THE ODDITY OF OFFENCES – 2021 FIRST FRUIT FASTING EXERCISE (Day 15 OUTLINE)

Text: Acts 20:20 Welcome to all participants: those within the auditorium and those connecting from Nigeria and diaspora. We have entered the last third of the exercise and the Lord would have us explore some profitable doctrines. Prayer points shall be put on the various platforms for use at the locations of concourse. Oddity means a strange attitude or habit, eccentricity that is not easily explained, something unusual. Offences include a feeling of anger caused by being emotionally hurt or upset, wounding the feelings of others, offensive activity. We shall consider 2 points (A) Offences Analyzed (B) The Oddness of Offences in the Church (A) OFFENCES ANALYZED To analyze means to consider in details and investigate the component parts in order to discover the essential features or meaning. The Lord Jesus spoke about offences (Matt. 16:23; 18:7; Lk.171-4) and so did Apostle Paul warn Rom.16:17. The Gr. SKANDALON translated offences was originally the name of the part of a trap to which a bait is attached; hence the trap itself or the snare. Consider the fish hook with bait. Illustration: the Brazilian monkey trap. Jesus perceived a trap in Peter’s word (Matt.16:23). And as a trap stops an animal in its track so was skandalon figuratively used for (i) anything that causes prejudice (1Cor.1:25) (ii) anything that becomes a stumbling block or causes others to fall (Rom.14:13; Rev.214) (iii) Use of Christian liberty to the detriment of others (1Cor.8:9), (iv) teachings contrary to sound doctrine (Rom16:17). Jesus rebuked offences with a curse (Matt.18:7-9; Lk.17:1). (B) THE ODDNESS OF OFFENCES IN THE CHURCH The Church (ekklesia) are the called out ones with a purpose. Their sustenance and mark of identification is love in its highest grade-agape (Jn.13:34-35). So it is the bond of perfectness that holds the church together (Col.3:14; Eph. 4:3). The word ‘bond’ was translated from the GK: sundesmus (sun-des-mus) means that which binds together; a joint tie ie ligament. So in a place where love is expected to be the medium of relationship and existence, the least expected thing will be that which is an apparent evidence of the absence of love. Offence-causers/givers and offence-takers lack this vital life called love which is the greatest of all virtues (1Cor. 13:13). The habitual offence-taker must resolve to be a Christian who should readily forgive and move on (1Pet.4:3; Acts 7:60; Matt.1821,22; Pro.4:23). And on the other hand the offence-giver must repent and restitute, with the determination to be a Christian (Matt.18:6,7). WATCHMAN CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC RENEWAL MOVEMENT 2021 FIRST FRUIT FASTING EXERCISE Jan.20 – Feb. 2021 (Day 15) Theme: IDYLLIC ERA OF CONCEPTION AND PARTURITION Topic: THE ODDITY OF OFFENSES