The Offended and the Offender

📖THE OFFENDED AND THE OFFENDER
Pastor Jeff Smith
8/17/25

📖 Text: John 16:1–4
🗝️ Theme: Warnings about what might cause us to be offended or become the offender

🧠 Opening Thought

In John 16:1–4, Jesus warns His disciples of trials connected to John 15—especially the world’s hatred for God, His Word, and His messengers. These are hard sayings, much like John 6:60–66, which caused many to be offended and walk no more with Jesus.

The word offend means more than just “to disapprove” or “to be upset.” Biblically, it also means:

🪨 To stumble

🚶‍♂️💨 To desert

⬇️ To fall away from one you once followed

Paul warned that in the last days there would be a falling away (apostasy). Jesus gives three clear warnings about people and situations that can cause us to stumble—or make us the stumbling block.
📖 Key Verse: Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. – Psalm 119:165

    I.         Who & What Are The Offences or Offenders

1. 🚪 Those Who Want to Put You Out

·       Don’t be put out. (Jn. 12:42–43; Jn. 9:34) Don’t let your light be put out.

·       Don’t be the offender looking to put out the light of others

2. ⬇️ Those Who Want to Put You Down

·       Don’t be put down. Refuse to let worldly or religious criticism or ridicule push you from following Christ.

·       Don’t be the offender by building yourself up while tearing others down.

3. 📦 Those Who Want to Put You Away

·       Don’t be put away. Don’t let rejection or persecution keep you from following Christ

Don’t be the offender by putting others away from where God wants them

     I.         Why Folks Are Offended or Offenders

1. 🧠 Well-Meaning But Wrong-Minded – Think They Are Doing God’s Will

·       Without a renewed mind (Rom. 12:1–2), a believer can deceive themselves into thinking they’re obeying God while doing the opposite.

·       The will of God never contradicts the Word of God.

·       Application: Have the mind of Christ (Phil. 2), humble toward God and His truth.

2. ⚒️ Hard-Working But Not Hard-Wired – Think They Are Doing God’s Work

·       Religious activity ≠ serving God (Rom. 16:17–18; Mt. 23).

·       Outward beauty and good works can hide inward corruption and false doctrine.

·       Corinthian Examples:

o   🗣️ Tongues without edification.

o   🍽️ Lord’s Supper turned into a feast for self.

o   🥊 Contending for the faith just to fight.

Warning: Even a good deed becomes sin if done in disobedience or pride (Mk. 7:7; Heb. 12:28).

3. 📜 Religious But Reprobate – Think They Know God, But Don’t

·       Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will know God or be known of God (Mt. 7:21–23).

·       True salvation is through knowing Jesus Christ personally as your Lord and Saviour (1 Jn. 5:13).

Application: Make sure you know for sure are saved.

      III.         How To Overcome Offences & Offenders

·       Be ready – For scoffers and deceivers, both saved and lost. Jesus told His disciples beforehand so they would be prepared and ready to overcome these challenges.

·       Remember – You can’t remember something unless you’ve been told it. So, you’ve been told, now you need to remember.

·       Respond – Today, we have the same responsibility to overcome the challenges, obstacles, and stumblingblocks in our way.

·       Repent – If you’ve been offended, you need to repent and be renewed. If you’ve been the offender, you need to repent and be restored.

Closing Challenge

1.     🚫 Don’t be offended, stumble, or fall away because of the offenders.

2.     🛡️ Don’t be an offender or a stumblingblock to others causing them to fall away. Get your heart and mind right, renewed, or regenerated before it’s too late.