Pitfalls to Following Christ (Mark 9-10)
Notes
Transcript
If you do not know anything about the Book of Mark, you can divide the book in two sections, Mark 1-8 focuses on Jesus’ identity and towards the end of chapter 8 through the rest of Mark it focus’ on what Jesus came to do. In Mark 1-8 we discover who Jesus is, his identity. We reach the peak in Mark 8:29 when Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ. immediately after this confession, Jesus begins to explain the purpose, the reason he has come.
If you do not know anything about the Book of Mark, you can divide the book in two sections, Mark 1-8 focuses on Jesus’ identity and towards the end of chapter 8 through the rest of Mark it focus’ on what Jesus came to do. In Mark 1-8 we discover who Jesus is, his identity. We reach the peak in Mark 8:29 when Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ. immediately after this confession, Jesus begins to explain the purpose, the reason he has come.
And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
Did you catch the last sentence, “Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.” We will get back to that in second. What does Jesus say after this? Jesus talks about the cost of discipleship, the cost of following Jesus.
Mark 8:34–38 (ESV)
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Immediately after this event, Jesus tells the crowds and the disciples IF, IF you want to follow me, deny yourself, take up his cross and follow me. You must deny your own ambitions and exchange them for Jesus’, deny your mission and exchange it for Jesus’. Our lives are to be patterned after his. Deny our selves, die to ourselves, since the cross is an instrument of death, and follow Jesus. This is the calling of a disciple, the calling of a follower of Jesus.
What we begin to see in Mark 9 - 10 are the pitfalls we face in this world which we use as replacement saviours for Jesus which keep you from Jesus. These pitfalls can also tempt us as Christians and hinder our walk with Christ. What is a pitfall?
A pitfall is an unsuspected difficulty or danger.
A good example of this is when we had the ice storm earlier this year, I am driving down the freeway, everything seems fine, as soon as I drive on the I-630 bridge, my car starts to swerve because of black ice. The bridge looked perfectly normal, but there was black ice on it. It was something at the moment I didn’t expect but it was dangerous.
We all face these pitfalls at different times in our life and sometimes many different times in our life. We have seen the first pitfall in the life of Peter after Jesus tells him that he must suffer and die, but he will rise again on the third day. When Peter hears this he rebukes Jesus, who he just confessed was the Christ, the messiah they have been waiting for. Peter Rebukes Him!
I. Pitfall #1: My Plan is Better Than Your Plan. My Way is Better Than Your Way.
I. Pitfall #1: My Plan is Better Than Your Plan. My Way is Better Than Your Way.
We already read, Jesus was telling the disciples what will soon happen. Peter interrupts “Excuse me, you got this all wrong, that is not how this is fixin to go down.” Peter begins to rebuke Jesus because at the moment in Peter’s mind, his plan is better, his way is the right way.
How many times in your life have you convinced yourself that your way is better than God’s way? When God has clearly revealed through scripture the way you should live and the way you should go, the way you are to follow Jesus, deny self and carry your cross and yet, you tell Jesus, wait it a minute, I have a better plan, I have a better way. Peter wants a Jesus that fits his agenda, a Jesus that will conquer Rome free Israel and rule the world. Peter wants a Jesus who takes the crown without the cross. If we are honest with ourselves there are times in our life we want the same thing, a Jesus that fits our agenda. Why?
Maybe because it is easier
Maybe because my plan gives me something that I want that I know I will have to give up if I follow Jesus’ plan
Maybe I am just selfish
There can be many reasons why my plan seems better but it is a pitfall, an unsuspecting difficulty or danger that we often times fall into. What does Jesus tell Peter? Mark 8:33
Mark 8:33 (ESV)
But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
There is only one way out of this pitfall, submission to Jesus and his plan. Look at what Jesus tells him “For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” To get out of the pitfall, you need to deny your self, take up your cross and follow, submit to Jesus and his plan.
II. Pitfall #2: Getting to God in my Own Way
II. Pitfall #2: Getting to God in my Own Way
The second pitfall is similar to the first, which still involves your own way, but it is an attempt to get to God in your own way.
Mark 9:2–8 (ESV)
And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.
What we have here is Jesus in all his glory, on this mountain, which the disciples are witnesses of. Peter, James and John are terrified, they are afraid for their lives because of what they are witnessing and experiencing. What does Peter recommend to Jesus? “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” What does this mean? What is Peter suggesting here? What was the function of the tabernacle in the Old Testament? It was the center of worship of Israel before the temple was in place. This is where all the sacrifices were made, where God would dwell with the people. When Peter seen the glory of God, heard the Father’s voice, seen Moses and Elijah. Peter say’s let us build a tabernacle. In essence what Peter is saying that we need a tabernacle, we need to set up religious rituals to protect us from the glory of God.
