Okay, go with me back to John
16. John chapter 16. The title of
this message is in the form of a question. And this question
must be answered by every single person in this room. every single
person. The question is, are you offended? That's the question. Are you offended? Verse 1, John
16 verse 1. Our Lord said, these things have
I spoken unto you that you should not be offended. You know what a blessing that
is? offended by what? The truth. This word which is
Christ himself offended. Look over at Matthew chapter
11. Matthew chapter 11 verse 6. Our Lord said, and blessed is
he whosoever shall not be offended. That's a blessed person. A sinner
that is not offended by the word of the Lord Jesus Christ, the
truth A sinner that is not offended is a blessed by God sinner. This flesh is so naturally offended,
isn't it? You tell somebody what the Word
of God says and it is offensive. I don't ever want to be offensive.
I thought about this. I was going over this today thinking,
I hope I smile while I say this. I don't want to be offensive. The truth of God's Word is offensive. And this flesh, by nature, as
soon as you tell it, as soon as they hear it, they're offended.
But a sinner who is not offended is a blessed by God sinner. Look up one verse to verse 5,
Matthew 11, verse 5. The blind receive their sight,
the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the
dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preaching. Here's
the truth of God's Word. He said right there, You're blind. You know why you need to receive
sight? You're blind. That's what he's saying. You're
blind. And if God does not give you spiritual eyes, you will
never see the truth in God's Word. We can open this Word,
and people read the Bible cover to cover, and they never see
the truth in God's Word. They go to church, they listen
to preachers, And they never, ever see the truth in God's Word. And they know it, and they can
quote it, and they go meet God with it, but they have still
never seen the truth in God's Word. And unless the Lord gives
eyes to see, a sinner never, ever will. Now here's the question.
Does that offend you? Does that offend you? You're blind. And unless I give
you eyes to see, you'll never see it. Verse five, he said,
you are lame. That's what he was telling him. You're lame. You're all lame. And if God does not give you
strength, you will never walk in paths of righteousness. I want to, and a lot of people
do, and they think they are. But the truth of the matter is
we're all lame. This flesh is just lame. And
any walking that we do is by the strength of the Lord Jesus
Christ alone. Only by His strength alone, not
ours. Now let me ask you this. Does
that offend you? Does that offend you? You can't come. You can't come
to Christ unless the Father draws you and pulls you. You can't
come. Does that offend you? He said in verse 5, you are a
leper. A leper. In God's eyes, you know what
a leper... a leper's flesh rots. Rotting flesh. When he looks
at you and your flesh, the way that we are in our natural state,
all he sees is what Isaiah wrote, wounds, bruises, and putrefying
sores. Does that offend you? Does that
offend you? Verse 5, he said, you are death. You know, he said, my sheep hear
my voice, but outside of an act of God, you'll never hear from
me because you're deaf, spiritually deaf. Verse five,
he said, you're dead, dead to God. The day you were born, you
were born dead in trespasses and sins. We, I mean, is there
ever a time we don't say that? We're all dead in trespasses
and sins. Everything about us stinks in
the nostrils of God. We're dead. Walk up on something
dead. What he's saying is, that's what
we are to God. Walk up on something dead. Everything
about us stinks. Verse 5, he said, you're poor. You're poor. Everything that you have and
everything that you've done is absolutely worthless to God. It's of no value. Your works,
everything you've done in this life is of no value to Him. He doesn't value it. Nothing
to offer Him. I have nothing to offer Him in
everything I've ever done. When you get to the end of it,
no price I bring. I have nothing to offer him.
What do you have that you have not received from him? It was
already his, and he gave it to us. Now let me ask you this.
Does all that offend you? Me neither. He said in verse 6, blessed is
he. You want to see a blessed sinner
by God? You want to see a sinner that
God has done something for? Blessed is he whosoever shall
not be offended in me. Man, that's a blessing. That
is a blessing. Go with me to Matthew 13. Matthew
13, look at verse 18. Hear ye therefore the parable
of the sower. When anyone heareth the word
of the kingdom and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked
one and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is
he which receiveth seed by the wayside. But he that received
the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word
And Anon, pretty quickly, but after a short period of time,
with joy receiveth it. Yet hath he not root in himself,
but dureth for a while, for when tribulation or persecution ariseth
because of the word, not because of other things in life, Because
of the word, because of this word, when tribulation or persecution
arises because of the word by and by, he's offended. He's offended. That's just offensive. And he
doesn't believe it and he rejects it and he doesn't want to have
anything to do with it. Just offended. I'm not going
to hear that anymore. I'm going to go find something
that's a little more pleasing to my ear. Right here in Matthew 13, look
at verse 53. It says, And it came to pass
that when Jesus had finished these parables, He departed thence.
