I would like to focus on today’s Gospel. It is a powerful gospel that I did not take seriously when I was younger and not in a relationship with Jesus. I would like to discuss two topics. First, “whoever causes one of these little ones to sin, it would be better to put a mill stone around their neck and thrown into the sea.” (Matt 18: 6) Second, we need to own up to our sin. It is important to understand how serious sin is and how serious Jesus is about sinning in general. Do we take sin serious. DO WE? Do we not care how we act or what we say when around others so that they may follow us down the wrong path? We might be the only Jesus to someone. I know from my life I have great close friends that are Jesus to me. I also have close relatives that are also Jesus to me. If I did not have such influences, I might not be walking the same walk I am now. This is a daily struggle but a struggle I am up for. So it is important that we ALL walk the walk and talk the talk. I know I have mentioned before that we spend our whole lives building a retirement plan just to retire for a period of time but do we spend our whole lives building a resume for eternal life? This is what is most important over anything else. Do we want to spend eternity with Jesus? Jesus makes it very clear that if we sin we are to cut off our hand, our foot, and pluck our eye out than to keep them and keep on sinning. We are better off in Heaven with one eye, hand and foot than in Hell with all our extremities. (Matt 5:29).
Do we own up to our sin? Do we sin and then compare our sin to the sin of others and make the decision that “we’re not as bad as they are so we must be okay.” We must know what we are doing is a sin and label it as such. Sin is sin and sin separates us from God. Thankfully, God gave us steps to help us with our sin. The first is to name the sin and deal with it no matter the consequence. The second is to repent of this sin. When we go to confession we must confess and repent. We need to name the sin and say we will not do this again. Because if we go and do not repent and we do sin again and again do we actually mean what we say? The third is change. This means we have to act and talk different than what we used to. I know that when I accepted Jesus into my life there had to be Don BC and Don AD. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17. Can people tell you are a Christian? We are the eyes, hands and feet of Jesus.
In closing, the greatest goal on this earth is to go to Heaven and tell others the great news of Christ so they too, can go to Heaven. We need to keep surrendering to the Holy Spirit. We need to never make peace with our sins. Just as the Bible states in the book of James, we need to show our faith from our works. Let this be the day that we give it all to Jesus and realize that we need a Savior. Let’s be the Jesus that someone needs to hear and see!
“Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.” 1 Peter 3:15
God Bless
Don Barry
