1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:15,420 Welcome to Hub City Vineyard. 2 00:00:15,420 --> 00:00:23,060 To get connected or to give online go to connect.hcv.church or give.hcv.church. 3 00:00:23,060 --> 00:00:27,340 If at any point during this message you feel called to make a change in your life, text 4 00:00:27,340 --> 00:00:30,840 change me to 970-00. 5 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:31,840 Thank you and enjoy the message. 6 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:34,080 Thank you for welcoming us into your space. 7 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:38,760 If you're joining us online, I just want to start with a question for everyone and you 8 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:41,640 can just provide an answer. 9 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:44,840 Wouldn't it be nice if the devil took a vacation? 10 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:50,280 Wouldn't that be the greatest thing ever? 11 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:52,760 I just take some time off. 12 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:55,280 You know, go hang out and be hot somewhere else. 13 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:56,280 Right? 14 00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:01,160 I just wish he would take a little time off, but he never does. 15 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:06,800 He doesn't take a year off, a month off, a week off, a day off. 16 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:08,240 He doesn't even take an hour off. 17 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:14,520 I mean, the Bible warns us that we are to stay alert and we are to watch out for our 18 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:20,520 great enemy, the devil, because he prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to 19 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:21,520 devour. 20 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:31,400 And do you ever find yourself being held captive of a sin that kind of just shows up again 21 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:33,260 and again and again and again? 22 00:01:33,260 --> 00:01:36,480 You wonder, man, am I ever going to get rid of this? 23 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:37,760 Am I ever going to stop struggling? 24 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:40,040 Am I ever going to stop being tempted? 25 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:43,960 Maybe this is my thorn in my flesh. 26 00:01:43,960 --> 00:01:47,720 And my answer to you is yes, you can be. 27 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:50,920 You can be free. 28 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:55,360 But we first must realize that Jesus followers, see, we're in a war. 29 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:59,880 And though it's an invisible war and a spiritual battle, it's a war. 30 00:01:59,880 --> 00:02:03,920 Ephesians chapter six says, we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against 31 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:09,160 evil rulers and authorities in an unseen world against mighty powers in this dark world and 32 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:11,640 against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 33 00:02:11,640 --> 00:02:14,200 Now some people just kind of fluff that off. 34 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,360 It's just made up. 35 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:18,520 I can't see it. 36 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:19,520 I can't feel it. 37 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:20,520 I can't touch it. 38 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:21,520 It's not real. 39 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:23,440 But here's the reality. 40 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:24,940 It is real. 41 00:02:24,940 --> 00:02:28,440 And it's a battle that we're in every single day. 42 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:35,480 Author Victor Hugo writes, a good general must penetrate the brain of his enemy. 43 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:41,320 And Paul, when speaking and referring about Satan wrote these words, keep Satan from getting 44 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:43,880 the upper hand over you. 45 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:47,280 For we know what his plans are. 46 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:49,400 And some of you are thinking, okay, of course, well, what's his plans? 47 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:50,480 How do I know? 48 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:52,000 How do I get the upper hand? 49 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:56,720 Well, see, Satan attacks through accusation. 50 00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:01,920 Revelation chapter 12 tells us, then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying the one who 51 00:03:01,920 --> 00:03:07,960 stood before our God and accused believers day and night has been thrown out of heaven. 52 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,680 See, first he tempts you. 53 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:15,040 Then you give in and he condemns you. 54 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:22,160 Then he accuses you and he uses your sins in a hateful way to ultimately destroy you. 55 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:28,920 And for many of us, we simply need to learn to know the difference between Satan's accusations 56 00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:30,720 and the Holy Spirit's conviction. 57 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:38,880 See, when a Jesus follower sins, and yes, we will all sin, the Holy Spirit will convict 58 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:42,880 us or convince us of that sin. 59 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:48,280 But it isn't because he wants to drive us into shame or condemn us, but he wants to 60 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:52,400 bring us back to Jesus. 61 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:56,160 And for those of you that don't know, for the month of September, we've been discussing 62 00:03:56,160 --> 00:04:02,880 what it looks like to get real with God by focusing on Micah 6, 8, which reads, know, 63 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:05,840 O people, the Lord has told you what is good. 64 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,080 And this is what he requires of us, church. 65 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:16,400 To do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. 66 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:23,480 I kicked this series off two weeks ago discussing what we do, what we love, and how we walk 67 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:27,800 matters each and every day. 68 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:36,320 Last week, we looked at the not so good Samaritan, and we were challenged to be innkeepers for 69 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:37,320 Jesus. 70 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:43,240 And this morning, we'll be discussing what it looks like to love mercy. 71 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:48,800 And when we look at loving mercy, we're going to focus on a particular moment in Jesus' 72 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:56,440 life in John chapter 8 that better helps us to understand Jesus in a way that many of 73 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:58,480 us have never seen him before. 74 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:05,240 See, there are moments in our lives that will define who we are, choices that we will make 75 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:10,280 that will set the course of our entire life's journey. 76 00:05:10,280 --> 00:05:15,560 There are those moments where we find ourselves literally at a crossroads, at an intersection 77 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:19,100 torn between options. 