Sermon – “His Words ‘Could’ Be Offensive”

32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. 34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

32-33 “Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover for you? 34-37 “Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy. I’ve come to cut—make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrange-ments and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t de-serve me. 38-39 “If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me

This morning. My message the title to his words could be offensive. Sometimes. Jesus’ words could be offensive to some. You know as I thought about this message all week begin to prepare and I work on it and then I keep it in stuff all week and I thought you know you know I could say something that might offend. Some of you you know sometimes I could just be a jerk and maybe say some offensive. Something I shouldn’t have said. But God revealed to me this week that if God’s word offends you. If there’s something in God’s Word that offends you then guess what there’s something in your life that shouldn’t be there. But God revealed that to me the end of the week. It’s like if his word offend you. It’s not because he’s offensive. It’s because there’s something in there that he’s trying to work out. Amen Amen that’s enough. And that’s powerful. Said Thank You Lord. When he gave me that. Were done. Amen. I’m going to read a passage of Scripture and actually I’m going to re re read this in a different version. One for their own in the message. I’m going to read first from the new king New King James Version. Matthew ten versus thirty two thirty nine. Therefore whoever confesses me before men him I also will confess before my father who is in heaven. But whoever did not me before men him. I will also do not before my father who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword for I have come to set a manned against this. Other a daughter against her mother and a daughter in law against her mother in law and a man’s enemies enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. He who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me and he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it and he who loses his life for my sake will find it may God had His blessings to the hear and read in if his holy word. Let us pray. Father we do thank you and praise you for your word and father we just thank you that your word can cut deep you can cut deep in and divide father nor do your work in cut and pierce our hearts at times we thank you for that and father we just sank you that you love is so much that you want us to. To be divided you want to the Lord to make a decision for you. Thank you father that you draw all of spy your Holy Spirit and God I just pray that your word would be proclaimed this morning. I prayed or did anything in here that’s not of you Lord let it be gone. I just pray that your word be declared the Jew would receive the glory honor father for you are worthy you are worthy of all praise and adoration. Jesus you are worthy for we know that there is no other name under heaven by which men can be saved and we thank you Jesus. Thank you for the price that you paid one our behalf and Jesus’ name amen. You know some people may read that passage of scripture and say how in the world could Jesus Isaiah causing the Prince of Peace. The Prince of Peace. We know that he’s the compassionate Christ the Holy One the promoter of unity. How could he say that I didn’t come to bring peace but a sword. Some might even try to explain away what Jesus saying here we might even turn to some scriptures a search. That Jesus desires unity and not division. John seventeen twenty twenty three says I do not pray for these alone but also for those who will believe in Me through their word that they all may be one as you Father are in me and I in you that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that you sent me and the glory which you gave me I have given them that they may be one just as we are one I in them and you in May that they may be made perfect in one that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me have loved me. There’s a lot of be ones in in ones in that passage in there. The Lord really does want unity. He wants to unity but he wants unity between himself and the church and between believers. He doesn’t. These are that unity between believers and nonbelievers. He wants them to become believers. I want to read that same passage from Matthew Chapter ten from The Message Bible and he did find it and I think it kind of clears up there seems to be a little contradictory here this morning because Jesus want unity or does he want the vision the Message Bible was really fascinating. He says stand up for me against world opinion. Now we all know what the world’s opinion is that if we’re going to speak it. It needs to be politically correct. That is the world’s opinion folks because it’s the world’s opinion is if we stand up here and say well it’s wrong for a man and a man to marry or if it’s wrong to kill a baby through abortion. If we stand up here and say it’s wrong to commit adultery the world’s opinion is Who are you to say that that is wrong. Well it’s not me saying it. It is God’s Word say in it that it is wrong. Stand up for me against world opinion. He’s that God does not need us to defend him. Believe me we don’t need to defend God. He created all things but we are to proclaim God’s kingdom. We are to proclaim the truth. Stand up against the world’s opinions and stand I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. He says if you turn tail and run do not think I’ll cover for you don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy. Now we like cozy don’t wait. Come on we like cozy don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy