“Overcoming Offence”
July 27, 2003 Am - Danny L. Williams
Luke 17:1-5
Intro:
Last week I share on Patience the fruit of the Spirit,
And I believe that my subject this morning is responsible for absolutely blocking up the fruit of the Spirit.
EVERY One of them:
So we need to deal with this subject this morning
Sub title this the Fruit of the Spirit Part 4 ½
We cannot neglect this subject:
We need to deal directly with it:
And that leads me to a question?
Why is it we neglect so much, the things that pollute us the most, the things that potentially will destroy us?
And it is the Issue of offense
It is what I believe on of the most Important and Highly neglected Issues facing Humanity.
My Title this morning is
OVERCOMING OFFENSE-
Now what is offense? How does it work and what are its results?
Offense is at the very core of Satan’s Plot.
And is often one of the most difficult obstacles for an individual to face and then overcome. the hard part is getting us to face it.
SEE: If we never face issues in our own lives, we will never be able to overcome them.
Our text Jesus, has just said that it is impossible to live this life and not have the opportunity to be offended.
Vs. 1 It is impossible but that offences will come
In Psm. 55:12-15
David laments
Psalm 55:12 For [it was] not an enemy [that] reproached me; then I could have borne [it]: neither [was it] he that hated me [that] did magnify [himself] against me; then I would have hid myself from him:
Psalm 55:13 But [it was] thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.
Psalm 55:14 We took sweet counsel together, [and] walked unto the house of God in company.
Psalm 55:15 Let death seize upon them, [and] let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness [is] in their dwellings, [and] among them.
The people who offend us most are sitting next to us, they are in our neighborhoods, on our Jobs, in our churches, in our families, confide in, grew up with or sleep next to.
Church: The closer the relationship, the more severe the offense.
The most hatred are within people who are close.
The most vicious cases in our legal system’s are divorces.
The media constantly reports murder in homes by desperate family members.
Father against son, son against father, mother against daughter,
Brother against brother.
See: our home are meant to be a place of love and hope, security and joy, are often the very roots of our pain.
History shows that the bloodiest wars are civil.
Listen to me for a moment:
The possibility for offense are endless in relationships.
No matter how simple or complex.
The truth remains: Only those you care about can hurt you.
You expect more from them,
But, I must remind you THE higher the Expectation the greater the Fall!!
The more you trust, the more your let down.
Amen
The more you love the more vulnerable you become.
Jesus said ye shall know them by their fruit.
Offended people produce fruit.
The people who offended and were offended most in the bible were the Pharisees.
Jesus had been addressing them since John 15:1 but now in John 17:1 he resumes his conversation with his disciples.
And he says
Vs. 1 , but woe [unto him], through whom they come!
How do offenses come?
Offenses come from: Insults, attacks, division, separation, broken relationships, betrayal, backsliding.
And produces : Hurt, anger, outrage, jealousy, resentment, envy Strife, hatred and Bitterness.
And the real fact is that most people who are offended don’t even realize they are trapped.
They are so oblivious to their condition because they are so focused on the wrong that was done to them. They are in denial
See: one of the great deceptions of Satan is not just to have people offend you, but for you to be offended.
It’s a FOCUS on our selves
Now lets examine the Trap:
The Greek word for Offend in Luke 17:1
is Skandalon where we get the word Scandal,
It has two meanings:
1. It is the part of the trap to which the bait was attatched.
2. A stumbling block laid for some one or as Niv says: to cause to sin
Hence the word signifies laying a trap in someone’s way.
Offense is a tool of the Devil to bring people into Total captivity.
II Tim. 2:24-26
See: Church when a person is deceived, he believes he is right even though he is not. It’s A trap
No matter what scenario, we can divide all offended people into two major categories:
1. Those who have been treated unjustly
2. Those who BELIEVE they have been treated unjustly.
Now, saying that Let’s define what offense does in us
Offense is:
1. When you become angry or displeased at something said or done.
Let me repeat that:
Proverbs 18:19 A brother offended [is harder to be won] than a strong city: and [their] contentions [are] like the bars of a castle.
Notice he said a brother: Saved Folks
Why is it that most of us when we were unsaved allowed so many people to wrong them hurt them and abuse them.
But, Come in the Church and can’t no body say anything to you?
We get offended.
Ladies: Stop being so touchie,
Men: stop being so demanding
Amen
Church listen:
Half of all people who move around in Churches is because they got angry or had a disagreement with someone in the Church.
