WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.439 If you have your Bibles, look with me this morning to John chapter 8. 00:00:03.820 --> 00:00:07.759 We're continuing our series about the Jesus effect, 00:00:07.900 --> 00:00:12.540 the impact Jesus makes on the lives of those with whom he comes in contact. 00:00:13.179 --> 00:00:17.440 And we're looking at John chapter 8, the story of the woman caught in adultery. 00:00:17.960 --> 00:00:21.160 While you're turning there, let me just preface what I'm going to say 00:00:21.160 --> 00:00:27.960 by saying that sometimes in life, even in the midst of worship, 00:00:27.960 --> 00:00:35.539 we see people do things in the name of religion that just absolutely astound us, right? 00:00:36.100 --> 00:00:41.399 And we believers have to acknowledge that sometimes it's those who claim to be Christians, 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:44.400 sometimes those who claim to be Jews or Muslims or whatever. 00:00:45.140 --> 00:00:48.880 This last week, we witnessed that in Afghanistan, right? 00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:53.960 Remember back in the early part of the week after the fiasco, the plane trying to take off, 00:00:53.960 --> 00:00:57.100 they had brought in a number of Marines, 00:00:57.660 --> 00:01:00.579 and those Marines were pictured on the channel that I was watching, 00:01:01.079 --> 00:01:06.920 helping little children get to safety, come down over a wall to get to the airport 00:01:06.920 --> 00:01:11.099 and maybe try to be airlifted out of Cabal. 00:01:11.620 --> 00:01:16.579 And then it showed American GIs and servicemen, Marines. 00:01:16.760 --> 00:01:17.920 They would give them candy. 00:01:18.060 --> 00:01:19.120 They'd pat them on the head. 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:22.560 I saw several photographs of them holding children in their arms, 00:01:22.939 --> 00:01:27.300 and I just thought, boy, what a compassionate group of servicemen and women 00:01:27.300 --> 00:01:31.740 we have serving our nation in Afghanistan, all over the world for that matter. 00:01:32.240 --> 00:01:34.840 And then just a couple of days later, 00:01:35.380 --> 00:01:40.140 all that was wrecked by a terrorist who entered their presence 00:01:40.140 --> 00:01:44.520 and blew himself up, killing hundreds of other folk, 00:01:44.840 --> 00:01:47.780 among those a number of American servicemen. 00:01:47.780 --> 00:01:52.719 And I thought to myself, he's doing this in the name of religion. 00:01:53.420 --> 00:01:56.740 He says it's because of the belief in his God. 00:01:56.859 --> 00:02:00.019 Now, obviously, he's a radical Islamic terrorist, 00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:07.180 but it's always an ugly thing whenever we see someone in the name of religion do something 00:02:07.180 --> 00:02:09.259 that just takes us back. 00:02:09.319 --> 00:02:12.439 You just wonder, how could anyone who claims to know God 00:02:12.439 --> 00:02:15.599 act in a fashion in which they've acted? 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:20.859 And that's along the storyline of what we see today. 00:02:20.939 --> 00:02:23.620 If you have your Bibles, look with me to John chapter 8, 00:02:23.979 --> 00:02:26.819 and we're going to begin our reading in verse 1. 00:02:26.959 --> 00:02:29.039 John chapter 8, verse 1. 00:02:30.180 --> 00:02:35.259 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 00:02:35.259 --> 00:02:41.659 Now, if you were to go to Luke's gospel, chapter 21, verse 37 and 38, 00:02:42.079 --> 00:02:43.879 and we don't have time to do that this morning, 00:02:43.959 --> 00:02:45.799 but if you'll note that, you can go home and read it. 00:02:46.439 --> 00:02:55.879 You'll find that Luke coincides exactly with what John says here in John chapter 8. 00:02:56.479 --> 00:02:58.859 It tells us the customs of Jesus. 00:02:58.860 --> 00:03:03.360 John frames it that way in chapter 8 that Jesus' custom was, 00:03:03.460 --> 00:03:05.480 when he was in the area of Jerusalem, 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:08.740 he would go at night to the Mount of Olives. 