Breaking Free from the Fence of Offence
Foundational Text: Act 24:16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
(AMP) Therefore I always exercise and discipline myself [mortifying my body, deadening my carnal affections, bodily appetites, and worldly desires, endeavoring in all respects] to have a clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of offense toward God and toward men.
Pro 19:11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
Amp. Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense.
I can remember when I was a little boy going to the circus and seeing many wondrous things that my little eyes soaked up like a sponge. One of the things, that even as a little boy, I could not understand is how they kept those massive elephants tied to a little pole in the ground. Have you seen this? Later in life I found that these massive elephants were trained as mere babes by that pole. When they were young and weak, by their adult standards, the trainers would tie them around their ankle to that pole. As a youngster, that could not break free. Even after reaching adulthood, they still believed that could not break free, thus never trying to break free.
There are many things as a baby Christian that mirror this story. One of which is the topic of our study today, and that is dealing with offenses.
This morning I want to share with you from a pastor’s heart concerning a very deadly device that the devil uses to divide and conquer even the best of Christians. This is simply the tool of offence. I have witnessed it tear a part churches, businesses, marriages, and the best of relationships. Before you would be tempted to shut down on this message before it even gets off the ground, so to speak, let me assure you that no one is exempt from offences. We will each have to deal with offences as long as we are on this earth. So I hope to expose what an offense is, who they come to, how they come, and what to do with them once they come. We must understand that we have been given the ability in our spiritual growth, much like that adult elephant, to break free of the offenses that have bound us for too long. Let us first define just exactly what an offence is.
I. What is an offence?
A. First Jesus said that it’s coming?
Matthew 18:7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
1. As long as there is a devil, there will be offences.
B. Offence defined
1. skandalizō skan-dal-id’-zo To “scandalize”; from G4625; to entrap, that is, trip up (figuratively stumble [transitively] or entice to sin, apostasy or displeasure): - (make to) offend.
a trap, stumbling block. To cause to stumble and fall, not found in Gr. writers. In the NT, figuratively to be a stumbling block to someone, to cause to stumble at or in something, to give a cause of offense to someone.
2. Offend = To displease; to make angry; to affront. It expresses rather less than make angry, and without any modifying word, it is nearly synonymous with displease. We are offended by rudeness, incivility and harsh language. Children offend their parents by disobedience, and parents offend their children by unreasonable austerity or restraint. To shock; to wound; as, to offend the conscience. To draw to evil, or hinder in obedience; to cause to sin or neglect duty.
3. Pro 18:19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
II. The Bible tells us that offenses are coming! That means you.
Matthew 18:7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
A. Plan for it. Did you see how the whole Christian community planned for the Y2K scare that never happened? Yet, here we see Jesus telling us that offences are coming. How many are prepared for it?
1. Your attitude should not be “will an offense come?’, but when will I have an opportunity to be offended.
B. How do I prepare for an offense?
1. Be determined not to take offense! At anything!
2. The Bible tells us that we can be trained in this area
Act 24:16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
(AMP) Therefore I always exercise and discipline myself [mortifying my body, deadening my carnal affections, bodily appetites, and worldly desires, endeavoring in all respects] to have a clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of offense toward God and toward men.
Pro 19:11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
(AMP) Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense.
(GNB) If you are sensible, you will control your temper. When someone wrongs you, it is a great virtue to ignore it.
3. Be determined to prepare for the offense when it comes, it will have no power over you.
Question: How long should I be expected to prepare for offenses?
Phi 1:10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
III. Where do the offenses come from?
A. The Bible tells us three people groups in which we should not give offense to.
1Co 10:32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
1. Jews, Gentiles, nor to the church of God.
2. This reveals to us that if we can give an offense to these categories of people, then we could also receive an offense from these three categories of people.
3. Meaning that we should be prepared for offenses to come from people. We are commanded not to give any offense to people, nor should we be offended by any group or individual.
IV. What should be our response when the offenses come?
Joh 16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
A. Staying strong in the Word will empower you to deal effectively with offenses.
B. We have already seen in Proverbs that we can ignore an offense. However, there may very well be things that need to be confronted, and Jesus tells us how to do that.
Matthew 18:15-17 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. (16) But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. (17) And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
1. (AMP) But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed and upheld by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
2. (MSG) If he won’t listen, take one or two others along so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest, and try again.
V. What will keep us from offending others?
Philippians 1:10-11 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; (11) Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
A. God commands us not to give offense to anyone.
1. 1Co 10:32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
2. 2Co 6:3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
B. Paul talks about exercising himself against offenses.
1. Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
2. Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
3. Jam 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
C. Fruit of the spirit
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Conclusion: In manifesting the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, through the power of the Spirit of God working within us, we will be empowered by Him to overcome any and all offenses that may try to challenge us.