The second pitfall we see is trying to get to God in our own way. You have to love Peter, Peter is taking the lead, trying to do the right thing even though he doesn’t know what the right thing may be. He is like many people in our world who are confused and not sure what to do or how to get God so they will try Islam, Hinduism, Black Hebrew Israelites, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witness, or something else all together to try and get to God.
Look at verse 8 with me;
And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.
Jesus only! When Peter looks up all he sees is Jesus, Jesus only! Jesus is the only door way to the Father, the law and the prophets without Jesus is just another religious system. But Jesus is the fulfillment of the law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah). Jesus is the only way to the Father. He is the only way to God, all other religious systems, even though someone may have the best intentions when they follow them, all other religious systems lead us to a place without God, they lead us to hell. Which is why we need churches who are Gospel Centered and Gospel focused in communities like Pine Bluff, because there are people across the street and in this neighborhood who need to here the Gospel, they need to look up and see Jesus only.
III. Pitfall #3: Dealing With Evil and Suffering in Our World in Our Own Strength
III. Pitfall #3: Dealing With Evil and Suffering in Our World in Our Own Strength
And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.”
We come onto another scene as Jesus is coming down the mountain, it is chaotic, there is arguing, there is a crowd watching, there is a demon possessed boy in convulsions. All this is going on when Jesus shows up and in essence Jesus asks, what are you arguing about with them (the disciples who stayed behind)?
What we discover is there is a demon possessed boy the disciples could not help? Jesus looking at all that is going on and says “faithless generation”. You can almost hear the loneliness in his voice, “how long will I be with you?” Jesus has a dialogue with the father about his son and the father says if you can, help us and have compassion on us. The father is asking for help but his hope what he is banking on is Jesus’ compassion. Jesus’ response “If you can!” All things are possible for one who believes” listen to the fathers cry “I believe, help my unbelief” What we discover in this passage is it is the object of the person you place your faith in is what is important. The man placed whatever faith he had in the compassion of Jesus to heal his boy. Even though there was unbelief, he asked Jesus to help his unbelief. The bridge between sinful broken down humanity and the all sufficient God is faith.
Too often, like the disciples in this case, we try and deal with the evil and suffering in this world in our own strength, with our own wisdom, in our own power, we leave a trail of brokenness behind instead of a trail of hope. Jesus is saying when dealing with evil and suffering in this world, do not place faith in yourselves as the solution. Have faith in God, put your faith in Jesus and point people to him as the solution. How do we know the disciples were trusting in their own strength? Lets read Mark 9:28-29
And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
They weren’t even praying, faith turns to God in prayer. What is a sign that you are trusting in your own strength, prayerlessness! You do not pray. As a follower of Christ we must be constantly aware of our inadequacies and be dependent on Jesus turning to him in faith and prayer.
IV. Pitfall #4: I Want to be the GOAT & The Pitfall of Comparison
IV. Pitfall #4: I Want to be the GOAT & The Pitfall of Comparison
Mark 9:33–37 (ESV)
And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”
And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
The NBA season just closed and whenever the NBA season is going on the discussion comes up, who is the GOAT? Now we all know that MJ is the GOAT but ESPN has to talk about something so they have these needless debates about who the GOAT is. Well the disciples are walking to the next town and Jesus asks them what are they talking about and no one wants to say anything… eventually someone says we are talking about who is the GOAT. This passage fits perfectly with Mark 10:35-45 because James and John come up to Jesus, now they didn’t say they were the GOAT, but there requests makes it sound like they think they are the GOAT because they want to sit at the right and left of Jesus.
Too often we are the same way, I want to be the GOAT. I want to be in charge, I want to take the lead, I want to be in front, I want to be noticed, I want to be the GOAT! What does Jesus say?
You want to be the GOAT?
“If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus said you want to be the GOAT then be a servant. You want to be the GOAT then serve your church, serve your community, serve your city. Jesus is not just requiring service, but he wants you to serve like him, by giving your life to serving others. When people hear that, they think maybe I don’t want to be the GOAT anymore. Jesus says you want to be the GOAT then give your life to service like me.
V.Pitfall #5: Unnecessary Criticism
V.Pitfall #5: Unnecessary Criticism
John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.
