More than half (53%) of U.S. adults believe “people saying offensive things” is a major problem, according to a 2021 Pew Research Center report.

In the same survey, 65% said it’s a big problem that people are “too easily offended.”

These figures shouldn’t surprise preachers. We feel the cultural tension as we prepare and deliver sermons each week.

Some preachers are careful to avoid offending anyone, even if it means compromising the message. Others seem determined to provoke offense at every turn.

A few years ago, I set aside 12 months to preach through John’s Gospel. I thought focusing on Jesus’ words would help me avoid offense. I was wrong.

The Gospels reveal a Savior who offended many people. Jesus offended the residents of His hometown (Matthew 13:54–57), religious leaders (Matthew 15:12), and even His own disciples (John 6:61).

Jesus referred to hypocritical religious leaders as snakes and suggested some belonged to a “wicked and adulterous generation” (Matthew 12:34,39). He rebuked Peter with the words, “Get behind me, Satan!” (Mark 8:33). During a conversation with a Greek woman, Jesus compared Gentiles to dogs (Mark 7:27).

Don’t be too quick to explain away those hard words. Jesus used them to confront opposition to the gospel, correct wrong theology, and spur faith.

Jesus was not the swaggering, contemptuous brawler some modern preachers have made Him out to be. At the same time, Jesus never shied away from truth. He is truth (John 14:6). We shouldn’t put words in Jesus’ mouth, but neither should we take them away.

Although Jesus was willing to risk offense for the sake of the gospel, He was also sensitive to the needs of others. In fact, Jesus showed remarkable compassion toward individuals society didn’t mind offending.

I’ve come to realize Jesus was a steward of offense. This lesson has guided my own preaching as I consider what to include — and what to cut.

Rock of Offense

Quoting Old Testament passages, 1 Peter 2:6–8 compares Jesus to both a cornerstone and stumbling block (ESV).

A stumbling block was an obstacle that could cause a traveler to trip and fall. Leviticus 19:14 prohibited putting a stumbling block in the path of a blind person.

Isaiah 8:14 used this image in a surprising way, prophesying that the rebellious would encounter God as a “stone of offense and a rock of stumbling” (ESV). This is the verse 1 Peter 2:8 references.

God sometimes made himself an obstacle to block Israel’s pursuit of false gods. He wanted His people to repent and not fall. But risking offense was the only way to get their attention.

If someone is sprinting toward the edge of a cliff, tripping that person might prevent a more serious fall. Similarly, offense can be a form of revelation that breaks our stride and forces us to reconsider our path.

When people hear a clear presentation of the gospel, they encounter God as either an obstacle to stumble across or a foundation upon which to build a new life. Listeners may respond with frustration or change, offense or humility.

To be clear, the one who offends is not always right. Offense is sometimes given for the wrong reasons.

Avoiding offense
at all costs means withholding the truth and the opportunity
for change.

However, avoiding offense at all costs means withholding the truth and the opportunity for change. Jesus risked offending to expose sin and point people to eternal life.

The gospel rightly preached will cause offense — and inspire faith (1 Corinthians 1:23–24). Genuine faith overcomes offense.

We must preach Jesus’ words, hard as they may be. Anything less removes the obstacle that opens blind eyes and sets wayward feet on the path of righteousness.

To Offend — or Not

Is offending from the pulpit proof we’ve done our job as preachers? Not quite.

Although Jesus risked offending in some instances, generating controversy was not the point. Sometimes, Jesus even went out of His way to avoid offense.

For example, when Peter asked about paying the temple tax, Jesus explained that kings do not tax their sons. Despite having no obligation to pay, though, Jesus gave Peter instructions for securing the funds “so that we may not cause offense” (Matthew 17:27).

After offending some of the most powerful leaders in Israel, Jesus suddenly seemed reluctant to offend a common Galilean tax collector.

Jesus had a right to deny payment, but what would He have gained by doing so? Defending His own rights was not Jesus’ mission. He came to reconcile people to God.

Understanding that the wrong offense could become an obstacle to people encountering the essential offense, Jesus navigated every situation wisely and purposefully.

There are moments when offense is necessary. Other times, it is a needless distraction from the gospel. Jesus didn’t offend for the sake of winning arguments, making political points, or humiliating others. He risked offense only to draw people closer to God’s truth.

Stewarding Offense

Preachers must learn to steward the offense of Christ and His words. Offending someone is never the goal, but it is always a risk when proclaiming the gospel.

Our task is to speak the truth with compassion, without making ourselves the obstacle. Keeping four guidelines in mind makes it easier to strike the right balance.

First, risk Jesus’ words, not your own. When preachers interject personal opinions, listeners may struggle to differentiate those views from biblical instruction.

Make it a goal to preach Jesus’ words with greater boldness, without adding your own spin. The gospel will offend some. But if we offend people with our opinions, they might miss Christ’s penetrating truth.

Second, wrestle with the offense personally. When did you last allow Jesus to speak difficult truths to you? Don’t wield Christ’s hard words without submitting to them.

A sermon should work in the preacher’s heart first. If you have not felt its conviction, you are in no place to offer it to others.

Third, avoid singling out individuals or groups. If you tend to offend the same people repeatedly, you probably aren’t stewarding offense well.

Jesus’ hard words are for everyone. They are not weapons to use against opponents.

Finally, remind listeners that fallen humanity is often blind to its deepest needs. What we think we need is not always what God wants to do in our lives.

Talk about how Jesus’ hard words have shaped your perspective and changed how you live.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost. His message wasn’t popular with everyone. Some found it so offensive they sought to silence Him even by death. Yet we can preach the gospel without shame, knowing “it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).

Don’t use the offense of the Cross as an excuse to be offensive. Instead, preach Jesus’ hard words to help people see their need for Him.

Like a surgeon who cuts with precision, the gospel lays bare the hidden places of our hearts to bring healing and wholeness.

Preachers shouldn’t deliver this message in a harsh or clumsy way, but neither should we neglect it. Jesus’ words are what the world most needs right now.

This article appears in the Fall 2024 issue of Influence magazine.