Have you ever been "caught between a rock and a hard place?" Pilate did. Convict Jesus with less than convincing accusations or release a troublemaker back into the public. Take sides in a schoolyard scuffle or let the drama play out. Go against God's people or condemn the son of God.
Politics as usual won out on that day. Pilate seemed more concerned about himself than his people or the Messiah. History tells us that following his decision he was called back to Rome. One version of history has him killing himself after his return. Either way choosing self over truth seems to have gotten him nowhere.
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
SEEKING THE HEART OF JESUS: A Heart That Challenges - TRUTH (A blog post for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on September 1, 2019)
"What is truth?" It is hard to imagine a more appropriate quotation from a Roman leader in first century Palestine to survive until today. With all of the cultural, intellectual, spiritual, technological, industrial changes our world has gone through, this might still be the most pressing issue before humanity today. "What is truth?"
What does the word, truth, mean to you?
What does the word, truth, mean to you?
Monday, August 26, 2019
SEEKING THE HEART OF JESUS: A Heart That Challenges - Jesus and Pilate - John 18:28-40; 19:1-22 (A blog post for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on September 1, 2019)
John 18:28-40 New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Before Pilate
28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”
30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”
31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”
“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.
33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”
40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
John 19:1-22 New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Sentenced to Be Crucified
19 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.
4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” 5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”
7 The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”
8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to youis guilty of a greater sin.”
12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”
13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaicis Gabbatha). 14 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.
“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.
15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.
“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.
16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.
The Crucifixion of Jesus
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).18 There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”
22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Saturday, August 24, 2019
SEEKING THE HEART OF JESUS: A Heart That Values - Jesus and a Man Born Blind - Sermon Outline (A blog post for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on August 25, 2019)
SEEKING THE HEART OF JESUS: A Heart That Values - Jesus and a Man Born Blind - August 25, 2019
Video - Easy Worship
Prayers
INTRODUCTION
A leper - A heart that touches
A Centurian - A heart that marvels
The Samaritan woman at the well - A heart that accepts
The Two Daughters (bleeding and Jairus daughter) - A heart that cares
The Pharisee and the woman who anoints Jesus' feet - A heart that confronts
The Canaanite woman - A heart that reaches
The blind man - A heart that restores
A hurting dad - A heart that comforts
A tax collector - A heart that transforms
A guilty woman - A heart that forgives
I. RIDDLE ME THIS - THE DISCIPLES' VIEW
Riddles - real questions inside real situations
Riddler "Riddle me this . . . "
“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?””
John 9:1-2 NIV
A. Rabbinic teaching
1. Predestinarians view - For sins that will be committed
2. Prenatal view - For sins committed in the womb
3. Past life view - For sins committed in a previous life
B. Suffering
1. Product of divine correction
2. God's instrument in developing our faith or character
3. Merely the byproduct of living in a sinful world
4. Equip us to help others when they suffer
II. THE POWER OF MYSTERY - THE NEIGHBOR'S VIEW
“His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said.”
John 9:8-12 NIV
A. How did this happen?
B. The blind man's response
He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”
C. "Where is he?"
Dr. Girdwood's "Gospel of John" approach to evangelism
III. DOUBT AS DEFAULT - THE RELIGIONISTS' VIEW
“They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.”
John 9:13-14 NIV
“Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.”
John 9:28-34 NIV
A. Making bricks on Sunday
B. Doubters challenge the blind man
C. The formerly blind man challenges the doubters
"Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
D. Name call and throw him out
IV. THE POWER OF FEAR - THE PARENTS' VIEW
“They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.””
John 9:18-23 NIV
A. Fear in place of celebration
B. Political speak in place of candor
V. A PERSONAL LOVE - JESUS' VIEW
“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.”
Isaiah 53:3-4 NIV
The compassion of Jesus In light of his accusers plot
“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.”
