Don’t Take Offense
Sunday November 29, 2020
Notes
We have to have a balanced diet in the word which includes not just hearing the topics we want to hear preached.
As much as we allow the word to encourage us, we also must allow it to correct us.
You will always have opportunities to be offended.
I can’t control what everybody out there does and neither can you, but God has given us a spirit of discipline and self control. So we can control ourselves with Gods help if we really want to.
James 3:18 NLT
And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
I can’t guarantee you that someone won’t try to give you offense, but it’s up to us whether we want to take it or not.
What Is Offense?
The word offense in the Greek is the word Skandalon.
It actually describes the name of a little part on a trap that holds the bait that lures an animal into capture.
An animal isn’t gonna go into a trap without some sort of bait.
Satan uses just that moment of bait to lure us into a lifetime of strife.
So when somebody offends you, you need to ask yourself… “Are they offending me or am I getting offended?”
Our Responsibility
We have to take responsibility for ourselves to not get offended instead of placing the responsibility on others not to offend us.
God has given us the ability to control ourselves.
He hasn’t given us the ability to control others
It’s so much better to take care of a problem when it’s little.
It’s also best to take care of it as quickly as possible before it has any opportunity to take roots.
Philippians 1:9-10 KJV
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.
Psalm 119:165 AMPC
Great peace have they who love Your law; nothing shall offend them or make them stumble.
Different Kinds of Offense
One thing we have to be aware of is not offending the Holy Spirit. Ephesians makes it very clear what offends him.
Ephesians 4:29-32 AMPC
29 Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God’s own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin).
31 Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind).
32 And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.
There Will Be no Offense in Heaven
Matthew 24:10, 12
10 And then many will be offended and repelled and will [e]begin to distrust and desert [Him Whom they ought to trust and obey] and will stumble and fall away and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred.
12 And the love of [f]the great body of people will grow cold because of the multiplied lawlessness and iniquity,
The crucifixion was a tragedy but we continue that tragedy if we don’t have the life Jesus died to give us.