78 00:05:19,100 --> 00:05:28,760 And the choice you make will define and reveal who you are to everyone around us. 79 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:32,200 And that is what this moment is with Jesus. 80 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:38,400 It's a moment where as if Jesus has literally been torn open and we can see inside of him 81 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:46,200 and understand who he really is, who God really is. 82 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:50,720 So let's open in prayer to prepare our hearts, God, for all that he has for us. 83 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,760 Holy Spirit come, we're just thankful. 84 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:55,940 We're thankful that we can gather. 85 00:05:55,940 --> 00:06:00,000 We're thankful for each and every person that's here that's watching online. 86 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:09,080 God, just clear our minds, remove distractions, unplug our ears. 87 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:16,760 Jesus open our hearts to receive all that you have for us in Jesus name. 88 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:18,040 Amen. 89 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,040 So all of that leads us to our first thought. 90 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:24,520 You see Jesus, he draws a line in the sand. 91 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:29,520 Micah 6, 8 from the message paraphrased from Eugene Peterson puts it this way, but he's 92 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:33,800 already made it plain how to live, what to do church, what God is looking for in men 93 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:34,800 and women. 94 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:36,360 It's quite simple. 95 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:39,720 Do what is fair and just to your neighbor. 96 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:45,000 Be compassionate and loyal in your love. 97 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:51,040 And our Jesus encounter that we'll be focusing on today begins in John chapter 8 verses 1 98 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:53,400 through 6 and this is what we read. 99 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:57,960 Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at 100 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:03,480 the temple, a crowd soon gathered and he sat down and talked them. 101 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:08,820 As he was speaking, now this is a normal everyday thing for Jesus, the teachers of religious 102 00:07:08,820 --> 00:07:14,200 law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. 103 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,000 They put her in front of the crowd. 104 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:23,500 Teacher, they said to Jesus, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 105 00:07:23,500 --> 00:07:27,660 The law of Moses says to stone her. 106 00:07:27,660 --> 00:07:29,800 What do you say? 107 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:34,560 They were trying to trap him into saying something that they could use against him, but Jesus 108 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:40,800 stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 109 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:47,400 See this moment, once again, like last week was created by the religious leaders trying 110 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:55,080 to set a trap for Jesus to put him in an unthinkable situation in a dilemma, having to choose between 111 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:59,400 his reputation and his intentions. 112 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:03,420 So they did something that most of us cannot even imagine. 113 00:08:03,420 --> 00:08:05,160 They plotted. 114 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:10,600 They found this woman who was in the sexual act of adultery. 115 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:12,680 They broke into a house. 116 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:18,200 They walked into a room and this was probably already planned. 117 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:22,560 Even with the man that was indulging in the sexual act. 118 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:29,600 They ripped her out of the room, dragged her down the street, not allowing her even to 119 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:31,920 clothe herself. 120 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:39,280 They go to the temple, which is considered the holiest of places where Jesus is teaching. 121 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:47,320 They throw this woman at the feet of Jesus in front of all the crowds gathered and they 122 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:55,080 ask Jesus a philosophical or theological question, what do we do with her? 123 00:08:55,080 --> 00:09:00,600 In fact, they remind Jesus of a particular scripture they wanted to force him to address. 124 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:04,320 The law of Moses says to stone her. 125 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:07,000 What do you say? 126 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:12,080 One of the things that I want to say first is that we can know a lot about a person by 127 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:17,080 the particular verses in the Bible that they focus on. 128 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:21,600 What parts they want to distort and use as a weapon against the people they don't even 129 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:22,600 care about. 130 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:30,040 And see, John, who wrote this gospel, wants us to understand this scenario is completely 131 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:31,320 set up. 132 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:32,320 It's a setup. 133 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:38,400 They're using this woman, this question, if you will, to trap and accuse Jesus of saying 134 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:41,120 something heretical against God. 135 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:43,640 And in this moment, it's beautiful. 136 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:48,200 Jesus, he just draws the line in the sand. 137 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:53,160 And one of the interesting things about Jesus and the simple fact that we're still talking 138 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:57,880 about him 2000 plus years later is that he never wrote anything down. 139 00:09:57,880 --> 00:09:58,880 Right? 140 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:01,560 If you want to be remembered, you have to write. 141 00:10:01,560 --> 00:10:02,560 You have to write music. 142 00:10:02,560 --> 00:10:03,560 You have to write memoirs. 143 00:10:03,560 --> 00:10:05,840 You have to write something. 144 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:10,480 Jesus didn't write one song, one chapter of a book, one paragraph, one sentence. 145 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:18,920 But here we find one of the only times that he has ever described as writing something. 146 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:26,440 But I personally believe before he began writing in the sand, he drew a line in the sand. 147 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:31,840 And see, if God ever draws a line in the sand, it's in these moments. 148 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:38,360 It's in these scenarios where people try to use his name to coerce and control people 149 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:44,720 through guilt and shame, trying to hijack God's intentions. 