Love Letters in the sand

17. LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND

Louie Giglio writes in his book Goliath Must Fall, “If some form of bondage is in our lives, if some attitude seemingly can’t be shaken, if some character flaw apparently can’t be overcome, if some thought darkens our mind, if some problem has sunk its teeth into our life and we can’t shake it as we move through our day, then take heart, because none of these giants are a match for Jesus. All of these giants can—and will—fall

We can be encouraged that there is room for us to acknowledge our own weaknesses and to even prepare to persevere and try again when we face our own problems, even while remaining confident in God’s power. Because of Jesus’s victory on the cross, we can remain confident in our faith even in spite of our own weaknesses. Jesus defeated our greatest enemies—sin, death, and the devil—with his sacrificial death and resurrection. The biggest problem we will ever have, separation from God, is nullified in Jesus. The effects of sin that might seem like giants to believers can take on different forms, but Jesus is the solution for each and every one and will bring victory, whether in this life or in the life to come.

Sin can become a giant in our life,

In the Netflix show Stranger Things (Season 2, Episode 3), Dustin finds a strange little creature in his trash can. He takes it home as a cute pet, but it is obvious to those watching Dustin has made a terrible mistake. The creature, Dart, which is a baby monster, begins to grow into something terrible and uncontrollable. Dart started off cute but once he was fed, he grew into the monster he was created to be. Dustin later realized he should have destroyed Dart when he could have but he let him grow. Temptation might start off as a “cute” little desire. If you feed it by participating in it, going through with something you know is wrong, it will grow into sin and once it grows into sin, it can become uncontrollable. It can get out of control and destroy reputations, relationships, and even lives.

We will see in the story today that sin became a giant in one woman’s life but only Jesus can take down the giant. Jesus destroys sin while the world desires to destroy the sinner.

Let Us Pray

John 8:1–11

They went each to his own house, 1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So, what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

I. THE TEACHER—vv. 1–2

Christ the teacher. What did He teach?

A. He taught salvation—John 3:1–8 -

The story of Nicodemus and being born again

B. He taught separation—Matthew 5:8

The Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes –

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God

C. He taught steadfastness—Matthew 7:24–29

Building Your house on rock and not sand

D. He taught suffering—Matthew 5:11–12

Blessed are you when you are reviled and persecuted and say false things about you and plan evil for you

Rejoice and be glad – they persecuted the prophets too

E. He taught surrender—Mark 8:35–38

If you save your life you lose it

If you lose your life for my sake and the Gospel’s sake you’ll save it

If you are ashamed of me in an adulterous and sinful generation – so will I be ashamed of you in the Glory of the Father

What are you doing with the lessons the TEACHER Taught?

So we have the TEACHER and the teacher is the light and the truth – but the teacher has TROUBLE

II. THE TROUBLE—vv. 3–5

A. People—v. 3. A woman, who was guilty of adultery. The scribes were the Jewish secretaries, and the Pharisees were the Jewish religious leaders.

The Pharisees hated Jesus so much they try to trick him

If He stones her, He breaks Roman law and becomes a criminal and loses the trust of those sinners who are seeking Him out

If He doesn’t stone, her then He breaks or lessens the view the Law Of Moses

B. Practice—v. 4. The woman had been caught in the act adultery.

This sin cannot be done alone

Why didn’t they bring the man also?

He was just as guilty as the woman. Where was he?

Lack of respect ruling classes had towards women

C. Punishment—v. 5. According to the Old Testament law, they should both be stoned to death—Leviticus 20:10 says “If a man commits adultery with the wife of[a] his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.; Deuteronomy 22:22 If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman. So you shall purge the evil from Israel.

But hence it is just this woman.

The people were testing Christ to see what He would do.

Do you test Jesus? Do you apply all of His words to your life or pick and choose the best ones?

Point 1 – The Teacher – led us to Point 2 the TROUBLE

III. THE TENACITY - PATIENCE—vv. 6–7

A. Plan—v. 6. Christ seemed to be indifferent. As the scribes and Pharisees spoke, He wrote something in the sand. No one knows what He wrote. It is possible that He wrote, so they could see:

The law?

(1) patience, (2) forgiveness, (3) love, (4) kindness, (5) understanding.

Or what Paul wrote love was in 1 Cor 13?

B. Perfection—v. 7. Jesus gave them permission to stone the woman IF THEY WERE PERFECT AND WITHOUT SIN! Capital punishment was lawful in the Bible— Deuteronomy 13:10; 17:5, 12-13 – those who lead you to worship other gods; among many lie already stated. Jesus warned of being critical toward others—Matthew 7:1–5 Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

Teacher – Trouble – Tenacity

IV. THE TOTAL FORGIVENESS—vv. 8–11

A. Patience—v. 8. Jesus waited for the first person to cast a stone.

B. Problem—v. 9. One by one they left. Those who had brought charges against this woman realized that they had sins in their own lives. They were convicted of their wrong. Our conscience shows us right from wrong—Romans 2:12–16 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

C. Privation—v. 10. No one could be critical of this woman, since they had sin in their own lives.

We do not always act like forgiven people, but we should because none of us has the right to throw that first stone.

As the light and the truth, Jesus offers grace and forgiveness to repentant sinners. Do we?

D. Pardon – TOTAL FORGIVENESS—v. 11. Jesus didn’t condemn her. He said, GO AND SIN NO MORE!

What do we do?

Are we like Pharisee’s and point out the faults of those around us without looking at our own hearts? Our own decisions?

Are you one of the first to drop the stone or the last to drop the stone?

Where you are in line of dropping the stone is a good indicator of the condition of your heart. The first immediately know and take Jesus’ words to heart but the last? Why didn’t they all drop the stones and leave at the same time? Pride? Where are you in this line of people?

Let Us Pray?