This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.

Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, clearly declaring the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. The regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. You can reach us toll-free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family.

I looked there in the book of 1 Peter, 1 Peter 2, 1 Peter 2, 1 Peter 2, 1 Peter 2, and looked there in verse 8. You’ll notice that it’s mentioned again. And the biggest thing that people stumble over is salvation, migrays. And those who know it clearly have a responsibility to keep it clear so that people know exactly what God has done for them. And if you don’t, then you start adding man’s works into it, they will stumble.

Many will totally reject it altogether. Then some will actually try to keep the law and do good works and think, and that’s what’s going to say to them. And it’s a messed up message. But it makes a statement here in verse 8, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobeyed or unbelieving, were unto also they were appointed. To disbelieve is to stumble. And whenever you give people a message that they cannot fully, truly understand, causes them to stumble.

Now you can make the message clear and then people reject that, but let it be that they’re rejecting the truth of the gospel and not the false gospel because they don’t understand. And you notice there in verse 7, under you therefore which believe he is precious, but under them which be disobedient or unbelieving, the stone which the builders rejected, disallowed the same as made the head of the corner. So Jesus Christ is the head of the church, he is the king of Israel.

Now take your Bible and turn there to the book of Matthew. Matthew chapter 26, Matthew chapter 26. Four times this verse or this statement is used in the Bible. And that little statement is, woe to that man. Woe to that man. So what is it talking about? Well, woe to that man. What man is he talking about? Hooked in chapter 26 and looking verse 24. In verse 24 it says, the son of man goeth as it is written of him, but woe unto that man, by whom the son of man is betrayed.”

And look what he says, it had been good for that man if he had not been born. Well, he said, well, he had to be born because he had to be Judas and he had to betray the Lord. He didn’t have to do it. Prophecy says this is what he’s going to do, but he did it because of his own choice in what he did. Otherwise, why would Christ make a statement to a man, it’d not have been better if he’d have never been born?

Well, aren’t you in charge of that? Aren’t you responsible? Then you create man? Unless a man still has a responsibility for his action, for his decisions. Did his decision affect the other disciples? Look what he says here. in notice in verse 21, and as they did eat, he says, very I say unto you that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is that I? So, because Christ even made the statement, did it cause some of them to wonder who it was?

Are they even being influenced? Now they know that there is a traitor among them and somebody is going to betray the Lord. Is it me? Who is it? And so he says in verse 23, and he answered and says, he that divots his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of Him, but woe unto that man.” Have you ever wondered why Paul says in the book of 1 Corinthians in chapter 9, woe unto me if I preach not the gospel?

I think there’s a sermon here somewhere. But he says, woe to that man by whom the son of man is betrayed. Now he can do it. He can do it. And he can betray. God didn’t stop him. But I don’t believe he did because God had pre-programmed him and he had to do that because that was the will of God. No. I believe he did it because of his own choice. He didn’t have to do that. But the Bible says God can use everything and God knowing things in advance can state certain things.

And so he says here in verse 25, then Judas which betrayed him answered, said unto him, Master is that I, he said unto him, Thou hast said. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it and so on. Then he says verse 29, I will not drink in the fourth of the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you in my Father’s kingdom. So that day is going to come. Down look in verse 31, then sayeth Jesus unto them, all ye shall be made to stumble because of me this night.

To offend, you’re going to be made to stumble because of me. Now, did they stumble because of influence of somebody else. I don’t know. But it’s amazing that it follows. Woe unto this man, not only because of what he did, but what he caused. You see, when you stumble, you don’t stumble alone. You cause other people to stumble, other people to fall. And that’s not good. Look what he says in verse 33. Peter answered and said unto him, though all men shall be offended because of thee.

They might stumble. Peter was saying, I will not stumble because I’m not going to be offended. I’m not going to stumble. I’m not going to betray you. This is all going back, I believe, in context. He said, I will never be offended. I will never be offended. Now think for a moment. Here’s the Lord. He’s been with these fellows for three, three and a half years. It’s getting down to the time where he needs them the most. And he just told them, he says, follow away, wouldn’t it y’all gonna betray me?

And then in verse 30, and when they had sung to him, they went out into the Mount of Olives. So I guess Jesus sung to him, but they sung to him. They just had breaking the bread. They just had their communion service. And, you know, that’s supposed to be communion. And yet it was one of the darkest days in the life of the Son of God. And here’s Peter making this bolster statement and at the same time, all of you are going to betray me.