said. I’ve come to cut make a sharp knife cut between son and father daughter and mother bride and mother in law all cut through these cosy domestic arrangements and free you for God how a lawyer he wants to cut out all that coziness so that we’ll be free to serve God a man that’s good stuff. Well meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me. You don’t deserve me if you prefer son or daughter over me. You don’t deserve me if you don’t go all the way with me through thick and thin. You don’t deserve me if your first concern is to look after yourself you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me you’ll find both yourself and me. Not a wonderful. Version of that I like it. Let’s look a little deeper into this would speak. About families. Being divided turning on one another. Jesus brought a message that wasn’t always and isn’t always very popular. The Apostle said that the message is a stumbling block because although the gospel is good news. It is preceded by some bad news the news that we are all sinners and need a Savior is not always kindly excepted is it. Many people get riled up when they’re told that they’re a sinner. What do you mean Who are you to tell me I am a sinner. They become offended. Whenever we make them realize their need of a Savior that they are of sin or. There are many things that Jesus said it could be offensive in Matthew eight twenty two he said follow me and let the dead bird their own dead. Well that is a little fence of let the dead take care of themselves but we all know the truth that the man’s father had even died. The man was really say and well I’m going to hang out with family a while until he passes and then bury him then later I’ll come follow you is what he was really saying in Matthew sixteen twenty four. He said if anyone would come after me. He must be not himself take up his cross and follow me and Mark ten Jesus told the rich young ruler. To go sell everything that you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven then come follow me in the man’s face fell because he was very wealthy. Jesus would often heal on the Sabbath and we know that that offended priest offended many here allows disciples to pick corn on the Sabbath because they were hungry that offended the fair C S It one point Jesus’ disciples cautioned Jesus by telling him that the fair seas were. Offended by his actions in Matthew fifteen you read that account. Jesus is not being insensitive by his actions or by his words to understand why he did this we must understand the meaning of the word offend the Greek language in the Greek language the original rendering is scandal ie So which we get scandalize So the word literally means to shock a person a fan means to shock by outrageous means if necessary to arouse human prejudice within us. You know there was a man in my life that was in my life for about twenty years of very good man and I was kind of like the son he didn’t have he was a great guy he loved his family. He loved his children he loved his grandchildren and he was just a swell all around guy. He was funny. He may just laugh. But for a long time he didn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ he was a good man but he was a saved man because he didn’t know Jesus but through the process of getting prostate cancer and through that illness. Came to know Jesus through much prayer through much Bible study through talking with him and encouraging me but one thing he said that we’ve never forgotten. He got going got back to church and he said the pastor ruffled his feathers. Shocked him to get it. He shocked him he said something that offended him it ruffled his feathers and praise be to God he accepted Christ. And believe on Him as Lord and Savior. That man was my father in law wonderful man I loved him dearly. And I was able to talk about him for the first time without crying but he show. Rocked him he offended him. That’s what it takes sometimes. You know as I meditated upon the part where Jesus says He did not come to bring peace but a sword. I thought of another passage in First Kings Chapter three. We’ve all probably read that passage where the great wisdom of Solomon Solomon is revealed. There were two women to harlots As a matter of fact they lived together they were both pregnant or use Narcan about. They were both pregnant. And they both gave birth to a child within a few days apart. You know the story. One child died in the middle of the night. So the mother awoke and found her dead child and she looked over and seen that the other child Sue alive. So she switches the babies. Goes back to sleep. They wake up in the morning. The one woman finds a dead baby. But after she examines that baby because you know how much a mother knows her child. She knows every little curve that face that knows the eyes the ears. She examines that child and she says this is not my child. You’ve stolen much out and give me your dead child no no. Yes you did so they go before the king and they present their case she says this woman’s child died and she took much out give me your dead child and back and forth he says no but my child’s alive when yours a dead one and back and forth and back and forth and back and forth they went fond of the king says bring me a sword. They bring out a sword he says I’m going to cut the child into divided in two and you can have half and you can have half will settle this thing of course we all know that the real mother says no don’t touch the child give the child to her. Spare is life that revealed the truth. So what does the sword do it reveals the truth. It reveals the law in the truth. That is the sword to Jesus Christ brings it divides to truth from the law they men. It represents truth. And you know then everyone has to make a decision. We must make a decision that sword is going to separate We must