150 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:50,200 But what I want to do this morning is unpack this moment because I believe it gives us 151 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:57,040 such a clear picture of who God is just in how Jesus responded. 152 00:10:57,040 --> 00:11:01,760 And please realize what the opening question was. 153 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:07,120 Jesus, what do you say about this woman? 154 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:12,800 And I believe that many of us gathered in this room watching online would be incredibly 155 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:18,560 surprised about what God will say about us. 156 00:11:18,560 --> 00:11:21,320 The religious leaders, what did they want? 157 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:23,880 They wanted Jesus to condemn her. 158 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:32,640 They wanted Jesus to stone her. 159 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:37,920 And they wanted and was hoping Jesus would highlight what was obvious. 160 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:38,920 She was an adulterer. 161 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:42,040 She was an adulterous woman. 162 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:46,760 And by the way, I don't know if this is accurate, but it seems to be true. 163 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:51,640 Adultery usually requires two people. 164 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:55,480 And it usually requires one person being married. 165 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:59,520 And in this instance, she wasn't even married. 166 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:04,360 She was clearly not actually the one responsible for the adultery. 167 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:11,640 But it was convenient that they forgot to bring along the guy, which again points to 168 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:18,220 the religious establishment coercing. 169 00:12:18,220 --> 00:12:23,440 This is a setup because the religious establishment was all about right and wrong. 170 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:29,000 It was about self-righteousness and judgmentalism and condemnation. 171 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:30,720 So they asked Jesus a question. 172 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:33,240 What do you say? 173 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:40,040 And as the story plays out, I believe we have to pause here for a moment and realize Jesus 174 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:45,400 says nothing about her that they wanted him to say. 175 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:50,700 And it's amazing to me how many people for thousands of years have been mouthpieces for 176 00:12:50,700 --> 00:12:55,880 God letting you know that God is mad at you. 177 00:12:55,880 --> 00:13:00,720 That God is all about condemning you and judging you. 178 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:06,840 And if we keep hearing all these things being said about God from those in authority to 179 00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:14,000 all of humanity, no wonder people are living in fear or have turned away from the possibility 180 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:18,180 that God could be before them. 181 00:13:18,180 --> 00:13:23,320 If Jesus ever had a perfect opportunity to condemn someone, it was right here. 182 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:24,320 True or false? 183 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:27,640 She was guilty. 184 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:29,420 She was caught in adultery. 185 00:13:29,420 --> 00:13:31,920 She was naked. 186 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:35,000 She was clothed in her guilt and shame. 187 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:40,600 And if God is all about condemnation and judgment, this was his moment right here. 188 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:48,220 See, we must realize as people, we tend to focus on others faults. 189 00:13:48,220 --> 00:13:53,640 We tend to focus on others so that we make ourselves feel better. 190 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:54,640 How do I know this? 191 00:13:54,640 --> 00:14:01,120 Well, there was this debate last Tuesday and I didn't even watch it. 192 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:02,160 Let me say that. 193 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:06,640 But I watched the highlights and all it was was finger pointing. 194 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:07,640 It's your fault. 195 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:08,640 It's your fault. 196 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:09,640 Oh, you suck. 197 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:10,640 You're terrible. 198 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:11,640 You're this. 199 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:12,640 You're that. 200 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:16,960 And I'm like, neither one of these jokers should be in the presidency of the United 201 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:17,960 States. 202 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:18,960 Neither one. 203 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:27,500 Fault finding, finger pointing. 204 00:14:27,500 --> 00:14:29,480 It's all about someone else. 205 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:30,480 Right. 206 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:35,720 It can be a way for people to establish control. 207 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:41,440 It can be a way for people to improve their self image because they're comparing themselves 208 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:42,440 with others. 209 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:46,200 But here's the reality. 210 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:55,600 Fault finding is toxic and it comes from fear, selfishness and low mental intelligence. 211 00:14:55,600 --> 00:15:00,880 Fault finding patterns can be rooted in childhood experiences. 212 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:06,300 For example, some of you struggle with your image of God because your religious upbringing 213 00:15:06,300 --> 00:15:08,500 during your informative years. 214 00:15:08,500 --> 00:15:12,840 You have a healthy fear of being judged and condemned by God because of how you were brought 215 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:15,840 up. 216 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:19,140 Of course, there's parental influence. 217 00:15:19,140 --> 00:15:20,840 It's a very important factor as well. 218 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:23,120 If your parents were critical, guess what? 219 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:24,120 You're going to be critical. 220 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:31,840 I mean, it's very evident in marriages when couples are in an argument or disagreement, 221 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:33,560 it quickly what? 222 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:37,920 Points to a blow up where it's the other person's fault. 223 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:42,560 And then we quickly are pointing and making examples of how they're not living up to our 224 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:46,160 expectations and then it multiplies and it becomes aggressive. 225 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:51,040 I mean, just look at social media. 226 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:57,200 Our society is now on a mission to catch other people in their worst moments on video so 227 00:15:57,200 --> 00:15:59,080 they can glorify themselves. 228 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:01,680 That's what it's become. 229 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:03,160 Oh, I'm going to get followers. 