00:03:09.340 --> 00:03:11.760 And the reason he went there was to retire for the evening, 00:03:11.940 --> 00:03:14.740 but more importantly, to be along with his father, 00:03:15.340 --> 00:03:20.360 to pray to the father, to gain spiritual insight and spiritual strength. 00:03:20.920 --> 00:03:24.480 And then the next morning, he would arise early, Luke tells us, 00:03:24.860 --> 00:03:26.860 and he would make his way to the temple. 00:03:26.860 --> 00:03:30.480 And once he was in the temple, he would gather people together, 00:03:30.720 --> 00:03:35.300 and people would sit and listen to Jesus as he taught. 00:03:35.980 --> 00:03:37.280 Well, look at verse 2. 00:03:38.360 --> 00:03:42.720 At dawn, he appeared again in the temple courts, 00:03:42.980 --> 00:03:46.260 exactly what Luke has said in chapter 21. 00:03:48.120 --> 00:03:52.480 And where he taught all the people gathered around him, 00:03:52.480 --> 00:03:56.120 and he sat down to teach them. 00:03:56.860 --> 00:03:58.680 Now, I want you to think about that for a minute. 00:03:58.780 --> 00:04:00.120 It's a beautiful picture, isn't it? 00:04:00.640 --> 00:04:03.300 Jesus has spent the night in the Mount of Olives. 00:04:03.400 --> 00:04:05.320 And by the way, if you ever get to go to the Mount of Olives, 00:04:05.400 --> 00:04:06.180 be sure to go there. 00:04:06.600 --> 00:04:08.580 There are olive trees there that date back. 00:04:08.720 --> 00:04:12.320 There's one in particular they think dates back to when Jesus was on earth. 00:04:12.540 --> 00:04:17.220 They estimate it to be at least 2,000 years old plus. 00:04:17.960 --> 00:04:19.639 So Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives. 00:04:19.780 --> 00:04:20.340 He prays. 00:04:20.379 --> 00:04:21.319 He spends the night praying. 00:04:21.319 --> 00:04:25.480 The next morning, fresh from a good night's sleep, fresh from this time with God, 00:04:25.800 --> 00:04:26.779 he goes to the temple. 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:29.500 People arrive at the temple knowing that's his custom. 00:04:29.579 --> 00:04:30.259 He's going to be there. 00:04:30.519 --> 00:04:32.540 And he begins to teach them. 00:04:33.379 --> 00:04:37.000 Have you ever heard someone who was such a masterful teacher 00:04:37.000 --> 00:04:39.740 that you just hung on their every word? 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:42.899 I mean, it's like they could have talked all day long, 00:04:42.939 --> 00:04:44.699 and you would never have tired of it. 00:04:44.699 --> 00:04:49.159 I can remember back in 1978, I was in Kansas City. 00:04:49.319 --> 00:04:50.759 Stephen Olford was the preacher. 00:04:51.319 --> 00:04:56.199 And in my estimation, he was the most powerful preacher to preach in the last century. 00:04:56.819 --> 00:05:00.719 He preached at Kansas City one evening, 8 o'clock in the evening. 00:05:01.339 --> 00:05:05.319 Thousands and thousands of Baptist ministers, laymen had gathered in this arena. 00:05:05.319 --> 00:05:10.800 And I'll promise you, if somebody had dropped so much as a hymnal on the floor, 00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:13.459 it would have startled everyone in the room. 00:05:13.459 --> 00:05:15.979 It was as though the heavens opened up, 00:05:16.279 --> 00:05:19.939 and God was speaking through Stephen Olford to that crowd. 00:05:20.019 --> 00:05:21.019 It was that powerful. 00:05:21.459 --> 00:05:24.739 Well, multiply that 100 times over, 00:05:25.180 --> 00:05:29.000 and imagine what it was like to sit and listen to Jesus teach. 00:05:29.439 --> 00:05:34.199 He's not taking the word of God and simply explaining the word of God. 00:05:34.819 --> 00:05:38.299 He is the living word of God. 00:05:38.859 --> 00:05:40.259 This is all about him. 00:05:40.259 --> 00:05:43.359 He is God in human flesh. 00:05:43.459 --> 00:05:45.259 They had heard the rabbis. 00:05:45.479 --> 00:05:46.459 They had heard the priests. 00:05:46.599 --> 00:05:47.959 They had heard the Pharisees. 00:05:48.339 --> 00:05:50.399 They were so inelastic in their teaching. 00:05:50.620 --> 00:05:52.239 It was so ordinary. 00:05:52.959 --> 00:05:56.319 But now to hear Jesus, what a refreshing time that must have been. 00:05:56.620 --> 00:06:04.759 I believe they probably clung and hung on his every word as he spoke there in the temple. 