Prepared To Lift

Prepared To Lift Michael Morse / General CrossFit / Forgiveness; Offense; Offend; Stumble; Stumbling Block / Luke 17:1-4 Introduction Strength is part of finding or achieving crossfitness. Strength allows us to complete the work before us without strength though we may feel up to the task at hand we would be inadequate for it. Fitness includes a measure of strength and so strength must also be developed. Strength for what though? Depends on the type of fitness you are developing. To develop strength requires lifting - a simple word to denote moving a heavy weight or load. The more strength desired or needed the heavier the load must be in training. In order to develop strength one must be prepared to lift for there is no strength without lifting. Spiritual crossfitness calls us as disciples to have strength also - a different type of strength. Perhaps not typically what would be considered strength either at least not by worldly standards. I invite you to join me this morning as we learn how to develop and hone this strength required. This strength is what allows us as the body of Christ to show the love of Christ to world in need of Christ. Luke chapter 17 opens with Jesus speaking a warning that in order to develop strength for spiritual crossfitness we must be prepared to lift to develop the true strength. Luke 17:1-2 CSB 1 He said to his disciples, "Offenses will certainly come, but woe to the one through whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to stumble. Luke 17:3-4 CSB 3 Be on your guard. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and comes back to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him." Push Yourself Christian Standard Bible Chapter 17 He said to his disciples, "Offenses will certainly come, but woe to the one through whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3 Be on your guard. Offenses are certain Jesus as straight forward and as certain as He can He tells the disciples (and all of us this morning) offenses will certainly come. They are a certainty in life as much as death and taxes are. You can count on there being offenses. Sometimes it seems that there is a greater offense because there wasnt an expectation for there to be an offense. We need to hear this because Jesus as I said is speaking to His disciples and if you are here this morning in Christ Jesus He is speaking to you, and if you are here or listening this morning and you are not in Christ Jesus - listen to what He is saying to His disciples - there will be offenses - even among yourselves and among the church - in fact perhaps better stated especially among yourselves and the church. The church is comprised of sinners so it should be a surprise that there would be offenses. The offense seems to be greater though because we have the expectation that God's people wouldnt do such and such or that such things shouldnt happen at church. This is correct not making excuses for the offenses but pointing out that Jesus is explicitly stating that there would be offenses. It was and is a certainty. We live in a fallen and rebellious world and we will be battling sin (others and our own) until the day Jesus calls us home or comes back to bring us home. Woe to the offender Jesus has strong words to those who would offend and bring offense. Just because it is inevitable for offenses to come does not diminish the guilt and responsibility of those who bring the offenses. The word offenses - is the Greek word skandalon and we have an english word that sounds very similar - scandal. The most literal translation would be occasions to stumble - originally used to refer to the setting of a trap or snare. These things must happen in the world because of sin, but Jesus' warning should caution us from allowing ourselves to so easily participate in bringing them. Throughout the Bible we come across scandal a few times - and some of the time it can be a good thing - such as the way people would stumble and trip over Jesus or His Gospel. Romans 9:33 CSB 33 As it is written, Look, I am putting a stone in Zion to stumble over and a rock to trip over, and the one who believes on him will not be put to shame. 1 Corinthians 1:23 CSB 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. Galatians 5:11 CSB 11 Now brothers and sisters, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. Jesus is giving a warning here to His disciples. Its not for us to apply outside the Church and the body but within the body of Christ. Jesus gives a stern warning that it would be better for the person to have a millstone hung on his neck and to be thrown into the sea, than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. A millstone came in many sizes, but perhaps in mind was the millstone used for milling wheat with a large hole in the center and driven around by donkey, weighing about 1 ton. Jesus said it would be better - literally more profitable or more advantageous to be dragged down into the sea and drown than to be an offense or cause for stumbling Little ones perhaps refers to not just children though pictured but to cause those who like children are coming and believing and following Jesus. Woe and warning to those who would prevent or cause those following Jesus to stumble and fall and not follow Jesus