On the Offense
“These things I have spoken to you, that you may be kept from stumbling.” John 16:1
Kept From Stumbling – Yeshua does not want you to be scandalized. That’s the Greek word here – skandalizo – “to cause to offend or stumble.” In this context, Yeshua explains the process of faith so that we won’t trip and fall along the path. That implies there are pitfalls and traps along the way. The pathway isn’t paved with nice, smooth stones. There are things to watch out for. One of those things is the scandal of faith itself.
Why is faith a scandal? Because God “makes it burdensome for the believer and light for the unbeliever; and His revelation is nothing but a different form of hiding His face.”[1] Buber makes a point we often overlook. It often appears easier to believe the critics and the skeptics than to trust in the word of YHWH. It often looks simpler to see life as nothing more than the span from birth to death than to concern ourselves with eternity. It often seems as though justice is not served, that the cruel and wicked prosper and that there is nothing anyone can do about it. Faith is a scandal. Unbelief is the easy way. Much of the time, God hides from the world. His invisible hand makes the act of relying on Him much more difficult.
Someone once asked me why God didn’t just paint the sky with a clear demonstration of His power and existence. “Wouldn’t that be easier?” he queried. Yes, but it would make faith superfluous. “Will the Son of Man find faith upon the earth?” asks Yeshua. That depends on how willing we are to accept the scandal of scanty evidence. We are called to the hard way, the way that isn’t obvious. Too often we forget that we are the ones who seem out of step with reality – and God made it that way on purpose.
Now we appreciate Yeshua’s comment about teaching in parables so that the crowds will not understand. Faith is never so obvious that it requires no act of the will to believe. To be kept from stumbling, I need to listen to the words and not rely on my sight. Scripture tells us to lean entirely on what God says and forget our own attempts to make sense of it all. Do you suppose that those instructions are part of the process of not stumbling?
We could point out that the Greek world is a visually based orientation while the Hebrew world is based in audio transformation. But that probably won’t offer much conciliation. We are surrounded by a culture that demands visible proof. We are the odd ones here. Even in our own lives, God often hides Himself in order that we may exercise faith in His promises without instant confirmation. But it’s all for a purpose. Each time we avoid the trap of skandalizo, we build a personal repertoire of faith-in-action. What does not kill us makes us stronger. Don’t expect the smooth highway. Look for the rocks in the road and rejoice. You’re on the right path when there are plenty of pitfalls to avoid.
Topical Index: stumbling, skandalizo, trap, faith, John 16:1
[1] Martin Buber, The Prophetic Faith, p. 177.
“To be kept from stumbling, I need to listen to the words and not rely on my sight. Scripture tells us to lean entirely on what God says and forget our own attempts to make sense of it all.”
“Speak to Me” Tommy Walker piano with harmonica
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b8GyIbkuww&feature=related 3:56 MIN by davideshin
I am Your servant, and I am listening
Speak to me, Lord, speak to me
I need Your wisdom, Your truth and comfort
Speak to me, Lord, speak to me
Speak to me, speak to me
Through Your Word, through Your Spirit,
Speak Your words of life
Speak to me, speak to me
I am listening, I am waiting
Speak to me
I am Your servant, and I am listening
Speak to me, Lord, speak to me
My heart is silent, my soul is longing,
Speak to me, Lord, speak to me
Friendly Hardships
By Tzvi Freeman
Hardships in life are the material world’s way of beckoning to you, “Purify me! Elevate me!”
They come to you knowing you can overcome them, and thereby they will fulfill their purpose of being.
“That depends on how willing we are to accept the scandal of scanty evidence.”
In today’s text, it is the “these things” referred to that keep us from stumbling, so it is necessary to put John 16:1 in context.
And maybe that scanty evidence is not the problem, assuming the God of creation has not kept himself hidden.
Rom. 1:18-20 – 18 What is revealed is God’s anger from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people who in their wickedness keep suppressing the truth; 19 because what is known about God is plain to them, since God has made it plain to them. 20 For ever since the creation of the universe his invisible qualities – both his eternal power and his divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they can be understood from what he has made. Therefore, they have no excuse; 21 because, although they know who God is, they do not glorify him as God or thank him. On the contrary, they have become futile in their thinking; and their undiscerning hearts have become darkened.
Yes, it often seems as if the evidence grows exponentially AFTER we have our eyes opened. But before that event of grace, the evidence appears sparse and confusing. Perhaps we discount the operation of the Spirit far too much in our pursuit of the perfect evangelism tool.
