What Would Jesus Do?
Notes
Transcript
He Would Love First
He Would Love First
John 21:1-19
ME:
WE:
Welcome back everyone!
Oh man!
It is good to be back at youth group!
We are kicking off a new series tonight called What Would Jesus Do?
If you may recall this was a saying that become very popular in the early 90s and it still is talked about today.
This phrase was not used just in the 90s but actually began in 1886, by a pastor in Kansas named: Reverend Charles Sheldon
This sentiment is an advice to make decisions and live one's life in the same way that Jesus Christ would.
This question of what would Jesus do has been asked by many, which is all really good.
But what Christians have found out about this question is that it is hard to answer! Why?
Because we don’t know who Jesus is, let alone how he would respond in certain situations.
So tonight we are going to kick off this series by answering that question of What Would Jesus Do?
With He Would Love First.
This is a new phrase that has been thrown around: HWLF
He Would Love First.
And we all have different views of what love is.
Some think love is allowing us to do what we want.
Think of a child who is told no they can’t have something by their parents a common response is: “Do you even love me?”
People associate a freedom to do you as love.
Or maybe others see love as a feeling.
They need to be told they are loved.
They need to know that feeling, that warm, butterfly, knots in the tummy feeling.
That once that feeling goes away they no longer feel loved so they go searching for love again.
Or what about the overbearing love— I am doing this because I love you!
No you can’t
Run in the street durning rush hour.
No you can’t go to that dance— I want to protect you from them twerkers.
It is because I love you.
Like we get these different kinds of love.
We all have probably experienced them at some point in our lives.
While we can argue all night about what we think love is.
I would love to show you what God has to say about love.
Because to be honest you may have an opinion on what love is but if it doesn’t stack up to God’s view of love then we need a new definition.
And to be real— this is how we should respond.
If our thoughts and opinion are counter to God and His word— it is not God that is out of line.
We are.
People will say that listening to a book that was written over 2000 years ago it doesn’t hold up to what we are dealing with now.
And that can’t be further from the truth.
GOD:
So lets dive into what would Jesus do— He Would Love First.
Go ahead and flip open to John chapter 8.
So Jesus has been going around teaching.
He was an excellent teacher and people listened to him!
They loved to listen to Jesus.
Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them.
Notice how the passage says all the people.
Not some, or just a couple but all the people came to him.
It was a large gathering.
And Jesus is teaching and then all of a sudden Jesus finding himself at the center of a town hall court hearing.
It changed so fast.
Have you ever been in a situation where one minute everything was great you were all chillen at the bonfire and the vibe was good— you are digging them smores, and everyone is just sharing stories and then you got that crazy friend that you don’t know why you invited him but he showed— he goes and lights a firecracker and throws it in the fire— everyone is running people are ducking— chaos insues and then you get those roman candles and start shooting them at each other.
Yeah you get what is about to go down here?
Stuff is about to go down.
The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”
Jesus is teaching the vibe is good and then here comes the fireworks.
But these aren’t the good kinds these are those smoke bombs that nobody wants but that is all you can buy in IL.
Those religious leaders show up.
And they have a women who had been caught in adultery.
Now that means in this situation she either cheated on her husband or she was with someone else’s husband.
Not a great situation.
Why?
Because this was a big no no.
The jewish law forbid such behavior.
This was a not acceptable.
“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.
This is a continuation of the Law— you know the ten commandments.
Well the Jewish religious leaders did not stop at God 10 not they created like 600 more laws for the people to follow.
But I think that Exodus 20:14 would have been enough.
“You shall not commit adultery.
But instead they tack on the whole if they are found they shall be put to death.
So both the man and the women are suppose to be put to death.
The common way to do this back then?
A good old fashion stoning.
They didn’t get high— no they took massive rocks and threw them at the guilty party until they died.
And everyone who was present was allowed to stone the guilty people.
The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
This was done to purge evil.
This has been done for hundreds of years.