John 9:1-7 NIV
A. "As he passed by" from the end of Chapter 8
B. He stopped to care for a man born blind
C. Compassion over blame
VI. A GOSPEL PERSPECTIVE - ROOTED IN PERSPECTIVE
“As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me.”
John 9:4a NIV
A. The Mission of Christ
1. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.””
Luke 19:10 NIV
B. The Gospel Mandate to Go
1. “Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.””
John 20:21 NIV
2. “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.””
Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
3. “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
Mark 16:15-16 NIV
CHALLENGE
Go to them. Don't wait for them.
Video - Easy Worship
Prayers
INTRODUCTION
A leper - A heart that touches
A Centurian - A heart that marvels
The Samaritan woman at the well - A heart that accepts
The Two Daughters (bleeding and Jairus daughter) - A heart that cares
The Pharisee and the woman who anoints Jesus' feet - A heart that confronts
The Canaanite woman - A heart that reaches
The blind man - A heart that restores
A hurting dad - A heart that comforts
A tax collector - A heart that transforms
A guilty woman - A heart that forgives
I. RIDDLE ME THIS - THE DISCIPLES' VIEW
Riddles - real questions inside real situations
Riddler "Riddle me this . . . "
“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?””
John 9:1-2 NIV
A. Rabbinic teaching
1. Predestinarians view - For sins that will be committed
2. Prenatal view - For sins committed in the womb
3. Past life view - For sins committed in a previous life
B. Suffering
1. Product of divine correction
2. God's instrument in developing our faith or character
3. Merely the byproduct of living in a sinful world
4. Equip us to help others when they suffer
II. THE POWER OF MYSTERY - THE NEIGHBOR'S VIEW
“His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said.”
John 9:8-12 NIV
A. How did this happen?
B. The blind man's response
He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”
C. "Where is he?"
Dr. Girdwood's "Gospel of John" approach to evangelism
III. DOUBT AS DEFAULT - THE RELIGIONISTS' VIEW
“They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.”
John 9:13-14 NIV
“Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.”
John 9:28-34 NIV
A. Making bricks on Sunday
B. Doubters challenge the blind man
C. The formerly blind man challenges the doubters
"Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
D. Name call and throw him out
IV. THE POWER OF FEAR - THE PARENTS' VIEW
“They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.””
John 9:18-23 NIV
A. Fear in place of celebration
B. Political speak in place of candor
V. A PERSONAL LOVE - JESUS' VIEW
“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.”
Isaiah 53:3-4 NIV
The compassion of Jesus In light of his accusers plot
“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.”
John 9:1-7 NIV
A. "As he passed by" from the end of Chapter 8
B. He stopped to care for a man born blind
C. Compassion over blame
VI. A GOSPEL PERSPECTIVE - ROOTED IN PERSPECTIVE
“As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me.”
John 9:4a NIV
A. The Mission of Christ
1. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.””
Luke 19:10 NIV
B. The Gospel Mandate to Go
1. “Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.””
John 20:21 NIV
2. “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.””
Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
3. “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
Mark 16:15-16 NIV
CHALLENGE
Go to them. Don't wait for them.
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
SEEKING THE HEART OF JESUS: A Heart That Values - Spiritual Blindness (a blog post for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church on August 25, 2019)
Robert Finley is a contestant on America's Got Talent. I believe he is 65 years of age. He didn't get much of an education as he was the child of sharecroppers in Louisiana. He is a singer. He has loved music all of his life and has dreamed of being a professional singer. He said to all of the AGT viewers last night, "You are never too young to dream and never too old for your dreams to come true."
The song he sung last night mentioned ideas like "seeing the light" and "now I can see." He made reference to his faith and the music of the church. He demonstrated that there is more to seeing than seeing. The words he chose to put into his song demonstrated that he knew about spiritual blindness and rejoiced in his ability to see the Light. You might call Robert an expert in blindness. He is blind.
Personally, I think he can see better than most of us who still have our sight.
