Overcoming Offense: Embracing God's Purpose in the Church

Over the past several weeks, we have explored what it means to live under the commanded blessing of God by refusing to pick up offense—whether at others, at God, or, as we focus on today, at the church itself. There is a real enemy who works tirelessly to keep us from the church, to sow seeds of criticism, and to stir up dysfunction through personal opinions and preferences. The enemy’s strategy is to distract, divide, and ultimately cause people to walk away from God’s plan to save the world—His church. Yet, the church is not a human invention; it is God’s workmanship, created to display the riches of His grace and the victory of Christ on the cross.

We are called to gather not for our own preferences, but to glorify Jesus Christ, to worship Him, and to offer ourselves as living sacrifices. The altar of our hearts is where we lay down our own ways and desires, making room for God’s presence to dwell among us. The enemy delights when people become offended at the church, blaming it for their hurts and using it as a reason to walk away. But God builds His church, and Jesus is the Cornerstone. Those who remain planted in the house of the Lord will flourish, even in old age, and will continue to declare God’s faithfulness.

It is important to distinguish between genuine abuse or unhealthy leadership—which requires healing and accountability—and the minor offenses or personal preferences that often cause people to leave. Most who walk away do so over small, self-focused reasons, missing the blessing and power that come from being part of God’s family. The church is God’s plan to display His wisdom, not only to the world but to the unseen spiritual realm. Through Christ, we are united, reconciled, and made into a holy temple where God’s Spirit dwells.

We are called to pray for our leaders, recognizing the enemy’s particular focus on those in authority. Our faith must be anchored in Jesus, not in any person or system. As we serve one another in love, we experience the oil of God’s blessing and the manifest presence of His glory. The church’s primary mandate is to glorify Jesus, and as we do, God promises to build His church—unstoppable, indivisible, and victorious. The invitation is open to all: lay down your life, surrender to Christ, and experience the fullness of His presence and purpose.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The enemy’s primary tactic is to keep believers out of the church or, failing that, to sow criticism and offense within it. He uses personal preferences and minor grievances to distract and divide, knowing that unity in the church is a powerful force for God’s purposes. Recognizing these schemes allows us to resist offense and remain focused on glorifying Christ together. [01:10]
• 2. The church is not a human organization but God’s own workmanship, created to display His grace and the victory of Christ. Our gathering is not about our comfort or preferences, but about offering ourselves as living sacrifices and making space for God’s presence. When we lay down our own ways, we encounter the manifest presence of God, which transforms lives and brings true freedom. [03:45]
• 3. Genuine church hurt caused by abusive or unhealthy leadership is real and requires healing, but most who leave the church do so over minor, self-centered reasons. The enemy delights in this, as it keeps people from the blessing and flourishing that come from being planted in God’s house. Remaining rooted in the church, despite imperfections, is essential for spiritual growth and experiencing God’s faithfulness. [07:39]
• 4. Prayer for church leaders is vital, as the enemy targets those in authority to scatter and weaken the church. Our faith must be anchored in Jesus, not in any individual or system, so that even when leaders fail, our trust in God remains unshaken. By supporting and praying for our leaders, we strengthen the whole body and guard against division. [13:31]
• 5. The church’s mandate is to glorify Jesus Christ, not merely to provide services or meet personal needs. As we serve one another in love and unity, God pours out His blessing and presence, making the church a place of transformation and power. The invitation is to lay down our lives, surrender to Christ, and participate in the unstoppable, victorious work God is doing through His church. [29:28]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:32] - Avoiding the Trap of Offense
• [01:10] - The Enemy’s Tactics Against the Church
• [03:05] - Personal Preferences and Distractions
• [03:45] - God’s Plan Through the Church
• [05:00] - Offense at the Church and the Gospel
• [07:00] - Distinguishing Real Church Hurt
• [08:25] - The Blessing of Being Planted in God’s House
• [10:25] - The Enemy as the Adversary
• [11:39] - Prayer: The Enemy Targets Leaders
• [14:49] - Strengthening Leaders Through Community
• [16:48] - Preparing Our Hearts for God’s Presence
• [18:46] - The Power of God in the Church
• [20:42] - The Church as God’s Dwelling
• [22:07] - God’s Wisdom Displayed Through the Church
• [24:10] - The Holiness and Majesty of God
• [25:28] - Equipping the Church for Ministry
• [27:26] - Servant Leadership and Unity
• [29:28] - The Oil of Blessing and Manifest Presence
• [31:36] - Transformation in God’s Presence
• [33:39] - The Unstoppable Church
• [35:41] - Invitation to Surrender to Christ

Bible Reading

Ephesians 2:13-22 (ESV) — > But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Psalm 92:12-15 (ESV) — > The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Isaiah 6:1-4 (ESV) — > In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.

Observation Questions

1. According to Ephesians 2, what did Jesus accomplish for both Jews and Gentiles through his death on the cross?
2. In Psalm 92, what is promised to those who are “planted in the house of the Lord”?
3. What is the significance of the “cornerstone” in Ephesians 2, and who does it refer to?
4. In the sermon, what are some of the ways the enemy tries to keep people away from the church or cause division within it? [[01:10]]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Paul emphasize that believers are “no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens… built on the foundation… Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone”? What does this mean for how we view the church?
2. The sermon distinguishes between genuine church hurt and minor offenses or personal preferences. Why is it important to make this distinction, and what are the consequences if we don’t? [[07:00]]
3. According to the sermon, why is unity in the church so important for God’s purposes, and how does the enemy try to undermine it? [[01:10]]
4. The sermon says that our faith must be anchored in Jesus, not in any person or system. What are the dangers of putting our faith in leaders or church structures instead of Christ? [[13:31]]

Application Questions

1. The sermon mentions that many people leave the church over minor, self-focused reasons. Have you ever been tempted to leave a church over something small? What helped you stay or what could have helped you stay? [[07:39]]
2. Are there any personal preferences or minor grievances you’ve allowed to become bigger issues in your heart toward the church? What would it look like to lay those down at the “altar of your heart” this week? [[04:20]]
3. The enemy targets leaders to scatter the church. How can you practically pray for and support your church leaders this week? Is there a specific leader you feel prompted to encourage or pray for? [[13:31]]
4. The sermon says that when we serve one another in love and unity, God pours out his blessing and presence. What is one way you can serve someone in the church this week, even if it’s outside your comfort zone? [[29:28]]
5. The church is described as God’s plan to display his wisdom and the victory of Christ. How does being part of the church shape your sense of purpose and identity? Is there an area where you need to step more fully into God’s purpose for you in the church? [[21:25]]
6. The sermon invites us to lay down our lives and surrender to Christ. Is there a specific area of your life where you sense God asking you to surrender more fully? What step can you take this week to do that? [[35:41]]
7. When you think about the “manifest presence of God” in the church, what does that mean to you? Have you experienced it? How can you come to church with more expectation and readiness to encounter God’s presence? [[18:07]]