their own consequences, for better or for worse. In the body of Christ, Pharisees still exist, operating under the law and oppressing people with the fear of punishment. In Romans 9:31-33 Paul wrote this about God’s own people: “…but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, did not attain the law of righteousness. Why not? Because they did not seek it by faith, but by the works of the law. For they stumbled over the stumbling stone. As it is written: “Look! I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes in Him will not be ashamed.”

The inward lifestyle of worship is reflected in the outward life of the worshipper.

One of the worst things that can happen to a Christian, other than a return to sin, is a slide back into the trap of the law, yet it happens all the time. Whether because of traditions or old mindsets or pressure from others, God’s own people can return to the power of the curse instead of walking in the freedom Jesus Christ paid for.  The “righteous” Pharisees wanted to see the “sinners” punished. It’s not any different today!Plenty of Christians reject or shun or gossip about or point fingers at those whose sin or issues are too different or more hideous or odious than their own and the result is that we accuse in others what we excuse in ourselves!

[Read this next: “Jesus Christ, The Rock”]

These issues keep the body of Christ fractured, disjointed and disconnected from each other and from truly being able to stay connected to the Lord. Why? Because the inward lifestyle of worship is reflected in the outward life of the worshipper. A Christian whose life centers around true worship exists in a mindset that is God-focused, not self-focused. Of course, in our humanity, we all tend toward being me-focused, but worship is the antidote to the poison of “self”. Most Christians don’t lapse into this purposefully, but if your life isn’t actively involved in the worship of God, it’ll show in how you relate to other people! Jesus Christ was (and still is!) a “stumblingstone” and “a rock of offense” to those trapped in religion because religion elevates self, while worship elevates the Savior.

Thought for today

The understanding of just how far the love of Christ extends to us all is incomprehensible. Because we can’t fully understand it, we tend to try and define it or quantify or qualify it and then we apply those terms to ourselves and to others and that’s what causes us to slip once again under judgement. Not God’s judgement – that was settled at Calvary. No, our own judgement – and that of others. If Jesus Christ is a “stumblingstone” to you, it’ll show in how you interact with other Christians who speak into your life with authority or discipline. It’ll show in how you speak about others when they offend you, or in your ability to forgive and move forward. Luke wrote this about Jesus: “Whoever falls on that stone will be broken. But he on whom it falls will be crushed to powder.” (Luke 20:18) The “stumblingblock” that is Jesus Christ will trip up people who prefer their own mindsets, opinions and perspectives, emotions and experiences and interpretations over anything that challenges them to change. Worship is God-focused, so forget all the haters and their hate (even within the body of Christ!). Fall on the rock that is Jesus and cling to Him there. He cannot be moved and if you’re with Him, you won’t be either. (Psalm 62:6)

Acts 15-19: Let Christ Be the Stumbling Block

"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a Man whom He has appointed; and of this He has given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead."  -Acts 17:30-31

"For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."  -1 Corinthians 1:22-24

This week's passage in Acts begins with the leaders of the early church agreeing together that the Gentile believers ought not be commanded to be circumcised and ordered to follow the Law of Moses.  Some of the Jewish faith who became followers of Christ believed that all who follow Christ must also follow the Law for righteousness.  Peter asked the assembly, "...why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?  But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will."  In other words, why cause these believers to stumble with something unnecessary and even contrary to the gospel (the idea that works are a part of making us right with God, rather than faith in Christ alone)? 

Later, in chapter 16, we see that Paul has Timothy circumcised as they go to minister in Lystra and Iconium.  And in chapter 18, we read of either Paul or Aquila cutting his hair after being under a vow.  What are we to make of things like this?  That these men were trying to add works to their righteousness?  Certainly not!  Rather, let us be reminded of Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23:

"For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.  To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews.  To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law.  To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.  To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak.  I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.  I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings."

