“Give no offense to Jews or to Greek or to the church of God…” (1 Cor. 10:32 ESV) 

 Overlook offenses

“Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” (Prov. 19:11 ESV)

“Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.” (Eccles. 7:21 ESV)

 Don’t offend 

“A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.” (Prov. 17:19 ESV)

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;” (James 1:19 ESV)

“With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Eph. 4:2-3 ESV)

Repair personal offenses 

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” (Matt. 18:15-17 ESV)

“Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” (Luke 17:3-4 ESV)

Jesus is our best example

“When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” (Peter 2:23 ESV)

 Therefore…

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Eph. 5:1 ESV)

“And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” (2 Tim. 2:24-26 ESV)

“So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.” (Acts 24:16 ESV)

“Great peace have they which love your law: and nothing shall offend them.” (Psalm 119:165 NKJV)

 Quote:

“We need to forgive our brother seventy times seven not only for 490 offenses but for one offense.”  - C. S. Lewis

What did Jesus say about being our friend?

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15 NIV)

 What did Jesus say about being His friend?

 “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15:14 NIV)

 Qualities of friendship 

•  A friend loves continually - A friend loves at all times....” (Prov. 17:17 ESV)

•  A friend faithfully tells the truth, even when it’s painful - “Faithful are the wounds of a friend...” (Prov. 27:6 ESV)

•  A friend covers an offense and keeps confidences - Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.” (Prov. 17:9 ESV)

• A friend adds strength and lifts up – “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” (Eccles. 4:9-10 ESV)

The best friendship is with God

“And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.” (James 2:23 ESV)

How to become a friend of God

“The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.” (Psalm 25:14 ESV)

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 ESV)

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” (John 1:12 KJV)

“So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph. 3:17-21 ESV)

 Therefore…

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12-14 ESV)

 “He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.” (Prov. 22:11 ESV)

 Quote:

“The most important aspect of Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain (with God) and the surrounding influence and qualities produced by that relationship. That is all God asks us to give our attention to, and it is the one thing that is continually under attack.”  - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

“All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood the grace of God.” (Col. 1:5 NIV) 

The power of the gospel 

When you “truly understand the grace of God” you begin to grow and bear fruit. That’s the power of the gospel. It is alive and active all over the world, bearing fruit in every good work. 

Bearing fruit in every good work 

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God…” (Col. 1:9-10 NIV)

Strengthened with all power

 “…being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have full endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.” (Col. 1:11-12 NIV)

He has rescued us 

 ”He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son…” (Col. 1:13 NIV)

We have redemption 

”…in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:14 NIV)

Therefore…

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all the saints, springing from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you.” (Col. 1:3-6 NIV)

“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” (1 Cor. 2:12 ESV)

Quotes:

“Wherever Jesus has been proclaimed, we see lives change for the good, nations change for the better, thieves become honest, alcoholics become sober, hateful individuals become channels of love, unjust persons embrace justice.” - Josh McDowell

“If in preaching the gospel you substitute your knowledge of the way of salvation for confidence in the power of the gospel, you hinder people from getting to reality.” - Oswald Chambers

“There is a moral and spiritual war for the souls of Americans. And this war must be waged by preaching the Gospel, prayer, and obedience to God's Word.” - David Jeremiah

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” (Eph. 1:4-5 NLT)

 The above passage says that God…

1. Loved us 

2. Chose us in Christ

3. Made us Holy without fault in His eyes

4. Adopted us into His own family 

This is Good news and is reinforced by other Scriptures!

1. Loved us: 

“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” (1 John 4:16 ESV)  

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:8-11 ESV)

2. Chose us in Christ:

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” (John 15:16 ESV)

“But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.” (2 Thes. 2:13 ESV)

3. Made us holy without fault in His sight:

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9 ESV)

“But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16 ESV)

4. Adopted us into His own family:

“To redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” (Gal. 4:5-7 ESV)

“For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” (Gal. 3:26 ESV)

Therefore…

“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” (Rom. 8:31 NLT)

“Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2 ESV)

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” (Isa. 61:10 ESV)

 Quote:

“Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not.” -  C.S. Lewis

“No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.” (1 John 3:6 ESV)

Do not deliberately continue to sin

“For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.” (Heb. 10:26-27 ESV)

“Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him…” (1 John 2:4 ESV)

“Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.” (1 John 3:4 ESV)

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (Matt. 7:21-23 ESV)

God is patient and wishes all should reach repentance

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 ESV)

“No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3 ESV)

“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out…” (Acts 3:19 ESV)