00:06:05.399 --> 00:06:06.719 Well, look at verse 3. 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:08.720 All this is interrupted. 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:08.920 All this is interrupted. 00:06:08.920 --> 00:06:17.060 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. 00:06:17.780 --> 00:06:24.160 They made her stand, and my translation says, before the group. 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:28.160 If you're reading from a Holman translation, you know what it says? 00:06:29.160 --> 00:06:35.520 They made her stand in the middle, the middle of the room. 00:06:36.340 --> 00:06:38.540 Now, what would be the reason for doing that? 00:06:38.540 --> 00:06:43.900 The only thing I can think of is they wanted every eye focused on this woman. 00:06:44.200 --> 00:06:46.040 And look at the accusation they make. 00:06:46.540 --> 00:06:51.460 They caught her in the act of adultery. 00:06:51.459 --> 00:06:58.639 Your mind begins to race, if you have much imagination at all, and you begin to ask yourself, now, wait a second. 00:06:59.479 --> 00:07:07.060 How did they know that they could pull this off, catch this woman in the very act of adultery, 00:07:07.579 --> 00:07:14.719 that Jesus would be at the temple, they knew his habits, there would be people around him, and he would be teaching them. 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:23.880 And what better way to entrap Jesus than to set all this up and to know that this exact moment we can go in and catch this woman in adultery, 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:28.160 and bring her before the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:07:28.840 --> 00:07:31.520 This is clearly a case of entrapment, right? 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:37.580 I mean, they've set this whole thing up, as you're going to see in just a minute, as this story unfolds. 00:07:38.040 --> 00:07:40.200 They had planned this from the start. 00:07:40.340 --> 00:07:42.480 They knew exactly who the victim would be. 00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:48.980 And the other question you have to ask yourself is, where is the man in this situation? 00:07:49.800 --> 00:07:52.700 Where is the guy with whom she was committing adultery? 00:07:53.340 --> 00:07:56.500 Why didn't they drag him in there as well? 00:07:57.200 --> 00:08:01.439 In fact, you have to also ask, could he have been one of their cohorts? 00:08:02.080 --> 00:08:03.700 Was he one of their buddies? 00:08:03.900 --> 00:08:04.980 Was he one of their friends? 00:08:05.100 --> 00:08:09.000 Was this whole thing contrived from the get-go? 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:13.579 And so they bring this woman into the presence of Jesus. 00:08:13.980 --> 00:08:16.019 Now, let me just ask you. 00:08:16.279 --> 00:08:18.699 Put yourself in the place of this woman. 00:08:19.860 --> 00:08:21.500 How do you think she felt? 00:08:22.759 --> 00:08:24.639 What do you think she's feeling right now? 00:08:25.600 --> 00:08:29.779 Back at the house, she was embarrassed absolutely to death. 00:08:29.779 --> 00:08:47.860 But when she sees that they're going to drag her out of the house and bring her to the temple, and she realizes that's where we're headed, and she hears the accusation they make, can you see how that embarrassment would quickly turn to a fear that's just almost hard for us to imagine? 00:08:47.860 --> 00:08:51.379 She's fearful for her life. 00:08:51.879 --> 00:08:53.360 Look, if you will, at verse 4. 00:08:53.519 --> 00:09:01.139 And said to Jesus, Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 00:09:01.899 --> 00:09:06.639 Now, again, I'm not asking you to add to this story anything that's not there. 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:19.139 But if you flesh this out in your mind, and it's not just something you read quickly and skip over, and you try to imagine what this looked like, how do you believe they brought her to Jesus? 00:09:19.319 --> 00:09:21.120 Do you think they said to her, well, you know what? 00:09:21.779 --> 00:09:30.279 You're obviously not dressed to go to the temple, so take the next hour and go get ready, and we'll come back, and we're going to take you down to the temple to see Jesus. 