Life of Christ Lesson 81: Stepping Stones, Not Stumbling Blocks

Matthew 18:5-9; Mark 9:36-50; Luke 9:48-50 Although the Lord Jesus shortly before had predicted His up-coming suffering and death (Matthew 17:22, 23), His disciples were so focused on their own selfish ambitions that they heatedly disputed over who among them was to be the greatest in the Kingdom! This is what prompted the Lord to preach a sermon on being children of God. This sermon, more than any other of His discourses, teaches Christians how to get along with one another! With a small child in the midst of them (18:2), Christ taught about God's perspective on true greatness, which begins with childlike humility. He also taught about the importance of having a servant-like attitude and spirit. Among other subjects discussed in this lesson are "The Problem of Sectarianism" (important!), "The Peril of Stumbling Blocks"(we can either influence people for the better and help them live more righteously, or we can influence them for the worse by causing them to stumble into sin), and "The Power of Salt" (Mark 9:49, 50).