or to sin freely in Jesus. False or errant counsel, leading one to sin through liberty (food, days, etc), divisiveness, and worldliness can all lead one to stumble. Anything that would lead one away from the pathway of faith, devotedness and holiness is a stumbling block. Be ready to handle them We all know verses and chapters are not inspired. When reading and studying this passage the words "Be on your guard" may appear in verse three but I see these words and this command from Jesus connecting both the offender and the offended. In other words this command to be on guard is for both sides. Be on guard not only of offending but also of being offended. Be on guard - in other words be ready - for both when you offend and when you are offended. You must be ready to handle this obstacle, this situation and be prepared to lift this weight - this stumbling block out of the way. Jesus is not saying be ready to be offended - like we must look for every possible way to be offended or to take offense - but to be ready to do what is needed to not be offensive or offended and to work it out when you are. On of the surest ways to stumble a new or young believer is to not be ready to handle an offense Either as the one who caused the offense or the one who was offended - the younger one can see how you handle it or it is handled and many times what happens is one of two things - they learn that is the way to handle it for themselves or they leave their church (perhaps church altogether) and forsake the fellowship It requires heavy lifting and we need to push ourselves to be ready to handle offenses - when we commit them and when we receive them. Lift Heavy Christian Standard Bible Chapter 17 If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. There are several heavy weights that we must lift in order to build the strength necessary. Without lifting the heavy weights we wont increase our strength as needed to be spiritually crossfit. So lets see what weights we must lift. Rebuke This is easy for some of us. We would love to tell others of their offense and let them know exactly what we think. Jesus says if your brother sins, rebuke him. Other translations add the words "against you" If your brother sins against "YOU" rebuke him Part of this heavy lift of rebuking is rebuking the right person by the right person. The offended person must be the one who goes to the one who sinned against them and offended them. Then they need to rebuke them of the offense. When you go to the person - remember your relationship - they are your brother or sister in Christ. You are going to rebuke and correct them not to condemn but to persuade them towards reconciliation in the example of Christ Jesus. The purpose is not to get even or give them a piece of your mind, humiliate or get revenge or any other disciplinary action. The purpose of a rebuke is restoration of fellowship. All rebukes are to be delivered in love. Love is the rule and is the measure of a disciple. Love has a short memory and keeps no record of wrong doings. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 CSB 4 Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, 5 is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love seeks to reveal the truth - love is not ignoring an offense to harbor it and become bitter by it. Love seeks to reveal a hurt to heal a hurt. 1 Corinthians 13:6 CSB 6 Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. Love also expressed in not being offended so easily and instead covers a multitude of sin and is longsuffering and enduring not ready to throw out everyone who sins or violates 1 Corinthians 13:7 CSB 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Galatians 5:22 NKJV 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 1 Peter 4:8 CSB 8 Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. None of these verses means that we cannot become offended and if we do we arent loving, Jesus clearly states our brothers and sisters in Christ may (more than likely will) sin against us and offend us and in love we come to rebuke and correct the one whom sinned - we dont gossip to others and we dont bottle up and stuff it down. A loving rebuke seeks to set things straight with the person who offended you. Thats some heavy lifting Repent We must all practice this one more and more. What a heavy weight to lift! To repent requires one to submit to the offended person and admit fault. How much easier it would be if we could do this but for some reason (SIN) our natural tendency isnt to admit fault and be broken for the offense. No we would rather defend ourself and our sin and make it the other person's fault. Most of the time we would rather defend our offenses than resolve them, but this is what we must be guard for. Consider the attitude of Paul to the Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 8:9-11 CSB 9 But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone sees you, the one who has knowledge, dining in an idol's temple, won't his weak conscience be encouraged to eat food offered to idols? 11 So the weak person, the brother or sister for whom Christ died, is ruined by your knowledge. 