Introduction: 

I.                   WHY WOULD ANY ONE BE OFFENDED IN CHRIST?

A.          Nevertheless the Pharisees of the first century were especially offended in Him. 

B.  There were also a host of others who took offense in Christ.    

II.                WE WILL NOW EXAMINE THE TEXT FOR THIS SERMON.

A.          John the Baptist had been imprisoned for telling Herod & Herodias the truth about their adulterous relationship. 

Matt. 14:3-5, “For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife.  For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.  And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.” 

B.          John may have wondered why Jesus had not attempted to have him released.

1.      He had sent asking, “Art thou the one that cometh or must we look for another?”

2.      Jesus’ reply included what John’s disciples saw regarding miracles plus the statement:  “Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me.”

3.      Evidently this settled any doubts in the mind of John the Baptist. 

III.             HOW HAD OTHERS BEEN OFFENDED IN THE SON OF GOD?                                   

Discussion: 

I.                   MANY HAVE BEEN OFFENDED BY HIS EARTHLY LIFE.

A.          They were offended because He was born in a stable.               

B.          He grew up in Nazareth.  Many had a low estimation of Nazareth. 

John 1:46, “And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?  Philip saith unto him Come and see.” 

C.          They looked down on His humble life.

1.      To them, He was a mere carpenter’s son. 

Matt. 13:54-58, “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 Joses, 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.” 

2.   He lacked formal schooling. 

John 7:14-15, “Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.  And the Jews marveled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” 

D.          Most Jews could not comprehend the Son of God dieing on a cross. 

Heb. 9:13-14, “For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” 

II.                SOME HAVE BEEN OFFENDED BY WHAT HE SAID.

A.  They failed to understand His figurative language. 

John 6:53-61, “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father:  so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.  This is that bread which came down from heaven:  not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead:  he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.  These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.  Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?  When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?” 

John 8:51-53, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.  Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil.  Abraham is dead, and the prophets, and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.  Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead?  And the prophets are dead:  whom makest thou thyself?” 

John 2:19-21, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.  Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?  But he spake of the temple of his body.” 

III.             THERE WERE THOSE WHO WERE ESPECIALLY OFFENDED BY WHAT HE ACTUALLY DID.

A.     He ate with publicans and sinners. 

Matt. 9:10-13, “And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.  And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?  But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.  But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice:  for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” 

B.     He allowed a sinful woman to touch him. 

Luke 7:36-50, (Relate this incident). 

C.     He healed on the Sabbath and claimed God as His Father. 

John 5:18, “Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” 

D.    Yet most of these took no notice of his miracles and fulfillment of prophecies. 

John 14:11, “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me:  or else believe me for the very works’ sake.” 

John 5:45-47, “Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father:  there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.  For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me:  for he wrote of me.  But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?” 

IV.              STILL OTHERS HAVE BEEN OFFENDED BY WHAT THEY THINK THAT HE TAUGHT.

A.     Many condemn Christianity because of the religious division among those who profess to be disciples of Christ.  But He is not the author of confusion.  

1 Cor. 14:33, “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” 

John 17:20-21, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us:  that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” 

B.     It is said that Robert Ingersoll was driven to unbelief because he thought Jesus taught unconditional predestination. 

Acts 10:34-35, “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:  But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” 

C.     Carl Marx in being acquainted with the corrupt priesthood of Catholicism and divided Protestantism concluded that “religion is the opium of the people.” 

Psalm 14:1, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.  They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” 

Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork.”   

E.  The truth of the matter is Jesus never taught any of those concepts.

                                                                                                              

V.                 MANY ARE OFFENDED BY WHAT HE ACTUALLY TAUGHT.

A.     Many are offended because He taught the essentiality of baptism. 

Mark 16:15-16, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” 

1 Pet. 3:21, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:” 

B.     Some are offended because the Lord reveals that the mode of baptism is immersion. 

Rom. 6:3-4, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:  that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” 

Col. 2:12, “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” 

C.     There those who are offended because the inspired Word places emphasis upon the saved being in the church. 

Acts 2:36-41, 47, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.  And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized:  and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 

Praising God, and having favor with all the people.  And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” 

VI.     THEY ARE OFFENDED OF THOSE WHO PROFESS HIM.

A.      Because dedicated Christians refuse to compromise their convictions and participate in immorality. 

1 Pet. 4:4, “Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:” 

B.      While others are rightly offended at hypocrites who profess to be Christians. 

Rom. 14:13, “Let us not therefore judge one another any more:  but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.” 

Conclusion: 

I.                   HAVE YOU ALLOWED ANY OF THESE OR ANY OTHER FANCIED REASONS TO CAUSE YOU TO BE OFFENDED IN THE SON OF GOD?

A.            If you have not obeyed the gospel then come forward in penitence confessing your faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, and be baptized for the remission of your sins. 

B.            If you are a Christian, are you intimidated or ashamed to acknowledge that you are His disciple?  If for any reason you need to make your life right before God and the brethren then we urge you to come forward acknowledging your sins & requesting that the brethren pray in your behalf. 

--Dub Mowery