You’re going to forsake me. All of you are going to be offended. All of you going to stumble. They’re going to stumble. Now, how would you feel? You just spent three and a half years of your life training people how to be strong and they all live on the discouraged side, wouldn’t you think? Look in Matthew in chapter 18, Matthew chapter 18, When you graduate, there’s a brief little story. He talks about a little child, but he also talks about little children.

Little children can also refer to not just in physical age, but also a reference to maybe his disciples or other young disciples, believers in the Lord. But it says, up in verse 1, and the same time came the disciples under the Jesus sin. Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And by the way, those scripture we would just end just a minute ago. Did you know that it also made the statement that they were also beginning to envy among themselves because they was wondering who’s going to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

That was right before communion. Right before the communion. They were arguing about who’s going to be the greatest in the kingdom. These guys were really rock solid giants in the faith weren’t they aren’t you glad they’re not like us And they turned the world upside down But that was because of something that happened a little bit later But when you stop and you think about that It’s just it’s crazy As you serve a lord, do you think everybody’s just gonna love you to death?

Do they appreciate how wonderful you are? That just always consider the source. People are people. God is God but people are still people. The best among us is still just a person. Nothing more. But it says here in verse 3, Verlias saying to you, except you be converted, become as little children. You shall not enter to the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child the same as greatest in the kingdom of heaven. But look what he says in verse 6, but who so shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me?

It means cause them to go astray, cause them to stumble. Do you think God takes this seriously? Do you think our lives are considered by God as serious thing. I mean, the main thing is just get us saved and get us into heaven and that’s, well, I got that taken care of. Now, the rest of it doesn’t really matter. Does it matter? Does our lives matter? God puts a great warning upon those who cause other Christians to stumble and you ought to take it seriously because God takes the seriously.

Look how serious he takes Look what he says, because there are people who are also because of their false message is causing people to stumble over something that should have been cleared out of the way and that’s a clear pathway. They can see clearly what Christ done. But when you add works into it, you just gave them hurdles to jump over. Hurdles. They can’t get the grace because they’ve got to get over these hurdles. First, you’ve got to do this.

You’ve got to do that. You got to stop this. You got to stop that and if you do all of these things you might make it to the purligates And if you make it there God’ll let you in by grace But you got to deserve it. That’s a false message But look what he says here and Versaik but who so shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck that he were drowned in the depths of the sea Woe unto the world because of offenses, for it must needs be that offenses come.

But here’s that statement. Woe to that man by whom the offense come. The person that does cause others to stumble. Putting a stumbling block in thy brother’s wake, Christians can do that to Christians. But lost people can do that to lost people. And lost people can do that to save. And save can do that to lost people. But as you go down through here, he’s talking about this and he mentions it several times. Verse 7 again, woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.

Now woe to that man is mentioned four times in the Gospels, twice in the book of Matthew and once in the book of Mark and once in the book of Luke. So each one of these three of them referred to Judas’ carrier, but I wanted to see the one look in Mark chapter 14. Mark chapter 14, Mark 14 and look in verse 21, where it makes a statement. Let’s start to in verse 17. And in the evening he cometh with the twelve, and as they sat and did eat, Jesus says, I say unto you, one of you which eateth with me shall betray me.

They began to be sorrowful and to say unto him, one by one is that I.” And another says, is that I say one by one they did this. In verse 20, and he answered and said unto them, it is one of the twelve that dippeth with me in the dish. The Son of Man indeed goeth as it is written of him. But woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. Good were it for that man if he had never been born.

You know, wouldn’t it be a terrible thing for a person to believe that it would have been best if I had never been born? Have you ever said it to yourself? Have you ever wasted times? I wish I’d have never been born. You wouldn’t have known nothing. You’d have been naive. You would have never existed. I wish I’d have never been born. I’m glad that I was. It’s hard to fathom the idea that God has always been. But can you fathom the idea that you will always be now on you will always be.

You’re going to last for a mighty long time forever and ever and ever. Even in hell a person exists forever but he’s not really living. You don’t call that life forever dying and never dying. Forever dying, never dying. But wouldn’t it be a shame for God to say it would have been best if you had never been born. That would be hard to take. But I actually believe there’s probably some people that woe unto them and not just Judas that it would have been best if they had never been born.

