Morning Worship, Sermons

Are You A Stumbling Block?


1 Corinthians 8:9-13

9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.

 Romans 14:13

13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.

 

What do we learn in the verses above?  Not to be a stumbling block.  But, what is a stumbling block?

According to the dictionary a stumbling block is an obstacle or problem in the way of a desired aim.

 

Matthew 17:24-27

24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

25 “Yes, he does,” he replied.

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”

26 “From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. 27 “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

Followers of Christ should not abuse their freedom and become a stumbling block to others.

Followers of Christ are to be different.  We should relinquish our personal freedoms in the interest of others.

Followers of Christ are living recommendations for Christ.

What communicates what we believe?

  • Where we go
  • How we look
  • What we say
  • How we say it!

Some questions to consider:

  • Is my freedom causing someone to stumble?
  • Is any part of my lifestyle offending to others?
  • Is my lifestyle giving Christ a good reference?

 

 

 

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