Offenders and Millstones

He said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble. Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you. Luke 17:1-6


The stumblingblocks (offenses, temptations to sin, causes for discouragement and doubt) are going to occur in the lives of believers. We have to learn to expect them and to navigate around them. What you don't want to ever be is the one through whom the offenses and temptations come. You'd be better off with a millstone around your neck and be cast into the deep. I'm not sure exactly what kind of fate awaits the offender Jesus is speaking of, but I'm sure I wouldn't want to be that person. Jesus is Love and Compassion and Grace and Forgiveness. He is also perfect Righteousness (always good) and perfect Justice (always fair) and the Sovereign Lord of the universe (His universe, His rules). As the Good Shepherd, He is the protector and provider for His flock of "little ones" who are depending on Him for their eternal salvation.

We are instructed not to simply tolerate our brothers' sins, but to try to correct him. If he repents (changes his attitude), we must forgive him. Over and over and over. Well, after all, God does that for you and me, doesn't He? Over and over and over.

It is a matter of faith in the One Who has atoned for all our sins. There is no sin Jesus hasn't paid for. Faith in His finished work is our power and authority; our assurance that whatever has offended us has been dealt with on the cross. When He spoke these words, Jesus had not yet gone to the cross, but that event was a fact certain from eternity past. He was here in the flesh to live out the Truth that had been decreed from before the foundation of the world.

The mulberry tree was firmly rooted; almost impossible to uproot. This is a natural characteristic of that plant. But Jesus , the Creator of the mulberry tree, said that with even a small amount of faith (what one knows about the power and authority of Christ), we could command that tree to be uprooted and dumped into the sea. Faith is our confidence in the perfect provision of our Lord. What He has promised, He will do. I can totally relax in that knowledge, no matter the circumstances; no matter the offenses. Jesus Himself will deal with the offenders. Any hindrance to my service for Him will be removed.