Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.
#churchleadership #faith #Israel #jesus #jesuschrist #judgement #lightforthelastdays #salvation
https://lightforthelastdays.co.uk/articles/bible-teachings/what-is-judgement-all-about/
#churchleadership #faith #Israel #jesus #jesuschrist #judgement #lightforthelastdays #salvation
https://lightforthelastdays.co.uk/articles/bible-teachings/what-is-judgement-all-about/
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00:00And we come to the New Testament, we also see that Jesus tells us that the offenses, which we do, bring God's judgment on those who are responsible.
00:09That's why it's a very serious business. It's not something you can take lightly.
00:15Matthew chapter 18, Jesus said,
00:18Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
00:25Woe to the world because of offenses, for offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes.
00:33So God's saying that if you are in a state of offending God, and the offenses which we see all around us in our society are testimony to the fact that human beings are at war with God and are guilty of offending God.
00:45If we're in that case, Jesus says, it's better for you that you had a millstone put around your neck and you were drowned in the sea, if you don't believe the gospel.
00:55And if you cause other people to stumble, especially little children, then that's really offensive to God.
01:03Someone said if that was actually put in practice, there'd be a severe shortage of millstones around the place because people have done so much to offend God in this way.
01:12And so we have this very clear statement of Jesus here that your offenses are an offense to God and they bring you under the judgment of God.
01:20Now again, people don't want to hear this.
01:23They don't want to be told this.
01:24It's offensive to them.
01:26But the fact is that Romans tells us that each one of us shall give account to God.
01:31So after we die, we're going to stand before God and give account to God, which again is a very solemn thought to get hold of.
01:39And the only way you can be justified before God is through the cross of Jesus Christ.
01:43Again, that's again offensive because people say, well, I'm a good person.
01:47I live according to my religion.
01:48I do what my rabbi, my imam, my priest tells me to do.
01:54But Jesus says that unless you repent and believe, unless you're born again, you cannot enter the kingdom of God.
01:59So you need to make that step of faith.
02:01And anything which diverts from the cross of Jesus Christ is an offense to God.
02:07We have an amazing situation in Matthew chapter 16 when Peter has just confessed before the Lord that he believes that he is the Messiah, the Son of God.
02:16And Jesus commends him for this and says that this has been revealed to you from heaven.
02:21And he commends him for this and he says that you're Peter and on this rock I'm going to build my church.
02:27It doesn't mean that the church is built on Peter.
02:29It means it's built upon the confession of faith of Peter that Jesus is the Messiah.
02:34So Peter must be feeling pretty good at this time.
02:37And the next thing which happens is that verse 21, Matthew 16,
02:42You see that Peter then turns and Jesus says I'm going to go up to Jerusalem.
03:11I'm going to be crucified.
03:13I'm going to rise from the dead on the third day.
03:15That was the purpose for which he came into the world.
03:18Peter says that shouldn't happen to you, Lord.
03:20That's not supposed to happen to the Messiah.
03:22You're supposed to then go and rule and reign over the earth and bring peace and justice to the world.
03:28And Jesus turns to Peter and says get behind me, Satan.
03:33Probably the most undiplomatic thing he could say to anybody.
03:37Calls him Satan, his beloved disciple.
03:40Says you're an offense to me.
03:41Because you're not mindful of the things of God but the things of men.
03:45So why was he an offense?
03:46Because he was trying to divert Jesus from going to the cross.
03:50And Jesus knew that the only way in which he could pay the price for the sin of the world
03:53was to go to the cross, to die on the cross for you and for me.
03:56And he liked to don't give an offense.