2005-03-06 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church

Mark 6:1-6

1. And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
2. And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
3. Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
4. But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

Whenever I get offended, what do I do after that? What's my next course of action?

Well, I feel resentment because of what I've heard, but are my feelings due to the words actually being an offense against my Lord Jesus, or is my negative reaction based on how I think Jesus would feel if He heard it? The offending words just sound wrong to me, but I wonder, why is it that when I'm offended, my first reaction is that I'm right, and the offense is wrong? Am I bowing up against something I've heard because it would be an offense to Jesus, or is my reaction to the offense a product of my own making. Is it possible that Jesus would offend me?

Sometimes we get offended by what the Bible says, but do we stay offended, or do we study to understand why it offends us?

One day, Jesus' Words offended a whole bunch of disciples, and they quit following Him, so He asks the twelve who were left, "Will ye also go away?"

John 6:67-69

67.Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68. Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
69. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

These folks in Mark 6, who were offended at Jesus; they were attending services at the synagogue that day, so they were "religious." At least they were outwardly putting on a show of belief in the Father, but at the same time, they were rejecting the Word that the Father had sent them. They were relying on traditions, caught up in their own pride, unable to receive Him.

Sometimes I'll hear a pastor make a point, or say something in a sermon that offends me. Sometimes it's such an impediment that I don't hear much of what he has to say after that, because my mind is wrestling with the offensive statement.

When Jesus told John the Baptist's disciples, "Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me," He wasn't talking about those who would be suffering trials and afflictions because of Him. He was saying that we are blessed whenever we set down our preconceived notions and pride, and openly receive His Word.

Matthew 11:2-6

2. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
3. And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
4. Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
5. The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
6. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

He was also saying, blessed are those whose roots are deep; those who will not wither or fall away when the persecution comes, whether the offenses come from outside, from people who actually hate me for my beliefs, or even when they come from within me, when I feel offended because I've heard something said that goes against what I believe, what I've always clung to, but maybe it has no support or foundation in God's Word, something that offends Jesus.

When Jesus was explaining the parable of the sower:

Matthew 13:20-21

20. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21. Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Sometimes the tribulation or persecution comes from within. If I'm hearing, and open to hearing the Word, all the strongholds of my heart will eventually be offended. The last bastions of sin hiding in there; all my bad habits; all the traditions I've been using as spiritual crutches; all my old nature, my judgmentalism, etc...; all the little areas of pride that I'm clinging to; eventually, they're all gonna feel the heat; they're gonna be offended by some part of the Bible. Anything I cling to, or anything that I've built a fortress around, anything with a foundation built on sand, anything that becomes calloused, it all has to be softened up; it all has to crumble down if Jesus is going to make any progress in my life.

I pray that our hearts be softened and fertile ground, that our minds can concentrate on the Word that He has for us today, and that we not walk away from Him when He offends us.