230 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:09,080 I'm going to have influence because of someone's bad choices. 231 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:14,440 I mean, even our culture enjoys pointing the finger and being the voice of telling other 232 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:18,160 people what is wrong. 233 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:20,720 And here's the issue. 234 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:25,980 So many people project that on the God and they believe that God hates them. 235 00:16:25,980 --> 00:16:32,480 And in this moment, Jesus could have said the worst about a person and he does the exact 236 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:33,480 opposite. 237 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:42,320 I want you to know this morning, you will be surprised by what God is saying about you. 238 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:44,700 He is not saying what our enemy is saying. 239 00:16:44,700 --> 00:16:47,000 He is not saying what everyone else is saying. 240 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:50,140 He is not saying what our inner voice is saying. 241 00:16:50,140 --> 00:16:53,640 You know that voice that says you don't matter? 242 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:58,720 That voice that says you're insignificant, that voice that says you'll always be an addict, 243 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:01,300 you'll never live up to expectations. 244 00:17:01,300 --> 00:17:05,040 That voice that tells you it's too late. 245 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:10,640 That voice disagrees with God because God never says that about you. 246 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:15,000 See, God always sees a future for you. 247 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:18,040 God always sees an opportunity for you to change. 248 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:21,280 He always sees the opportunity for you to grow. 249 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:26,800 God never lets the conversation stop at condemnation and judgment. 250 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:28,840 That's us. 251 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:31,080 That's not God. 252 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:37,680 And the reason we think God is the one condemning us is because we don't understand who God 253 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:39,520 is. 254 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:41,160 Which leads us to our next thought. 255 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:44,840 See, God doesn't condemn us. 256 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:47,160 He accepts us. 257 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:52,640 John 3, 17, which many people can't reference because they focus on 3, 16, which is an important 258 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:54,040 verse as well. 259 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:57,760 Every verse is important in the Bible. 260 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:01,920 It tells us, for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to 261 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:04,320 save the world through him. 262 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:09,600 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned 263 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:13,200 already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only son. 264 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:15,400 Did we hear that? 265 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:20,460 See we condemn ourselves and others when we don't believe. 266 00:18:20,460 --> 00:18:23,480 We condemn ourselves and others when we lose faith. 267 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:29,720 We condemn ourselves and others when we're walking in our own strengths. 268 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:31,400 Not Jesus. 269 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:33,520 Let's continue in John 8, 6 through 9. 270 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:40,040 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped 271 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:43,880 down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 272 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:46,340 Think about this. 273 00:18:46,340 --> 00:18:53,040 The religious leaders were using the scriptures to try and trap the one who wrote the scriptures. 274 00:18:53,040 --> 00:19:00,880 They didn't understand God's intentions because they didn't have God's heart. 275 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:04,240 Here we have Jesus in the middle of this crisis moment. 276 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:06,280 Think about this. 277 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:13,280 This woman was just dragged down the street, naked, ripped out of the home in an adulterous 278 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:17,760 affair thrown in front of the temple where Jesus is teaching. 279 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:26,480 And oh, by the way, when Jesus teaches, there are crowds of people gathered. 280 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:34,800 Jesus just calmly kneels down, starts writing in the sand. 281 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:38,880 In the middle of a crisis. 282 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:44,700 This had to be so confusing for the religious leaders because they're reading a scripture 283 00:19:44,700 --> 00:19:50,880 that God wrote and they didn't realize that right in that moment, God was writing another 284 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:53,560 scripture. 285 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:56,640 Because everything that Jesus writes is scripture. 286 00:19:56,640 --> 00:20:04,400 But see, this was a momentary scripture, not one that was passed on to us, but it was for 287 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:09,040 those religious leaders personally. 288 00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:10,620 Let's continue. 289 00:20:10,620 --> 00:20:12,680 They kept demanding an answer. 290 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:17,520 So you know now that they're at the boiling point. 291 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:18,520 They're frustrated. 292 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:19,520 They're aggravated. 293 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:21,160 Well, he's not paying attention to us. 294 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:23,480 He's not answering our question. 295 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:27,520 He's kneeling in the dirt. 296 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:30,740 They wanted to force Jesus to make a judgment. 297 00:20:30,740 --> 00:20:34,640 They wanted to force Jesus to condemn her. 298 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:40,640 So he stood up again and said, now I love that other translations use the words straightened 299 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:43,680 up. 300 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:48,360 Oftentimes we miss this description from John. 301 00:20:48,360 --> 00:20:53,440 We focus on Jesus writing in the sand, but we don't notice John wrote, no, he's straightened 302 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:54,440 up. 303 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:59,080 And I don't know what you think about Jesus, but I get really frustrated by the way he's 304 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:02,660 portrayed in movies and TV shows. 305 00:21:02,660 --> 00:21:07,800 Because quite often, just being honest here, he's not very masculine or manly. 306 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:14,160 It's like, oh, that's Jesus. 307 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:17,760 Does he know how to do a push up? 308 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:22,440 Like, really? 