Is Your Best Offense Really A Good Defense?

INTRODUCTION:

Illustration-

There’s an old saying – “The best defense is a good offense.” It’s been used in sports, in business, and in war. It’s also known as the strategic offensive principle of war. The theory is that being proactive with a strong offensive action will make your opponent so preoccupied defending themselves from your attack that they won’t be able to mount a counterattack. It’s kind of attack first before your enemy knows what hit them. Maybe that’s what Russia’s doing with Ukraine.

But you know, it seems like this whole world is at war with one another. Everyone is divided and fighting for their side. And everyone is so easily offended. Isn’t that true? Think about what offends us today.

Here I go looking up words again. I’m sure you probably get tired of that, but I love finding out the meanings of words. It’s like my thing, I guess. I feel like I get closer to the truth when I learn the real meaning of something. So anyway, I looked up the definition of the word offend. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary to Offend is 1. To transgress the moral or divine law (to sin) 2. To violate a law or rule (to do wrong) 3. To cause difficulty, discomfort, or injury (to intentionally hurt) or 4. To cause dislike, frustration, or anger (to provoke)

I think it’s interesting that we’ve all but gotten rid of or forgotten about the first two meanings. It’s almost like to sin or do wrong doesn’t offend anyone. That’s just normal and accepted. The third one we dismiss if it’s us doing the hurting, because obviously we were provoked to doing so (like number four). We were offended by something said or done that made us angry or frustrated, and so we felt the right to offend by hurting them back, and in the process, we offend by doing wrong and/or sinning. Everyone is being offended and offending others. And so we treat it more like this – “The best offense is a good defense.”

In other words - We get offended and that makes us very … defensive.

I have to admit, it’s true about me. I let words bother me, and then anger me as I let them fester in my mind. Then every time I see a certain person or even just think about them, I get defensive. I get riled up. And that emotion that started with something (honestly) small, builds and builds into a war within me.

A war that started when I got offended by something. Can you relate?

Today in God’s Word- But we need to ask the question: Are we at war with one another? Is that the way we spread the gospel through attack and force? Is that how we share God’s Love? Is that what Jesus would be doing if He were us?

Have you ever thought about that? When you get offended by something or by someone, do you ever ask yourself the question, “Would Jesus have reacted that way?” Would He have let something offensive cause Him to sin in His anger? Of course not. And yet… we do it all the time and then blame the other person.

Well, let’s just see what Jesus has to say about this.

Transition- This month we have been studying on the topic of what it means to know what’s truly on God’s heart in a sermon series that I’ve titled – “Heartbeat of Heaven.” Let’s turn in our Bibles now to … Luke chapter six.

BODY:

Main Scripture- In Luke 6:27-36 NLT Jesus said…

27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.

32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.

35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.