Jesus’ Words in Red Offense

Jesus’ Words in Red

Offense

"Does this offend you?

Our fleshly feelings and understanding will often be offended by the Spirit of God 

How will we handle the offense?

When 5000 were offended they grumbled

But Peter said

"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

Offense

a breach of a law or rule; an illegal act

annoyance or resentment brought about by a perceived insult to

or disregard for oneself or one's standards or principles

The Greek word Jesus uses in John 6:61 is Scandalize

shock or horrify (someone) by a real or imagined

violation of propriety or morality

shock, appall, outrage, horrify, disgust, revolt, repel, sicken

There is a lot to be offended by in the world.

Being scandalized is very common.

It seems like there are people

who love to be offensive.

An offense should come when there is

an illegal act or breach in a law or rule.

There has been a growing

offense against law and rules.

Everyone’s personal standards

or principles are protected.

We have come to a place where we are told

we should not be offended by the offenders.

Offenses come and we need to

know how to deal with them.

Jesus spoke some controversial things.

  

When Jesus was speaking to the 5000 there

came a point when those followers said…

"This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"

John 6:60

Scandals and offenses stir up

grumbling and that is what happened.

So many times when we are offended we look

for others to sympathize with our complaint.

It is our feelings we are

protecting, more than the truth.

Other times we grumble when what we hear

or see does not fit in our box of information.

History tells us offenses and scandals

don’t just happen in the world.

The Church has had its share and the

different denominations are evidence.

In John 6, Jesus has a good following and in the

following there is grumbling about His teaching.

We should understand that even Jesus

had to deal with the offenses of others

and that what He taught would offend.

(Not like you or I would get offended by anything Jesus said. 

How far from the truth Jesus has offended

me too many times to count.)

Notice Jesus addressed the

offense by asking the question..

    

"Does this offend you?”

Jesus does not try to make everybody happy.

But He tries to show where the breakdown is.

“What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before!

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing.

The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

Yet there are some of you who do not believe."

John 6:62-64

The breakdown comes when we can

not see or understand the Spirit.

Many of the disciples left Jesus that day.

Jesus says to the ones who remained…

"You do not want to leave too, do you?"

Peter answered in a profound way…

"Lord, to whom shall we go?

You have the words of eternal life.

We believe and know that you

are the Holy One of God."

 John 6:68-69

It was those who stayed with Jesus

that saw the fulfillment of verse 62.

“What if you see the Son of Man

ascend to where he was before!”

You and I must admit we have a hard time

understanding the teachings

and ways of the Holy Spirit.

God’s ways are not our ways.

Our fleshly feelings and logic get in the

way too often of understanding the truth.

We cannot give up who else

has the words of eternal life.

Even Mary the mother of Jesus had

to put things told her on a shelf

until she could understand them.

 “But Mary treasured up all these things

and pondered them in her heart.”

Luke 2:19 NIV

The scriptures tell us offenses will come

and they will show who is approved.

 1 Corinthians 11:19

So be sure you handle offenses properly.

Don’t be guilty of causing offenses

that cause people to stumble.

 Matthew 18:7

Scripture Reading

John 6:60-71 NIV

60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? 62 What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him." 

66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

67 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.

68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

70 Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!"  71(He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)