I was raised in Church all my life, I’ve been in ministry over 30 years I’ve seen it time and time and time again, these dark assassins of offense picking off good people.

Matthew 24:10–1410 And thenmany will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Thenmany false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And becauselawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Intro:
1. I know that the context of our text is Jesus teaching about the signs of His second coming and the woes that surround His coming.

I also know that the context also is about the persecution that will befall many leading up to Christ return.

- Yet I also know that there is a connection to verses 10-14 to our current lives.

Matthew 24:10 (NKJV) — 10And then manywill be offended(we live in a offended society), will betray one another, and will hate one another.

- Vs 10 – shows offense starts a process that leads spiritually away from God.

Matthew 24:11 (NKJV) — 11Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.

- Vs 11 – because believers and non-believers are offended they will follow false prophets.

- They will follow one who offers them hope they want to hear. This is true for Christians and non-Christians.

Speaking of non-Christians –
2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NKJV) 1But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2For men will be lovers of themselves,….5having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

Speaking of Christians
2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NKJV) 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

1 Timothy 4:1-2 (NKJV) 1Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,

Matthew 24:12 (NKJV) — 12And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

- It started with offense, then hatred and betrayal, then accepting false teaching for truth, then a cold heart.

- Vs 12 – you cannot hold offense in your heart and have the true love of God in your heart. Therefore true love grows cold and a cold heart leads to lawlessness.

- They may of a “form of godliness” but deny the true power of godliness.

Matthew 24:13 (NKJV) — 13But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

- Vs 13 – shows you don’t have to succumb to offense

Matthew 24:14 (NKJV) — 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

- Vs 14 – shows the church’s mission to take the gospel to every tribe, every tongue, every nation.

- YET A church that is holding offense or embroiled in conflict, which usually starts with offense, cannot fulfill Christ’s mandate.

- A Christian that is holding offense cannot fulfill Christ’s mandate.


1. Crucial issues in Western Civilization Church.

Doctrinal purity

I think doctrinal purity is becoming the greater issues because of these two crucial issues within the Church – offense and spiritual authority.

I believe every Christian should read The Bait of satanand Under Cover by John Bevere

LISTEN - Without question, God loves you and wants the best for you but there are a great number of believers that will not reach their potential in Christ because they have taken offense and usually those that have taken offense have a problem with spiritual authority within the Church, God’s Kingdom.

So the purpose of this series is to bring healing AND toliberateyou from the trap of satan and to armyou with the truth.

- Paul said, “we are not ignorant of the devil’s devices” {in other words, the Word of God shows us the devil’s devices} -

- AND God also said, “my people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge”


2.Offense is going to strike you, the spiritual assassins of darkness’ bullets will fly and hit you but you can have Christ’s armor that is 100% bullet proof.

Luke 17:1 (NKJV) 1Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!

Matthew 24 – Offended scon-da-lead-zoh
- to put a stumbling block or impediment in the way, upon which another may trip and fall, metaph. to offend
- to entice to sin
- to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey
- to cause to fall away
- to be offended in one, i.e. to see in another what I disapprove of and what hinders me from acknowledging his authority
- to cause one to judge unfavourably or unjustly of another
- to be displeased, be indignant

In Luke 17:1 Offense - The Greek word translated offense is skandalon–
- The root of this Greek word refers a bait stick or a snare, a trap.
- This word means, “to put a snarein the way, hence to cause to stumble, to give offense.”
- Any person or thing by which one is “entrapped”, drawn into error or sin

Jesus said in John 6:63 that the words that He speaks are spirit. Offense is spiritual more so than physical.

- Something may have happened to you physically that caused you to be offended but the offense is in your heartnotyour physicalbody.

- Yet harbor offense long enoughand it will more than likely affect your health.

- Story of lady in the hospital with chronic illness and the pastor who saw a picture in his mind.


3. Why does it seem that offense happens more in the church?

When you got saved it was wonderful! All was harp music and clouds of joy. Then someone did something to hurt you and it wasn’t someone of the world, it was someone that was a “believer”.

Psalm 55:12-14 (NLT) 12It is not an enemy who taunts me— I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me— I could have hidden from them. 13Instead, it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend. 14What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God.

Levels of expectation. Here’s the reason why offense seems more prevalent among believers, “companions of the faith, friends in the faith”.