309 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:23,440 He's not real aggressive. 310 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:25,720 He's just passive. 311 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:28,880 He's not very intimidating. 312 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:34,520 But I believe the scriptures leave us with enough evidence that when Jesus stood up in 313 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:37,720 this instance, he was intimidating. 314 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:39,960 How do I know that? 315 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:41,160 Think about it. 316 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:48,280 He goes into the temple with a whip and forces everyone to leave who was there using the 317 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:51,800 temple for their corruption, flipping tables. 318 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:54,080 And what did those people do? 319 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:57,120 They ran. 320 00:21:57,120 --> 00:21:59,400 They ran. 321 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:02,640 This wasn't Jesus using his God powers. 322 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:07,120 This was Jesus using his manhood. 323 00:22:07,120 --> 00:22:13,320 He stood up in the garden and answered the question of the Roman soldiers. 324 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:17,800 Oh, by the way, three or 400 of them. 325 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:23,440 And when he said, I am he, they fell backwards onto their knees. 326 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:30,960 See, when Jesus stands up in this instance, he's not standing up aggressively against 327 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:33,120 her. 328 00:22:33,120 --> 00:22:38,080 He's standing up aggressively towards the accusers. 329 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:40,080 He straightens up. 330 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:45,960 He looks directly at them, tired of the questions, tired of them trying to force him to be a 331 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:48,080 God that he's not. 332 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:57,120 He says, all right, let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone. 333 00:22:57,120 --> 00:23:01,520 But the one who's never sinned throw the first stone. 334 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:05,080 Then notice what he does. 335 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:10,400 He stooped down and wrote again in the dust. 336 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:15,000 And when the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest 337 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:18,880 until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 338 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:24,400 See what we find in this moment is that God is not saying the things against us that we 339 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:27,160 think he is saying. 340 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:32,880 I know God is saying to us this morning, you've been wonderfully made. 341 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:35,360 You were created in his image. 342 00:23:35,360 --> 00:23:39,000 You're a masterpiece with unlimited value. 343 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:43,200 You matter more than you could ever imagine. 344 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:50,720 See, I believe God can't stop thinking about you in the most beautiful of ways. 345 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:58,480 See, God says things about us that we don't expect because he is not who we expect him 346 00:23:58,480 --> 00:23:59,480 to be. 347 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:02,400 Yes, God is holy. 348 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:05,180 That is who God is. 349 00:24:05,180 --> 00:24:10,240 But what is amazing to me is this, is that God can see everything about us. 350 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:11,440 He knows our thoughts. 351 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:12,440 He knows our hearts. 352 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:14,560 He knows our brokenness, our imperfections. 353 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:16,640 He knows our flaws. 354 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:22,120 He knows all the things that we hide from your neighbors that you're sitting beside. 355 00:24:22,120 --> 00:24:27,360 He even knows the things that we hide from ourselves and believe he doesn't know. 356 00:24:27,360 --> 00:24:30,940 Yet, are you ready for this? 357 00:24:30,940 --> 00:24:36,160 He still absolutely longs to have a relationship with us. 358 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:42,760 He longs to have connection with us every single day. 359 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:48,680 God is not who you may think he is because God is the infinite source of forgiveness 360 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:50,600 and love. 361 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:54,760 And if we let him, he will silence our accusers. 362 00:24:54,760 --> 00:25:02,520 All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone. 363 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:03,520 What a question. 364 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:08,400 I mean, these men, they're in a hurry to condemn this woman. 365 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:16,200 And Jesus then flips the script and creates a filter for them to look at themselves. 366 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:22,480 And I believe some of these men were so arrogant that they believe they had no sin. 367 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:25,920 He said, well, Chris, how do you know that? 368 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:26,920 They didn't move. 369 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:28,880 Think about it. 370 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:30,080 Jesus makes that statement. 371 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:33,200 Let the one with no sin throw the first stone, right? 372 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:37,560 So he said, it didn't say they walked away. 373 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:44,720 It said that Jesus had to kneel down and start writing again. 374 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:47,840 And he begins to write in the sand. 375 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:53,720 And again, my imagination goes to, he first draws a line, right? 376 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:56,920 And on one side he writes sinless. 377 00:25:56,920 --> 00:26:06,000 And on the other side, he begins to list the sins that those men were living in. 378 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:09,920 The older ones left first. 379 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:17,640 And why would the older religious leaders and teachers be the first to leave? 380 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:24,080 I mean, if you had something to do with what Jesus was writing, right? 381 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:26,580 He's listing their sins. 382 00:26:26,580 --> 00:26:31,920 And if they've been in a relationship with Jesus for a long extent of time, I mean, excuse 383 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:40,640 me with God thinking that they're these religious elite, their sins add up. 384 00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:43,940 And the older religious leaders, the older Pharisees, they were the most revered. 385 00:26:43,940 --> 00:26:46,520 They were the holiest. 386 00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:50,920 They were the ones that were supposed to reflect God, but they were the ones that what? 387 00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:56,280 Dropped their stones first and left. 388 00:26:56,280 --> 00:27:05,240 Because they saw themselves in the sand that was moved by the finger of God. 389 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:08,800 She could not defend herself. 