Sometimes I think every person that rejects Christ as their Savior, everyone who rejects the Lord, it would have been best if they had never been born. I’m not saying my judgment is right. I’m just saying that’s how I think. It’d been better if they had never been born. But evidently, the decision they made doesn’t have to always be that that’s what God determined. They didn’t have to make that decision to reject the Lord. But God says, woe to those individuals that causes a brother to stumble or the preachers that don’t think it’s that critical.

I mean, they don’t make it as clear as we do, but it’s acceptable, it’s all right. It’s all right if a person trusts the Lord because he only heard part of it. But what about all the people that did not hear a clear gospel message? What about those that stumble over that message because they think they have to do something to be saved outside of trusting Christ. And they look at their works and thinking that they have to do this, and they are stumbling over these things.

Look at the other one, Luke chapter 22. The book of Luke in chapter 22. Look at verse 21. Luke chapter 22 and verse 21. He makes a statement, but behold the hand of him, that betrayeth me is with me on the table. Truly the Son of Man goeth as it was determined, but woe unto that man by home he is betrayed. And they began to inquire among themselves which of them it was that should do this thing. Now here’s the other part that I wanted you to see in verse 24, and there was also a strife among them which of them should be the greatest.

So now he’s got the problem with that. I mean here’s somebody’s going to betray him and they’re arguing about who’s going to be the greatest in the kingdom and they all are going to be offended by Christ. How would you feel like your ministry has gone? Would you be encouraged that boy I’m doing a great job. You know, you can have, whether it’s ranch on Thursday night or Friday night with the Reformers unanimous or church or anything that you have.

It could be great, and then it seemed like everything can just fall apart. It’s like we’re only building the ministry temporarily on the dedication of God’s people because nobody stays faithful forever. Wouldn’t it be neat if everybody did? But is it true that even today people still get offended? Is it possible that I could preach a sermon and that doesn’t matter? If it’s the truth and it’s from the book and it’s true, people still get offended?

Is it possible for me to offend people? Is it possible that in the service to follow that I might make somebody upset? Is it possible? But I doesn’t mean that I’m wrong just because they got offended, does it? It’s just some people don’t like hearing something. They don’t care if you preach on sin if you don’t name one. You can preach against sin. Just don’t tell us what it is. Don’t be too specific. I had a, uh, the time I was preaching and I didn’t know this at the time.

But I had made the statement in the church. I said, you know, I believe that sex outside of marriage is wrong. And so if you’re not married, you shouldn’t be living together. I just thought that was as straightforward and as biblical, as you can possibly get. You can’t get any straight of an act. Do you know I had some people get offended because of that, left the church. Two of them were singing in the choir and they weren’t married, but living together.

And somebody else got offended because they got offended. They got offended because they got offended, so I lost a couple more. Is it easy to offend people? Is it It’s possible that people carry their feet up on their shoulders and double dog dare you. I’m double dog dare you knock that off my shoulder. And sometimes I might be tempted. You ever see two teenagers, you know, boys and all. You wanna fight, yeah, I’ll fight. Draw a line, step over that line.

I’ve done all this. Knock it off, you don’t fight. You gotta have a reason for fighting. You just don’t start fighting. So knock it off and not gonna menu get at it. And it’s so easy. And all we do is when we grow up, we have just become big boys and girls, and we still get easily hurt and offended by something. And look at the damage that we can cause, just because that’s the way we are. Now let me give this one last one in closing, looking first Corinthians chapter 10.

First Corinthians in chapter 10. And look there in verse 12. Because what causes a person to stumble? Well, if you get your nose to stuck up in the air, you may not see that logs that you’re fixing to stumble over. The Bible says walk circumspectly means like a long tail cat on a fence with barking dogs on both sides. Watch your step. So he says in verse 12, wherefore let him that think of the stand that take heed lest he stumble?

Stumble, he’ll fall. Because when you stumble, you fall and you got to watch it. So that’s why that’s in these scriptures because some people don’t take their walk with the Lord seriously. I believe that my walk with the Lord is to be taken seriously. You should think yours is serious also. That’s why you put bridles on your eyes and bridles on your tongue and bridles on your walk, everything in your life. Because those people will be offended even if you lived as holy as you can possibly live, as God as you can.

did and they were still offended. But at least they were offended because of the truth. Don’t let it be that they were offended because of the era of your ways. Love does what? Cover a what? A multitude of sins. And we ain’t got none of those here, do we? Anyway, let me show you something. You’ve never seen this before. This hand, let it represent you and me and this wallet represents sin. We all have sin on us. The Bible says that God, he loves us but he hates our sin, God loves us.

