(Further reflections on “The Stumbling Stone”—Sunday 28-Mar-2021)
Have you ever wondered why did God put the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the midst of the garden (cf. Genesis 2:9)? Why didn’t God put away the tree of the knowledge of good and evil if He foreknew that Eve will be tempted, deceived, and lure her husband into it and Adam deliberately sinned? Why did He want to plant the tree there in the first place? I don’t know for sure why. And we all would probably never be able to know everything we want to know. But the Bible told us what we need to know. We saw (Genesis 2:16-17) that the Lord God commanded Adam, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” This means that Adam and Eve can eat any tree, including the tree of life. However it seemed they were not content with that. And their curiosity was kindled by the Serpent’s “sweet lies.” They sinned because their heart questioned God’s good motive/intent of warning them about the tree. Obedience to God’s word has always been in the context of free will. Meaning, people have a choice to believe, trust, and obey God’s word or disbelieve, distrust, and disobey His commands. Without free will, obedience is not really obedience when choices are not available. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was in away the “stumbling tree” which put God’s people to the test. Adam and Eve did not pass the test, because they tested God. Have you ever wondered why did God put the “stumbling stone” in Zion/Jerusalem, God’s sanctuary, the center of worship of God’s people (cf. Isaiah 28:16)? The answer can be found in these two keys words: disobedience (cf. 1Peter 2:8) and disbelief (Romans 9:32). And when those two are combined, disappointment and shame are inevitable.
Now have you ever asked yourselves why didn’t you seem to be satisfied with the living Water, the living Bread, the living Word of God or be content with the living Son of God—Jesus Christ? Why is a happy life so difficult or complicated or unattainable or unreachable or unsustainable? Why do I easily get offended (by loved ones or good friends or even the pastor)? Why is it that I tried to seek life, but found disappointment? Why is it that I tried to seek happiness, but received shame? Why is it that I tried to believe, but ended up with doubts? Why is it that I tried everything, but nothing seemed to work? Why is it that disappointment and shame have been following me wherever I go (even to church)? Why, why, and why?
Honestly, I don’t have the answer and probably none of us has. But the One who died for our sins, rose again for our hope, went to heaven for our future, and will be coming back for our eternal union has the answer. And the answer is founded by the “precious cornerstone”—the living stone (cf. Isaiah 8:14-15; 1Peter 2:4-8). In fact, He is the answer! Those who believe in the living stone, Jesus, will not be stumbled nor disappointed nor put to shame. And those who disbelieve, the stone will become the “stumbling stone” or “rock of offense” and disappointment and shame will be their due rewards!
So the “stumbling tree” and the “stumbling stone” will be in the midst of our relationship with God. They will be there to constantly put our obedience and faith to the test in the light of our freewill. We were not made to do this alone, but created to live out our faith and obedience in God’s community and His sanctuary—the Body of Christ, your local church. Stay obedient, stay stumble-free.
Stay believing, stay honored. —
Pastor Lap
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