So as this women is brought in— the people around start looking for stones— for big rocks.
Let’s remember where these all started, everyone had come to gather to hear Jesus and then this women is brought in and now this group of people there for Jesus have now gotten distracted and are looking for stones.
It is important to note here— where is the man?
Where is the other part of the guilty part.
The women can’t commit adultery on her own.
Where is the man?
That is what Deut said that both should be put to death but in this case it is only the women.
This scene is about to turn violent.
And before they start letting the stone fly.
The religious leaders go hey teacher— this women was caught in adultery.
What do you say we should do here?
They were not asking for his permission.
They knew the law and Jesus knew the law.
Jesus knew what was to happen here.
Yet he doesn’t answer them.
Here is what he does.
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. 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.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground.
Those leaders hated Jesus.
And they wanted to trip him up.
Because they did not like Jesus and they were trying to get rid of him or at least destroy his following.
So what does Jesus do?
He doesn’t answer back.
But he crouches down and begins to write.
No one knows what he was writing.
There are many guess and some a better then others, but the reality is we don’t know.
To be truthful it does’t matter.
And when it has been a bit— this leaders pressed Jesus for more.
Jesus what do we do with this woman?
You know the law what do you say about it?
You are part of the all people, if we stone her are you going to join in?
Like Jesus are to going to get mad at us.
Are you with us or what?
Here is Jesus flipping the law upside down.
Jesus is not giving a request rather he is giving a command.
Who is qualified to throw a stone at this woman.
Who is qualified to judge her?
And the only qualification was they are to be one without sin.
One of the resources I use often puts it this way.
John Explanation of the Text
The force of the command, then, is that Jesus is commanding judgment to take place by a sinless one—literally, one who is entirely without sin. This is not a denial or rejection of the law, for the statement only demands that this single qualification be met “first” (πρῶτος). It is, rather, a demand for the right—even perfect—execution of the law. This statement spoke past the legal maneuvering right into the heart of the scribes and Pharisees, who at that moment could not sidestep their own law or Lawgiver. These are the only words spoken by Jesus in response to the public scene at hand.
Then Jesus goes back to writing on the ground.
Now watch what happens.
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.
One by one the stones fell to the ground.
They start to fall out of all the people’s hands.
One by one everyone leaves the scene.
You see in this moment no one was clean to throw the first stone.
All they needed was one person who was clean or sinless to throw the first stone.
Surely the religious leaders would be able to do it.
Nope.
Everyone laying down their stones.
Until it was just Jesus and this woman— who has no name.
They came to hear Jesus teach— they flocked to Jesus— and the moment Jesus challenged their heart— they said nah, I need to leave.
Here’s my stone I’m out of here.
But here is the deal.
It was only Jesus and this women left.
What was Jesus’ criteria?
You could stone her if you were what?
Oh thats right: “The one without sin.”
Jesus is left.
The perfect one.
The one without sin.
He was the only one left.
This women who was dragged her— and while Jesus was writing in the dirt— she witnessed everyone dropped their stones.
Every stone dropped had to leave her feeling free.
In the original language it says that she was still in the midst.
She hadn’t moved an inch.
Jesus notices that nothing is happening.
And he looks up and notice how Jesus stood up.
He never addressed her while squatting down, he respected her.
But now the true judge will hear the case.
Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
He asks “Women where are they?
Where are the firework throwers?
Has no one condemned you?
It would have only taken one person to throw the first stone.
and she would have been died.
But no one did.
To which Jesus says— neither do I— go and sin no more.
Jesus the only one who could carry out the command to kill her.
The only one who could throw the stone and rightly do it.
Jesus attempted to challenge the hearts of the people with the stones.
Let the one with no sin throw the first stone.
No takers.
He then shows a great deal of love to his women and says where are the people who were going to stone you?
Oh they left.
I don’t either.
This isn’t because Jesus had sin in his life.
He was qualified to throw the first stone.