These men had determined to remove all possible stumbling blocks to the gospel.  Whether it be in the life of a believer or in ministry to unbelievers, the leaders of the church were careful to put nothing in the way of the gospel.  But there is something else they were very careful to do: proclaim the gospel and let Jesus be the stumbling block if necessary!  In these chapters, we rejoice over the fruit that the gospel bore, many being saved through faith in Jesus Christ!  But we also see that gospel preaching leads to persecution, beatings, rioting, and imprisonment.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is good news indeed, bringing life to those who hear with faith, but for many it sounds like death.  This message causes levels of joy inexpressible, and levels of anger and hatred that are tough to fathom. 

But we need to see that there never comes a time where the early church decides to hide the gospel, or change the gospel, or "dress up" the gospel to make it more palatable.  Paul stood before the Areopagus, fully aware that what he was going to say would sound like utter foolishness to most of those gathered.  But he still shared the gospel, because the gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God for salvation!  He was eager to remove all stumbling blocks except this one.  He was eager to let Jesus Christ be a stumbling block and foolishness because he knew that Jesus is also God's power and wisdom for all who are called!

We must remember this!  We must ask the Father to make us servants of all that we might be used to win more, that we might share in the blessings of the gospel with them!  But we must never think that part of our strategy is to hide or change the gospel message.  We must never think that successful gospel ministry will be free from rejection and pain.  We must never think that there will be another means by which souls will be saved.  The world needs to hear the gospel, and when we remove the offense of the gospel, we also remove the power of the gospel.  Let us endeavor by the Holy Spirit's empowering to be servants of all, whose greatest act of service is telling them the good news!  

Isaiah 8:14 a Rock of Salvation and a Stumbling Stone

The background for chapter eight of Isaiah is the Assyrian invasion. It is a picture of political intrigue and panic. The prophet is trying to encourage King Ahaz and the people of Judah to trust in the LORD God and not enter political treaties with the Northern Kingdom of Israel and Syria against the superpower Assyria. The prophet announces coming judgment if King Ahaz does not put his trust in Yahweh.

The nation is so low spiritually under Ahaz's leadership that when the prophet calls for trust in the LORD the politicians and the people accuse him of a "conspiracy." The king accused the prophet of being a troublemaker because he did not go by the polls and the political programs. Ahaz has opted to follow the polls and popular opinion instead of the word of God. The politicians accuse Isaiah of a right wing "conspiracy" because he opposes compromise with the pagan nations (8:11–13). The challenge is to fear the LORD! Put your confidence in Him. If you are going to conspire, conspire with Him. Don't put your faith in the king of Assyria; put your faith in the LORD your God. Because Isaiah sided with Yahweh they saw him in service of the enemy and conspiring to overthrow the government. No one was more loyal to the Lord God and His covenant nation than the prophets. The clarion call was, "You are to fear Yahweh!"

 If the king and the people had sanctified Yahweh and feared Him there would be no conspiracy (v. 13). If you give the LORD His proper place in your life then you will fear and dread Him. If you put Him first you will sanctify and honor Him. If you don't regard Him as holy then He will be for you "a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, and a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem" (v. 14).

What is your attitude toward the Lord?

The imagery in verse fourteen is a man fleeing the coming judgment. If the man is a believer and fleeing in time of trouble the altar will be a sanctuary, the place where he meets God in salvation and security. However, if he is an unbeliever who has no time for God, then the altar is only a heap of stones to strike and stumble over. Look how Isaiah reinforced the thought of salvation and judgment in verses 13-15.

"It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy.

And He shall be your fear,

And He shall be your dread.

Then He [the LORD of hosts whom you regard as holy] shall become a sanctuary;

But to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over,

And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

And many will stumble over them, 

Then they will fall and be broken;

They will even be snared and caught."

The admonition is clear, sanctify yourselves and the LORD will be to you a sanctuary. If you sanctify Him, He will be a sanctuary for you. He will be your salvation and security.

The Old Testament scholars Keil and Delitzsch observed: "All who sanctified the Lord of lords He surrounded like temple walls: hid them in Himself, whilst death and tribulation reigned without, and comforted, fed, and blessed them in His own gracious fellowship."

However, for those who refuse to trust in Yahweh He will be a stone of stumbling that will crush them in judgment. Verse fifteen says God will set for the people not only a rock to crush them but a spring loaded bird trap to snare them. Because of the stone many will stumble, fall and be crushed. They will be completely destroyed.