make a decision or we going to stand for the truth. Are we going to stand for the law. Some people say well I’m just not ready to make a decision. I don’t want to make a decision now. Well then they’ve already made a decision because either store for him or you are against him. One or the other there’s no riding the fence with Jesus. Now you men you’re for him or against him. He wants us to make a decision to put him above everything else in our lives. He wants us to put him above our fathers him above our daughters him above our mothers him above or wives in our husbands He wants us to put him above everything else that is in our lives verse thirty seven said anyone who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and one who love son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. It’s kind of like the Abraham test. You remember God told Abraham to go sacrifice that son that he had promised so many years before and he found he gets that child nice as I want to go sacrificing and Abraham was faithful. That’s what God wants it’s that Abraham test. Are you willing to put him above all these other things that he’s given us. He calls on us to make a decision about the prior to these in our lives that places him first to put him above. Of career to pay him above the comfort of the cozy life to put him above our personal hopes and dreams to put him above. Yes. As I’ve said even our families. This does not mean that we neglect our families or the responsibility of taking care of our families in the name of spirituality. The apostle Paul wrote that the one who does not care for his family is worse than an unbeliever caring for and loving your family is part of our service to the Lord Jesus Christ. But it cannot take priority over our dedication to him or decision to follow Christ could even mean that our friends may turn away from us because we no longer hang out the same old places that we used to hang out. We no longer do those things that we used to do and think we’re so much fun because now we realize we’re simple things our friends my daughter and might not understand our decision for Christ that separates us from the things of the world. We have to make a decision but once we’ve made that decision for Christ then we have to have the determination first thirty eight said if anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me so that takes determination. Commitment to take up that cross out that hurts done cross that cross as a torture device and we’re to take it up and follow Him Jesus says if you’re going to follow me it’s going to take that kind of determination a willingness to follow whatever the cost. There’s a song called Whatever It Takes and one verse says take my house and my lands my dreams and all my plans for I’m placing my whole life in your hands. And if you’d call to call me today to a land far away. A lord I go and your will obey good we sing that and say that I mean it or we determine I’ve read a story that had a high school they had a career day and had all the kids assembled and they invited the army in the Air Force and the Marine recruiters. To come and give their pitch before the students that are assembled there that day. Well one little problem happened. The army in the Air Force recruiters took up almost all the time. By the time their marine cruiser got up there. He had two minutes to give his pitch. So he stood there. And he stared at him with that most serious marine face that he could find and he says I doubt that there is more than three here that has what it takes to be a Marine. But I want to see those three of my table when we’re done. He goes and leaves and goes to his table guess what his table was surrounded. He gave him a challenge. His table was surrounded. Jesus saying the same thing to his followers. It’s not going to be easy. It’s going to be tough. It’s going to take a lot of determination the Marine recruiter might say Do you have what it takes Jesus say and do you have what it takes because it takes determination even a crisis paid for our salvation with his own blood. It’s a free gift we can add to it. We can’t take away from it. He makes it clear though that it will cost us something to follow him. And that something is our lives. Is our lives. Do you have that determination. Do you have that desire that will that power. Why in a world without appeal to anybody. The right man who wants it go clear in a cross but it is appealing because we have a deeper understanding down here that it’s worthwhile that it has eternal rewards. We understand that. Great things sometimes requires a lot of difficult circumstances sometimes you’ve got to work really hard. You’ve got to be determined but that reward pays off and that reward is the last point today the reward of following Jesus worst thirty nine said Whoever finds his life will lose it. If we spend our entire lives seeking net cosy life. Then that cozy life is all we’re going to have this short life upon this earth. But if we lose our life for his sake. Then we will find whoever loses his life for my sake. Jesus says will find it you want to find life and lose your life for Jesus Christ and you will find true life. That’s the only way you’ll ever find true life is to surrender this life on this earth. If we attempt to hold on to these lives. We are going to find it. But if we surrender our lives will discover real life. Life without Jesus is shallow and empty. But we give our lives to him or hearts can find a true home. We were created to be in a relationship with him. And we can’t do that unless we surrender fully to him that is his purpose for our lives that we will have abundant life real life. That’s the way it’s supposed to be that’s the way he meant it to be. Until sin entered in. So we give ourselves to him. Surrender to him. That’s the call today surrender to Jesus.