390 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:09,800 These men were right. 391 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:11,060 She was an adulterous woman. 392 00:27:11,060 --> 00:27:16,040 She was caught in the act and it was experiencing the worst moment of her life. 393 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:18,420 She had no defense. 394 00:27:18,420 --> 00:27:22,920 And I think one of the most terrifying places to be in this life is when someone catches 395 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:26,600 you in your worst moment. 396 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:30,720 I mean, just think about it when someone says something about you or accuses you of something 397 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:32,960 that's not true. 398 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:41,480 You know how the gossip spreads and all this misinformation ends up in social media land? 399 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:42,480 Like we feel bad. 400 00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:43,480 We defend ourselves. 401 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:49,600 But what is even worse is when the things that they're saying about you are true. 402 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:52,440 That you didn't want them to know. 403 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:54,160 That's when it's worse. 404 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:58,120 When people start talking about you and what they're saying is true. 405 00:27:58,120 --> 00:28:05,280 And what is amazing about this encounter is we learn that this information stops being 406 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:10,880 discussed when it gets to God. 407 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:14,280 Does it matter what you've done in this life? 408 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:18,680 Does it matter how many voices you have in your head telling you you're not good enough? 409 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:23,880 That God can't change your life, that God can't do anything with you no matter how many 410 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:28,800 voices are always telling you that you're no good. 411 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:33,600 It always stops with Jesus. 412 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:39,440 Jesus will send away every accusation and God will silence the accusers in your life 413 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:44,720 if, if you let him. 414 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:48,120 I mean, I know I need it in my life. 415 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:49,120 I mean, think about it. 416 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:50,120 It's crazy. 417 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:58,840 No matter how long I live, I still hear voices in my head from when I was six years old. 418 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:05,400 Voices in my head that pop in from when I was 12. 419 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:12,760 Voices that are in your head from people that are no longer part of your life. 420 00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:16,560 Voices in our head that makes us worse and brings out the worst in us. 421 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:22,880 I mean, all of us have these accusers inside of our minds, inside of our arts, but Jesus 422 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:28,240 has the power to silence them all. 423 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:31,320 We don't have to say, no, that's not true. 424 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:35,760 All we have to say is that is irrelevant. 425 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:39,320 That's not who I am now. 426 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:45,440 We don't have to change our past because by the way, it's impossible. 427 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:50,320 All we need to do is allow God to change our future. 428 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:54,240 One of the most liberating things in the world is when someone says to you and you're in 429 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:59,080 a discussion with it, with them, this is what I know about you. 430 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:06,900 And we can in turn say, friend, it's much worse than you thought. 431 00:30:06,900 --> 00:30:11,720 If that is all you know about me, then you don't even know me. 432 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:15,840 It's much worse than you think. 433 00:30:15,840 --> 00:30:18,420 But see, none of that matters. 434 00:30:18,420 --> 00:30:24,920 None of that matters because just like a snake can shed its skin, we all can shed that part 435 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:31,200 of our life and say it's no longer part of me because I've stepped into a relationship 436 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:33,500 with Jesus and he forgives me. 437 00:30:33,500 --> 00:30:36,040 He loves me and he accepts me. 438 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:41,840 And if you call that weak, I'm praying for you. 439 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:48,360 But see, people who don't like us, don't want us to be forgiven, they want us to pay for 440 00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:51,200 our sins. 441 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:53,160 Humanity does not like to walk in forgiveness. 442 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:57,840 They want and desire people held accountable for their actions. 443 00:30:57,840 --> 00:30:59,840 And I'm all about accountability. 444 00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:03,140 I believe accountability is an important part of the change process. 445 00:31:03,140 --> 00:31:09,380 But if we hold unforgiveness over others, it creates bitterness in us. 446 00:31:09,380 --> 00:31:12,100 And you want the definition of bitterness? 447 00:31:12,100 --> 00:31:16,040 It's an unwillingness to allow others to change. 448 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:19,280 And you hold them bondage. 449 00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:22,320 God is never bitter towards us. 450 00:31:22,320 --> 00:31:26,360 If there is anyone that we have ever hurt, it's God. 451 00:31:26,360 --> 00:31:33,640 And he is always ready to silence the accusers so we can begin a new chapter in our life. 452 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:36,440 Which leads us to our final thought. 453 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:42,600 See, even at our worst, God sees us at our best. 454 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:47,640 When the accusers heard this, it slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest until 455 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:51,800 only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 456 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:58,280 Now as I was reading this, you know, and diving into these verses, I began to wonder, why 457 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:00,040 is the woman still standing there? 458 00:32:00,040 --> 00:32:03,960 I mean, I don't know about you, but if that were me, I'm out of there. 459 00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:04,960 Right? 460 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:07,720 As soon as those accusers are walking away, I'm gone. 461 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:10,080 I would have run away. 462 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:18,520 Remember, this woman is naked, which is in and of itself is very uncomfortable. 463 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:27,880 And there she stands, and Jesus looks right in her eyes and asks her a simple question. 