But all of us have sin. We’ve all done things wrong and to pay for the wrong is eternal separation from God and hell. But God loves us. But to go to heaven you see we have to be perfect, no sin. And with sin we can’t get in. So God God says, you have to be perfect. There’s only a perfect heaven. There’s not a good heaven or so-so heaven. There’s only a perfect one. And you and I don’t qualify. So the Bible says you cannot save yourself.

Man makes up his own gospel. Just tells you to have more good deeds than you do bad deeds and you’ll get in. He has no chapter in verse. There’s no verse in the Bible that says that. No verse in the Bible that says if you’ll be pretty good, I’ll let you go to heaven. You have to be perfect and none of us are. And we have a debt and it has to be paid. This hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord God in the flesh.

Came into the world because He loves us. Hates our sin because our sin separates us from God. See, we’re separated. That’s what God calls dead in sins. because of sins, I’m separated from God. I’m separated from Him. I can’t get to Him because of sin. He can’t get to me because of sin because He’s pure and holy. So Jesus Christ who had no sin did not have to die. He came into the world. And because of His love, He’s gonna, if He takes my sin, He has to die.

So He took all the sin of all the world and died on the cross. Paid for it came back from the dead. He says, if you and I, if we will believe that He did it for us, He would put this payment to our account and we get to go to heaven, I want Jesus Christ did for us. I enjoy telling people, God loves you so much, He’d rather die than live without you. He loves you so much, He’d rather die than live without you.

This is what He did. He would rather die than live without you. Because without that, you and I had no chance. That’s how much He loves you. You’re worth something in his eyes. He does care about you, He does love you. And so the most important thing you will ever do in your whole life, is to believe he did it for you. If you reject Christ, you’re rejecting the love of God. Jesus Christ is the love of God. What man would reject the love of God?

And turn down this free gift of eternal life to live forever with the Lord in heaven and no sin forevermore. I can’t see a person doing that, but people do it. They’re blind, deceived, but I hope that you that are here a little bit more intelligent. It’s a wise person, a smart person. That was Aama’s Center, and I can’t save myself, and I’m going to trust Christ as my Savior. Let’s pray, shall we? With every head bowed and every eye closed, no one looking around.

If you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, which is just simply just talk to the Lord right now, with your head bowed, just talk to the Lord. It’s the Lord I’m a sinner, friend, all of us are. In Lord, I believe that when Christ died, I believe He died for me. And I’m gonna trust Him as my Savior. And friend, if you’ll trust Him right now, God said He would save you right now and give to you eternal life.

Would you believe it? Would you trust Him? I’m not gonna embarrass Him, not gonna have you forward. But I’m gonna ask you in just a moment to raise your hand. Raising your hand just lets me know that what I said made sense. And you say, preacher, that made sense to me. And I will trust Christ as my Savior right now. And I’d like you to pray for me in closing. If you’re doing that, just that much. Would you just strip it up very quickly, better rub it down, just strip it down very quickly?

So yes, I will trust Christ as my Savior. Anyone know him? Anyone know him? Our Father, we thank you so much for all that Christ has done for us. We’re thankful for this opportunity that we have to come together because we believe that your word is the word. It is perfect. And the Father will accomplish what it’s important to do. So bless you, Christ, name your name. Well, it’s almost Christmas, and we’d like to give every listener a Christmas gift.

Just for listening, we’d like to send Dr. Arnold CD on understanding difficult passages of the Bible. No donation is required. We’ve compiled on CD Dr. Arnold’s teachings on difficult passages. For example, does James 2 teach that true faith will produce works? Does 2 Corinthians 5, 17 mean that a true believer will no longer desire to sin? These and many other verses are explained in their biblical context so that you can have confidence in the agreement of all the word of God.

Call us today, toll free at 1-800-576-3771, or you can write us at 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Again, no donation is necessary, just your address so that we can send to you this important teaching. God bless you and Merry Christmas, and thank you for listening to Bibleline. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. And now, a closing thought from Pastor Arnold.

Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound, and we will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believing that the Lord is coming soon, just keep looking up.