Who is this Rock of Salvation and Stone of Stumbling?

The apostle Peter captures this idea and reminds his readers, "You who believe the Lord is precious will not be disappointed in Him. But you who are disobedient and refuse to believe in Him, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is the head stone and a stone of stumbling and rock of offense" (Pounds paraphrase). He combines two verses from Isaiah (28:16; 8:14) with Psalm 118:22 in 1 Peter 2:6–8. The chief corner stone is the stone of stumbling and rock of offence for those who refuse to believe. However, He is the solid rock of salvation to those who choose to believe. The purpose of the "stone, a tried stone, a precious corner–stone" is a foundation that gives stability and security to the believer.

How can the chief corner stone become the stumbling stone and rock of offense? "They stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they are also appointed," writes Peter (1 Peter 2:8).

Who is this rock of offense? Clearly, it is Jesus of Nazareth, God's chosen and choice stone.

Simeon was in the Temple of Jerusalem when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to be dedicated. Simeon was "righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ (Messiah)" (Luke 2:25–26). Simeon took Jesus in his arms and "blessed God." He recognized that Jesus was the Anointed of God and praised God that he was allowed to see His Son. Simeon blessed Jesus and His parents and praised God. Then he said to Mary, "Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed and a sword will pierce even your own soul––to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed" (vv. 34–35). Did you catch it? This Child will be a stumbling block "for the fall and rise of many in Israel."

Later in his Gospel Dr. Luke quotes a parable Jesus gave on the Vine–growers association (Luke 20:9–18). In making His application Jesus asked a question while quoting Psalm 118:22. "What then is this that is written, 'The stone which the builders rejected, this became the chief corner stone'?" Then He quickly added, "Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust" (v. 18). Luke observes, "And the scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on Him that very hour, and they feared the people; for they understood that He spoke this parable against them" (v. 19).

Our attitude toward Him determines our spiritual welfare. He is a sanctuary to those who sanctify Him. He is a place of refuge, peace and security to those who believe. However, to those who reject Him He becomes a stone to trip over. He becomes a crushing stone of judgment to the proud of heart. Many people collide with Him and trip over Him because they try to live as if He didn't exist. Jesus Christ will always be a stumbling stone to those who refuse to trust in Him.

"For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18). The Jewish people were always asking for signs and the Greeks were in search of wisdom. "But we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (vv. 22–24).

Peter used the illustration of the rejected stone becoming God's chosen stone in a sermon on the death and resurrection of Jesus. He concluded his message saying, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Jesus and the salvation He offers is a stumbling stone for many.

However, He brings eternal life and inner peace to those who believe on Him. In his great chapters on the sovereignty of God in salvation the apostle Paul draws the conclusion that Gentiles, who did not have any interest in the righteousness of God, have "attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith" (Romans 9:30). They were unconcerned and indifferent pagans. They were not concerned about a right standing with God. Yet, God in His rich grace and mercy chose to save them by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

On the other hand, Israel, who had been pursuing a law of righteousness, never arrived at God's righteousness. Gentiles attained this righteousness, but Israel failed. Why? Paul tells us, "They stumbled over 'the stumbling stone,' just as it is written, 'Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed'" (9:32–33 quoting Isaiah 8:14; 28:16).

The Gentiles obtained a right standing with God which was a "righteousness that is by faith." The problem was in the way the Jews pursued righteousness. They wanted to do it their way, not God's way. They wanted to use the Law as a means of obtaining righteousness. However, by the works of the law they could never attain it because they were sinners. They could never perfectly obey the law. Christ alone has fulfilled the law. Paul saw the law as a means of leading people to Christ and a right relationship with God. Instead of seeking God's righteousness by faith, they stumbled over works righteousness. "The righteousness that answers the demands of the law, is the righteousness of God, which is received by faith. The Jews, then, did not attain to it, because they sought it not by faith, but as of works of law" (Robert Haldane). It is impossible to attain salvation other than by justification by faith. Righteousness is by faith. The Jews refused to come by faith. They sought the right goal in the wrong way, and therefore stumbled over Christ. Paul applies the stone of stumbling and rock that crushes in Isaiah 8:14 to Christ. He had no hesitation in applying to Christ those Old Testament passages that refer to the Lord of hosts.

