SKANDALIZO, PLUCK IT OUT

Lord Thank You for Correction and Instruction.

Hard sayings, who can hear them?

I learned that Skandalizo is a Greek word that means to stumble because of offence.
It takes us to a place of discontent and complaining.

It's always easy to hear about being healed, blessed, overcoming, winning and the windows of heaven being opened up for us.

But the hard sayings...
The Word was given by inspiration of God for teaching, reproof, correction and for instruction in the righteousness of God.

It really is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

I was looking at how the Words Jesus spoke shed light on the intent of the heart.

The Jewish folks in John 6:41 were mumbling under their breath, complaining and not testifying.
Jesus had just finished teaching them what it takes to have eternal life, to have life with no drama.

It's good to know that it actually takes something on the part of man.
It is definitely can't be earned it is the gift of God.
The offer is free but we have to take steps to take the Lord up on the offer.
We have to believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths.
Romans 10:8,9,10
(Believing in our hearts is representative of what we say and do when we like the words and when we don't.)
Amen.

Whatever is in our heart always comes out of your mouth.

Understanding is key.
Proverbs 4:7
These particular Jews didn't seek to try and understand what Jesus was saying in John chapter 6, they began to mumble under their breath to each other and complain.
"What is he talking about eat his flesh?"
"Who is he?"

I learned that it's not only "Will a man rob God?... but that it's "Will a man cheat himself out of God's blessings?"
Jesus went on to tell them to stop all of that grumbling and complaining and listen.

The Lord continued on teaching.
Jesus said in John 6:45
It is written in the prophets; And they shall be taught of God.
Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

Jesus counted the Word that was written worthy of adhering to.
Anybody else have that opinion?
Written for our learning.
2 Timothy 3:16; Romans 15:4

And they shall be taught of God.
They that have heard of God and then go on to learn more of God, come to Jesus.

First they are taught.
Romans 10:14-17

Secondly they attentively listen.
Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 11:13; 28:1

They don't stop at listening.
Hebrews 2:1; Romans 10:17

They go on to learn.
Psalm 119:130,
And these are they that come to Jesus.

Well these folks didn't want to hear what Jesus was saying when He started to tell them what their part was in order to obtain what they wanted to obtain.
We all have a part, it ain't automatic.
Peace that passes all understanding, Financial breakthrough, Deliverance, Prosperity in every area.

They said, "Jesus this is a hard saying; who can hear it?"
When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples murmured and wanted to make excuses, He asked them, Doth this offend you?

The Lord wanted to know if He was holding them up with this.
If you are considered a disciple stuff is gonna be said that you do not agree with, but is that gonna send you packing and not able to endure?

The lining Word was standing right in the midst of these men, but they were not going to follow it.

These were His disciples these were not people outside of the church, idol worshippers. This was the group that went to the Synagogue and were devout in the festivals and feasts.
The group who "Knew God", they was on staff and complaining, the ones who momma took them to church all week and all day, sitting there complaining and whining amongst them selves.

So the Lord asked:
Is what I am saying going to be a stumbling block for you?
Will this teaching cause you to draw back, trip, fall and drop your cross and drop out?

Is this going to make you indignant and distrust and desert the Word of God?
Is the truth going to stop you from doing the Will of God?
He needed to know.

Jesus asked His disciples, Does this offend you?
Mark 4 teaches that if there is no root in the man he can endure for a little while, but as soon as affliction and persecution arise for the Word's sake, immediately he is offended.

One of the rooting truths is that endurance wins the race.
When you give up and stop at the hard sayings, that ain't endurance.

The root is established by getting understanding and then meditating to do.

The rooted can't be pushed off of God with every comment and wind of doctrine because you are like a tree planted by the rivers of water, your leaf doesn't wither because it is continually being nourished.

When you are being well watered you won't allow less important things to enter in and choke the Word.
You are not easily distracted because you are satisfied and well provided for.

Unless of course you don't believe that.

If it offends we are taught to pluck it out.
Not the person who offended, but the desire of the flesh to take offence.
We cast it out.

After Jesus had finished this particular teaching, the scripture records in John 6:66
From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him.
They fell away.
Can you imagine that?

Sure you can, because you see it all of the time.
People walk away from the hard sayings.
it didn't say that they stopped going to Synagogue, or celebrating the festivals and feasts. it said they fell away from Jesus, the Word.

Did you know that the Bible speaks about how in this time the same thing will happen?

The Lord didn't send them away and He doesn't send any of us away because God's desire is that not one perish.
but when a man chooses to listen only to things that satisfy the itching ear above Jesus, he turns from sound doctrine.

These certain disciples decided that they would rather go and follow something that didn't require all of what Jesus was teaching.

Walking away from the Living Word grieved and complaining.
What does that do?
It opens the door for the destroyer to come in.
1 Corinthians 10:10

Skandalizo
Cast It Out

Still Doing What He Told Me To Do
Love