Over a month of doing these and honestly my barrel of thoughts from the past years is running low. The days where a topic jumps out at me are great, because when they don't I put it off until really late. Only a few more though!
This topic I have sort of referenced to in different ways. But it's one that need to just be brought out plainly. So often, Christians are afraid to reach others, or to even openly admit their faith, because they don't want to offend people. Their idea is that since God is love, we should never be offensive. This is opposite of the truth. Jesus, himself, was highly offensive for his day. The Jews of his time had a great thing going. Yes they were occupied, but they had a good thing going. Society was great, compared to others. They had their freedoms, as long as they paid their tax. The temple was built. Jerusalem restored. All-in-all, things were near perfect. They were simply wait for the return of an earthly, Israelite king to grant them their sovereignty and be free, completely.
Then enters Jesus. He smashed the status quo. He told the most righteous in the city, their best were dirty rags. He exalted the beggars and tax collectors. He told them their desire for an earthly king wasn't what God promised, rather a spiritual savior. And even after all of that, he threw tables around in the synagogue.
I don't know who you cherish in high esteem, but if someone came in and started bashing them regularly, you'd be quite offended. And while people liked to point out Jesus befriending sinners, he also told all he met they needed to give up their entire lives to follow him. His message would not have been an easy one.
Yet there was something about Jesus that still drew people in. Even hated by the leaders, he still had access to the temple to preach. He was greeted on Palm Sunday with praise and adoration. Even though his message was offensive, his love and caring for the spiritual state of the people, shined through and reached many.
After his resurrection, Jesus told the disciples they needed to do what he did. He openly stated that any who followed him, would be hated as he was, in the end. Later on we are told in strong, but straightforward letters that trying to be friends with the world, makes us an enemy of God. Clearly that flies in the face of the modern day attempt to be "unoffensive" to non-believers. Just as darkness hates the light, so should we be hated, if we're preaching the light of Christ.
We must reach others with love, grace, tact and all good traits to show ourselves as Christ's ambassadors. But at the end of the day, God tells us that we must speak truth. And that truth is not pleasant. People must stop living their lives the way they want to. They must repent and turn from sin. They must give up the pleasures of this world and chase the rewards of heaven. And that truth, will offend many who hear.
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