The Scandal of the Ages

1 Pt 2.5-8 “5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.”

Jesus: a Precious or Stumbling Stone

Offend = scandal.

As we lower our threshold for offenses, we increase our frequency of scandal

A scandal is an offense to moral sensibilities. So the sense of scandal depends on the moral framework one has adopted, which is why when it comes to Jesus, he may be precious to some and scandalous to others.

Often, the sense of scandal we hear about in the major political and cultural issues of our day depends on the perspective. The same action that is scandalous in your opponent is perfectly understandable when found in your ally

The government documents a president keeps in his own possession is scandalous in one president, not in another

The level of (in)competence is scandalous in one leader, but malicious slander in the other

Observations about COVID are scandalous when unpopular people say it, but important insights when trusted people say the same thing.

Jesus is treated differently by different people - precious vs. stumbling.

1 Pt 2.5-8 “5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.”

We are being built up as God’s temple for a specific purpose

To be a dwelling place for God

To be a holy priesthood, mediators for God

To offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ

What makes Jesus precious

1 Pt 2.1-3 “1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

We’ve tasted the grace of the Lord as he washes the filth of our spirit and makes us fresh and innocent as a baby.

What makes Jesus offensive

Belief is contrasted by disobedience

Fear God, and keep his commandments; these go hand in hand

Ec 12.13 “13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

You can’t get past Jesus; even in disobedience, he is the foundation that frames the world, and you will keep stumbling over him.

The Scandal of Christ

Disregards our self-righteousness

Ga 5.11 “11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.”

The cross nullifies our own legalistic moral sensibilities, and so is offensive to our nature.

Supersedes our self-sufficiency

Jn 6.61-63 “61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

Jesus requires things of us that demand spiritual understanding.

Calls for self-denial

Mt 11.4-6 “4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”

Life with Christ is a sacrificial life.

The Scandal of the Gospel

God imputes his righteousness in his mercy

Jas 2.10-11 “10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.”

The standard of the law is impossible . . . but for the mercy of God

Jas 2.13 “13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.”

God sustains you by his power

Jd 24-25 “24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”

Keep you from falling: literally “without stumbling”

So we don’t need to rely on ourselves; there is help from another world!

God increases: through failure and restoration

Rm 11.11-15 “11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. 12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? 13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: 14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. 15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?”

If God can use your stumbling to further his kingdom and purposes, how much more will he use your restoration and reconciliation?

Deny yourself in repentance; turn to the Lord, and let him empower a new way of life.

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