Transcript Do you take offense at this?

Words of Blessing = WD40 for the Soul!
“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth.
Keep watch over the door of my lips.”
Psalm 141:3
“Let the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart be
pleasing in your sight, O LORD,
my Rock and my Redeemer.”
Psalm 19:14
Issues of the Heart
 Issues of the Heart
Quick to take Offense VS.
Refusing to take Offense
 Luke 17:1 Jesus said, “Things that cause people to
take offense are bound to come” (Don’t be surprised!)
 1 Peter 2:6-8, Jesus is a stone that causes men to stumble, a rock that makes
them be offended.
 Mark 6:3, “Is this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of….siblings?
And they took offense at Him.”
 Matt 24:10, “At that time (end times), many will be offended and fall away
from the faith.”
 John 6: 56, 61, “He who eats my flesh, drinks my blood abides in Me and will
live…”Do you take offense at this?”
 Proverbs 19:11, “A
man’s wisdom gives him patience, it is
to his glory to overlook an offense.”
Offense
 Greek word: “skandalon”
 = “to stumble” (little stone trips you
up and you stumble)
 = “to be trapped, ensnared” (the
movable stick or trigger of an animal
trap is called “the skandalon.”
We are in a battle for our hearts.
 The devil seeks to neutralize us, to take us out.
 He discourages, dis-heartens, tempts us, lures us to
take the bait and be trapped and wounded by an
offense.
 With taking an offense at God or at a brother, we
have stepped into the role of judging.
Judging
 Once offended, we easily become critical
and judgmental.
 What does God have to say about
judging?
Scripture warns us of the fact that in the
same manner and measure that we judge
others, so we will be judged (Matthew 7:1,2).
 Eg. Baseball game with our kids
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s
eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? …
First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will
see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
Matt. 7:3,5
We are Not to Judge,
but we are to Discern
 Bible is clear that we must not judge others (James 4:12; 5:9).
However, we are instructed to discern and judge rightly to avoid sin
and deception.
 Stop judging by mere appearance but make a right judgment
(John 7:24 )
 Regarding prophecy, we are to test it, weigh it (1 Thess.5:21; 1 Cor.
14:29)
 We are to test the spirits to see if they be of God (1 John 4:1)
 We are to examine or own hearts as we come to participate in the
Lord’s Supper ( 1 Cor. 11:28)
Discernment vs. Judgment
 To evaluate & examine vs. to pass harsh judgment, react
 Seeks truth & the facts vs. doesn’t wait for facts, pre-judges
Eg. Father driving son
Eg. Mushroom party
Discernment vs. Judgment
 Desires truth to help, restore vs. enjoys tearing down
 Focus is on the individual vs. lose sight of person, categorizes
 Identifies with man’s sin
vs. smug, self-righteous
 Not shocked by sin of others vs. appalled/despises the sinner
Discernment vs. Judgment
 Grieves over sin of others
vs. finds pleasure in fault-finding
 Seeks to cover their nakedness vs. delights in their sin exposed
 Believes the best of others
vs. guilty until proven innocent
Discernment vs. Judgment
 Looks beyond external appearances vs. focuses on externals
 Sees past the action to situation vs.
judges their heart
 Humble, compassionate spirit vs. arrogant/critical spirit
 Extends grace to the other
vs.
demands justice
Discernment vs. Judgment
 Refuses to take offense
vs.
easily offended, petty
 Lets go of own rights
vs.
demands own rights
 Seeks to defend others
vs.
defensive, justifies self
 Quick to own up & repent vs. quick to blame, doesn’t own up
Discernment vs. Judgment
 Eats from Tree of Life vs. tree of knowledge of good & evil
 Security needs are met
vs. feels insecure, insignificant
 Seeks to build bridges
vs
 Intercedes for others
vs.
 Flows from love in heart vs.
keeps distance, us/them
agrees with accuser of brethren
recognized by coldness of heart
The Bible is clear that:
1. We are not authorized or qualified to judge others
2. We will be judged in the same manner if we do so
3. We must crucify our instinct to judge,
catch ourselves & repent
(repent = change our mind,
“re” = “to go back to”
“pent” = “pent-house” =
go back to God’s higher perspective)
4 We need to grow in true discernment
& passion for Jesus (eat from Tree of Life)
5. We are invited to relax & leave the judging to God
No Christian is strong enough to
carry a cross and a prejudice at the
same time!
Prayer:
Lord, change my mind on every
issue in which You and I
do not see eye to eye”
Colossians 3:13
“Bear with each other and forgive
whatever grievances you may have
against one another.
Forgive AS the Lord forgave you.”