00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:31.200 Do you think that happened? 00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:32.080 No. 00:09:33.240 --> 00:09:34.840 They have set her up. 00:09:34.840 --> 00:09:40.560 They have caught her in this situation, and they're going to seize the moment to make their case. 00:09:41.300 --> 00:09:48.200 I believe they brought her to Jesus to the temple as scantily clad as they could possibly do. 00:09:48.940 --> 00:09:58.160 I mean, they barely, I imagine, barely allowed her to put on any kind of clothes at all, perhaps wrapped her in a blanket, a towel, a sheet. 00:09:58.700 --> 00:10:03.360 They have every intention of making this look as bad as it possibly can. 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:11.639 They want to have Jesus condemn her, not save her, and so she goes into the presence of Jesus. 00:10:12.379 --> 00:10:14.919 Jesus has been teaching these people the word of God. 00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:20.419 They're having a glorious time, and all of a sudden, they hear this commotion in the back, and in walks this woman. 00:10:20.539 --> 00:10:27.720 They stand in the middle of the room, dressed in the fashion that she's dressed, and they pose this question to Jesus. 00:10:27.720 --> 00:10:32.060 Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:38.160 In the law of Moses, verse 5, Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. 00:10:38.700 --> 00:10:41.139 Now, what do you say? 00:10:42.120 --> 00:10:44.720 Now we see why all this has come about. 00:10:44.940 --> 00:10:48.920 They are trying, as you're going to see in just a moment, to entrap Jesus. 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:51.560 Here's the question I want you to think about for a minute. 00:10:51.559 --> 00:10:55.079 I asked you a moment ago, imagine how that woman felt. 00:10:55.159 --> 00:11:00.379 When I put myself in her place, I just got to tell you, I can't think of being in that situation. 00:11:00.679 --> 00:11:03.000 You would want the earth to swallow you up. 00:11:03.379 --> 00:11:04.519 But here's the next question. 00:11:05.319 --> 00:11:07.239 What do you think Jesus is thinking? 00:11:08.479 --> 00:11:10.339 What if you're the one who's teaching? 00:11:11.079 --> 00:11:13.559 You've been sharing these wonderful truths of God. 00:11:13.559 --> 00:11:23.699 These people are so encouraged, and suddenly all that's disrupted, and here's this woman, scantily clad, accused of adultery, standing in your midst. 00:11:24.239 --> 00:11:26.679 They say, the law says to stone her to death. 00:11:27.079 --> 00:11:27.719 What do you say? 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:30.000 What do you think's going on in Jesus' mind? 00:11:31.299 --> 00:11:35.339 Well, I can't tell you what Jesus thought, but I can tell you this. 00:11:35.399 --> 00:11:38.239 I believe he had to be angry, don't you? 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:45.980 I think he had to be so incensed that these people, in the name of religion, could act in such a horrible fashion as they've acted. 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:48.759 Additionally, he knows this. 00:11:49.419 --> 00:11:52.200 They didn't do this because they want to see this woman repent. 00:11:52.919 --> 00:11:55.720 They didn't do this because they want the law upheld. 00:11:56.419 --> 00:11:59.180 They've done this in order to entrap him. 00:11:59.919 --> 00:12:03.560 And so they victimized the woman in order to get at Jesus. 00:12:03.740 --> 00:12:05.519 She's just a tool in their toolbox. 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:09.659 She has been used by these religious leaders. 00:12:10.159 --> 00:12:13.460 I think Jesus was so angry, he probably couldn't stand it. 00:12:13.699 --> 00:12:22.779 He probably wanted to lash out at them, the human in him, wanted to lash out at them and give them a tongue licking like they had never heard before. 00:12:23.579 --> 00:12:26.079 But Jesus doesn't do that. 00:12:26.620 --> 00:12:29.539 I want you to notice what the scripture tells us. 