Ordinary people extraordinary God
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The transforming power of God is like an encounter with no other. There are times that we may get caught up in how we lived our live prior to knowing Christ. I believe this morning we are to be reminded that when Christ forgives He forgives. He does not throw our past life in our face.
Do not live in the past move towards the future as God leads you and directs. This morning let’s take a look at John 8:1-11
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.”
Pray: Lord let us remember the encounter we had with you, when you forgave us and gave us a fresh start. Let us realize that fresh start and launch our lives to be tranformed by your hand.
When we start looking at this chapter we see that the religious leaders were constantly trying to discredit Jesus by setting traps and tricks. They were trying to gain evidence to use against Him.
Controversy and conflicts came about and revealed how graciousness of Christ and the wickedness of people.
Grace & Law
Grace & Law
Grace, Grace, God’s grace.
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within
Grace, Grace, God’s grace.
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
I am so thankful for the grace of God.
Our text this morning happens just after the Feast of the Taberbnacles ended. Pilgrims traveled to the tempe to be a part of this celebration. Due to this gathering Jesus took advantage of this time to minister to the pilgrims. Jesus taught in the temple as the people gathered the religious leaders brought in a woman who had been caught in adultery.
According to the law those guilty of this sin were to be stoned.
The man and woman who comitted adultry were to be stoned immediately if caught in the act.
The religious leaders confronted Jesus with this incident knowing that they had him trapped no matter what His answer was.
If Jesus said yes to stone the woman that would mean He is not the friend to sinners that He had been teaching about.
If Jesus answered no to stoning the woman it would mean he openly broke the law and would then be subject to arrest.
These religious leaders thought they were so clever in their ways to be able to ensure they would end Jesus’ growing following and ministry.
However, instead of passing judgement on the woman Jesus passed judgement on the judges.
“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.
“Your approval means nothing to me, because I know you don’t have God’s love within you. For I have come to you in my Father’s name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them. No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.
“Yet it isn’t I who will accuse you before the Father. Moses will accuse you! Yes, Moses, in whom you put your hopes. If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. But since you don’t believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”
It was not right how the religious leaders of the day treated this woman.
It was hypocritical of them to judge others and not themselves.
Jesus took the time to use this moment to teach all those who had gathered.
Jesus’ response was calm and wise. He stooped down and wrote in the sand. We do not know what He wrote but it was a reminder of how the ten commandments were written with the finger of God and now here once again God is writing a warning and teaching us to pay attention and listen.
Jesus was no asking sinless men to judge the woman. He was the only sinless man that was present.
The law required death to the person who had sinned, by way of stonning.
According to Deut. 17:7, however in this instance Jesus said this as they kept demanding Jesus to give them an answer:
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 sand. Those who were there did not know how to respond.
Their guilty conscious convicted them. The accusers quietly left the scene. Jesus was then left alone with the woman.
Jesus stood up again and asked the woman where were her acusers and if they condemned her. She responded saying no and Jesus said He did not condemn her but He forgave her and told her to go and sin no more.
Jesus forgave her and gave her a fresh start.
Some may say Jesus was easy on sin or He contradicted the law. I believe Jesus forgave her because He knew He would one day soon die for her and the sins of so many.
Forgiveness is free but it is not cheap.
Might be a statement that contradicts itself.
Jesus freely gives us forgiveness but it cost Him everything!
Jesus perfectly fulfilled the law so that no one could accuse Him of opposing its teaching or weakening its power.
There is power in the Blood that Jesus shed on Calvary. That power is still available to all who want to receive it today. Even after all this time has passed that same blood is still effective and transforms a life of sin to a life that is set free!
When the accusers applied the law to the woman and not to themselves they violated the letter and the spirit of the law.
The accusers thought they were defending Moses. They thought they were defending the law.
The Law was given:
1. To reveal sin
1. To reveal sin
For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
2. Not to compete with Grace but compliment each other.
2. Not to compete with Grace but compliment each other.
Conviction happens before conversion.
We see the need for change then we take the step to God who through Jesus brings the change.
We think we have to have everything perfect before we accept Christ.
We cannot do that. We are not perfect.
We are forgiven! He does the work in us.
Christ is gracious, forgiveness is not an excuse to sin.
We are told to go and sin no more.
When you experience His gracious forgiveness it motivates a sinner to live a holy and obedient life to the Glory of God!
This morning look at the fact that you have the opportunity to have an encounter that is life changing.
Experience His love and forgiveness as you come to Him and receive all that He offers you.
Do not try to fix yourself up on your own.
He wants you JUST AS YOU ARE!!!!
Sing Just as I am
Light & Darkness
Light & Darkness
The second “I am” statement is in John 8 where Jesus compares Himself to the rising sun claiming to be God for the second time.
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
For Jews the sun is a symbol of God
For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.
He gives us grace and glory.
The Lord will withhold no good thing
from those who do what is right.
“But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.
There is one God and He is center of all and the source of life.
God is light
This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
Wherever the light shines it reveals humanity’s wickedness
For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,
“Awake, O sleeper,
rise up from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.”
To follow Jesus means to believe in Him and to trust Him and the result is life and light for the believer.
God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
The unsaved walk in darkness and love darkness.
The message of the gospel is that spiritual light is now shining but people cannot comprehend it and they try to put it out.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.
Light has to bear witness to itself!
Only those who are blind are unable to see it. Light bears witness to itself, it tells you its there.
Life & Death
Life & Death
Jesus mentioned leaving them in John 7:34
You will search for me but not find me. And you cannot go where I am going.”
They misunderstood what Jesus was saying and thought Jesus was going to end His life.
Jesus came from Heaven
Jesus belonged to Earth
Jesus was in the world but did not belong to the world .
I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do.
This morning where do you stand?
Do you have sitizenship in Heaven?
Are you are true believer?
Are you affections and attentinos fixed Heavenward?
Jesus came to give us a choice what is yours?
The unsaved belong to this world.
Jesus said they are children of this world.
“The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light.
They do not have trust in God. Their sins are not forgiven and they are destined to die in sin.
A Christian or as we say a person who is saved. They put their trust in God. Their sins are forgiven and they are destined for Heaven!
This morning I know the choice is clear for me to ensure my life is aligned with Christ. I am a Christian. I belong to Jesus.
My prayer today is that you belong to Him also.
This morning I ask our who church as we come together for communion service to come to the front and gather around. This will a little taste of what we will get to do one day soon. To gather around the throne of Heaven and praise our Lord and savior and worship for all He has done for us!
The religious experts of Jesus’ day had to ask who He is. This morning let me introduce you to the one who will transform your life in a radical way!
May I introduce you to this friend of mine.
He hangs out the stars.
Tells the son when to shine.
He kisses the flowers each morning with dew
But He’s not too busy to care about you!