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April 2025

Rev. Christopher Miller  

Offenses and Fences, Part 1 

May 4, 2025   

Hebrews 12:12–15, “[12] Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, [13] and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. [14] Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. [15] See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled...”

1) Our offenses will build fences when we allow the root of bitterness to spring up and cause trouble.

Ephesians 4:25–27; James 3:13–16

Explain how bitterness can be compared to a virus within the body.

2. Our offenses will build fences when we give opportunity to the Devil.

Galatians 5:14–15

Do you agree or disagree with this statement, 

"If your offense keeps you out of church and completely disconnected from a community of faith, then your offense will keep you out of heaven." Why or why or why not?

 3)Our offenses will build fences when we allow our offenses to define our perceptions.

 Proverbs 19:11

Can you  remember a time when your offense made you to be paranoid and caused you to hear what wasn't said? Were you able to overcome that and repair the relationship?

  Rev. Christopher Miller 

Offenses and Fences, Part 2

May 11, 2025  

Ephesians 4:25–32, “[25] Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. [26] Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, [27] and give no opportunity to the devil. [28] Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. [29] Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. [30] And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the dayof redemption. [31] Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. [32] Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

1)When our offenses build prisons we become the prisoner and the warden.

Matthew 24:9–12

Do you see the impact of faithlessness, offense and hate at work in the world today? Has it affected you or someone you know personally?

2) When we become the prisoner and warden, we will seek to populate our own prisons.

Ephesians 4:30-32

How can you avoid taking ownership of someone else's offense?

3) When Christ gets into our lives, He will demand for us to come out of the prisons we have built.

Romans 12:16–21

It is impossible to live in harmony with others, be lowly and humble, and refuse retribution or revenge over matters if we are manifesting a Spirit of Offense towards others. We overcome the demands of offense by submitting to the disciplines of Christ.

What disciplines and characteristics of Christ do we need to strengthen in order to breakout of the prison of our offense?