God's sovereign will does not eliminate human responsibility. The Jewish people's lack of faith prevented them from recognizing Jesus as the Messiah. They had an attitude problem. Instead of begin the cause of great rejoicing in the rich blessings of Yahweh, He became a "stumbling stone" to them.

Christ is the Stone. Is He a stone of offense or a rock of salvation for you? The believer will never be ashamed before God because Christ is his righteousness.

Christ is the living Stone upon which we build the foundation of our lives (1 Peter 2:4). And as we come to him, we also are being built together into a spiritual house, or temple, for the Lord. In the Old Testament, the temple was built out of stone as a dwelling place for the Most High. On this side of the cross, God builds his dwelling place among the community of those who have followed Christ as Lord. As the people of God, we are both the temple and the priests that serve in it. We offer spiritual sacrifices–our selves, offered freely and wholly to the Lord. As priests we represent the people to God and God to the people. We show the watching world what our Father is like, and we stand as intercessors for those around us. And all this is built on the foundation of who Christ is and what he has done for us.

Yet some will not accept Christ as their foundation. You can’t be neutral to Jesus. If we do not acknowledge him as Lord and Savior, then we rebel against his rightful authority over our lives. And those who reject him as the cornerstone will discover Christ to be a stumbling block that leads to destruction. If we refuse to accept Christ’s mercy, then we experience only his judgment.

It’s not fun to talk about. But if we really understood the fate of the lost it would motivate and empower our evangelism. For those who believe, the gospel is a means of salvation. But for those who reject it, the gospel is a means of judgment. Our task is to continue to compassionately proclaim truth–pointing people to the gospel and the hope we have in Christ.

And we who have followed Christ are a “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that  you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). Peter takes words here that were first spoken to Israel and applies them to the church–Gentile and Jew alike. Once we were not a people, but we have now become the very people of God. We are chosen by God to be a royal priesthood–both kings and priests serving the Most High. We are God’s special possession–priceless and precious to him. And now we are tasked with declaring the wonders of our God who has called us out of darkness into God’s wonderful light. Once we had not received mercy, but now we have received mercy. And Christ–our foundation–our cornerstone–is faithful.

Questions for Reflection:

1. What does it look like to build your life upon Christ as the cornerstone?
2. If we as the community of faith are the temple of God, what does that say about the importance of Christian community? What priority should we place on our involvement with the community of faith?
3. What are some ways in which you declare the wonders of God?
4. What does it mean to you to be part of God’s chosen people, a royal priesthood, and God’s special possession?
5. Is Christ your stumbling rock or cornerstone? Why?

Paul explains to his audience of Jews in Galatians 3:13, that , “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree” (referring to the Deuteronomy passage). Peter says in 1 Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” Yeshua, the Messiah, by taking all our sins with him on the tree became a curse for us and paid our unholy death penalty that we deserved.

For an observant and well studied Jew, you can see how Jesus’ crucifixion was going to be almost impossible to accept. It went against Scripture and everything they had been taught. It would be much more of a stumbling block to the Jew who knew his Scriptures than a Gentile who would not have known any better. The crucifixion and resurrection would have been a hard concept for a Jew to have grasped, especially since they had been looking for a warrior Messiah to deliver them from the bondage of the Romans (e.g Acts 1:6).  This certainly helps to explain some of the reasons why Paul met such opposition and hostility when he went to the Jewish synagogues on his missionary journeys. There were obviously other issues involved, such as jealousy, but this must have been one of the big issues. All the Jews were looking for a Messiah but something about the crucifixion made them think that this Jesus didn’t fit the criteria as they read the Scriptures. Jesus’ manner of death was indeed a stumbling block for the Jews, as Paul said and once again our knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures helps us understand why.

The stumbling block of 1 Corinthians 8(and Romans 14) is an action, taken by a biblically informed believer, that does not in itself violate any scriptural precept or principle, but which a less knowledgeable or less mature believer might imitate, in a way that violates his conscience.