The song he sung last night mentioned ideas like "seeing the light" and "now I can see." He made reference to his faith and the music of the church. He demonstrated that there is more to seeing than seeing. The words he chose to put into his song demonstrated that he knew about spiritual blindness and rejoiced in his ability to see the Light. You might call Robert an expert in blindness. He is blind.
Personally, I think he can see better than most of us who still have our sight.
SEEKING THE HEART OF JESUS: A Heart That Values - Jesus and a Man Born Blind - John 9 (a blog post for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church on August 25, 2019)
John 9 New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some claimed that he was.
Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”
But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”
10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.
11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”
12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.
“I don’t know,” he said.
The Pharisees Investigate the Healing
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”
16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”
But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.
17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”
The man replied, “He is a prophet.”
18 They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”
20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”
25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
27 He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”
28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”
30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.
Spiritual Blindness
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”
37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
39 Jesus said,[a] “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”
41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
Footnotes:
- John 9:39 Some early manuscripts do not have Then the man said … 39 Jesus said.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Saturday, August 17, 2019
SEEKING THE HEART OF JESUS: A Heart That Forgives - Sermon Outline (a blog post for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church on August 18, 2019)
SEEKING THE HEART OF JESUS: A Heart That Forgives - Jesus and a Guilty Woman - August 18, 2019
Video - Easy Worship
Prayers
INTRODUCTION
A leper - A heart that touches
A Centurian - A heart that marvels
The Samaritan woman at the well - A heart that accepts
The Two Daughters (bleeding and Jairus daughter) - A heart that cares
The Pharisee - A heart that confronts
The Canaanite woman - A heart that reaches
The blind man - A heart that restores
The hurting dad - A heart that comforts
The tax collector - A heart that transforms
BJ Thomas "Using Things and Loving People"
“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.””
Mark 12:28-31 NIV
“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.””
Galatians 5:14 NIV
I. THE TRAP IS SET
“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?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him."
John 8:2-6a NIV
A. Entrapment or Circumstance?
B. Textual criticism
1. "Not found in the oldest manuscripts"
2. "Consistent with the teachings of Jesus"
3. "Tax collectors and sinners", "friend of sinners" Luke 7:34
II. THE RELIGIONISTS' CHARGE
““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?””
John 8:4-5 NIV
A. The object of the charge was not justice.
B. "So that they might have grounds for accusing Him." John 8:6a
C. Jesus' dilemma
1. Option #1 - Show mercy and defy the law of Moses
2. Option #2- Order her execution which would violate Roman law
III. THE REAL TRUTH
A. The night before the religious leaders wanted Jesus arrested
“Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?” “No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied. “You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.” Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.””
John 7:45-52 NIV
B. Using the law of Moses
“If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.”
Deuteronomy 22:22 NIV
1. Where is the man?
2. Where is justice?
IV. THE SAVIOR'S REACTION
“But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.”
John 8:6b NIV
A. What did He write?
B. Three times God writes in the Bible
1. “When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.”
Exodus 31:18 NIV
2. “Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote.”
Daniel 5:5 NIV
3. Jesus writing in the dust
a. Forgiven
b. Her name
c. The order in which the accusers were going to leave
d. Scripture
“Lord, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the Lord, the spring of living water.”
Jeremiah 17:13 NIV
C. Living water in a dusty place
“Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.””
John 4:13-14 NIV
“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.””
John 7:37-38 NIV
V. THE SAVIOR'S RESPONSE
“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. 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.”
John 8:7-9 NIV
A. "Any one of you who is without sin"
B. The witnesses were to be the first to throw a stone according to Mosaic law
C. The older, wiser men knew the "jig was up"
VI. THE RESCUE COMPLETE
“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.””
John 8:10-11 NIV
A. Publicly charged
B. Genuinely guilty
C. No condemnation
D. Compassion
1. Mercy
2. Correction
a. Go from here
b. Leave your life of sin
CHALLENGE
Demonstrate that you are a friend of sinners.
Confront their sin and call them to live a proper life.
You won't have to lay down your own life, but it may feel like it.
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
John 15:13 NIV
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)