24.161 | Don't Be A Stumbling Block To Others | Mark

Text: Mark 9:42-50 ESV
42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.
43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.
45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.
47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell,
48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’
49 For everyone will be salted with fire.
50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
-Mark 9:42-50 ESV
DON’T BE A STUMBLING BLOCK TO OTHERS
All sins, known and unknown to others, are obnoxious before God. Yet some sins , because they offend the little ones are regarded as severe in its consequence. The ‘little one’ means someone younger but can also mean someone of lower rank and a lesser experience.
The little ones are tempted and emboldened to commit sin. Let’s accept that our primary view of temptation is always an enticement to do something wrong. It is an attempt to draw someone away from God. Jesus explains this could be by keeping them from serving (Mark 9:38) or discouraging them from approaching Jesus (Mark 10:13-16). How about church culture today? Perhaps, we have established rules that keep others from fulfilling their God-given responsibilities of serving Him or learning more about Him.
Jesus has a stern warning to such offender, “It would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” This type of mill made up of two stone cylinders was particularly large. The upper and smaller stone cylinder could be three feet in diameter and eighteen inches thick, making it more than enough to drown someone.
Whart are we going to do?
Jesus’ solution is severe and ultimate. Should a hand or foot causes us to sin, we’ve to cut it off. Should our eye causes us to sin, let’s tear it off. This metaphor of mutilation carries the weight of how are we going to value holiness and righteousness as His children. Sin will be severely judged. Of what use is a person with two hands and feet but suffer judgment in hell? There must be a bold and courageous measure to avoid sin. As His children, it’s better we ‘enter life’ hurt and crippled. To "enter life" doesn't refer to being born. As "hell" means eternal punishment, "life" means eternal presence with God for those who are saved through Christ. Jesus isn't giving a detailed description of eternity, here, though. Let us take note that in Matthew 5, Jesus is illustrating how impossible for our body to keep from sinning. This is not a reason, however, that we should not strive to keeep our hearts pure and holy.
What will happen if we don’t deal sin?
As true believers, we should not allow our hearts to be hardened by the decitfulness of sin.[Heb 3:13] Jesus pictured the wasted life like a salt losing his saltiness. He asks, “Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? His exhortation is, “Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” That is, let us maintain our testimonies in order to impact the gospel to others and live harmoniously among each other.
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