And when He was come into His own country, He taught them in
their synagogue insomuch that they were astonished, and said,
Whence hath this man this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not
this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary
and his brethren James and Josie and Simon and Judas? Now this
is where over in Luke chapter 4 this is the account where he
read Isaiah 61 and all he did is in Luke 4 he took the word
from the pastor of the church and he read the Spirit of the
Lord is upon me. to open the blind eyes, open
the prison doors, heal the broken hearted, and the poor has the
gospel preached to them. And he closed the book and gave
it back and he sat down. And they got so mad at that.
Why would you get mad at that? You know what he was calling
them? Prisoners? Blind? So verse 55, they said, is not
this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary
and his brethren James and Josie and Simon and Judas and his sisters? Are they not all with us? Whence
then hath this man all these things? And they were offended
in him. But Jesus said unto them, a prophet
is not without honor, save in his own country and in his own
house. And he did not many mighty works
there because of their unbelief. Who do you think you are instructing
us? Correcting us. They were offended.
And over in Luke's gospel, it says they were offended to the
point that they wanted to take him and cast him off a cliff
head first. But he just passed right by him. He passed right by him. Look
at chapter 15, Matthew chapter 15. Verse 10 says, and he called the multitude and
said unto them, hear and understand. Not that which goeth into the
mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth,
this defileth a man." What he's saying is all these things that
are offensive to you, you know, smoking and drinking and meats
and all these different things. What's inside a sinner is so
much more vile than what could be put in a sinner. And verse 12, then came his disciples
and said unto him, knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended? Man, they were offended after
they heard this saying. But he answered and said, every
plant which my heavenly father hath not planted shall be rooted
up. Let them alone. Let them alone. They were offended.
Leave them alone. So do you see how merciful it
is that our Lord would say back over in John 16, These things
have I spoken unto you that you should not be offended. I have
told you these things because you would be offended just like
everybody else. We're all cut from the same lump.
But God in mercy said, I have spoken some things, I've done
something so that you won't be offended. I've intervened. What did he say? What things
did he speak so we would not be offended? Well, he spoke many
things, but if you remember, this is all in the same night.
John 13 to John 18, it's all in the same night. Just look
back at chapter 14, verse 1. He said, let not your heart be
troubled. You believe in God, believe also
in me. Now he is telling them in all
these places, they've heard in all these places, you're blind,
you're lame, you're deaf, you're dead, you're poor. He said in
verse two, in my father's house are many mansions. If it were
not so, I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you.
Now you can't come on your own, you're lame. You could never
see it if I didn't give you eyes. You'd never live there if I didn't
raise you up, but I'm gonna prepare a place for you. Verse three,
and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and
receive you unto myself that where I am, there you may be
also. But I'm all these filthy things. I believe it. I'm all of these
filthy things. Yes, but I'm still going to make
a place for you. And I'm going to make you acceptable
for the place. I'm going to do everything start
to finish. Here are the facts. You know, we always hear the
truth of God's word and that's the offense of the gospel is
what sent Christ to that cross. It was my sin. It was my sin. That's the offense of the gospel. And we see it on every page. We see it in ourselves. But the
gospel is the good news of the gospel is in spite of you. The Lord said, I'm going to do
something. I'm going to prepare a place for you. I'm going to
make you acceptable for the place. I'm going to make a brand new
creature in you, a brand spanking new creature. Chapter 14 verse
12 says, Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on
me, the works that I do shall he do also. And greater works
than these shall he do, because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever
you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may
be glorified in the Son. He's going to be glorified in
the Son. I know that I'm blind. And I
tell you when I'm reminded of it, is when I sit in that study
and the Lord does not bless me with his word and his spirit,
and I turn the page, and I turn the page, and I start realizing,
I'm blind. Man, if the Lord does not speak
to me, I'm deaf. If the Lord doesn't do something
in here, I am dead. I know that I'm blind, but I
want to see. I really do. I want to see God. And I know that I'm lame. But
I want to come to Christ. I'm a leper. I know that I'm
a leper. Full of sin, but I want to be made clean. One day really
soon. I like that song that we sing
from Mount Pisgah's lofty height, I view my home and take my flight.
