The Weapon of Disgust

The Weapon of Disgust (Disgust)

John 8:1-11; Ps 97:10a NIV

July 9, 2023 – Waters Edge Church

INTRODUCTION (1.5/1.5) 35:00

Morning…I’m Corey, NN CP…so honored to be here…welcome to YT/WBG/IC/Online/my campus-NN…thank you Pastor Stu…honor to follow you…TY for believing in me & leading our church w/ passion/focus…

Excited to continue fun series, Emotions…y’all liked it? If new, been diving into 6 core emotions- bc each of us feel lots of emotions/yet we don’t know how to handle them…but God in his word shows us how to deal w/ our emotions

TENSION (5/6.5) 33:30

Today, we’re gonna talk @ the least discussed/understood/preached @ emotion of them all…emotion of Disgust

Let me ask, how many y’all ever heard sermon on disgust?…nobody preaches on disgust! Then why we preaching on disgust? Bc I drew the short straw, that’s why!…not true-here’s why: bc we feel emotion of disgust all the time/daily

Exs: Ketchup on mac/mayo on pizza/refried beans/chips w vegemite/dead bird w maggots/roaches in drain/raw chicken wings/dogs explosive diarrhea…that’s disgusting! & for some reason, God could’ve given us thousands but he specifically designed us to feel 6 core emotions & this is 1 of them…so what is disgust?

Disgust: a strong aversion, for example, to the taste, smell, or touch of something deemed revolting… this is called Physical Disgust…physiological reaction/reflex when we see/smell/touch something disgusting/harmful that tells us get away/back up/steer clear… but not the whole definition…

Disgust: a strong aversion, for example, to the taste, smell, or touch of something deemed revolting, or toward a person or behavior deemed morally repugnant… called Moral Disgust… this important, bc moral disgust doesn’t just have to do w gross things…has to do w people/relationships/how interact w others…

If you remember, 1st week we taught you, emotions are not bad, humans/angel/God experience emotion, but it’s what we do w/ our emotion that really matters… in other words-emotions can be used for good/bad…which means that disgust also can be used for good/bad… & since disgust deals w/ ppl, if used wrongly, it can be damaging/destructive

In other words-disgust isn’t just an emotion, it’s a weapon… & just like any weapon, we choose whether it will be used for good/bad, so obviously the question becomes…how do we use disgust for good? manage disgust well?

EXPOSITION (1/7.5) 28:30

As w/ any weapon, what determines whether it’s used for good/bad is what it is aimed towards/where it’s directed… same w/ disgust-where we direct our disgust determines its impact…whether its good/bad…today-look at heavy story where we see 3 dif directions of disgust at play…& I believe story will transform your entire perspective on disgust

Disgust Towards Sinners (7.5/15) 27:30

Intense story-buckle up… Jn 8:1-5 NIV: but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” …astounding/insane…before we dive in, must understand-the goal of these men was to trap Jesus…if Jesus says let her go, he’s undermined Law of Moses & his ministry’s over… if Jesus agrees & has her stoned, his ministry of love/grace/reconciliation is undermined/over…they got him!

Their idea-grab the most disgraceful/atrocious person/someone so deep in sin there’s no way Jesus could ever forgive them… they catch a woman (not a man) in the act of adultery/they wait/spy/trail/maybe even trap this woman/catch her in the act/grab her/presumably naked/throw her in front of crowd/Jesus…they say, “look at this deplorable/ pathetic woman…she sickens us, doesn’t she sicken you? aren’t you repulsed/nauseated/revolted by her? Shouldn’t we stone/kill her?”…imagine how much hatred/loathing/revulsion they felt for this woman- to them she’s nothing/ worthless… she’s just a tool/pawn used to trap Jesus…the Pharisees were disgusted by the woman…

Brings us to 1st direction of disgust… Disgust Towards Sinners…you see, this emotion of disgust they feel is not wrong, until they choose to be disgusted by the person…direct their disgust towards the human/individual who was uniquely designed/wholeheartedly loved by God…this teaches us valuable lesson…When directed towards people, disgust dehumanizes...but it’s not just the Pharisees in story, we do this all the time…Story @ church…#1 reason has nothing to do w/ Jesus/teachings/Bible…90% of 16-29 yo feel church is judgmental…disgusted by them

Not saying we remove ppl’s responsibility for their actions/lenient on Scripture-ppl held accountable by God for their actions…but when we’re disgusted by/avoid ppl made in image of God bc they sin different, we are in the wrong

Church, we can no longer afford to get this wrong…when ppl feel the church disgusted by them/feel God disgusted by them & they don’t come to Jesus/often spend entire lives trying to find value everywhere else & that’s our fault!

Truth is-many of us feel disgust towards truly disgusting things- abuse/racism/murder…& that disgust is an emotion given to us from God…but when we aim it towards ppl/begin to be disgusted by the person, we’re not giving them the value God gives them/dehumanizing them…bc just like the Pharisees, we’ve directed our disgust at the wrong target

Disgust Towards Self (3.5/18.5) 20:00

Before we move on-want to make quick pitstop…bc subtly, there’s another direction of disgust here…Pharisees arent the only ones feeling disgust towards people…look at Jn 8:3b-4: They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery…imagine how humiliating/degrading/horrifying… no doubt-this woman is disgusted by herself… brings us to 2nd direction of disgust in story… Disgust Towards Self…

This woman is disgusted by herself/image/identity…disgusted/ashamed of who she is…she’s so ashamed of what she’s done, she’s made determination of her value…not design of disgust-When directed towards self, disgust shames