He was able to do it— he was perfect without sin.
And instead of offering judgement and punishment and damnation.
Jesus tells her I don’t condemn you either, go now and sin no more.
Jesus says— I don’t condemn you but I don’t condone your actions— it is sinful and I hate sin— go and sin no more.
If this is not love then I have no idea what love is.
Love is freeing but challenging.
Love meets us where we are but it refusing to leave us there.
In this situation the religious leaders should have had WWJD bracelets on— they would have known how to respond to this women.
They would have done what Jesus did.
He Would Love first.
Jesus responded in love.
YOU:
I think there is a couple of ways to look at this passage and how it relates to us today.
You can look at it through the eyes of those in the crowd.
How would you have responded?
If you were in this situation?
Would you have grabbed a stone.
Maybe you would have grabbed one because everyone else was and you just needed fit in.
But you dropped the stone so that counted as being good.
Yet for some reason you grabbed a stone, thinking that you were superior to someone else.
That your sin isn’t really sin— you just mess up and that you are in control of your sin but this women nah she needs to go.
And you hear the words of Jesus and it stops you dead in your tracks.
You didn’t think to run out there and tell them to stop.
You left the stones because deep down you knew that you were not clean.
You thank God that your sin isn’t on public display like that women.
Maybe you repent?
Maybe you decide to treat people differently?
What if you were the women?
You have just be brought into the town square.
They said they caught you in adultery.
You were probably half dressed if not naked.
Your sin was on display for everyone to see.
Imagine the shame and the guilt, the embarrassment that you are feeling.
You know the law you know what is happening,.
Death is awaiting you.
You are dragged into the town square.
They are telling everyone what you have done.
You know what is about to happen— you have seen this before.
You close your eyes waiting for the stones to hit.
You hear voices yelling and then you just hear one voice and then silence.
You hear something dropping and you wonder maybe they are getting bigger stones.
But it is quite.
And you look around and it is just you and Jesus.
You have heard about this guy before.
You know he teaches with authority, he heals, there is something different about this rabbi.
He was writing something, you don’t have the mental head space to think about what it is, but he stands up
And then he asks you a question, where are they?
Where are the ones who condemned you?
You find words to say, no one, Lord.
And you hear Him say— Neither do I condemn you.
The relief is overwhelming.
Just a few moments ago you were feeling hopeless but now you are feeling so loved.
You feel cared for and seen and heard.
You have no idea what this really means— You know you are guilty of sin but somehow you have been spared.
You have been forgiven.
And more thing thing is said as Jesus turns to leave as well.
He says go and sin no more.
He is placing a call on your life to step out of sin.
Jesus loves you right where you are.
He will meet you where you are.
He will meet you in your brokenness, in your damage, in your hurt, in your sin, in the dirt.
He will meet you there.
Over and over again He will meet you there.
That is the kind of love that Jesus shows.
And while he will meet you in your sin— he will always challenge you to leave it behind.
You see that is also love.
Jesus doesn’t just say hey you sinned, I forgive you, now get back out there and sin a little better next time.
No.
He says I forgive you and as you go sin no more.
He wept when Jesus meets us where we are, we call that love, but when we get this sense that Jesus is telling us stop sinning— he is calling us out of sin— we say don’t tell me how to live my life.
You can’t have it both ways.
You can’t love Jesus for his forgiveness and then get mad when he calls you out of sin.
For too long we accept sin— we say you do you ill do me.
You live your truth— no there is one truth.
And he Love you greatly and we want you to flee the thing that he hates most and that is sin.
There is one more person’s eyes we have to look through before we wrap up tonight.
And His is the one that we are going to be going back to each week.
It is through his eyes we ask the question, WWJD?
If we could put yourself in his shoes.
Remember He was teaching and then a large amount of chaos comes His way.
Those religious leaders are back and this time they have someone who is guilty of sin.
Jesus knows they are going to ask him the question of what to do with this sinner.