“Perhaps we discount the operation of the Spirit”
Skip
Dr. Greg Bahnsen (his Ph.D. is in philosophy, too) in his lectures in defending the faith put it like this: “Our job is to close their mouths. It is God’s job to open their hearts.”
Yup!
Good morning to all!
Shalom brother Skip,
I heard a brother share in a time of intense struggle and pain, that he was crying to God and asking him why he was so invisible. The Lord responded: It is not that I am so invisible, it is that you are so blind.
This was a beginning of significant healing for this man. It was a healing word from his Father!
I can concur with this man and the blind man on the road to Jericho, Lord I want to see! The Lord did respond to these men. He is no respector of persons. He still responds and opens up blind eyes today!
Judi Baldwin says:
November 6, 2010 at 9:17 am
So how do we explain I Cor. 10:13 ??
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but, God is faithful and will not suffer you to be tempted beyond what you can bear; but will, with the temptation, also provide a way of escape so you are able to bear it.”
Hi Judi,
I think you can explain Paul’s inspiring passage in I Cor. 10:13 by saying that temptation/testing is a form of pain and unfortunately there is no limit to how much pain we can endure. (Think Job)
Which brings me to the comic relief I get from Skip’s comment above: “What does not kill us makes us stronger.”
And Skip’s sage advice below makes me think of the movie, Hombre:
“Don’t expect the smooth highway. Look for the rocks in the road and rejoice. You’re on the right path when there are plenty of pitfalls to avoid.”
In Hombre, whenever the Hero is endangered by his adversaries, he heads for the high ground and hides his people in the rocks.
Hombre’s path is not easy to follow, but Hombre’s people learn to adapt to his ways.
And the people survive.
Response to brother Skip’s blog response. Shalom, it is always the work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Yeshua and then continually reveals Yeshua to us. In the book of John (in which your teaching was on this morning) Jesus gives much teaching on the work of the Holy Spirit. It seems to me that it is the delight of the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus.
May it also be my delight in partnership with Holy Spirit to be a WITNESS to the overcoming Messiah and King, Yeshua!
One more thought: It is not about evangelism per se, but about making known the greatness of our Father and the finished work of the Messiah. Then through the power of the Holy Spirit being a witness of that in every arena of my life.
Excellent Brian and good point brother Skip! what is the “tie-point” in both of these responses?- “blindness” – and there are none so blind as those who refuse to see..
Remember the request of the blind man?- “LORD- that I may receive my sight!”
Each of us as “ambassadors for Christ”- (His representatives in this world) are missionaries. Our mission? “I am sending you to open their eyes; so that they will turn from darkness to light, from the power of the Adversary to God, and thus receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who have been separated for holiness by putting their trust in me.” (Acts 26.18)
“by making very clear what the truth is, we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. So if indeed our Good News is veiled, it is veiled only to those in the process of being lost. They do not come to trust because the god of the ‘olam hazeh has blinded their minds, in order to prevent them from seeing the light shining from the Good News about the glory of the Messiah, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4- the entire chapter is worth “review”)
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only G-d, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 1.24-25)
There is one (and only One) who is able to “keep us from stumbling.” As we learn (usually “the hard way”- if you’re like me) through afflictions, trials and yes, our ever present teacher- Mr. Pain, to depend upon Him and learn to think, say and do the things that are pleasing unto our Abba, He strengthens us, comforts us, draws near to empower and enable us by His Ruach HaKodesh working in our inner man, to conform us and transform us into the image of the Son.
We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us-(and loves us still today). The solution? “Trust in the LORD with ALL your heart: lean not to your own understanding, and He will direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3.5,6)
My friends- “The teaching of a wise man is a fountain of life, enabling one to avoid deadly traps. Good common sense produces grace, but the way of the treacherous is rough.” (Proverbs 13.14-15)
“Though our outer self is heading for decay, our inner self is being renewed daily. For our light and transient troubles are achieving for us an everlasting glory whose weight is beyond description. We concentrate not on what is seen but on what is not seen, since things seen are temporary, but things not seen are eternal.” (Proverbs 13.14,15)
Through it all,
through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in G-d.
Through it all,
-through It all,
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word. (Andrae’ Crouch)
-blindness in part has happened to Israel.. (Romans 11.25)
The Mystery of Israel’s Blindness:
http://www.biblicist.org/bible/blind.shtml
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2168115897940880629#