No time to Stumble***

Mark 6:1–6 NIV

1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.

RESPONSIVE READING: IS. 53: 1-6

We will begin this message with a quiz. Yes.

TODAY’S QUIZ

We are going to school for a moment. Before we take the quiz, let me tell you why we are taking it.

The Barna Group, a Christian research company, offered,

“Fewer than half of adults can name the four gospels. Many Christians cannot identity more than two or three of the disciples. 60% of Americans can’t name even five of the Ten Commandments.”

Let’s see if they are correct.

How many books are in the Bible? 27, 50, 66 or 80?

How many major prophets are there in the Old Testament?

How many minor prophets are there in the Old Testament?

How many Psalms are in the Book of Psalms?

What was Jesus’ greatest Sermon called?

What city did Jesus grow up in?

The answers to those questions are...

There are 66 Books in the traditional Bible, 14 more in the Apocrypha.

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel make up the major prophets of the OT.

Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi make up the twelve minor prophets.

Jesus’ most popular sermon is called, “The Sermon on the Mount”

Jesus grew up in Nazareth: Matt. 2:23 “he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.”

If you could not answer all those easy questions for christians, you know now is not the time to stumble.

MESSAGE

After Jesus and his disciples led a major revival in Galilee, which included an exorcism for a man with a legion of demons in Gergesa, in the power of the Spirit, Jesus went home. The Messiah went to see his earthly family. These people knew Joseph. They saw Jesus grow up from boyhood. He made items for them as a young carpenter.

His custom was to worship in the synagogue on the Sabbath.

Jesus attended the synagogue on the Sabbath his entire life. This was no different. However, He was much different.

He opened the scroll of Isaiah and began to read where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.’

Instead of praising God for his word and works, his own townsfolk took offense.

The people in Nazareth heard God’s wisdom coming out of Mary and Joseph’s son, they heard the report of the miracles; some of them witnessed them. They saw the grace resting upon Jesus. Instead of turning to Jesus, they were horrified. They criticized him. They were insulted by his message and anointing. They rejected his ministry. Jeremiah saw this 500 years before. He said, “They rejected the fountain of living waters. and turned to broken cisterns that hold no water.”

The word for offense is skandalizo. Scandal. It means, Jesus’ preaching and presence became a stumbling block.

Jesus’ responded “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.””

Oh, the irony.

He could have healed many, but their lack of faith could not get passed his familiarity.

The response in Capernaum was just the opposite...The crowds followed, people were healed, great miracles occured...

The greatest prophet, Savior, Messiah in the history of the world stood before the people of Nazareth and they stumbled.

The gospel is a stumbling block. It causes people to take offense. Why did they stumble?

FAMILIARITY.

They knew Jesus before he ever worked a miracle. People close to you, even those who are familiar with you, do not really know you. They are unfamiliar with the light brooding deep within. They do not know how close you are to the answers to your dreams, how close you are to being the one you were made for, how close you are to the full measure and stature of Christ.

Isn’t he The carpenter? People label you and address you in inferior terms. People only label you when they are afraid of you.

There is a proverb which says, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” Meaning, “extensive knowledge of or close association with someone or something leads to a loss of respect for them or it.” As long as others are familiar with your past, they can deem you inferior. But, when Jesus Christ is exalted within you people take offense. When a people begin to rise, those in power take offense.

Isn’t this Mary’s son? Not Joseph’s son, but Mary’s… This was a backhanded comment. They did not call him Jesus Ben Joseph. To connect him only to Mary was to say Jesus was illegitimate. People try to make your advancement illegitimate.

Isn’t his Brothers of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon...

This proves Jesus is human. His brothers and sisters are before us.

Satan accuses you by criticizing your humanity. Grace and Mercy have delivered God’s servants.

The fact that Jesus of Nazareth worked miracles means the kingdom of God has come into their midst. Jesus is the foundation of our faith. He is the chief architect of the church, and he is the chief cornerstone.

What happens when you disrespect your spiritual leaders? You miss the move of the Spirit.

Look at how many people missed God in your life because they remembered your past.

They were blinded to Jesus’ true identity.

The veil over their eyes blinded them from the glory of God which shown in the face of Jesus Christ. Gabriel told Mary a savior would be born. Luke 1:31-32 “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,”

In John, Jesus answered why we believe in him.

“I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.”” John 7:28-29

You can stumble due to unbelief.

God may call you to something beyond your expectations. If you are not careful, you will stumble by doubting God.

Joshua told them, Num. 14: 7-9

Numbers 14:7–9 NIV

and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”

You can stumble because of failure in the church.

NPR REPORTS: The United States’ Christian majority has been shrinking for decades. A Pew Research Center study shows that as of 2020, about 64% of Americans identify as Christian. Fifty years ago, that number was 90%.* By 2070, it will be below 50%.

People blame Jesus over the failure of the people in the church.

They concentrate on side issues. i.e money, carnality, unfairness...

They miss the work of redemption. Healing, deliverance, transformations that have taken place.

The saints can cause others to stumble.

Paul admonished the Corinthians not to abuse their freedom. By eating food offered to idols, they caused others to stumble in their faith. Paul reminded them even if you know idols do not exist, if you ignore common rules, your freedom can lead others to stumble.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—” I Cor. 10: 31-32

After this, Jesus sent his disciples to other villages and towns in the power of the Spirit. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

Now is no time to stumble when so many are turning away from the Christian faith.

Racism, violence, division, injustice reign.

The scriptures prophesy of a great falling away.

2 Thessalonians 2:3 NKJV

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,

Now is not the time to stumble when you are so close to the power of God.

Paul, who doubted the Jesus sect, recalled this passage and repented of his stumbling.

1 Corinthians 1:23–24 NIV

but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Jesus warned his followers of this.

Luke 4:27 (NIV)

And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”

Instead of listening to the negatives against Jesus and his church, look at the grace of God.

2,000 years and people are still being saved.

The gospel is still the power of God unto Salvation.

Even though Jesus’ James, Joseph, Judas and Simon lived in Nazareth. His siblings became his followers. James became an apostle and wrote the book of James. Judas became the author of the book of Jude.

The person you ignore could be the source of your miracle.

Do not judge God’s word by the vessel...

We hold this treasure in vessels of clay...

Do not miss your moment of healing because things are not exciting.

Jesus could not do many miracles because of their lack of faith. He was astonished at this.

Do not let your faith be in vain.

1 Corinthians 9:26 NIV

Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.

I recently heard the story of Haley Carruthers, British marathon runner in London. She fell at the end of the London Marathon. 26-year-old Hailey, her body in wreathing pain, her legs gave out at the closing stages of the race. you would think that she would quit at such a disastrous moment.

She achieved her personal best of 2 hours and 33 seconds. The very last stage of the race after hitting the ground, body racked with pain, no more strength left, she made that final stretch by crawling across the finish line.

I want to remind us of what Martin Luther King junior said. “If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”

RUN: He that endureth until the end, the same shall be saved.

FAST: break up the fallow ground

PRAY: Turn the the Lord and bring words with you.

PRESS: Press towards the mark

BELIEVE: Believe in the name of the Lord and you shall be saved.

*America's Christian majority is shrinking, and could dip below 50% by 2070, NPR. September 15, 2022

Take note of The Gospel according to Mark, by James R. Edwards, pg. 173 skandalizein, to stumble or take offence.