VI. Pitfall#6: Becoming A Stumbling Block and Not Taking Sin Seriously
VI. Pitfall#6: Becoming A Stumbling Block and Not Taking Sin Seriously
Mark 9:42–50 (ESV)
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
VII. Pitfall #7: An Unbiblical View of Marriage and Relationships
VII. Pitfall #7: An Unbiblical View of Marriage and Relationships
And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them.
And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
VIII. Pitfall #8: The Pitfall of Pursuing Wealth and Possessions
VIII. Pitfall #8: The Pitfall of Pursuing Wealth and Possessions
Mark 10:17–20 (ESV)
And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ ” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.”
Mark sets this up really well, because Jesus is about to leave and all of the sudden a man runs up to him and kneels before him. Now if this is all we read we would probably think that this man may ask for Jesus to do something for him, a healing, miracle, cast out a demon.
But that’s not what happens. Now we know from the Gospel of Matthew and Luke that this man was young and he was a ruler, which is why this is usually referred to as the story of the rich young ruler.
This rich young ruler doesn’t ask Jesus to do something for him, he asks Jesus a question, “Good Teacher, What must I do to inherit eternal life?” that is a great question, every person who has ever shared the Gospel with someone would love for people to come up and ask this very question. Right?
Jesus’ response to him is very interesting, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” When Jesus tells this man this, he is really challenging him, because Jesus knows that this rich young ruler views Jesus as just another rabbi. Jesus first concern with this rich young ruler is the same question he asked his disciples at the end of Mark 8, who do you say that I am? Jesus is first issue that he addresses is what do you believe about me, Jesus. That is the ultimate question still today, who do say that Jesus is? What you believe about the person of Jesus is still the ultimate question because if you get that wrong you can get everything else wrong.
Now if you notice he doesn’t give this rich young ruler time to answer, he quickly moves on to asking him where he stands on the commandments. The man says “all of these I have kept from my youth”. Now, I believe this man may have externally kept these commandments. He was probably a good guy, but have you ever heard of the good person test? Jesus could have given the rich young ruler the good person test, have you ever told a lie? have you ever stole anything? have you ever look lustfully at a woman? Have you ever been angry at someone in your heart? Jesus has already said if you have done it in your heart you are sinning. But Jesus doesn’t do that, maybe because this man is being genuine, maybe he is truly seeking the answer.
And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Here we see the pitfall that is keeping this man from eternal life, his wealth and possessions. His wealth was his saviour, his idol, his god and Jesus said lets set aside commandments 5-10 for a second and jump to the 1st commandment. In essence Jesus exposed what the rich young ruler loved more than God, his wealth.
Is your pursuit of wealth, either to get it or keep it, keeping you from eternal life? Is it distracting you from having a vibrant relationship with Jesus?
Maybe its not wealth for you, maybe it is something else. Maybe you are in a relationship that is unbiblical and God is saying you need to give him/her up and follow me. Maybe you are a work a holic and God is saying, slow down and follow me. Maybe you crave power and to be the GOAT, and Jesus is saying lay down your lust for power and follow me.
Jesus exposed the rich young rulers idolatry, and we are told the man went away disheartened, which is better translated grieved. He was hurting, suffering because he knew it was the truth and he was not willing to give up his false savior for the True Savior. What are you trusting in for your happiness and joy? What are you looking to that you think will give you life? If i only had …Those things that are entering your head now may be what you are putting before Jesus.
What we have next is Jesus’ commentary on his conversation. There is this new phenomenon in our culture, where people go to youtube or what ever video streaming service you use, they do not go watch a video, they go watch someone providing commentary about a video. They will watch someone playing a game and giving commentary about playing the game. Even though they have the game and could play it themselves. It is very interesting and at the same time astonishing to me.
But as I read this passage, it reminded me of this because Jesus provides commentary to his disciples about the situation that just happened with the rich young ruler. It’s like Jesus pushed rewind and hit record so he can provide commentary about this event. Here is what he is,
And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?”
This was shocking to Jews in the time of Jesus because many believed that if you obeyed God, he would bless you and if you were poor and suffering, it was because you were disobedient. It’s kind of interesting because we have people in our day with the same view, that if you are obedient to God, he will bless you and if your not well it is because God is punishing you. This is what the prosperity preachers and teachers will tell you. You are doing something wrong, you do not have enough faith, that’s why you are poor and suffering. What Jesus says is eyeopening and is known as one of the hard sayings of Jesus. Mark10:25
Mark 10:25 (ESV)
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
Many people have tried to make sense of this verse and there are plenty of explanations out there about what this verse can mean. Now, as for me, I am a literalist and I think we should take what Jesus says literally. Which means that Jesus is saying that it is impossible for a camel to go through the eye of a sowing needle therefore it is impossible for a wealthy man to enter the kingdom of God.