1 Corinthians 8:12-13 CSB 12 Now when you sin like this against brothers and sisters and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food causes my brother or sister to fall, I will never again eat meat, so that I won't cause my brother or sister to fall. When an offense is brought to light we must repent - this is the goal of the rebuke and repentance among each other as the body of Christ is expected and commanded. Matthew 5:23-24 CSB 23 So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Forgive This lift is much harder for us - probably the hardest one. Jesus then says if your brother or sister repents forgive them. We have no way of judging whether one's repentance is genuine or not. We arent called to judge one's genuineness but we are called to forgive all who repent. We must accept them at their word that they repent. To repent is to change one's mind, or attitude or belief about something. In this case its accepting the rebuke and admitting wrongdoing and asking forgiveness. What do we do with the person who has never repented? First have you gone to them with a loving rebuke, perhaps they are unaware of the offense, and the only one who knows there was one is you. Let's say we have lovingly rebuked and made them aware of the offense but they never repent or ask forgiveness, does this mean we dont have to forgive them or do we forgive them anyway? I believe Jesus teaches and the Bible teaches that we forgive even if they dont ask for it. We forgive and refuse to hold grudges Luke 23:33-34 CSB 33 When they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing." And they divided his clothes and cast lots. Acts 7:59-60 CSB 59 While they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" 60 He knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" And after saying this, he fell asleep. Our counterattack or counteraction for sin and offense against us is to forgive others. Forgiveness is what frees us from malice, bitterness and resentment. Perhaps someone has wronged you long ago and you carry bitterness and resentment in your heart about it. You know you do because anytime something touches that wound instead of it being healed its festering and weeping full of infection and raw hurt. Jesus gave the example that you can forgive even if they dont ask for it, but that we forgive especially if they do come asking for it. It was in a church in Munich that I saw him, a balding heavyset man in a gray overcoat, a brown felt hat clutched between his hands. People were filing out of the basement room where I had just spoken, moving along the rows of wooden chairs to the door at the rear. It was 1947 and I had come from Holland to defeated Germany with the message that God forgives. It was the truth they needed most to hear in that bitter, bombed-out land, and I gave them my favorite mental picture. Maybe because the sea is never far from a Hollander's mind, I liked to think that that's where forgiven sins were thrown. "When we confess our sins," I said, "God casts them into the deepest ocean, gone forever." The solemn faces stared back at me, not quite daring to believe. There were never questions after a talk in Germany in 1947. People stood up in silence, in silence collected their wraps, in silence left the room. And that's when I saw him, working his way forward against the others. One moment I saw the overcoat and the brown hat; the next, a blue uniform and a visored cap with its skull and crossbones. It came back with a rush: the huge room with its harsh overhead lights, the pathetic pile of dresses and shoes in the center of the floor, the shame of walking naked past this man. I could see my sister's frail form ahead of me, ribs sharp beneath the parchment skin. Betsie, how thin you were! Betsie and I had been arrested for concealing Jews in our home during the Nazi occupation of Holland; this man had been a guard at Ravensbrück concentration camp where we were sent. Now he was in front of me, hand thrust out: "A fine message, fräulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!" And I, who had spoken so glibly of forgiveness, fumbled in my pocketbook rather than take that hand. He would not remember me, of course-how could he remember one prisoner among those thousands of women? But I remembered him and the leather crop swinging from his belt. It was the first time since my release that I had been face to face with one of my captors and my blood seemed to freeze. "You mentioned Ravensbrück in your talk," he was saying. "I was a guard in there." No, he did not remember me. "But since that time," he went on, "I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fräulein"-again the hand came out-"will you forgive me?" And I stood there-I whose sins had every day to be forgiven-and could not. Betsie had died in that place-could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking? It could not have been many seconds that he stood there, hand held out, but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do. For I had to do it-I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us. "If you do not forgive men their trespasses," Jesus says, "neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses." I knew it not only as a commandment of God, but as a daily experience. Since the end of the war I had had a home in Holland for victims of Nazi brutality. Those who were able to forgive their former enemies were able also to return to the outside world and rebuild their lives, no matter what the physical scars. Those who nursed their bitterness remained invalids. It was as simple and as horrible as that. And still I stood there with the coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is not an emotion-I knew that too. Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. "Jesus, help me!" I prayed silently. "I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling." And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes. "I forgive you, brother!" I cried. "With all my heart!" For a long moment we grasped each other's hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God's love so intensely as I did then. And having thus learned to forgive in this hardest of situations, I never again had difficulty in forgiving: I wish I could say it! I wish I could say that merciful and charitable thoughts just naturally flowed from me from then on. But they didn't. If there's one thing I've learned at 80 years of age, it's that I can't store up good feelings and behavior-but only draw them fresh from God each day. Lift Often Luke 17:4 CSB 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and comes back to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him." Its easy to something one time and endure for that one time. It requires a perseverance and fortitude to continue to endure time and time again. That is how strength is built and fitness developed by continuing to endure the hard things and lift the heavy weights often - over and over again repetitively. Jesus gives one last enduring command if one sins against you seven times in one day. Jesus is turning the screws here and trying to get His disciples to hear and obey and understand the calling and the lift that they and we must be prepared to do - over and over again. You see its one thing to have to forgive someone one time, but it requires a special strength and dependence upon Jesus to forgive someone over and over again - get this in the same day! Using the number 7 usually denotes a completeness or a fulness of perfection. Forgive as often as needed - I want to drop the mic right here because for many of us we have limits on our mercy and forgiveness. There is a limit to us forgiving - especially to someone who continues to do the same thing over and over in the same day. If someone were to do that and keep coming back and saying sorry and asking for forgiveness I would judge whether they were really sincere - I see this with my kids alot - but before we laugh too much if we are honest adults do it just with less of a discerning audience (parents looking on) Yet it doesnt matter what we judge someone's sincerity of repentance Jesus says we MUST forgive them. Forgiveness is something we are told we must do - there is no skirting around this. As disciples of Jesus who desire and seek to be crossfit we must be prepared to forgive and to forgive often. The cross stands as a giant reminder of forgiveness - where all who have sinned can come for forgiveness of all our sins we have commited and will yet commit. Conclusion Here is the heavy lifting in a nutshell - we are to seek forgiveness and give forgiveness and then repeat over and over again as much as is needed. The church is the example to the world of the forgiveness found at the cross in the person of Jesus who came from heaven born as a baby so that we might be forgiven of our sins through His sacrifice on the cross. To be unforgiving - is to harbor resentment - and harboring resentment is best described as drinking poison while waiting for the other person to die. When people offend us its easy to make them pay for hurting us. When we offend and seek forgiveness we become bitter when they make us suffer. When people repeatedly hurt us over and over again giving up on them is easy - requires no effort. But we desire to be disciples of Jesus and we want to be the church - His hands and feet and body here on earth - this means we dont quit church because we get offended, we dont give up on those who refuse to forgive us - it means we all come and submit ourselves to Jesus and ask for forgiveness that we might again have the heart to ask for and to give forgiveness to each other. Jesus says we must forgive others - our Father has forgiven us and our forgiveness of others demonstrates His forgiveness 1 John 1:9 CSB 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If you are the offender - seek forgiveness through repentance If you have been offended forgive those who have offended you - especially if they have asked forgiveness - forgive them as many times as necessary We must be stepping stones and no longer used as stumbling blocks turning those in the church away and keeping those outside the church from ever coming in. In order to forgive others - we must ourselves first be forgiven by God. Know this that if you come to God and instead of defending yourself and your offenses you came and admitted your wrong doing and ask for forgiveness - He will forgive you for each and every one of them. He forgives by removing your sin as far as the east is from the west - placing your sins on the bottom of the ocean where they will be no more remembered. Page . Exported from Logos Bible Software, 12:48 PM December 26, 2020.