The Offense Of The Gospel - Matthew 11:6

“The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” - Matthew 11:6

    The healing of the blind, lame, sick, and deaf would surely be of no offense to anyone of humane convictions. The raising of the dead would certainly raise an eyebrow or two but again, hardly a reason for offense; however, preach the gospel? Now you’ve got a fight on your hands! And you can bet the unbelievers will have a myriad of “good reasons” for being offended. Throughout the history of Christ’s church, the aim of our persecutors has been and remains to kill the messenger along with the message! “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” - John 15:19.
    Countless pastors and theologians suggest that the church’s real problem is not unbelievers but the “wolves in sheep’s clothing” within the body of believers. I do not possess the qualifications nor inclination to argue with that opinion but I will say, having lived through the later half of the 20th Century that persecution of Christ’s church is at an all time high during my lifetime. Whether it comes in the form of simple people snickering at the Word of God in our communities, or the target of the nightly mainstream media, or the victim of judicial legislation, or is manifest in the murder of Christians by ISIS; the persecution of Christians grows exponentially every day.
    The issues that divide us Christians had better be of the utmost import if we are to engage in questionable theological debates. Supralapsarianism or infralapsarianism? The mode and time of Baptism. Positions on ethics the Bible doesn’t address. We need to stop worrying over the minutia and get a grip on our doctrine! “But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.” - 2 Timothy 2:23. While we split hairs, the pagan forces sharpen their swords!
    There is a world of hateful unbelievers out there just waiting for the season to act out their aggression toward the gospel they find so offensive. They have achieved great strides conquering the mainstream media, the system of education, the judiciary, the arts and popular culture. Against them and the devil who moves them, our Christian faith must be the bulwark between the world and God’s will! Offend them we must  - “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” - Isaiah 40:3. Offend them, we will - “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.’” - Mark 16:15-16.
    The world rejects the Gospel; the Gospel offends the world. May our spiritual stamina match our desire to preach God’s word to every creature and help bring God’s will to fruition.