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” (1 John 1:9 NLT)

Therefore…

“Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” (1 John 3:7-9 NIV)

Quotes:

“I’m against sin. I’ll kick it as long as I’ve got a foot, and I’ll fight it as long as I’ve got a fist. I’ll butt it as long as I’ve got a head. I’ll bite it as long as I’ve got a tooth. And when I’m old and fistless and footless and toothless, I’ll gum it till I go home to Glory and it goes home to perdition!” - Billy Sunday

“Let us stop the progress of sin in our soul at the first stage, for the farther it goes the faster it will increase.” - Thomas Fuller

“He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will…” (Eph 1:5 ESV)

Adopted: to choose or take as one's own; make one's own by selection or assent; elected, approved, endorsed, favored.

Adopted through faith in Christ

“For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” Gal. 3:26 ESV)

You are an heir through God

“To redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” (Gal. 4:5-7 ESV)

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13 ESV)

You have become blameless and innocent children of God

“That you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…” (Phil. 2:15 ESV)

 You are a fellow heir with Christ

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.” (Rom. 8:14-19 ESV)

Therefore…

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:1-2 ESV) 

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,” (Eph. 2:19 ESV)

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Rom. 8:15 ESV)

 Quotes:

“If anybody understands God’s ardor for his children, it’s someone who has rescued an orphan from despair, for that is what God has done for us. God has adopted you. God sought you, found you, signed the papers and took you home. - Max Lucado

“God bestows His blessings without discrimination. The followers of Jesus are children of God, and they should manifest the family likeness by doing good to all, even to those who deserve the opposite.” - F.F. Bruce

“Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper.” (Psalm 122:6 NLT)

God blesses those who bless Jerusalem and curses those who curse Jerusalem 

“And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Gen. 12:3 NASB)

“May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed." (Gen. 27:29 NIV)

God is their God in faithfulness and righteousness 

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.” (Zech. 8:7-8 ESV)

Therefore…

“Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her.” (Isa. 66:10 NIV)

“The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But the Lord is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel.” (Joel 3:16 ESV)

Quote:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.” – Jesus Christ

“ Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” (Hab. 3:17-18 NIV)

They were defeated, discouraged, and afraid

In his book, “Talking To My Father” (Barbour & Co. 1997), Ray Stedman relates the following story. 

“An old missionary couple had been working in Africa for years, and they were returning to New York City to retire. They had no pension; their health was broken; they were defeated, discouraged, and afraid. They discovered they were booked on the same ship as President Teddy Roosevelt, who was returning from one of his big-game hunting expeditions.

No one paid much attention to them. They watched the fanfare that accompanied the President’s entourage, with passengers trying to catch a glimpse of the great man.

As the ship moved across the ocean, the old missionary said to his wife, "Something is wrong. Why should we have given our lives in faithful service for God in Africa all these many years and have no one care a thing about us? Here this man comes back from a hunting trip and everybody makes much over him, but nobody gives two hoots about us."

"Dear, you shouldn’t feel that way," his wife said.

"I can’t help it; it doesn’t seem right."

When the ship docked in New York, a band was waiting to greet the President. The mayor and other dignitaries were there. The papers were full of the President’s arrival, but no one noticed this missionary couple. They slipped off the ship and found a cheap flat on the East side, hoping the next day to see what they could do to make a living in the city.

That night, the man’s spirit broke. He said to his wife, "I can’t take this; God is not treating us fairly."

His wife replied, "Why don’t you go into the bedroom and tell that to the Lord?"

A short time later he came out from the bedroom, but now his face was completely different. His wife asked, "Dear, what happened?"

"The Lord settled it with me," he said. "I told him how bitter I was that the President should receive this tremendous homecoming, when no one met us as we returned home. And when I finished, it seemed as though the Lord put his hand on my shoulder and simply said, ‘But you’re not home yet!’"

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Cor. 2:9). 

Therefore…

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.” (Heb. 13:15 NIV)

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.” (Psalm 118:8 ESV)

“The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever!” (Psalm 22:26 ESV)

“If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” (2 Cor. 11:30 NIV)

 God’s power is made perfect in weakness

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Cor. 12:9 ESV)

 You’re strong when weak

“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor. 12:10 ESV)

The Spirit helps you in your weakness

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” (Rom. 8:26 ESV)

Therefore…

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.” (Psalms 34:17-20 ESV)

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:15-16 ESV)

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13 ESV)

 Quote:

“Real true faith is man's weakness leaning on God's strength.” - Dwight L. Moody