I. Introduction
It is a question that is asked to someone who is already mad in an attempt to not only point out the obvious fact that they are angry but to also make them more mad. You mad bro? It is apparent that in this day and age more times than not the answer is yes! In fact, we seem to have become a world of offended people. Everyone is mad about or at something or someone. In fact, in 2014, Slate.com declared that 2014 was "The Year of Outrage" and their website provided a handy interactive online calendar. You could pick a day, any day, from 2014, click on it, and find out what everyone was outraged about during that particular 24-hour period. Every single day, a new outrage, a new offense, a new anger, over something that someone, somewhere, had done or said.
We have become professionals at being mad. There is certainly a place for anger and even offense and we will get to that in the coming weeks. However, I want to start with the fact that it seems like everyone is easier to offend these days. I believe we may be surrounded by the most offended generation to ever walk the planet! Doesn't it seem like someone is always demanding an apology. Sometimes legit other times ridiculous like in the instance that Paul Harvey told about where a young man literally sued his parents because he was so ugly. Offended by their inability to produce a handsome son.
So, what's the deal? Why are we so mad? Have we just become soft? Cupcakes, snowflakes, thin skinned and a generation that can't handle our feelings being hurt? Has everyone getting a trophy made it impossible for us to distinguish what is really our rights from our preferences? Is that we just want everyone to agree? We want everyone to get along. We want everyone to respect everyone. We want there to be no friction. Maybe that is the deal, but if that is the case then I think the best place to start is to learn some basic truths about offense. If we are going to develop offense defense, which is absolutely necessary for survival in this world, then we must know some things about offense.
I want to mention a few things we need to know about offense.
Offense isn't optional.
Jesus makes it abundantly clear that as long as we are breathing there will be things that offend us.
Luke 17:1 (KJV)
Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offenses will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
Offense will come. It is impossible that they won't come. Therefore, we shouldn't be shocked by that. We should be prepared and we should know how to respond. I think this idea that we can live life unoffended has given birth to a lack of preparation and being equipped to properly handle, address, and endure conflict. Jesus makes it a point to tell His disciples that they are going to be offended! Why should you expect anything less? In fact, He says offenses (plural). It isn't going to be one and done. He wants us to understand that part of life is being offended. Now, just to be clear He also condemns the one who causes offense. So, He isn't giving the offensive person a pass. Instead He is teaching His disciples to be mature enough to deal with offense appropriately.
It is just a matter of time and you will find yourself offended! Since it is impossible to avoid we better learn how to handle it. You will offend and you will be offended. You can either be frightened by that, be in bondage to fear of that or you can learn how to handle offense. In fact, we need to learn offense defense more now than ever because as we will discover next week the rise in offense is an indication that we are in the last days.
Traps aren't optional; being trapped is!
Jesus says it is impossible that no offenses should come. The Greek work for offense is skandelon from which we get the word scandal. The word originally referred to the part of the trap to which the bait was attached. That word signifies laying a trap in someone’s way. So offense is nothing but a trap to entangle and strangle us. It is an attempt to steal our peace, our emotional energy and our focus. The challenge is that Jesus makes it clear we will all face this trap. But my contention is this . . . just because I will be faced with this trap doesn't mean I have to fall for it. Some of us are just way too easy!
In fact, a Washington Post article in April of 2019 revealed the results of a major poll that says 81% of Americans agree that “people are too easily offended these days."
2 Corinthians 2:11 (TLB) - A further reason for forgiveness is to keep from being outsmarted by Satan, for we know what he is trying to do. (For we are not unaware of his schemes.) (for we are not ignorant of his devices.)
In other words, just because offenses come does not mean I have to be taken by the offense! Just because I can't avoid traps being set doesn't mean I have to step in it! We treat offense like seeing a mine field and coming to the conclusion that since someone took the time to place mines I now have the responsibility to run through that field! Sounds crazy but how many of us keep allowing ourselves to be too easily trapped! Just because they are trying to trap me with offense doesn't mean I have to be offended! We are supposed to become mature enough to anticipate, recognize and ultimately avoid being trapped. Become aware of our enemy's schemes! Ignorance isn't bliss . . . it is bondage!
You too easy! Quit falling for same trap over and over again.
Offense will increase as time decreases.
The amount of offense should be an indication of what time it is. You mad bro? There is a reason. It isn't the people. It is the end.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 - You may as well know this too, Timothy, that in the last days it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian. For people will love only themselves and their money; they will be proud and boastful, sneering at God, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful to them, and thoroughly bad. They will be hardheaded and never give in to others; they will be constant liars and troublemakers and will think nothing of immorality. They will be rough and cruel, and sneer at those who try to be good. They will betray their friends; they will be hotheaded, puffed up with pride, and prefer good times to worshiping God. They will go to church, yes, but they won’t really believe anything they hear. Don’t be taken in by people like that.
Paul tells Timothy that one of the indications that we are nearing the end will be the increase in offense. Listen to how he describes people in the last days and see if this doesn't sound like offensive people today. People will only love themselves, their own opinions and ideas, hardheaded and never give in to others, constant liars, betrayers and believe it or not you will even find these people in the church.
I want you to get this. When we see the rise in offense as we are seeing now we should wake up to the fact that this an indication that we are living in the last days. Don't get trapped. Don't get distracted. Don't get your attention on attitude. Don't lose 6 months to fret, anger, fury, rage. Instead hone in on the fact that Jesus is coming. Don't get taken in by people like that. Don't fall for it. Don't go around mad and as a result unable to pay attention to what really matters.