464 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:33,840 And it's funny again, I'm thinking in my head, well, you know, what would I ask her? 465 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:37,240 Because I've done this before. 466 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:41,840 If I was asking the question, I'd be like, what were you thinking? 467 00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:44,280 Why? 468 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:46,040 Or have you learned your lesson? 469 00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:49,960 I hope so. 470 00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:53,280 How much pain do you need to experience to change? 471 00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:54,280 Right? 472 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:57,000 That's human questions. 473 00:32:57,000 --> 00:32:59,920 But notice Jesus doesn't ask any of those questions. 474 00:32:59,920 --> 00:33:00,920 Let's continue. 475 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:02,880 Look, he stood up again. 476 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:12,880 Again, he stands up, looks at the woman and says, where are your accusers? 477 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:17,640 Can even one of them condemn you? 478 00:33:17,640 --> 00:33:19,520 Who condemns you? 479 00:33:19,520 --> 00:33:22,040 Where do they all go? 480 00:33:22,040 --> 00:33:28,380 Wouldn't it be amazing to have all the people that don't believe in you suddenly just out 481 00:33:28,380 --> 00:33:29,380 of your headspace? 482 00:33:29,380 --> 00:33:34,680 Wouldn't it be amazing? 483 00:33:34,680 --> 00:33:41,280 What if God could remove all those people who say you're nothing, you will never become, 484 00:33:41,280 --> 00:33:48,240 you will always be the accusers, the one to define us by our worst moments. 485 00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:52,200 But Jesus says, where are they? 486 00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:53,300 And why does he say that? 487 00:33:53,300 --> 00:33:58,920 Because Romans eight one tells us because there's no condemnation for those who belong 488 00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:00,960 to Christ Jesus. 489 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:06,880 See God will look past their shame and see the beauty of who we can become if we let 490 00:34:06,880 --> 00:34:07,880 him. 491 00:34:07,880 --> 00:34:17,640 And again, going back to this exchange, it's like she's naked and Jesus is staring at her. 492 00:34:17,640 --> 00:34:20,980 And I began to think, well, the disciples are there. 493 00:34:20,980 --> 00:34:22,320 Like are they that worthless? 494 00:34:22,320 --> 00:34:25,440 I mean, this woman's naked. 495 00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:30,440 Why didn't one of them like run out and throw a coat over a blanket or something or cover 496 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:31,440 her? 497 00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:38,640 And then I began to realize, you know, they probably didn't because they were agreeing 498 00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:41,680 with the Pharisees. 499 00:34:41,680 --> 00:34:47,760 Even they didn't know or understand how God looks at humanity. 500 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:54,200 This woman, she's standing there naked having a conversation with Jesus and there's no one 501 00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:59,160 in the world available to condemn her. 502 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:07,600 And I have this sense and believe that she forgot she was naked in that moment. 503 00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:14,600 Jesus did not see her shame or her guilt or her brokenness or her darkness or her sin. 504 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:19,120 He just saw this woman for her beauty. 505 00:35:19,120 --> 00:35:22,560 He saw her freedom. 506 00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:27,920 But notice Jesus makes her identify what had just happened. 507 00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:31,880 Where are they who condemns you? 508 00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:32,880 No one. 509 00:35:32,880 --> 00:35:37,560 See, it's not enough for God to tell you, I don't condemn you. 510 00:35:37,560 --> 00:35:42,920 It's not enough for the people you love to say, I don't condemn you. 511 00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:46,960 We have to step into that place and own it. 512 00:35:46,960 --> 00:35:51,240 Who condemns you? 513 00:35:51,240 --> 00:35:53,760 No one. 514 00:35:53,760 --> 00:36:00,560 So that all those voices are what silenced with God's love and forgiveness. 515 00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:06,280 See, we need to hear Jesus speak into our hearts. 516 00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:12,120 Church who condemns you? 517 00:36:12,120 --> 00:36:20,200 We can now stand straight up and say, no one, no one condemns me. 518 00:36:20,200 --> 00:36:21,760 Which leads us to our response. 519 00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:27,080 You know, this talk is not about, hey, let me give you three action steps to freedom. 520 00:36:27,080 --> 00:36:32,200 No, this talk requires a response. 521 00:36:32,200 --> 00:36:38,460 If you want to walk free, it requires a response. 522 00:36:38,460 --> 00:36:40,240 And Jesus tells us what to do. 523 00:36:40,240 --> 00:36:44,680 He says, go and sin no more. 524 00:36:44,680 --> 00:36:46,280 Look at John 8, 10 through 11. 525 00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:49,800 Jesus straightened up and asked her, woman, where are they? 526 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:52,540 Because no one condemned you, no one, sir. 527 00:36:52,540 --> 00:36:55,720 She said, then neither do I condemn you. 528 00:36:55,720 --> 00:37:01,000 Jesus declared, go now and leave your life of sin. 529 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:09,240 See, Jesus wanted her to know that he knew who she was, what she had done, why she was 530 00:37:09,240 --> 00:37:12,560 standing before him. 531 00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:17,880 And he wasn't ignoring that brokenness of that sin. 532 00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:22,960 He doesn't want her to remain in that place stuck with nowhere to go. 533 00:37:22,960 --> 00:37:26,060 Don't go back to that destructive life. 534 00:37:26,060 --> 00:37:28,360 Don't go back to that adulterous affair. 535 00:37:28,360 --> 00:37:33,400 See, God refuses to leave us in our worst moments. 536 00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:38,320 Sometimes we don't even love ourselves as much as God loves us. 537 00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:41,400 Because we leave ourselves in the worst moments. 538 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:47,160 We leave ourselves in places to be tempted, to be sucked in and to be dragged down. 539 00:37:47,160 --> 00:37:52,360 We leave ourselves in the worst version of ourselves. 540 00:37:52,360 --> 00:37:58,000 I mean, I know you've looked in the mirror before and said, why can't I change? 541 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:01,840 Why can't I get it right? 542 00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:07,920 And in that moment, I challenge you, stop listening to yourself and start listening 543 00:38:07,920 --> 00:38:10,240 to Jesus. 544 00:38:10,240 --> 00:38:14,920 Go and sin no more. 545 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:20,440 In other words, make choices that create a different life. 546 00:38:20,440 --> 00:38:27,400 You've got to make choices that create a different life. 547 00:38:27,400 --> 00:38:29,640 Jesus came to end judgment. 548 00:38:29,640 --> 00:38:33,440 Jesus came to bring an end of condemnation and shame. 549 00:38:33,440 --> 00:38:37,400 Jesus brought something new to all of humanity. 550 00:38:37,400 --> 00:38:42,080 Forgiveness and love all in one action. 551 00:38:42,080 --> 00:38:46,880 And I felt like this woman who stood before God in all her shame, in all her brokenness. 