1 Peter 2:8 KJV
[8] “and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.”
When Jesus came to this world, He was the answer many had been looking for and a threat to many who seemed satisfied with their religion. Why would anyone reject Jesus Christ? He fulfilled the Scriptures and proved to the world that He was the Son of God. Those who rejected Christ sinned against Light. Jesus performed several Messianic miracles, proving that He was the Messiah. Heaven became vocally involved in His birth and baptism. The Jews saw enough miracles and heard enough testimonies that they should have gladly accepted Christ as their Messiah.
Yet, they rejected Jesus and crucified Him on the cross. The reason for their reaction is simple. Peter reminds us that they stumbled at His Word. They were disobedient to the teachings of Christ. No miracles or angelic voices would change the minds of this crowd because they did not want to follow His commands. Think about standing on the banks of the Jordan River and hearing God Himself vocally announce the approval of His Son. However, the Jewish leaders still chose to reject Him. They did not like the Word that He preached to them. Jehovah said, “This is my beloved Son…hear ye Him”. Instead, they stumbled at His Word because of their disobedience.
Many who grew up in church every week under the preaching of the Word of God have heard enough of the Gospel to save the world, but they still choose to reject Christ. They are like the religious people that we read about in the Bible who rejected Christ. Though they witnessed His miracles and His power, they chose not to believe and stumbled at the words they heard preached. They are religious but very much lost in their religion and headed for Hell, not because they don’t know the Truth but because they choose not to obey it. Salvation always comes down to what we are willing to do with the Truth. It is not difficult to be born again. If you have heard the Truth, accept it and believe it with all your heart. Do not stumble over the Gospel by disobeying it. Trust in Christ and Him alone! I remember a dear saint who once testified of her salvation experience when asked, “Whose Savior is He?” She replied, “He is my Savior!” It was at that moment that she was born again! This dear lady did not stumble over the Word. She received the Word of God and obeyed it!