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:30.519 Look at verse 6. 00:12:30.519 --> 00:12:38.460 They were using this question as a trap in order to have a basis for accusing him. 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:40.659 What they want to say is this. 00:12:41.220 --> 00:12:47.139 If he says, well, the law says to stone her, I guess you've got to take her out and stone her. 00:12:47.720 --> 00:12:48.639 You know what they're going to say? 00:12:49.199 --> 00:12:53.039 We thought you were a teacher who was different from us. 00:12:53.039 --> 00:12:58.679 We thought you advocated compassion and love and kindness. 00:12:59.419 --> 00:13:01.039 And now you're saying, kill this woman? 00:13:01.779 --> 00:13:03.719 What kind of man are you? 00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:06.439 But if Jesus says, well, you know what? 00:13:06.519 --> 00:13:07.559 You ought to let her go. 00:13:07.719 --> 00:13:10.639 You ought to be ashamed of yourselves for behaving the way you acted. 00:13:11.419 --> 00:13:17.019 They're going to turn to him and say, you mean to tell me you folk in this assembly come and hear this man teach? 00:13:17.019 --> 00:13:24.079 And he doesn't even uphold the simple law of Moses while he thinks he's above the law. 00:13:24.699 --> 00:13:29.259 So in their mind, they had a scheme that was absolutely airtight. 00:13:29.439 --> 00:13:31.259 I mean, they thought we've got him now. 00:13:31.379 --> 00:13:32.939 We've got him right where we want him. 00:13:33.299 --> 00:13:36.039 There's no way for Jesus to recover from this. 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:38.480 Look at the latter portion of verse 6. 00:13:38.539 --> 00:13:39.439 I love this verse. 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:47.200 But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 00:13:48.520 --> 00:13:49.440 Now imagine this. 00:13:49.520 --> 00:13:52.600 You're teaching, having a great time in the Word of God. 00:13:53.340 --> 00:13:54.840 People are hanging on every word. 00:13:55.400 --> 00:13:56.280 Suddenly it's interrupted. 00:13:56.900 --> 00:14:00.080 This woman, you look at her and she looks the part of the harlot. 00:14:00.220 --> 00:14:03.660 She looks the part of the prostitute, the accuser of adultery. 00:14:04.120 --> 00:14:04.900 What are you going to do? 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:06.660 Here's what Moses' law says. 00:14:07.260 --> 00:14:08.280 How do you respond? 00:14:08.279 --> 00:14:09.419 What's your first reaction? 00:14:09.659 --> 00:14:14.419 Do you jump at them because of their hypocrisy, because of their evil hearts, 00:14:14.579 --> 00:14:16.620 because of their maliciousness toward this woman? 00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:17.659 What do you do? 00:14:17.959 --> 00:14:18.959 You're so taken back. 00:14:19.059 --> 00:14:20.039 You know what Jesus does? 00:14:20.779 --> 00:14:22.879 He doesn't say one word. 00:14:24.019 --> 00:14:28.120 He doesn't say one single word in response. 00:14:29.000 --> 00:14:34.539 Instead, he just stoops down and he begins to write on the ground, 00:14:34.600 --> 00:14:36.399 what appears to be writing on the ground. 00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:39.360 Now two questions come to mind. 00:14:39.459 --> 00:14:41.879 First of all, what did he write? 00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:44.620 You know the Bible never tells us. 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:47.959 We're never even given a hint at what he wrote. 00:14:48.819 --> 00:14:52.100 Scholars through the years have speculated about a number of things. 00:14:52.959 --> 00:14:57.179 Your speculation would hold up just as much as theirs, just as much as mine, 00:14:57.220 --> 00:14:58.860 because we just don't know. 00:14:58.860 --> 00:15:02.060 So here's one idea that some advance. 00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:11.240 What if he began to write the other nine commandments about stealing and not coveting 00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:17.580 and honoring your father and mother in hopes that they would see those and think to themselves, 00:15:17.720 --> 00:15:18.340 you know what? 00:15:18.340 --> 00:15:21.560 I'm guilty of violating some of those myself. 