Introduction
Scandal (sk’ndl): “a publicized incident that brings about disgrace or offends the moral sensibilities of society.”
“And they were offended by him…”
// Matthew 13.57
“We preach Christ crucified…a skandalon.”
// 1 Corinthians 1.23
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of skandalon; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
// Romans 9.33
“If I preach circumcision and yet suffer persecution than the skandalon of the cross has ceased.”
// Galatians 5.11
The Scandal of the Birth
"And the will be born of a virgin, and you shall call his name Immanuel which means God with us."
// Matthew 1
The Word was with God, and the Word was God... and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us."
// John 1.1, 14
The Scandal of his Baptism
“And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.
// Mark 1.11-12
“God loves you and has a difficult plan for your life.”
// Mark Galli, Author
The Scandal of his First Sermon
And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
18 y “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to a proclaim good news to the poor.
b He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and c recovering of sight to the blind,
d to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 e to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and f sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were g fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today h this Scripture i has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at j the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph's son?”
// Luke 4. 17-22
"Repent and believe for the kingdom of God is at hand."
Mark 1.15
“The first step toward God is a step away from the lies of the world. It is a renunciation of the lies we have been told about ourselves and our neighbors and our universe. The word used to describe this step is ‘repentance.’ It is always and everywhere the first word in the Christian life.”
// Eugene Peterson, Theologian