Now don’t get me wrong there are biblical reasons for leaving,
Like unshared vision
Acts 15:35-41
See some times we can either divide or we can separate and multiple our efforts.
But some people: If it is not just how they want it, when they want it.
See: I think the Great lie runs through the church ever so often,
“That Church and ministry is about us,
Church: It’s not what you want or I want it’s what God wants and what determines. Amen?
And Pastors believe that Lie too.
Amen???
One way the enemy keeps a person in an offence is to keep it hidden with PRIDE.
See: Pride will keep you from admitting your true condition.
And that’s why some people leave
They try to preserve their situation and its very difficult to minister to them.
Once I was severely Hurt by a couple of ministres.
people would say, I can’t believe they did this to you aren’t you hurt?
I would quickly respond “ No” I’m fine, I’m not hurt and the give away line
I don’t really Care……..
But the fact was, I was crushed. Severely wounded.
But pride kept me from dealing with the truth.
You will never change anything when you think everything is fine
See: Pride hardens us and dims our understanding.
Pride causes you to view your self as a victim.
Your attitude becomes I was mistreated and misjudged: therefore I am justified in my behavior.
Church Your trapped
You know why?
Because you will then Hold back forgiveness
But Jesus said in Luke 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
You being mistreated does not give us permission to Hold offense.
My Mom use to say Two wrongs don’t make a right!
OUR RESPONSE TO OFFENSE ~ DETERMINES OUR FUTURE
This subject is vital:
Look with me again at Luke 17
Luke 17:2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
After all, we are all sinners living in a sinful world. But we must take heed not to cause others to stumble, for it is a serious thing to sin against a fellow believer and tempt him or her to sin
( Rom. 14:13 ; 1 Cor. 10:32 ; 1 John 2:10 ).
By “these little ones” ( Luke 17:2 ), Jesus was referring not only to children but to young believers who were learning how to follow the Lord ( Matt. 18:1–6 ; Luke 10:21 ).
Since Luke 17:1–10 is part of a context that begins with Luke 15:1 , “little ones” would include the publicans and sinners who had come to believe in Jesus Christ.
The Pharisees had criticized Jesus, and this might well have caused these new believers to stumble.
So serious is this sin that a person would be better off cast alive into the sea, never to be seen again, than to deliberately cause others to stumble and sin.
Matthew 11:6 And blessed is [he], whosoever shall not be offended in me.
The word Blessed means empowered to Prosper
And Offense is a wall that keeps the power of God from manifesting in your life.
See: offence is the voice of Satan to prevent you from entering into God’s will and Increase.
Amen?
Let me show you,
Turn to
Matthew 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
Mark 4:17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
Church: Roots must be developed and understanding established.
New believers: are the most prone to get offended.
Jesus called them Little ones in Luke 17:2
Why?
People are offended because they lack understanding.
Some people get offended over a message on offence!
Off/ended
Taken off the word and ended the process.
See: there are two things Offense identifies about you.
1. Offense indicates immaturity.
2. Offense indicates lack of time in the Word.
See: it’s the root of why people talk about you.
They are trying to figure out who you are.
They want to know why you are blessed of God and they are not.
Understand Offences is designed to get you to see small things magnified.
Example: People who get offended always wanna take things futher.
Offense is to get you to react:
Say something or do something.
Look at
Matthew 15:10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
Matthew 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
Matthew 15:12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
Matthew 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
Matthew 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
If people leave the Church they may have been uprooted
Jesus said Leave them alone vs. 14
Proverbs 22:24-25 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
In other words Stay away from Trap setters.
Turn to
Matthew 13:53 And it came to pass, [that] when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
Matthew 13:54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this [man] this wisdom, and [these] mighty works?
Matthew 13:55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
Matthew 13:56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this [man] all these things?
Matthew 13:57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
Matthew 13:58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
God’s power will never show up in areas of Offence and unbelief.
As long as you are in offence there will be no manifestation of healing, promotion or prosperity.
Church: Satan is trying to get you to shut down and declare this bible doesn’t work.
I have a Question?
Who has offended you? And what has it cost you?
Hosea 5:15 I will go [and] return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.
God says until you acknowledge you offence I’m leaving
See: If God has to get our attention he will.
People who are offended usually wont admit it until trouble comes, then they run to God.
What do we do?
Acts 24:16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and [toward] men.
You have to declare “I refuse to be offended”
The only way you can do that is to Stay focused in the word of God
Ask your self am I daily taking a spiritual bath.
Jesus said in
John 16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
What will happen as a result?
Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
