08.16.2020 - When it Makes All the Difference

Scripture

John 8:1–11 NLT

Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

Summary:

Following Jesus means loving God and others when it matters the most.

Introduction

The secret to life is to be in the right place, at the right time, and to do the right thing.

Blind luck, if you believe in luck

or God's grace can get you in the right place at the right time.

But even God won't make you do the right thing.

How do you get all 3? Right place, right time, and doing the right thing.

Somebody out there is thinking: Prayer

And you would be partly right

But prayer is just the beginning

Stopping with prayer is like putting on your shoes and expecting that's all you have to do to win a marathon.

No, the way to be in the right place and the right time AND do the right thing is the same as most things in life.

Practice.

Last week we talked about how to love God and others when it doesn't seem to matter.

This week I am going to share how to love God and others when it matters the most.

And here's the short answer:

If you want to love God and others when it matters the most, you've got to practice loving God and others all the times it doesn't seem to matter at all.

Opportunities

Scripture

John 8:1–5 NLT

Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

Jesus was given an opportunity in this passage.

Opportunities to enforce the law

Opportunities to live the law

This was a foolish leader's dream come true because it was a chance to teach everyone what God really meant!

It was a wise leader's nightmare, because there was no good answer here.

"Teacher", they say (hoping he is a foolish leader.

Here's the situation. What do you say. Whatever you tell us, we will do.

What do we do with opportunities?

Patient Engagement

Scripture

John 8:6–8 NLT

They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

If there was ever a time to fix...

This passage is an interruption in the flow of John's gospels.

God in the flesh and all his goodness.

Not a story about being tested by people who don't want to follow him.

And it is a test.

Dr. Keener writes that if he says to spare her he puts himself above Moses and if he says to kill her he puts himself above the Emperor of Rome, and either way he will be in trouble with somebody.

That's what the foolish leader doesn't realize.

The wise leader knows that when they call you Teacher and say they will do whatever you say it is because they are setting you up.

The real followers in the gospel just follow, they don't have to tell Jesus what they will or will not do.

It's tempting to want to fix this and get it over

But instead Jesus just writes in the dirt.

I wonder what he wrote?

Dear God.... get me outa here please and thank you.

Lord make me an instrument of hay peace...

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

Some scholars think he wrote: Thou Shalt not Covet thy neighbor's wife... from the tenth commandment

We don't know what he thought or wrote

I wonder if he thought about meeting this woman at a well somewhere, asking for a drink of water, offering living water, and talking to her about the sin controlling her life. Sending her away with her life changed forever.

Regardless, this was not the time or place for debate or counseling.

He ignored the urgency of the situation and let them do whatever they wanted, so long as they were worthy.

None of them were. His patience dissolved their trap entirely

Who are you loving?

John 8:9–11 NLT

When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

Left with the girl, Jesus again could have taken up the teacher role.

Instead he was her Savior and Lord.

Loving when it matters most is usually not teaching somebody something.

It's usually being there for them and helping them in a way that does not leave them obligated to you.

Jesus had saved this girl's life and he could've asked anything from her

But the only thing he asked of her - and here is the scary part - is the same thing he asks of every single one of us.

Go and sin no more.

Who did Jesus love here?

He loved God

He loved this woman enough to be honest and help her

He loved all those men trying to trap him enough to be honest and help them

He loved God and others when it mattered most.

CTA

You have opportunities to love God and others when it matters most.

Will you be ready for them?

Will you be practiced up loving God and loving others from all those times you thought it didn't matter?

Will you be wise enough and patient enough to love God and everyone in the situation?

Will you be wise and patient and courageous enough to love them in a way that truly sets them free?