Jesus Christ - A Stumblingblock?

Yesterday I was in a dark corner of my garage putting an item away. As I turned to leave, I stumbled over a garden brick which I had not noticed and almost fell down. As I caught myself from hitting the floor, a message flashed into my mind - “Now you know how people stumble over Jesus! Check it out in the Bible!”

And so I did. And so should you. It is interesting to see how Christ is called a stumblingblock in prophecies of the Old Testament and in the narratives of the New Testament.

In Romans 9:32-33, Paul is speaking of how Israel stumbled over Christ. “They didn’t seek righteousness by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone as it is written: Behold I lay in Zion a stumblingstone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on HIM shall not be ashamed.” Paul says that the “HIM” is Christ - the stumblingstone is Christ. The marginal reference of this verse refers back to Psalm 118:21-22: “I will praise the Lord for You have heard me and have become my salvation. The stone which the builders refused has become the cornerstone.”

Psalm 118:22 is quoted eight times in the New Testament - three times by Jesus Himself (Matt. 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17), twice by Peter (Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7-8), and three times by Paul (Romans 9:32-33; Romans 11:9-11; 1 Corinthians 1:23). The prophet Isaiah foretells that the Lord will be a stumblingstone to people in Isaiah 8:13-15 and 57:14.

Let’s think for a moment about this business of “stumbling”. Consider that a stumblingstone is something external to us or outside of us that we trip over in our path. We can certainly stumble without a stumblingstone - we can trip over our own big feet! But this is not what the Bible is talking about. The stumblingstone is something external to us which gets in our way and we don’t see it or, if we see it, we try to jump over it and stumble and fall.

The Bible is saying that Jesus Christ gets in the way of people. They either don’t see Him in their path or, if they see Him, they try to step over Him but He trips them and they stumble.

There are some people who deny that there ever was such a person as Jesus Christ -they don’t SEE Him at all. Many maintain that all religions are about the same, anyway, so what difference does it make which one you like? Or is it necessary to recognize any religion? Others may recognize Him as a historical person but not truly as He said He was, the Son of God - they try to step over Him or around Him. To all of these people, Jesus Christ is a stumblingstone in their path and He is going to externally trip them up.

But born again Christians themselves who have accepted Jesus Christ as Son of God, Redeemer, Savior, and Lord of their lives, CAN STILL STUMBLE OVER CHRIST! What do I mean?

When you are born again, Jesus Christ actually comes to live within you in your human spirit - He lives internally within you with His divine nature to lead you and empower you to live the Christian life. The Bible leaves no doubt of this fact: Colossians 1:27; Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinth. 13:8. But all who may be truly born again do not understand the internal position and nature of Christ within them. They still see Him as external, as being able to externally help and assist them when they “need Him”. This indwelling of Christ must come as a revelation to them just as it came as a revelation to the apostle Paul. The Holy Spirit works in a Christian’s life to remove the concept of an “external” Christ and teach the reality of an “internal” Christ. As long as a true Christian sees Jesus as external to him, Jesus is a stumblingblock to him - he trips over trying to follow Jesus’ example, he trips over trying to live life by his own ability as much as possible and only calling on Christ in dire trouble.

As long as ANY person, believer or unbeliever alike, sees Jesus Christ as EXTERNAL to him, Christ will be a stumblingblock to him and loom too large in his path to get around.

The key understanding which God purposes to bring to everyone is that Jesus Christ was never meant to stay external to people. When we are born again into the Family of God at conversion and new birth, Christ actually becomes internalized - indwelling, inliving, inloving, inguiding, inpowering.

And when Christ is internal and we recognize Him as such, He can never be an external stumblingblock again in our lives. Satan would like to see all Christians viewing Christ as external to them. Then Satan could continually whisper: “Jesus’ goodness is too much for you. You can’t do it! Jesus is out there in front of you blocking all your fun. Just step around Him and follow my path. You won’t stumble!” WRONG!!

[Back to Home]