How Do You Teach But Not Offend?

Steven’s Scribbles
“How Do You Teach But Not Offend?”
Matt. 15


    How do you teach someone the truth about the Gospel without offending them? This is a question that has literally kept me up at night. As I’ve alluded to in the past couple of sermons, I’ve come to a conclusion. You can’t. Having said that, our goal is never to offend. Our goal should be that of Jesus, to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). However, did Jesus love and feel compassion for the lost? Absolutely, see Matt. 9:36 & 1 John 4:16. Did that stop people from being offended? Absolutely, not. When reading about Jesus correcting the Pharisees and scribes in Matt. 15, we notice that they were indeed offended by Jesus teaching them the truth. “Then the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?’ But He answered and said, ‘Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit’” (Matt. 15:12-14). It seems like we live in a society where the worst thing you can do is offend someone, however it’s inevitable when we teach God’s word. So what are we supposed to do? “Instead, speaking the truth in love.” (Eph. 4:15). Remember, the parable of the sower (Matt. 13). You don’t control the message or the ground. The message is God’s word (Matt. 13:18-19), and the ground is up to the individual. Some will hear the word, have an emotional response, and obey it (Acts 2:36-41). Others will hear the same truth, have an emotional response, and want to kill you for it (Acts 7:48-60). But we are supposed to spread the seed either way.  I love you all!
    
In His service,
Steven Hugley