Good Morning Church!
We welcome you back for first in-person service after the restrictions are lifted.
Let me begin with a story…
There used to be a young boy of 6 years, trying very hard to concentrate on Pastor’s message and stay awake the whole time. Once the service was over, he asked his father, what does a preacher does the rest of the week? His father responded that preacher is a very busy man. He has to take care of church business, study bible, visit sick people, prepare his message and he has to take time to take rest also. It is a very tough job! The boy responded that he knows that preaching could be a difficult job, however, listening isn’t easy either.
In our life also we have challenges while listening. God has tendency to take out few things from our life in order to see us progress. Sometimes it becomes very difficult and we don’t like to listen.
We are going to talk about one of the enemy’s greatest weapons, satan’s tool, “Offence”. We have been learning about it since past two weeks. As we know what offense is, we are now going to learn today about the “Antidote for Offence!”
We do we take offense? That’s because we live in an imperfect world with imperfect people. When someone says something, and this good imperfect world turns to be a worst imperfect world, as a combination.
Sometimes when we take offense, we need to stop for a while and think about the journey that God has for us. Jesus wasn’t offended at all.
Bible tells us clearly that we should not hold grudges and ignore insults.
The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult.
Proverbs 12:16
The Bible teaches us to avoid offences.
And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!”
Luke 17:1
We get offended by different things…
Illustration: While coming to the Church, I asked my wife to carry some coffee to go while we drive. I was happy to see my favorite flask, so I picked it up. Now when the time came I was supposed to drink, I realized that’s water and I was angry and felt offended. As a Pastor, coming to the church, I got offended. But let me tell you, that was my choice, a poor choice.
Philippians 3 suggest not to be offended and there is a calling of God in our lives and we should not hold back unto the events of the past. Satan wants you to keep on thinking about the past but you have a choice to either remain in the past or move up in your life.
What is the antidote of offence? Well, it is very simple… it is ‘Forgiveness!’ It is through forgiveness, God heals our deepest wounds. Forgiveness sets us free from the prison if rage, anger and hate.
What is the meaning the definition of forgiveness?
Well, in simple English, it is ..
– To dismiss.
– To give up on something.
– To send away.
– To release something.
And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Matthew 4:19
This was the way of Jesus teaching about forgiveness. The Greek word for this is εὐθέως ἀφέντες (Etheōs aphentes), which literally means “Immediately having left”.
Sometimes we say we have forgiven, however deep in our hearts, we retain the hard feelings and offence.
A real forgiveness is like a freedom in our life.
Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
Luke 17:3-4
Forgiveness is heavenly!
Sometime people get offended on social media and end uo blocking the other person. Remember, the one who made an offensive post is enjoying, it is you who are under influence of enemy’s weapon, i.e. offense.
CS Lewis, a renowned philosopher and a Christian apologist once said, “Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until he has something to forgive.”
You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him.
Leviticus 19:17
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
Romans 12:17-19
When do we forgive? It not day after, or tomorrow, but today and now! Train yourself in Christ and learn to forgive.
Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
Matthew 18:21-22
If we read from Matthew 18, verses 23 onwards until verses 35…
Though we live wholly on mercy and forgiveness, we are backward to forgive the offences of our brethren. This parable shows how much provocation God has from his family on earth, and how untoward his servants are. There are three things in the parable:
1. The master’s wonderful clemency. The debt of sin is so great, that we are not able to pay it. See here what every sin deserves; this is the wages of sin, to be sold as a slave. It is the folly of many who are under strong convictions of their sins, to fancy they can make God satisfaction for the wrong they have done him.
2. The servant’s unreasonable severity toward his fellow-servant, notwithstanding his lord’s clemency toward him. Not that we may make light of wronging our neighbour, for that is also a sin against God; but we should not aggravate our neighbour’s wronging us, nor study revenge. Let our complaints, both of the wickedness of the wicked, and of the afflictions of the afflicted, be brought to God, and left with him.
3. The master reproved his servant’s cruelty. The greatness of sin magnifies the riches of pardoning mercy; and the comfortable sense of pardoning mercy, does much to dispose our hearts to forgive our brethren. We are not to suppose that God actually forgives men, and afterwards reckons their guilt to them to condemn them; but this latter part of the parable shows the false conclusions many draw as to their sins being pardoned, though their after-conduct shows that they never entered into the spirit, or experienced the sanctifying grace of the gospel. We do not forgive our offending brother aright, if we do not forgive from the heart. Yet this is not enough; we must seek the welfare even of those who offend us. How justly will those be condemned, who, though they bear the Christian name, persist in unmerciful treatment of their brethren! The humbled sinner relies only on free, abounding mercy, through the ransom of the death of Christ. Let us seek more and more for the renewing grace of God, to teach us to forgive others as we hope for forgiveness from him.
Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
Luke 6:36-37
Jesus demonstrated the meaning of true forgiveness!
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
Luke 23:34
And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Luke 22:44
If you are living with grudges, you aren’t progressing.
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:14
While hanging on the cross, Jesus looked at people and said, “Father, forgive them!”
Church, there is only one antidote for offense, and that is, “Forgiveness”, and nothing other than that.
We hope you are encouraged by today’s message. Forgive each other just like Christ forgives us. We look forward to seeing you all next Sunday. God Bless!