Dealing with Offences Part 2: DOES THIS OFFEND YOU

We are still discussing on the issue of getting offended at God

Joh 6:61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

Joh 6:66  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Jesus was discussing with people, and also some of his converts and followers were also present at this meeting. Jesus taught them they have to eat his flesh and drink his blood. These sayings of Jesus got some of Jesus’ convertS offended that some left  following Him from that  day.

Hear what these followers of Jesus said

Joh 6:60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

The converts described the words of Jesus as hard

Earlier in my first article: “Dealing with Offences”, I have mentioned that God can get you offended, OR  let me put this way You can get offended at God. It is good that we know this ahead of time, so that when it happens, we can get along with Him.

The sayings of Jesus got this converts offended

Also we must realize that the words of Christ can get you offended. Late Swelyn Hughes described these words as the hard sayings of Jesus

Some of the Hard saying are

1.To follow Jesus, You must hate father, mother, wife, children even oneself. I think that is hard

2. He who marries a divorcee, committed adultery

3. If you are slapped on one check, you turn other to them

Can you give some instances that you felt the words of Jesus are hard

The bottom line is this

1. Though the sayings Jesus seem hard, we must understand it was spoken out of love
2. Though the sayings of Jesus are hard, we must understand He is telling us what will take us to the kingdom of God
3. Though the sayings of Jesus seems hard, we must understand that He is telling us the price we must pay to enter the kingdom

After some of these Jesus’ converts left, Jesus turned to the remaining and asked whether they will also go away

Joh 6:67  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

Peter answered the Lord

Joh 6:68  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

Joh 6:69  And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Peter was saying to the Lord, though the sayings were hard. You still have the solution to our problem

Jesus, we can’t return from following you, there is no one that can be compared to you

Your words carry life, your words deliver  from crisis, Your words heals

Jesus, You have the word of eternal life

NO OTHER MAN HAS THE WORD OF ETERNAL LIFE EXCEPT  JESUS

LET US STICK WITH Him

Dealing with offenses Part 1

This discussion will be in parts, One will be toward God and the other will be towards our fellow man. In this particular article, we will be considering offences toward God.

Friends, you must realize that God can offend you. It is good that we come to terms with God and get along with him

Mat 11:6  And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

The background to this verse is that John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus sent to Jesus after been arrested by Herod {Matt 14:6} to enquire from Jesus whether Jesus is truly the Messiah. Then Jesus replied the disciples of John of Baptist

Mat 11:5  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.

Mat 11:6  And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

The last verse “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me” was revealing what was going on in John’s heart. John was expecting Jesus to use his mighty power and anointing to deliver him from the hand of Herod. If of a truth Jesus is the Messiah, He should save him.

And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me, the statement revealed that there is possibility for people to get offended at God. The reason for there been offended could range from challenge to another in which they are expecting God to intervene and come through for them; but alas God restrained Himself for reasons best known to Him.

John was probably expecting help from Jesus, but Jesus restrained himself but exhorted him and we that are following Him about the blessedness of not been offended.

Reasons why people can get offended in God

1. When God does not deliver like in John the Baptist . Jesus perceived that John was already getting offended. Jesus was sending a message back to John, Don’t get offended, Get rid of offences in your heart, because blessed {happy, envied, fortunate, favoured}are those who are not offended in ME
2. When wicked people prospering, and judgment is not executed on them,  people get offended (Malachi 3: 13- 15)

Mal 3:13  Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?

Mal 3:14  Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?

Mal 3:15  And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

The people in Malachi 3:13 -154 are offended at God because the wicked are succeeding, but the verse did not end that way

The Lord replied these people in Malachi 3:17 -18

Mal 3:17  And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

Mal 3:18  Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Ultimately, God is saying there is a time, an appointed time, a time to vindicate those who don’t get offended

Also in Isaiah 50: 10 – 11

Isa 50:10  Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.

Isa 50:11  Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.

Verse 10 admonish us not to get offended at God, though darkness surround us, but the latter verse us of the impending danger of those who get offended at God, to device their own method of deliverance.

Ultimately the word of the Lord Jesus Christ will come to pass that

And blessed is he whom whomsoever shall not be offended in Me. (