10/28/2024
Arguing that “God himself will risk offending you to save you,” this spiritual resource takes a close, searching look into the words of Jesus in scripture and the contemporary world's sensitivity to words or ideas that may cause offense. Pastor Replogle highlights interactions and revealing conversations between Jesus and disciples, specifically Peter, who "made himself an obstacle to Jesus", the Pharisees, and the Samaritan woman at the well. In all of these conversations, Replogle pinpoints the moments when Jesus called out these individuals, daring to cause some offense, but in the process revealing true intentions and insecurities hidden even from themselves. Encouraging readers to open themselves up to explore why they may take personal offense to certain conversations or interactions, Replogle offers close looks at Bible passages, shares insightful personal anecdotes, and arrives are clear-eyed guidance for living steeped in Gospel teaching, like "You discover who you are only by being willing to sacrifice who you think you are—and often who the world says you are."
As he explores the deep-rooted nature of human tendencies like insecurity, “the distorted imitations that trap us and put words in our mouth,” and the need for affirmation, Replogle breaks down instances where Jesus faced such challenges within the inner circle, and even with Mary herself. Replogle highlights thinkers like C. S. Lewis, T.S. Eliot, and many others on the nature of offense, digging into the very nature of the term and questions of biblical translation—especially revealing is how, in ancient Greek, offense is rooted in a term for stone or obstacle, with translators seeing in “stumbling over a hidden obstacle the similar experience of stumbling over an offense.”
That gets to the heart of this depiction of a Jesus who caused offense in a compassionate way, to elicit change. Replogle makes the case that everyone can benefit from exploring the sources of their offended feelings—and can find revelation and healing in the process.
Takeaway: Encouraging guide to Jesus’s compassionate use of offense to spur change.
Comparable Titles: Kevin DeYoung’s The Hole in Our Holiness, Anita McCall's Overcoming the Spirit of Offense.
Production grades Cover: A Design and typography: A Illustrations: N/A Editing: A Marketing copy: A
