PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 18:1-14
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble…” (Matthew 18:6)
Jesus is talking to His disciples about how to be great in God’s kingdom – by humbly valuing others above yourselves (Philippians 2:3). Now he explains how He values those who humbly trust and follow Him as His ‘little ones’: DO NOT cause anyone who humbly trusts and follows me to stumble!!!
He then uses extremely strong words (hyperbole) to make His point: you would be better off drowned, the WOE of God would be upon you, it would be better for you if you cut off a limb or gouged out an eye than be guilty in this way, for such people are destined for “the fire of Ge-Hinnon”.
The words “fire of Ge’Hinnon” make no sense to us, but to the Jews of Jesus day this was a cursed valley outside of Jerusalem where the garbage was thrown, where smoldering fires and worms were constant, and where the bodies of the worst offenders were thrown, without a proper burial. It came to represent the ultimate judgment of God for the most wicked of all. This is how much Jesus values His ‘little ones’, and how serious it is to make them stumble.
Think of the people who came to Jesus: traitor tax collectors, unclean lepers, enemy soldiers, zealous extremists, irreligious fishermen, adulterous sexual sinners, vile Samaritans and Canaanite dogs. They came in humility, they came desperate, they came with mustard seed faith, hoping that Jesus would not drive them away. And He didn’t!!! He invited all of them to humble themselves like little children and follow Him, to learn from Him, and to carry the cross with, like and for Him.
It was the proud religious people that hindered them and caused them to stumble. These are the ones that provoked the greatest anger from Jesus. Jesus called these religious hypocrites the offspring of Satan, their father, for preventing the lost, the least, the sick, the needy from finding welcome and hope and new life with Jesus. Jesus repeats this WOE against such religious people in Matthew 23:1-39…
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.” (Matthew 23:13)
“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to Ge-Hinnon?” (Matthew 23:33)
Jesus’s stern warning in Matthew 18:6 is one reason why I am rethinking my religious commitments. As I see it, the institutional church is risking what Jesus warns against, causing ‘little ones who trust in Jesus’ to stumble. As one who desperately needs the gracious welcome of Jesus as a seeking, struggling sinner, it feels so wrong to put up roadblocks to other seeking, struggling sinners like me. In my situation, I feel the need to ‘cut off’ this cause of stumbling rather than participate in a policy that is causing others to stumble.
If I am wrong, Lord have mercy, but this only proves my point: I need the grace and mercy of Jesus just like everyone else!!!
Lord Jesus, Your passionate concern for the lost, the least and the last convicts, comforts and compels me. Make me as passionate about Your ‘little ones’, and keep on warning me when I am at risk of causing them to stumble.