Don't Be That Obstacle

Introduction

Take a second and think about what you dealt with a child, teenager and young adult. Think about the obstacles that you faced as a child, and now think of the obstacles that our children are faced with. Jesus is keen on teaching to the facts that we should never be a hindrance to new converts or children in general.

Think about all the negativity we have surrounding us, on TV, in school, in our neighborhoods. The church should be the one place of peace, children should see brothers and sisters working together so when they grow up they know how to work together.

This chapter of Mark is a monumental chapter as it pertains to Jesus and Peter, James and John. We witness the transfiguration on the mount, we witness Jesus pleading with his closest apostles to refrain from saying anything about it. But we also see Jesus deal directly with the effects of doubt amongst adults and how that affects the body of Christ. As adults, doubting God can have a transcending effect on our children’s faith. It can become an obstacle that can be hard to overcome.

Be The Example

When raising kingdom children we should be a help not a hindrance. We should teach our children the importance of service. Teach them how to serve our fellow man, teach them how to embrace older generations.

Apostles were being immature, debating sharply about who is the greatest. It is one thing to act like child and a completely different idea to have a child-like spirit of humility.

Jesus states “if anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all”.

Christianity is all about service, with the mindset of receiving Jesus like a child. Think of a child, when you tell a child that you are going to do something and they look up to you they are not going to doubt you unless you let them down.

They expect the tooth fairy, they expect gifts on Christmas they expect things like a birthday gift unless you let them down. We serve a Jesus who has never let us down like a good parent to their child.

There is danger in doubting, that negative spirit of being a doubter causes expectations to lessen. We cannot expect our children to trust in Jesus when we continuously doubt everything that comes our way.

Real service alleviates doubt:

A doubter would rather accept pity than help. When you serve from a place of love you do not doubt the return you expect that Jesus is in control of the outcome. It was not that Jesus could not help the man’s child it was that he doubted because he put his trust in the wrong entity.

Doubt is a hindrance to true faith.

And Jesus said to him, If You can? All things are possible to him who believes.

Do we truly believe that? Or are we transferring our doubt on others because we do not have enough faith to believe that Jesus is who he says he is.

The Dangers of Hindering the Next Generation

If a child wants to come to Jesus it is not up to us to decide if they are ready or not.

But Jesus called for them saying, Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Whoever causes one of these little ones to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.

The word stumble in this text or skandalizo similar to the word scandalous meaning to cause to become indignant, shock or offend.

We have often taught this to mean if we simply do a child wrong. We have heard this verse used in justification of abuse and wrongdoings on behalf of children but Jesus is saying if you become an inhibitor to the faith of the youth it would be better that you die, better that you drowned than to live you life as a hindrance to children as it pertains to their faith.

Bickering over preferences and traditions cause children to doubt. God would rather you die than to be the reason that our children stumble and doubt God.

But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness.

“Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!

The world’s treatment will cause enough children to fall. Kids already have enough struggles between light and darkness they do not need your help by using negativity and abrasive behavior to keep things the way you want them in the church.

Our children already have enough negativity from the world.

Negativity on television

Negativity in music

Negativity in social media

Negativity on worldstar

Negativity on Facebook

Negativity on Twitter

Negativity on Snapchat

Negativity at school

Negativity at work

Negativity in the home.

Church should be a positive place, they should expect positive attitudes in the Lord’s house amongst the Lord’s people. Jesus would rather you face an immediate death than to add further frustration and doubt to his little ones.

This is why I listen to the Cardi B’s and the Juice World’s, the Denzel Curry’s and the Lil Pump’s because I need to know what society is feeding our children.

Jesus needs us to raise children, to protect children. He does not need us to help the world in adding to their frustration. We need to be a spiritual guide to the children not a obstacle on their path of discipleship.