552 00:38:46,880 --> 00:38:48,680 I felt the same way. 553 00:38:48,680 --> 00:38:51,800 God, could I ever be different? 554 00:38:51,800 --> 00:38:55,480 Could I become the type of person that you intend for me to be? 555 00:38:55,480 --> 00:39:01,960 See, this is not a story about a person who got away with their worst moment. 556 00:39:01,960 --> 00:39:08,720 This is a story about a woman who found a way to freedom from her worst self. 557 00:39:08,720 --> 00:39:17,000 Do you think for one minute that she didn't think she deserved this? 558 00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:23,760 This woman was literally dragged through the town, down the street, in front of all those 559 00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:27,040 people completely naked in front of the temple. 560 00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:35,040 See, I think in her heart, she believed that she deserved what was coming for her. 561 00:39:35,040 --> 00:39:36,960 That God was going to bring judgment on her. 562 00:39:36,960 --> 00:39:42,080 That the people were going to bring judgment on you. 563 00:39:42,080 --> 00:39:47,480 And it's not you or me trying to convince God that we're worth the fight. 564 00:39:47,480 --> 00:39:52,120 It's God trying to convince us that we're worth the sacrifice. 565 00:39:52,120 --> 00:39:58,200 See, this story explains why Jesus chose to cross for you. 566 00:39:58,200 --> 00:40:04,120 Why he chose the suffering, the pain, why he chose to give his life, his blood, his 567 00:40:04,120 --> 00:40:08,760 last breath so that we can truly live. 568 00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:14,680 Because when Jesus sees us at our worst, all he sees is the beauty of your life and its 569 00:40:14,680 --> 00:40:18,440 intent and where it's going to become. 570 00:40:18,440 --> 00:40:19,440 It's beautiful. 571 00:40:19,440 --> 00:40:25,880 Jesus draws a line in his hand and he invites all of us to trust him, to cross that line, 572 00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:30,200 to put our lives in his hands. 573 00:40:30,200 --> 00:40:34,800 And again, this is a moment of reflection for all of us. 574 00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:41,040 There is a God who sees us at our worst and yet still sees the best in us. 575 00:40:41,040 --> 00:40:46,120 Jesus said, go now and leave your life of sin. 576 00:40:46,120 --> 00:40:47,640 In other words, be free. 577 00:40:47,640 --> 00:40:48,800 You've overcome it. 578 00:40:48,800 --> 00:40:51,480 You're not in bondage anymore. 579 00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:59,640 And it's crazy as I was reading these words, it's like, man, when I used to read it, it's 580 00:40:59,640 --> 00:41:04,120 like when I read it, I was like, oh, Jesus was saying, I forgive you now. 581 00:41:04,120 --> 00:41:06,880 Stop being bad, young lady. 582 00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:11,400 Go now, stop being bad. 583 00:41:11,400 --> 00:41:16,320 But now that I know the full character of Jesus, when I look into his eyes, he wasn't 584 00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:18,920 saying that. 585 00:41:18,920 --> 00:41:23,120 He looked at that woman and said, go now, you're free. 586 00:41:23,120 --> 00:41:25,400 You don't have to go back there. 587 00:41:25,400 --> 00:41:27,160 There is no condemnation. 588 00:41:27,160 --> 00:41:29,560 You don't have to live with shame. 589 00:41:29,560 --> 00:41:34,240 You don't have to go back to that life where you were living. 590 00:41:34,240 --> 00:41:36,000 You don't have to live in condemnation. 591 00:41:36,000 --> 00:41:39,760 Go now and be free. 592 00:41:39,760 --> 00:41:44,620 And notice, notice he didn't say, hey, sweetheart, you're going to need six months of counseling 593 00:41:44,620 --> 00:41:50,760 because you have daddy issues. 594 00:41:50,760 --> 00:41:52,520 That's the reason you're sleeping around. 595 00:41:52,520 --> 00:41:54,080 Daddy wasn't there for you. 596 00:41:54,080 --> 00:41:55,760 You're finding love in all the wrong places. 597 00:41:55,760 --> 00:41:57,760 You're going to need some counseling for that. 598 00:41:57,760 --> 00:42:02,600 Did he say that? 599 00:42:02,600 --> 00:42:05,320 What I'm trying to tell you is this. 600 00:42:05,320 --> 00:42:09,320 There are some of you right now in this room, you think you're always going to be the way 601 00:42:09,320 --> 00:42:12,440 you are because I've heard you say it out of your own mouth. 602 00:42:12,440 --> 00:42:14,640 Well, I need that. 603 00:42:14,640 --> 00:42:16,200 That's a part of me. 604 00:42:16,200 --> 00:42:23,680 Helps me relax. 605 00:42:23,680 --> 00:42:27,120 And you actually believe you can't be healed. 606 00:42:27,120 --> 00:42:30,480 You believe that you cannot change. 607 00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:35,160 And some of you, you're trapped in a sin that has held you hostage for years. 608 00:42:35,160 --> 00:42:40,880 And when we read this story, I believe that one minute, 30 seconds in the presence of 609 00:42:40,880 --> 00:42:47,360 Jesus can change everything for you. 610 00:42:47,360 --> 00:42:50,640 When can it change? 611 00:42:50,640 --> 00:42:51,640 Right now. 612 00:42:51,640 --> 00:42:56,800 Church, when can it change? 613 00:42:56,800 --> 00:43:01,720 Right now. 614 00:43:01,720 --> 00:43:03,400 Then Jesus says these words in John 8-12. 615 00:43:03,400 --> 00:43:06,820 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, I am the light of the world. 616 00:43:06,820 --> 00:43:10,520 If you follow me, you won't walk in darkness because you will have the light that leads 617 00:43:10,520 --> 00:43:11,520 to life. 618 00:43:11,520 --> 00:43:15,500 So you never have to be in darkness again. 619 00:43:15,500 --> 00:43:18,120 When Jesus looked at her and said, where are your condemners? 620 00:43:18,120 --> 00:43:19,400 Neither do I condemn you. 621 00:43:19,400 --> 00:43:24,200 At that moment, Jesus was not just the light of the world. 622 00:43:24,200 --> 00:43:27,120 He became the light of her world. 623 00:43:27,120 --> 00:43:32,840 And when he becomes the light of your world, you never walk in darkness again. 624 00:43:32,840 --> 00:43:37,120 And some of you, I'm going to, it's going to get personal right now. 625 00:43:37,120 --> 00:43:41,280 When Jesus is no longer just the light of the world, you know, some cheesy Christian 626 00:43:41,280 --> 00:43:43,600 t-shirt that you used to wear as a kid. 627 00:43:43,600 --> 00:43:50,120 Jesus, light of the world. 628 00:43:50,120 --> 00:43:52,880 It does nothing for you. 629 00:43:52,880 --> 00:43:58,920 But when he becomes your world, you don't have to walk in darkness ever again because 630 00:43:58,920 --> 00:44:00,820 he overcame sin. 631 00:44:00,820 --> 00:44:02,820 He defeated it. 632 00:44:02,820 --> 00:44:07,040 There is no sin in your life more powerful than the grace of Jesus. 633 00:44:07,040 --> 00:44:11,040 But Chris, it's that easy. 634 00:44:11,040 --> 00:44:13,000 I've been held hostage all these years. 635 00:44:13,000 --> 00:44:16,720 I have all these guilty feelings. 636 00:44:16,720 --> 00:44:18,400 Romans 8. 637 00:44:18,400 --> 00:44:22,760 So now there is no condemnation. 638 00:44:22,760 --> 00:44:28,480 For those who belong to Christ Jesus and because you belong to him, the power of the Holy Spirit 639 00:44:28,480 --> 00:44:33,680 is freeing you from the power of the sin that leads to death. 640 00:44:33,680 --> 00:44:39,040 Stop making excuses, church. 641 00:44:39,040 --> 00:44:51,740 You can be free right now and move forward in your life, but you got to make it personal. 642 00:44:51,740 --> 00:44:58,560 You got to stop looking at everyone else, stop pointing fingers and make it personal. 643 00:44:58,560 --> 00:45:04,920 Better yet, you need to drop this stone because for many of you, you know what you do with 644 00:45:04,920 --> 00:45:06,240 this stone? 645 00:45:06,240 --> 00:45:11,240 Not only do you beat others up with it, but you beat yourself up. 646 00:45:11,240 --> 00:45:13,640 I'm no good. 647 00:45:13,640 --> 00:45:16,320 I keep making mistakes. 648 00:45:16,320 --> 00:45:18,380 Why do I always drink? 649 00:45:18,380 --> 00:45:19,600 Why am I yelling at my kid? 650 00:45:19,600 --> 00:45:24,800 I mean, just slam it, this can kill you. 651 00:45:24,800 --> 00:45:28,720 And Jesus says, no more. 652 00:45:28,720 --> 00:45:50,560 No and sin.