Which is clear that is what the disciples where thinking because Peter says, if a wealthy person cannot be saved, then who can be saved? You see the disciples, slowly but surely are starting to understand where Jesus is taking them. Where is that? To the understanding that without the intervention of God himself in our lives, no one would be saved. Jesus doesn’t leave the conversation there, he says
Mark 10:27 (ESV)
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
The only way for any one to enter into the kingdom of God and be saved is only by the work of God bringing to life a dead heart, removing the blinders from blind eyes and letting them see the glory of Jesus. With man it is impossible but not with God.
I love Peter, especially because I am an introvert, because Peter is saying what I am thinking most of the time. Peter is like look at us Jesus we have left everything to follow you. Look at us, man we are so good.
Mark 10:28–31 (ESV)
Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Jesus says following Jesus may cost you your house, your brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands. But Jesus also says if you do it for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel you will receive now a hundred fold now in this time.Thats interesting? Now a prosperity preacher may say that God is going to fill up your wallet baby.... but is that what he is saying? I don’t think so. I like what John Piper says about this passage,
Exalting Jesus in Mark (Leave a Little and Get a Lot (Mark 10:28–30))
Surely what Christ means is that he himself makes up for every loss. If you give up a mother’s nearby affection and concern, you get back one hundred times the affection and concern from the ever-present Christ. If you give up the warm comradeship of a brother, you get back one hundred times the warmth and camaraderie from Christ. If you give up the sense of at-homeness you had in your house, you get back one hundred times the comfort and security of knowing that your Lord owns every house and land and stream and tree on earth. Isn’t what Jesus is saying … I promise to work for you and be for you so much that you will not be able to speak of having sacrificed anything.
Jesus is also very clear in this passage to Peter and everyone else, Jesus explains the cost of following him. If you follow me and proclaim the Gospel, you should expect persecutions. You should expect to suffer for following Jesus. Maybe that is our problem in our churches in America today, we are too comfortable with our wealth, we don’t know what it means to be persecuted for the sake of the Gospel. We think someone making fun of us or making a post about us on FB or twitter is persecution and suffering while there are people laying down their lives for the sake of the Gospel.
Jesus says you will be persecuted and suffer for following me, I want you to understand the cost. Now Jesus could have left the conversation there, but he didn’t he explains to us the cost of following Jesus in this age, but he also gives us something to look forward to in the age to come. The reward and blessing of following Jesus comes in the age to come where life is forever and we are in eternal Joy with Jesus for forever. You see that is ultimate love.
Did you notice it says that Jesus looking at the rich young ruler, he loved him. I found that interesting he says that here. I like what Tim Keller points out here about this passage, Jesus isn’t asking you or me to do what he has not done. In the case of the rich young ruler, Jesus isn’t even asking him to do what Jesus has not done. Jesus left the riches of heaven, he became a man, the limitless God in a limited body. Jesus became poor. He did this for the rich young ruler, he did it for you, he did it for me. Jesus is the true rich young ruler.
If you are a follower of Jesus, a disciple of Jesus here today. Jesus set up a pattern for us to follow and a vision to follow in regards to wealth. Wealth is not evil, wealth is a tool for us to use for Gospel expansion. Jesus became poor so that we may have eternal life. Jesus provides us with wealth to supply our needs but Jesus also supplies us with wealth because he expects us to be wise on how we use it as we live in this world, the pattern of Jesus is not how much can i keep and acquire for myself, the pattern of Jesus is how much can I give away for Gospel expansion in this world. Church what are we doing with the resources God has provided you. I am not just talking about money, all of us have 3 resources to provide time, talent and treasures/money. How are you using your time, talent and treasures to expand the Gospel in this church and on this earth?
For those who are not following Jesus, those who are trusting in other things to bring them fulfillment and happiness in life Jesus says i am the true rich young ruler, who left the throne in heaven, the riches of heaven, the glories of home and became poor for you, suffered and died for you, rose again on the third day for you. Leave your false saviors who will not provide you with true fulfillment and happiness and follow me, only Jesus can satisfy and provide true fulfillment and joy.
These pitfalls that we face can keep people from seeing Jesus for who he really is, they can keep people from repenting, believing and turning to Jesus. These pitfalls can also keep believers from having a fruitful and vibrant relationship with Jesus. They are pitfalls for the unbeliever as well as the believer.