No Offense...Dealing With "Those" People
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 1 viewNotes
Transcript
Today we’re talking about those people. Raise your hand if you think you know who they might be. Don’t point, because they’re crazy and they are everywhere.
In case you’re not sure who “Those” people are…they are often very critical, very controlling, and almost always extremely arrogant. and they are mean. They know everything about everything and will make sure that you know it. They are usually the one in the office that will know everything going on with everybody (RUMOR mills). They’re at the family gatherings getting and giving the dirt on everyone. If you say there’s not one in this family, it’s probably you!
How can we deal with “THOSE” people in a way that will honor them and God?
The world we live in today would appear to be hyper sensitive and offended about everything. It’s not easy to live in, or enjoy sometimes. Honestly, “THOSE” people are difficult to get along with, and love.
“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.
Paul opens this statement with “Be angry, and do not sin”! This is good news for those that are angry today. You can be angry and not sin.
The chances are if you go out in public, or look online, or read the headlines you will find opportunities to be angry.
The problem is that living angry and offended doesn’t improve your marriage, or relationships. It doesn’t improve your quality of life. There just isn’t a way to win in being angry and offended. It is never better!
Being Offended Is Inevitable, Living Offended Is A Choice.
Being Offended Is Inevitable, Living Offended Is A Choice.
Your going to be offended at some point. You get to decide how you’ll respond to it. This is why Paul warns us about our anger.
Be careful not to hang on to anger.
Be careful not to nurture being offended.
Be careful not to sit around rehearsing your hurts.
Paul warns us not to give foothold to the enemy. This word foothold in the Greek literally mean a Place, or Room. When we choose to hang on to our anger and our offenses we’re giving Satan a place or a room in our heart. We will give him access to our lives though our unforgiveness. We don’t want to give Satan access to my marriage, my children, my friends, or my church. I don’t want him to any part of anything or anyone I value or love.
Satan's mission is to break the heart of God and to hurt His children.
3 D’s of Destruction
3 D’s of Destruction
Divide Families, Friends, and Churches!
Divide Families, Friends, and Churches!
Satan's work of dividing has never been easier than it is today.
He will divide us along political lines.
He will divide us along racial lines.
He divides us along moral lines.
When he can cause such division it isn’t long before he is destroying friendships. He will cause family members to turn on each other and not talk anymore. He will destroy our marriages and split our churches. We are stronger together!
Distract Christians from their Mission!
Distract Christians from their Mission!
He will get us mad about everything. If he can get us fighting over cultural issues, he can distract us.
He can distract us with boycotting businesses.
He can distract us with arguing about everyone else and their sinfulness.
He distracts us when we’re mad about something and everybody doesn’t join us in our anger.
He distracts us by comparing ourselves to everyone around us.
Remember that he really wants you distracted from your purpose and mission as believers.
Discredit their witness!
Discredit their witness!
Satan will get you ultra focused on what you’re against.
Satan will get us arguing about anything and everything.
Remember if he can keep us angry and arguing, we look and ultimately become critical, judgmental, and hypocritical. We become self-centered, self-righteous, easily offended, and just mad at the world! Satan will use our anger to actually discredit our witness.
It’s not just in the world, or online, it’s creeping into our families. It’s turning people who were once loving people into angry, mean people.
“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
Don’t let the sun go down on your anger!
The day of your hurt should also be the day of your healing!
The day of your hurt should also be the day of your healing!
What if we made up our minds right now that on the day we are hurt we start working toward reconciliation. What if we immediately when we realized we hurt someone said “I’M SORRY, I WAS WRONG, WILL YOU FORGIVE ME”. What if when we are hurt, we immediately begin to offer grace, much like the grace that I’ve so freely been given. How much different would our marriages look. How much better would our friendships be? How much different would our world look today?
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
What’s unwholesome?
No belittling! No bad mouthing! No criticizing! No calling people idiots! Only that which builds up, encourages, and is loving.
Never call names.
Never raise your voice.
Never get historical.
Never say “never” or “always”.
Never threaten divorce.
Don’t speak unwholesome things to each other.
When we’re angry we are tempted to defend our anger because we justify our own anger. We know that we’re right. Righteous anger? Do we call any other destructive attitude righteous? Righteous greed, righteous lust, or righteous gluttony?
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
Paul doesn’t say...
Be arrogant about your moral superiority.
Be critical of everyone who thinks differently than you.
Be harsh because you’re dealing with idiots.
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Be kind, compassionate and forgiving! It’s difficult to do this at a distance. It’s easy to shout truths at everyone from a distance, not so much up close. We have to be up close for it to work. It takes time and effort to love and forgive up close!
The truth is that we probably all know someone that is “THOSE” people. What if it’s us? What if I’m “THOSE” people?
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
Where am I arrogant, judgmental, or even self-deceived? Am I harboring anger? Am I carrying offense?
We have to rid ourselves of anger and offense. It’s not healthy for us, and it does bare eternal consequences.
The devils strategy is to divide, distract, and discredit. He will use our anger against us. For every minute you’re angry you’ve lost a minute of joy, of peace, of the ability to make a difference.
BEING offended is inevitable, LIVING offended is a choice!
BEING offended is inevitable, LIVING offended is a choice!
Be kind and compassionate to each other! Forgive each other!