PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Luke 7:18-23
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” (Luke 7:23)
The word for ‘stumble’ is ‘skandalon’, the root of scandal.
Why would the things Jesus did be considered scandalous?
Because the people Jesus is serving are not the favoured ones.
Jesus is focusing his attention on the losers, the insignificant.
“God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:27)
Jesus was not the kind of Messiah they were expecting.
This is still a problem today; the grace of Jesus is scandalous.
Jesus shows love to unlovable people, and is patient with sinners.
It is religious people who are scandalized, as they were with Jesus.
They do not want a defender of minorities or a servant of sinners.
They want a loud defender of their rights and freedoms.
Jesus accepts and serves the ones the church ignores rejects.
The grace of Jesus is scandalous… to Pharisee Christians.
PRAYER
Lord, you are not the Messiah we want, but you are the Messiah we need. Thank you for your scandalous love for me, and for everyone else!
When things don’t happen as we expect them to or the way we think they should, we might miss it or ignore it or even deny it. People in Jesus’ day and even John the Baptist had an idea of how the Messiah would come and act – and when Jesus didn’t follow along what they thought, they started to wonder if HE really was the Messiah. Yet Jesus points out what is happening – with the miracles He is performing so he calls John and his disciples to take note of that and then he challenges them and us: “Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” Today we too stumble on account of Jesus. We may stumble because our prayers are not answered the way we wanted them too or things in life challenge us and we are at the point of despairing. Come to Jesus, come to Him and see – let his Love through the HS fill us and remind us again that He is there for us and that HE really is the Messiah!
The people were expecting a King who would overcome their oppressors. They did not expect a Saviour who would associate with the weak, unloved, poor, sick, diseased, the ‘outcasts’ of society. It is they who needed a ‘doctor.’ We all needed a Saviour. And He came different from our expectation. See what the Lord God has done and is still doing today through His servants. Christ is not a stumbling block but a stepping stone for total healing. He came but I need the eyes that see Him and hear His word also this day. What a Saviour!
“Man of Sorrows!” what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
“Full atonement!” can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Lifted up was He to die;
“It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew His song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!