This robe of flesh I'll drop and rise to seize the everlasting
prize and shout while passing through the air, farewell, farewell,
sweet hour of prayer. One of these days I'm going to
feel what it's going to be like for sin to fall off of me. I'm
ready. I'm ready. I want that. I know I'm a leper. I know that
I'm a leper, but I want to be made clean. I really do. I know that I'm deaf, but I want
to hear my Lord. That's why we beg. That's why
we pray. We come here and we beg, Lord,
open these ears. I'm just deaf. I know that I'm
dead, but I want to be alive in Christ. And I know that I'm
poor. But I know where unsearchable
riches are. And I want him. Verse 14, he
said, if you shall ask anything in my name, I'll do it. These
things have I spoken unto you that you should not be offended.
Verse 16, he said, I'll pray the father and he shall give
you another comforter that he may abide with you forever. Verse
18, I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. Verse 20,
at that day you shall know that I am in my father, you are in
me, and I'm in you. That's wonderful, isn't it? Verse 25, these things have I
spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter,
which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name,
he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." He's going to
bring all this to your remembrance. All the things that I have said
unto you so that you won't be offended. Chapter 15, verse 3, he said,
you're clean through the word that I've spoken unto you. Verse
11, he said, these things have I spoken unto you that my joy
might remain in you and that your joy might be full. Verse
13, greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down
his life for his friends. You were dead, but I made you
alive by dying for you. Verse 16, he said, You would
have never chosen me, so I chose you. Verse 18, he said, If the world
hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. Verse
21, But all these things will they do unto you for my name's
sake, because they know not him that sent me. Verse 26, But when
the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father,
even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father, he
shall testify of me." The only thing that will cause a sinner
to not be offended by the truth of God's Word, this is the only
thing, it's if God will send His Spirit to that sinner directly
from God the Father to testify of the Lord Jesus Christ. To
testify of what he became for that sinner. To testify of where
he went and all that he accomplished for that sinner. That's the only
thing that will keep a sinner from being offended. To testify
of what these seeing eyes cost. The Lord has given us eyes to
see. And we open up this word, and if he sends his spirit, he
brings the word of truth to our hearts, and he reminds us of
what these seeing eyes cost. What these hearing ears cost. What these leaping legs and this
raising life cost. It cost Calvary. That's what
it cost. It cost every drop of his blood.
When the Spirit testifies that to a sinner, all of the offense
goes away. You see a person coming in from
off the street, and this is news to them. Never heard anything
like this. And by and large, the world will
reject it, but if they're one of God's own, in mercy, he won't
let them reject it. And he'll keep bringing them
and keep bringing them until all of a sudden, it's time. And
God sends his spirit, and they see Christ, and they see everything
that it cost, and they're no more offended. Not anymore. The fence goes away. Chapter
16, verse 1, he said, These things have I spoken unto you that you
should not be offended. They shall put you out of the
synagogues. Yea, the time cometh that whosoever
killeth you will think that he's doing God service. Don't tell
me I'm a sinner. Don't tell me that Christ didn't
die for everybody. I don't want to hear that. Don't
tell me that this is out of my hands, totally out of my control.
