Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

An important facet of loving Jesus and walking with Him is always knowing the condition of our hearts.

For in the core of beings is who we really are and shows the true health of our Christian life.

This proverb tells us that we must guard our heart with all diligence.

Many people spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on security systems for their homes in order to keep those people and things most treasured safe.

But I have to ask the question of how many of us are monitoring and guarding our heart with all of our strength?

How many of us are daily checking the quality of hearts and their spiritual health?

This Scripture tells us that all of life flows from ours hearts, whether that stream is full of life and abundance or murky and toxic.

Today, I am going to speak about carrying an unoffended heart.

For offense is a guaranteed way to rob you from the full pleasures of God and living free on the inside.

As a shepherd in this house I want to see all of you walking in fullness and experiencing the deep love of Jesus but the poison of offense is a stumbling block that will keep that from happening.

So what is offense?

Definition: Annoyance or resentment brought about by a perceived insult to or disregard for oneself or one's standards or principles.

In fact in John chapter 7, Jesus uses a metaphor to describe the Holy Spirit as a river of living water that flows from the heart.

If the Holy Spirit is the river of living water that flows then offense in the human heart is the dam that cuts off the river and halts its current.

An important facet of loving Jesus and walking with Him is always knowing the condition of our hearts.

For in the core of beings is who we really are and shows the true health of our Christian life.

This proverb tells us that we must guard our heart with all diligence.

Many people spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on security systems for their homes in order to keep those people and things most treasured safe.

But I have to ask the question of how many of us are monitoring and guarding our heart with all of our strength?

How many of us are daily checking the quality of hearts and their spiritual health?

This Scripture tells us that all of life flows from ours hearts, whether that stream is full of life and abundance or murky and toxic.

Today, I am going to speak about carrying an unoffended heart.

For offense is a guaranteed way to rob you from the full pleasures of God and living free on the inside.

As a shepherd in this house I want to see all of you walking in fullness and experiencing the deep love of Jesus but the poison of offense is a stumbling block that will keep that from happening.

So what is offense?

Definition: Annoyance or resentment brought about by a perceived insult to or disregard for oneself or one's standards or principles.

In fact in John chapter 7, Jesus uses a metaphor to describe the Holy Spirit as a river of living water that flows from the heart.

If the Holy Spirit is the river of living water that flows then offense in the human heart is the dam that cuts off the river and halts its current.

One of the primary foundations of the kingdom of God is that Jesus’ leadership is good.

In other

words, Jesus uses His power with perfect love and infallible wisdom.

Understanding this

foundational truth causes us to be filled with trust in and gratitude for His leadership.

B. We are empowered to love Jesus to the measure that we have this trust and gratitude.

Satan’s

strategy to hinder us from loving Jesus is by accusing His leadership, so as to convince us that

He is not loving or wise.

We will be hindered to the measure we are offended at Him. Satan tells

us we are being mistreated by God.

The truth is that He treats us far better than we deserve.

C.

Many sincere believers have unperceived offense at Jesus’ leadership.

The residual effect dulls

their ability to love Him.

This will be one of the major battlefronts in the end of the age.

D. Jesus warned John the Baptist’s disciples to not be offended at His leadership in John’s life.

Many are offended at Jesus both for what He does and what He does not do, or what He allows.

2

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 … “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.” ()

Jesus offends our mind to reveal our heart to cause our hunger to grow and to bring our offenses

with Him to the surface so that they can be healed and so we can love Him with all of our heart.

There is a special blessing in trusting Jesus’ leadership before we see the final outcome of a

situation.

This is the only time in history we can express this aspect of love to Jesus.

29

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed.

Blessed are

those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

()

C. Our confession is that Jesus’ loving leadership works all things for good in our life.

Jesus

overrules the evil that others plan against us (), as well as our own bad choices.

28

We know that all things work together for good to those who love God.

()

4

He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was love.

()

E. Our true view of Jesus’ leadership comes to the surface in the context of difficulties and testing.

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, NKJV

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’

4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’”

6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says.

7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night?

Will he delay long over them?

8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily.

Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

-13New King James Version (NKJV)

10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.

11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.

12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

-20New King James Version (NKJV)

19 Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

-8New King James Version (NKJV)

6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

“Behold, I lay in Zion

A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,

And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”[a]

7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,[b]

“The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone,”[c]

8 and

“A stone of stumbling

And a rock of offense.”[d]

They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

New King James Version (NKJV)

12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.

14 Let them alone.