ROCK OR STUMBLING BLOCK

Prayer:  Oh Lord!  Please help us to do the right thing today and please help us to forgive others and ourselves.  Thank You for forgiving us.  May we bring honor to Your name this day. We commit this day to You.  Amen

Scripture: And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interest, but man’s.” Matthew 16: 17-18 &23 NASB

I can identify with Peter so many times in the Bible. One minute he is right on the mark and the next he messes up big time. Isn’t grace an awesome thing!

One minute Simon Barjona’s name is changed to Peter, the rock, he is both blessed and has gained wisdom that could have only been revealed by God. Christ will build His church upon this wisdom and Peter “the Rock,” will be a part, a big part of that. By verse 22, Peter has stuck his foot in his mouth and Christ is calling him Satan and rebuking him. Peter was very good at being human – I am too. One minute I am glorifying God and the next seeking forgiveness for saying or doing the wrong thing. Can any of you identify with me? Thank God for those of you who said, “Amen” loud and clear.

We know that we are not perfect but our hearts desire to not be stumbling blocks. Christ admonished Peter but He did not give up on him.

Do you have students that can be so great sometimes and mess up so big other times? What is your response to them? Do the good ones get as much or more attention than the goofs? What is your attitude towards them as “leaders” in your class or school? Is our culture mostly a “one strike and you’re out” mindset, or is it fairly forgiving? I am sure we could argue some bias at this point but please move on. We are not of a worldly culture but are to live out a heavenly standard. Six days later Peter was one of three invited to the transfiguration. I would say Christ forgave Peter’s zealous mistake and chose to see the rock in him. What will you choose?

My prayer for you this week is that you would most often be a rock and would offer forgiveness to repenting stumbling blocks.

Copyright Kathy Branzell.  Email [email protected]