It's all in Christ's hands. Don't tell me. I don't want to
hear that. You start telling people that, and they'll put
you out of the synagogue. Verse 3, And these things will
they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor
me. But these things have I told
you, that when the time shall come, you may remember that I
told you of them. And these things I said not unto
you at the beginning, because I was with you." When our Lord
was with them, He suffered all the offense. It was always against
Him. And He said, if you want Me,
let these go. But He just told them, I'm leaving. And now the
offense is coming to you. As they've done it to Me, they're
going to do it to you. Verse five, but now I go my way to
him that sent me, and none of you asketh me, whither goest
thou? But because I have said these
things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Thomas said,
Lord, we don't know the way. Back in John 14, just an hour
before that. Peter said, I want to go with
you. Though they all leave you, I'll
go with you. Now nobody's saying anything. They're just sorrowful
because he said, I'm going to die, be buried, I'm leaving. They're just sorrowful. Verse
7, Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you
that I go away. For if I go not away, the Comforter
will not come unto you. But if I depart, I will send
him unto you. And when he has come, he will
convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment,
of sin because they believe not on me, of righteousness because
I go to my father and you see me no more, of judgment because
the prince of this world is judged. When God sends His Spirit, sinners
become convinced and not offended by convinced of sin, righteousness,
and judgment. Now, has God sent His Spirit
to me? Has God sent His Spirit to me? Am I offended? Am I offended? Am I convinced
of sin? Yes, I am. I am convinced of
sin. We just talked about it. I'm
convinced that every word of it is true. I'm convinced. When the Lord said in Isaiah
41 that I'm a worm, I am convinced that's true. Absolutely convinced. When the Lord said in John 15,
without me you can do nothing, I am convinced that that's true
because I'm a sinner. I'm a worm. Am I offended? Does it offend me to be a worm?
Not if I'm his worm. Not if he chose this worm. No. Truth, Lord. Truth. God's Holy Spirit convinces of
sin and it convinces of righteousness. This word says that we have an
elder brother. The man, Christ Jesus. Our elder brother. Alright, now
he is not only called the firstborn. Firstborn among many nations.
But God the Father has called him his only begotten. That's what he's called him.
His only begotten son. He said we are all adopted, didn't
he? Does that offend us? Does it offend us that God would
call him the only begotten son of the Father, the firstborn?
That all of his favor would go to him? Does that offend us?
Everything about our elder brother is perfect and right and good. Everything. And we've just seen
that there is nothing good about us at all. Everything about us
is wrong, but everything about him is right. He is the well-beloved,
altogether lovely one. The only way that God the Father
will love us is through Him. That's the only way. In Him. It's if we're in Him. All of
God's glory, all of God's favor, all of His honor has gone to
Christ, our elder brother. He is all righteousness. Every bit of it is found in Him. Not in us, in Him. Does that offend us? Not one bit, does it? He gets all the praise, all the
honor for His perfect, righteous holiness, every bit of it. If
God's Spirit comes to a sinner, He will convince that sinner
of sin, righteousness, and judgment. God is going to judge this world.
He is going to judge everybody that's in this world. That's
me, that's you, sinners, us. Everything that we've ever done,
everything we've ever attained is going to be burned up, isn't
it? Isn't that what it says? It's all going to be burned up. It's
going to be put away. Everything that we've done is
filthy and wrong and worthless. And all of our works are going
to be burned up. And the only thing we're going
to get in the end, after it's all said and done, all of our
effort, the only thing we're going to get in the end is Jesus
Christ and His works. Jesus Christ and the things that
He has attained. Everything that we have worked
hard for and scrimped and saved and sweat and bled for. Every bit of it is going to be
completely done away with, completely cast away, and the only thing
we'll have in the end is Jesus Christ and the inheritance that
comes with Him. Does that offend us? Everything we are is going to
be done away with. Everything he is shall stand. Amen. Amen. Does that offend us? No, no,
no. I am so thankful to say I am
not offended. I am not offended. I couldn't be any happier to
say that. I am not offended. What a blessing. It does not
get any lower than me, and I'm not offended by that. And it
does not get any higher than Him, and I'm not offended by
that. All the glory for being found
worthy to stand in the judgment goes to Him. The only reason
that I'm going to make it through God's judgment is because I'm
found in Him. And if I'm found in Him, I've
already made it through God's judgment. Outside of Him, I'm
going to die in my sin. God's going to judge me. He's
going to put me in hell. I'm convinced of that. But in
Christ, my judgment is finished. It's already over. I'm going
to live forever, and I'm not offended by that. Not one bit. To God be the glory. Great things
He's done. He said, blessed is he, what
a comfort this is. Blessed is he whosoever shall
not be offended in me. Thank you Lord for taking away
the offense, putting the love of Christ in our hearts. Alright,
let's stand together.