1) Ever hear this statement – “The world treats me better than most Christians” - that’s because their expectation of the world is very low.

2) Levels from lowest to highest
· World – lowest
· Friends – a bit higher
· Believer – still higher
· Family and Spouse – very high
· Pastors/Ministers/Church Leaders – one of the highest


4. The RESULTS of the infection inflicted by the dark sniper’s bullet of offense

Matthew 24:10 (NKJV) 10And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.

How does offense lead to betrayal and hate?

- Proverbs 18:19 (NKJV) A brother offended is harder to winthan a strong city (An offended believer has built a wall around them.)

- In the New Testament they are not called walls rather strongholds – the stronghold is in the mind 2 Cor 10:3-5 /

- Strongholds are thoughts that run contrary to the will of God.

In this Prov 18:19 – A strong city in ancient times was strong because of the wall build around it. A wall was to protect what was inside. You kept out who you perceived was your enemy and you let in who you thought was your ally.

- SIDE NOTE: Many times those that have been offended run in packs because they are looking for allies.

Those with walls up are susceptible for betrayal.

- Betrayal is when I seek my protection and my benefit at the expense of the one I have a relationship with.

- It’s of the Adamic nature and it’s automatic.

- It will automatically seek revenge and betrayal.

- Thus, through Christ in you, you must resist revenge and betrayal.

Betrayal leads to hatred.

- What is hatred – it is not an emotional outburst of anger – that’s anger – hatred means loveless or to have no love.

Here’s a shocker – hate is equal to murder 1 John 3:14-15

1 John 3:14-15 (NKJV)14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.


5.Taking offense, the stronghold of offense, will lead you to become spiritually barren.

In Israel there are two main bodies of water –

- Sea of Galilee has the Jordan river flowing into it and the Jordan river flowing out – freely it receives, freely it gives.

- That life-giving river flows into the dead sea. Why is it dead? It has life flowing into it? It’s dead decause the Dead sea only receives and does not give.

You can have the life-giving river of God, meaning the Word and the Hoy Spirit, flowing into your life but if you have offense in your life you become a receiver and not a giver.

- Not true! I give, I do good works, I give of my time, I give finances,….

When you take up an offense you are harboring unforgiveness and it will bring death to your life no matter how much of the River of God flows into your life.

If you do NOT take the antidote to counteract the infection from the bullet of offense it will lead to un-forgiveness, bitterness, hatred and spiritual barrenness.


You can be in the middle of, surrounded by the manifest presence of God and not find lasting healing because you’re still infected with offense.


6.The Bible confirms offense is a trap of the devil that captures a person.

2 Timothy 2:24–26 (NKJV) — 24And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

Remember In Luke 17:1 Offense - The Greek word translated offense is skandalon –
- The root of this Greek word refers a bait stick or a snare, a trap.

- This word means, “to put a snare in the way, hence to cause to stumble, to give offense.”

Any person or thing by which one is “entrapped”, drawn into error or sinMany times those in opposition, hostile, whether it be direct aggression or passive aggression, are those that have taken the bait of satan.

Notice that there are 3 things that those in opposition who are snared by the devil in offense must do before they can escape the snare of the devil. I see the end result stated first…
1) Repentance
2) Come to the knowledge of the truth (God’s Word) – meaning you obey the Word, not just hear it.
3) They must come to their senses. Meaning they stop blaming others and take responsibility for their response to the offense.

Closing

Matthew 24:10 (NKJV) 10And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.

Luke 17:1 (NKJV) 1Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!

1. Are you in the sniper’s sites?

2. Have you been struck by this assassin’s bullet of offense?

3. You can be set free -

A. You must come to your senses. Meaning you must stop blaming others and take responsibility for your response to the offense.

B. Pray as King David

Psalm 139:23-24 (NKJV) 23Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.


4. Understand that what you do with the offense will determine your future.

5. Throughout this series here are some of the questions or issues concerning offense we’re going to search out the Word of God for.

A. Do you have a right to be offended meaning do you have a right to HOLD to offense?
- Are there some offenses that are so grievous that God gives you the right to hold on to them?

B. What is the antidote for the infection of offense AND to whom is it available?

C. How to address someone who has offended you?

D. What is greater and more powerful than offense?

6.I know exactly what it is like to succumb to the toxin of offense, I’ve held it and I was spiritually barren.