no offense taken

Why is everyone today so mad, upset and ready to fight?   It seems like things are getting worse, not better!   

Website: www.toughquestionsforgod.org
youtube @ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC769G9moIYN53BNHlGNf-hA

Transcript

HAVE YOU NOTICED …

How easily people get offended today?

Noticed how argumentative they are?

Especially Christians!

WHY?

It seems like everyone has a platform

An opinion

A perspective

Each person is right, and all of the others are wrong

TODAY PEOPLE …

Are using opinion as fact – to prove themselves right

Use feelings instead of understanding and reason

PSYCOLOGY TODAY SAYS …

Borderline Personality Disorder is out of control

Says that people are insecure

Seeking power and control over others

Believe they are superior and want to prove it

WE HAVE A PROBLEM …

We look in from the outside, and accept our opinion as fact

EXAMPLES:

Religious leaders rejected Jesus because He was not what the had come to expect

They expected a warrior, and got a lamb

THEY TOOK WHAT THEY “KNEW” AND APPLIED IT TO WHAT THEY WERE EXPECTING

THEY WERE NO LONGER OPEN TO NEW UNDERSTANDINGS

“KNEW” GOD WAS GOING TO SEND A MESSIAH

“EXPECTED” A MILITARY / POLITICAL MESSIAH

THEY EXPECTED GOD TO FULFILL THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PLAN

NOT

FOR THEM TO ACCEPT GOD’S PLAN

AS CHRISTIANS …

We have to respond to the world around us

Respond to the flaring tempers, snide comments, forceful stances of others

Respond to emotions as if they are the facts

OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS …

I’m going to offend some of you

Because I’m going to talk about some very explosive topics

Let’s face it, it is difficult to control our emotions

Especially when the situations are near and dear to our heart

JAMES 1:19

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

How are you doing with this command?

TODAY IN THE CULTURE ITS EASY TO BE OFFENDED

People don’t listen completely

Blurt out responses off the cuff

And get upset almost immediately

IF YOU LOOK AT THE ABOVE SCRIPTURE …

This is exactly how Jesus lived

JESUS HAD MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO BE OFFENDED, HOWEVER …

He really wasn’t

WHY

BECAUSE…

Jesus was “others” focused

Slow to speak

Quick to listen

He wanted people to think!

He wanted to hear from them

JESUS ONLY ANSWERED DIRECTLY …

3 questions

Asked 307

Why?

Because He wanted the people to think!

Put aside their emptions!

SEEMS LIKE BEING OFFENDED HAS ALMOST BECOME THE NORM IN OUR CULTURE

Especially on social media

Vax — No Vax

Mask — No

Who kneels — Doesn’t

SO, ARE YOU EASILY OFFENDED?

SOME PEOPLE LIKE BEING OFFENDED

When offended, we feel angry — Feel morally superior

We’re in the right — Everyone else — Evil or an Idiot!

HOW IS YOUR ANGER AND BEING OFFENDED WORKING?

Is it working?

Making you more like Jesus? 

Making you more loving?

JAMES 1:19

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 

WHY???

ADD THE NEXT VERSE

20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

Your human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires

YOU CAN ACCEPT THAT …

Or, be offended because it doesn't match your understanding and expectation of what it means to be “righteous”

BUT WE SAY …

My anger is a Righteous Anger

Angry over sin!

Notice — Almost always — Someone else’s sin!

It’s not really righteous anger — its Self-Righteous Anger

WHAT ABOUT WHEN WE …

Criticize their—

Foul Language—Ignore our own Spiritual Pride

Judge their sexual Sin—Ignore our Gluttony

(Offend yet?)

SO …

How effective is your self-righteous offended anger?

Helping make world better place?

Changing people’s minds?

Bringing more joy? 

AS CHRISTIANS, WE HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE

DO WE WANT TO MAKE A POINT? (BE RIGHT)

OR

MAKE A DIFFERENCE? (BRING SOMEONE TO CHRIST)

THERE WAS THIS REALLY SMART GUY THAT ASKED JESUS A QUESTION

THIS WAS ONE OF THE THREE HE ANSWERED

MATTHEW 22:37Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself

JESUS DIDN’T CALL US TO BE RIGHT, HE CALLED US TO BE LOVING!

I CAN’T BE LOVING AND OFFENDED AT THE SAME TIME

I CAN’T LIFT SOMEONE UP IF IM OFFENDED BY THEM

LET IT GO …

POINT: AS A DISCIPLE OF JESUS …

We are in a spiritual battle with the forces of evil, darkness

How do we learn to overcome being offended

1.Lower your expectations of others

2TIMOTHY 3

People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

SHOCKED BY PEOPLE?

SHOCKED BY WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO, OR THINK, OR PROMOTE?

Sinful people do sinful things.

JESUS WAS NEVER SHOCKED BY PEOPLES SELF-CENTEREDNESS

Woman married 5X

Peter & John — Not gossip — Prayer

Disciples — Who’s going to sit by you? 

I KEEP THINKING JESUS WAS GOING TO …

Lose it on his disciples!

You kidding me? 

What’s matter you?

Clueless?

Forgotten?

PETER

Bragged, Boasted

Lied — Betrayed — Denied — Stabbed back — Abandoned Jesus

Jesus didn’t quit loving Peter

Didn’t facebook rant — People suck! 

Forgave & kept loving Peter

1.Lower your expectations of people—We are all sinful.

2.Increase your gratitude for God’s grace!

SURVEY

Lift hand if you never sinned

Deserve God’s love

Lied — Cheated — Looked lustfully —Envied

Never gossiped friend

EPHESIANS 2

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — 9 not by works, so that no one can boast

IF YOUR OFFENDED BY SOMEONE …

You’re much less likely to pray for them

Love them

Help them

I DON’T WANT TO MINIMIZE …

A hurt you may be enduring

Molested your child

Spouse lied & cheated

BE CAREFUL NOT TO FEED THE ANGER

Fuel to fire of injustice

I’m right — They’re wrong

REMEMBER JOHN 8 …

Woman caught adult

Anger Group

Stone her

W/o sin throw first stone

Drop the Stone

Jesus didn’t call us to be right — Loving

Our goal isn’t to make a point — Make a difference.

Quick to listen — Slow speak