Some of you don’t disgust/hate anyone, & it’s bc you’re consumed w/ self-disgust/hatred…you’re so ashamed/ humiliated/guilty of your past that can’t feel anything else, all you feel is disgust for yourself… you can’t receive love/forgiveness/grace from Jesus/others bc you’re so overwhelmed with disgust for yourself

Not how God intended disgust to work…disgust never meant to harm/hurt you, in fact, disgust is designed to help/ serve/protect you… when we sin, enemy loves to twist regret/guilt into self-condemnation/disgust… but here’s truth- we don’t have that right/ authority…only Jesus has the jurisdiction to determine identity/value…& when he gave his life for you on Calvary, he determined your value…so hear me-when you feel disgust, it’s not wrong, but it’s never meant to be directed towards yourself…in fact, want to show you exactly where God calls us to direct our disgust…

Disgust Towards Sin (8.5/27) 16:30

Jn 8:6-9: They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. (explain) When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. (explain) At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there…so beautiful, Jesus’ omniscience/heart on full display, but did you notice? Jesus has the same emotion as the Pharisees/woman! Jesus is disgusted!

But he’s not disgusted w/ the woman at all, Jesus was disgusted by the sin… shows us the 3rd direction of disgust, the right direction… Disgust Towards Sin…this is massive distinction…Jesus separates the sin from the sinner, adultery/adulteress, hypocrisy/hypocrite, lie/liar, abuse/abuser, pride/proud…

Jesus teaches us a revolutionary truth… God designed you to feel disgust towards sin, not sinners…why? bc sin is an act against God/miss the mark/separates us from God/injures our relationship with Jesus…& sinner is a person who is created/loved by God/masterpiece… Cannon Story…infiltrated by enemy/used against owners…same thing w/ disgust- allowed enemy to infiltrate it & turn it against sinners/others…damaging relationships/devastating the gospel…we need to redirect it towards sin so it can function like its supposed to…

Listen-God designed disgust as a weapon to push us away from sin & push us towards holiness… bc here’s truth-when directed towards sin, disgust purifies-removes sin/pushes us towards Jesus…if used properly, disgust’ll actually become a catalyst for spiritual growth…Ps 97:10a: Let those who love the Lord hate evil…called to hate evil/sin…if we allow it to, that’s exactly what emotion called disgust will do…it’ll help us hate evil & get closer to Jesus…

Love Towards People [Push & Pull] (4/31) 8:00

But that’s not end of disgust… Jn 8:10-11: Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” …love this…bc Jesus doesn’t just disgust the sin & act cordial w/ the sinner, he loves/cares/gives grace to her…see, Jesus doesn’t allow his disgust to dehumanize/shame her, doesn’t even allow his disgust to distance her, instead-he uses his disgust to pull her close/love her…while disgust always pushes away, Jesus always pulls us in

Listen, if you’ve ever thought God hated/despised/disliked/disappointed/was disgusted by you, want you to know- he never has, he radically loves/wants you…on behalf of Christians everywhere, I’m so sorry you’ve felt not wanted/ loved/welcome/desired by the church…we’re broken vessels/jacked up ppl representing perfect God & we’ve messed up so many times…but let me tell you truth right now- you’re absolutely welcome/wanted at the table of God/WEC…

We love/want/not disgusted by you… If you’ve ever thought you were too far gone/dirty/broken/jacked up, you’re not- come home! He wants you and he loves you! No matter who you are/what you’ve done, you can come home!

But as we finish story, I want everyone to hear this…Jesus doesn’t leave her there… loves/defends her, bruised/ naked/dirty/broken…he doesn’t condemn/disgust/hate, he loves her w/ all her mistakes/sin, but he doesn’t leave her that way; he forgives her & tells her to “leave her life of sin”…

That’s the heart of Jesus…he’s disgusted by your sin, but he loves you too much to leave you in it…he will pursue/ push/call/challenge you to get out of your sin/walk in holiness… & he challenges us to do same…love what he loves/ disgust what he disgusts… & that is how we walk in obedience- when we love people & disgust sin…

APPLICATION (3/34) 4:00

As I close, I want to ask you a ?: what disgusts you today? Boss/fam/grotesque sin?…If your immediate thought was not sin in your own life, you got work to do…bc here’s truth-God is disgusted w/ your/my sin, & while we’re so focused on others/politics/fam/their sins, we’re ignoring sin in our own life…truth is, we will never truly grow in our faith if we’re not disgusted by our sin…it’s what the emotion of disgust was gifted to us for! how we use it for good!

So let me challenge you today…ask God for two things- pray & ask Jesus to help you 1) Disgust Sin & 2nd, if you’re like me/find yourself judging/disgusted by others easily… pray for Jesus to help you 2) Love People…

& next time you feel twinge of disgust towards someone/type of person, I encourage you, build a relationship w/ them, not focused on fixing/changing them-just loving them…& watch how God will shift your heart… & while you’ll still disgust their sin & may even get opportunity to share truth of Christ w/ them, ultimately, you’ll grow to love them like Jesus…here’s why-bc the closer you get to someone you’re disgusted by, the more you realize you’re just like them: both just sinners in need of a Savior & that Savior’s name is Jesus

CONCLUSION (1/35) 1:00

Listen y’all, each of you have been given emotion of disgust & God designed you to feel disgust towards sin, not sinners, but it’s up to you if you’ll use it like it’s intended… bc depending on how you use it, disgust brings hatred or holiness, shame or sanctification, dehumanization or devotion, you choose…I urge you-choose well…use disgust for good & watch how God will bring growth in your life as you begin to hate sin & love people like never before…Pray

KNOW (BOTTOM LINE): God designed you to feel disgust towards sin, not sinners.

DO: Disgust Sin; Love People

FEEL: Challenged; enlightened.

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