He knew the law— He knew what must be done.
He hears them ask, so he begins to draw in the dirt.
Maybe it was a way to buy him some more time.
Maybe he really had to get this thought down.
No matter— He calls them to something that is often overlooked.
To come face to face with their own sin.
He says, look you can stone her but let the one who has no sin throw the first stone.
He knows that no one can do this.
He can see the sin, he can hear it, he can smell it.
It is all around him.
No one is innocent.
His heart breaks at the amount of sin that is present.
He goes back to writing in the dirt, as he lets the people think about what he just said.
And he hears the stones dropping.
one by one— until all the stones are left.
It is just him and this women.
He sees her.
Precious- He sees her sin, He remembers creating her, He knows her name, He knows everything about her.
He knows she is guilty.
But he did not come to the world to condemn it, but to save it.
That is what John records in John 3:16-17
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
He looks at her with love, but not a romantic love, no far from it.
He looks at her with this agape love.
It is living its active.
It is a love that is sacrificial.
It is a love that compels Jesus to forgive and forget.
But it is a love that also challenges her to flee from her sin.
To stop doing what she has been doing and turn away from sin
Jesus didn’t ask her questions about her sin, he just met her where she was.
Jesus is so compassionate and loving.
He is the very definition of love.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
God is love.
Jesus is love.
So here is the deal— worship team you can start coming up:
You have been in all of these people’s shoes.
You have been in the crowd when someone is getting judged and just railroaded for their sins.
You have probably looked on maybe and added your own thoughts in the conversation.
You have probably found yourself where Jesus was— someone asked you to weight in on someone else’s sin, their stuff.
And we all have been in the place where our sin is out there for the world to see.
We are exposed and it cuts us to our souls.
But yet forgiven and challenged to walk in the freedom of sin that only Christ can offer.
And the questions need to be in all of these places is How would Jesus respond.
What would Jesus do?
Maybe it would be easier to tell you what he wouldn’t do:
He would never grab a stone.
He would never talk about your sin behind your back.
He never would put himself on a pedestal even thought he has every right too.
He would never bash you.
He would not condemn you.
No He would not want you to feel guilt or shame for what you have done, but when we feel that he know that is the Holy spirit convicting us of sin.
Jesus would never NOT love.
Jesus never lets you stay in that sin though.
He is love.
He loves so big.
That it is a mystery to me.
Like Why do you continue to love me?
I’m broken, bitter, i’m no good, I’m damaged goods.
But Jesus step up and in our lives and says— I love you.
I will give you grace on top of grace every time all the time.
You can’t out sin my grace for you.
He would love first.
That is what Jesus would do.
And if we are striving to be like Jesus this is what we do too.
We love first.
Like you understand how that goes against the grain of our culture right?
Love for people is a telling mark of a believer or a true disciple of Christ.
It is not how many Bible verses you know, or how many Bibles you own, it has nothing to do with how many times you are at church every week.
It doesn’t matter to the outside world.
How will they know?!?
John 13:35
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
They will know by our love.
It is loving but challenging.
This is the tension Christ calls us to live in.
To be loving and firm.
To be loving and accountable
To be loving and striving to put our evil ways to rest.
As you interact with people, love first, love fiercely, and unconditionally just as Christ did and has done for you.
Let’s Pray
After the message:
WWJD— He Would Love First:
That is your challenge this week.
And how does Jesus respond in Love?
And how can I then respond in love?
Something that became really popular was not just the saying but wwjd bracelets.
Like this one.
And I thought it would be fun if we all had one.
So I ordered some for our youth group.
You don’t have to take them.
But what if for the next 4 weeks— we wore these as a reminder to ask our selves this question— What Would Jesus Do?
WWJD about giving some homeless guy money?
WWJD about a friend who is in need?
WWJD about so so sin?
WWJD about how to treat my brother or sister?
WWJD when it comes to sports? Or band? or school in general?