Jesus%20offended%20many.

1

• Jesus offended many.
• Text Matthew 111-6
• Blessed is he who is not offended by me.

2
Politically Correctness

• Today there is pressure on everyone to be
  politically correct
• The idea is Don't say anything that would
  offend anyone
• This concept has some merit. We should not be
  mean, cruel or vulgar.
• Lately, political correctness has gone berserk.

3
Matthew 111-6

• 1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished
  commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed
  from there to teach and to preach in their
  cities. 2 And when John had heard in prison about
  the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples
  3 and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do
  we look for another?" 4 Jesus answered and said
  to them, "Go and tell John the things which you
  hear and see 5 The blind see 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 who is not
  offended because of Me."

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Background of text

• John is in prison and could be killed.
• He was killed later. (Matthew 141-11)
• John is beginning to doubt his mission and his
  message.
• Is this really the Messiah that is to come?
• Jesus sent back a reply.

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Background of text

• What Jesus did not do
• No encouragement to keep the faith
• No expression of sorrow or sympathy
• No words of comfort.
• No promises that things will be better.
• What Jesus did
• Said what John needed to hear
• The truth

6
This was Jesus pattern

• To the Scribe who wanted to follow Jesus
• Matthew 819-22 19 Then a certain scribe came and
  said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever
  You go." 20 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have
  holes and birds of the air have nests, but the
  Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." 21 Then
  another of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, let
  me first go and bury my father." 22 But Jesus
  said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury
  their own dead."

7
This was Jesus pattern

• To the rich ruler who wanted eternal life
• Matthew 1916, 21-22 16 Now behold, one came and
  said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall
  I do that I may have eternal life?"
• 21 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect,
  go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and
  you will have treasure in heaven and come,
  follow Me." 22 But when the young man heard that
  saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great
  possessions.

8
This was Jesus pattern

• To Nicodemus who wanted salvation
• John 39-12 9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him,
  "How can these things be?" 10 Jesus answered and
  said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and
  do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I
  say to you, We speak what We know and testify
  what We have seen, and you do not receive Our
  witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and
  you do not believe, how will you believe if I
  tell you heavenly things?

9
This was Jesus pattern

• To the Greek woman who wanted a miracle
• Mark 726-28 26 The woman was a Greek, a
  Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him
  to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 But
  Jesus said to her, "Let the children be filled
  first, for it is not good to take the children's
  bread and throw it to the little dogs." 28 And
  she answered and said to Him, "Yes, Lord, yet
  even the little dogs under the table eat from the
  children's crumbs."

10
This was Jesus pattern

• To Peter wanted to know John's fate
• John 2120-22 20 Then Peter, turning around, saw
  the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also
  had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said,
  "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?" 21 Peter,
  seeing him, said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about
  this man?" 22 Jesus said to him, "If I will that
  he remain till I come, what is that to you? You
  follow Me."

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In the Old Testament

• Elijah to Elisha 2 Kings 21-7
• 3 times Elijah told Elisha to go away
• Elisha refused
• Finally he was given the mantle of Elijah

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In the Old Testament

• Naaman 2 Kings 59-11 9 Then Naaman went with
  his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door
  of Elisha's house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger
  to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven
  times, and your flesh shall be restored to you,
  and you shall be clean." 11 But Naaman became
  furious, and went away and said, "Indeed, I said
  to myself, 'He will surely come out to me, and
  stand and call on the name of the Lord his God,
  and wave his hand over the place, and heal the
  leprosy.'

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Are you offended?

• Class, sermon, preacher, elders, song leader,
  deacons, brother or sister in the church?
• Some say we should preach the gospel so that no
  one is offended. Impossible!
• Some get angry at God.
• Galatians 416 Have I therefore become your enemy
  because I tell you the truth?

15
Are you offended?

• It is not what is said or how it is said.
• It depends on your reaction to it.
• Acts 2 Cut to the heart repented and were
  baptized.
• Acts 7 Cut to the heart stoned Stephen

16
Are you offended?

• This is what the Word of God does
• Hebrews 412 For the word of God is living and
  powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,
  piercing even to the division of soul and spirit,
  and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of
  the thoughts and intents of the heart.

17
Are you offended?

• How do we convince people to repent of their sins
  unless they know they have sinned?
• How do we teach them to worship God properly
  unless they know the way they are doing it is
  wrong?
• How do we convert a wicked world without pointing
  out their wickedness?

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Are you offended at Jesus?

• Matthew 116 And blessed is he who is not
  offended because of Me.
• Matthew 1357a So they were offended at Him.