Author Confessions: Stumbling Block
We dug a large hole on our property to build a home. We knew we would hit bedrock, even at the higher elevation of the land there. The excavator was told this but wasn’t prepared to dig bedrock. We spent a few weeks with machines that helped break it up so we could get a decent level down a few feet from the surrounding ground.
Bedrock is difficult to break up and the pieces were large and heavy. While down in what would eventually become our basement, I was helping my hubby, and on my way to get something over a broken rock surface, I ended up running head first into a back hoe. Unfortunately my head is not made of rock so it rang my bell.
It reminded me of this:
For this is contained in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone,
And the one who believes in Him will not be put to shame.”
This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers,
“A stone which the builders rejected,
This became the chief cornerstone,”
and,
“A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”;
for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this they were also appointed.
2 Peter 2:6-8 NASB
We have a firm foundation in Jesus Christ. He is the solid rock, the foundation upon which His followers base their faith. But like me stumbling over blocks of broken bedrock, it is easy for even a believer to stumble on parts of His teaching. None of us wil be perfect to be sure, but some stumble over even basic things. For instance: Jesus is the Word of God. I heard someone proclaim that she only followed Jesus and didn’t need the Bible. That shocked me since Jesus relied heavily on Scripture as did His followers and he is the WORD made flesh.
The Bible had become a stumbling block so she tossed it aside.
Scripture encourages us to be in community with each other, worshipping God, teaching, and encouraging one another. This provides prayer and support, but also accountability as we travel on our journey of faith. For some, church has become a stumbling block. Maybe it was a toxic or abusive person in the church, or they are avoiding facing the truth about their sin, but church becomes a stumbling block.
I love most the accusation that all Christians are hypocrites. We all have our blind spots and we all fail but as we seek Jesus we are hopefully becomeing more and more conformed to His image. However, no matter how faithful we can be, someone might see us as a stumbling block.
What is the key part of all that? What did they really stumble over? It wasn’t really just a pebble or even a boulder, it was Jesus Christ Himself. Scripture says that clearly. When we stumble over the Rock of Jesus Christ, we are in sin. Avoiding Scripture, church, and other believers, is a way to avoid being confronted with the truth of our sinfulness.
And that is when a person can walk into a back hoe. A back hoe can be used to dig graves and that is exactly what those people are doing by choosing to listen only Jesus speaking to their hearts (which can be deceived), avoiding church, and and ignoring Scripture, even if what their actions violate the tenants of the faith. Or avoiding church if one claims to be a follower of Christ. Oh, the riches we miss out on when not living in community with one another. And then avoiding Christians all together. We are to be known by love but sometimes we are known more by a list of dos and don’ts.
People are messy and even Jesus had to face the people around him being greedy, prideful, arguing, betraying, but also listening, learning, and growing to the degree that they were able to go out and change the world with the gospel.They taught that He had come to die for our sins, and rose again, ascended ot heaven and is our Savior and Lord. In a world of shifting sand, and opinions being touted as facts, Jesus Christ is the Rock we all need to stand on and cling to. Only in Him can we find stability.
So what has become a stumbling block in your life? Social media? News? Political opinions? Church? A part of Scripture that is convicting you? A fellow Christian who fails to live up to what you think a Christian should be, or has failed you in some way due to where they are at on their own sanctification journey?
I don’t want to be a stumbling block to anyone, but sometimes what causes people to stumble is beyond my control. Sometimes, what causes me to stumble is initially beyond my control but that doesn’t mean it’s irredeemable. We change course, with the help of the Holy Spirit and get on firmer footing with Jesus. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!