In context, the mature believer feels free to eat meat offered to idols, because meat is meat and it’s a provision of God, and idols are nothing. But the immature believer has come from a background of idol worship, so when he sees his brother eating meat, it eggs him on to do it. However, he associates the meat with the idols, and therefore is violating his conscience by eating it.

A stumbling block, then, is not just anything that causes someone to be offended.

It is not a stumbling block to commit adultery, because adultery is inherently sinful. It’s always a bad example to do wrong, obviously, but this isn’t what the passage is dealing with.

It is not a stumbling block for a man to have long hair and a pony tail, if the people who are offended by this are not thereby tempted to have a pony tail themselves, and in doing so violate their conscience.

It cannot be a stumbling block when a woman is offended at a man’s beard, unless she is tempted to grow a beard and in doing so would violate her conscience. It is not a stumbling block when a man is offended at a woman nursing a baby in church, since he is presumably not going to be tempted to start nursing a baby.

The church people who are most offended by wine drinking would typically never be tempted to drink wine in the first place. Drinking alcohol may be a stumbling block, but not to those offended by it, but rather to those who may imitate this action without sufficiently strong conscience and self-control. They might not be able to handle it, so it would do them damage, become addictive and lead them into sin. 

The biblical stumbling block involves a more mature believer exercising Christian liberty in a way that hurts a younger less mature believer. It does so by prompting him to say “I guess I can go ahead and drink alcohol, watch R-rated movies, etc.” when by doing so he will end up sinning because of being unable to handle this action that another believer might be able to handle.

In many churches, it is older Christians, who think of themselves as more mature, who are offended at the behavior of younger Christians. Almost never are they tempted to do what the younger Christians are doing that offends them (such as listening to rock music), and therefore their offense has nothing to do with the stumbling block of 1 Corinthians 8 or Romans 14.

Instead of saying “you shouldn’t do that because it’s a stumbling block to me,” these “professional weaker brothers” should engage in healthy biblical dialogue concerning the subject and learn to accept those things that are no more than differences in taste. They should not pull out “stumbling block” as a trump card that means “you can’t exercise Christian liberty in any area I’m uncomfortable with.” In fact, those who are biblically informed enough to even be familiar with the term stumbling block should be mature enough not to trip over one. 

Also, notice that in 1 Corinthians 8 the “stumbling block” action is taken in a spirit of pride, arrogance, and selfish independence. It is a deliberate flaunting of Christian liberty, at the expense of others. The stumbling block issue is as much a matter of the offender’s attitude as his action.

Applying the Principles of 1 Corinthians 8-10 to Today’s Issues

Begin by making a list of “gray” activities—things which do not seem to be absolutely right or absolutely wrong.

Then, try to fit each activity into one of the categories below:

1.  Like eating meat in the market—Go ahead and do it.

2. Like eating meat in the idols’ temple—Never do it.

3. Like eating meat served in a friend’s home

     a. Under certain circumstances, go ahead.

     b. Under other circumstances, don’t. 

Conclusion:

What a believer is commanded to do, he should do without regard to the response of others. What he is permitted to do, he may choose to do, but never is he compelled to do it. If he realizes his example could be imitated by younger believers not mature enough to do this without facing temptation they’re unprepared to handle, out of love he should be willing to forgo this action unless and until they are able to handle it. (Or until they are trained to understand that Christian liberty means some have the freedom to do what others cannot.)

CHALLENGING QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:

1.   Why shouldn’t an immature believer act according to his biblical instruction rather than his conscience, if the two are at odds?

2.   How can “Christian liberty” be considered true freedom if it must be seriously restricted in light of the confusion, immaturity or misguided feelings of others?

3.   How will a weak brother’s conscience ever be enlightened in a given area, if no one dares to exercise Christian liberty in that area, for fear of misleading him?

4.   Can’t we learn to educate younger and older believers in the body of Christ so that they can learn what true Christian liberty is? This way they won’t become legalists or professional weaker brothers, on the one hand, or on the other hand won’t feel that just because someone else exercises a freedom, they are automatically ready to do so.