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:24.840 Here's something a little more sadistical. 00:15:26.060 --> 00:15:30.040 What if he began, because Jesus knows everything about everyone in the room, 00:15:30.759 --> 00:15:36.399 what if he began to write the names of some females that maybe some of these who were making the accusations 00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:39.160 had been with in their lifetime, 00:15:39.159 --> 00:15:46.240 and they knew when they saw their name that they would be outed by Jesus? 00:15:47.559 --> 00:15:54.259 What if he's writing some other commands that deal with the nature of what's going on here? 00:15:55.139 --> 00:15:58.240 We could speculate all day long until the cows came home. 00:15:58.600 --> 00:15:59.279 Can I tell you something? 00:15:59.439 --> 00:16:00.199 I don't know. 00:16:00.899 --> 00:16:02.939 In fact, I'm going to go out on a limb and tell you this. 00:16:03.019 --> 00:16:05.480 Now, I believe with all my heart I'm right about this. 00:16:05.480 --> 00:16:08.279 I don't even think what he wrote was important, 00:16:08.420 --> 00:16:10.500 and I think that's why we don't read about it in Scripture. 00:16:11.019 --> 00:16:12.240 You know what I think he's doing? 00:16:13.139 --> 00:16:17.759 I think Jesus is creating a diversion away from the woman. 00:16:19.500 --> 00:16:22.580 The reason I believe that is because I've been a speaker all my life, 00:16:22.620 --> 00:16:23.360 and I want to tell you something. 00:16:24.220 --> 00:16:28.560 I can be up speaking, telling a great story, every eye fixed on me, 00:16:28.680 --> 00:16:31.320 and you let a phone go off, and you know what happens? 00:16:32.139 --> 00:16:33.539 Everybody turns and looks at the phone. 00:16:33.539 --> 00:16:36.959 Like, cut that thing off, right? 00:16:37.699 --> 00:16:39.279 A kid starts screaming. 00:16:40.599 --> 00:16:43.819 Everybody in the room turns and sees the child who's screaming. 00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:46.099 A light begins to flicker. 00:16:46.219 --> 00:16:48.480 It goes on, it goes off, goes on, it goes off. 00:16:50.299 --> 00:16:52.659 Everybody turns and watches the light, right? 00:16:53.399 --> 00:16:54.639 It's just human nature. 00:16:55.659 --> 00:16:56.459 I want to show you something. 00:16:57.079 --> 00:16:59.240 If I had been preaching another sermon, 00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:01.079 and just in the middle of the sermon, 00:17:01.080 --> 00:17:03.600 I came down here, and I stopped talking, 00:17:04.100 --> 00:17:07.840 and I just looked right here under this pew, 00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:11.920 and I began to mess around, 00:17:12.940 --> 00:17:15.799 and what you don't know is I'm messing with this microphone right here. 00:17:17.880 --> 00:17:21.680 You know what would happen if I stayed there for 30 seconds, 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:23.039 a minute, a minute and a half? 00:17:23.700 --> 00:17:24.960 What's happening right now? 00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:28.380 Everybody in this room is looking here to see what I'm doing. 00:17:29.180 --> 00:17:30.420 That's just human nature. 00:17:31.779 --> 00:17:35.039 But when Jesus stoops, and he kneels, and he writes, 00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:35.759 guess what? 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:38.059 The eyes go off the woman. 00:17:38.980 --> 00:17:41.480 Boy, it was a welcome diversion for that woman. 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:46.340 She felt as though everyone was just staring a hole through her. 00:17:46.460 --> 00:17:47.880 I promise you she had to. 00:17:47.880 --> 00:17:51.760 When Jesus does this, he knows every eye is now off her, 00:17:52.140 --> 00:17:54.000 and they're focused on him. 00:17:55.080 --> 00:17:56.620 He's doing a second thing, too. 00:17:56.700 --> 00:17:57.840 You know what else he's doing? 00:17:59.020 --> 00:18:04.420 He's giving their conscience a moment to go to work 00:18:04.420 --> 00:18:06.580 and to prick them because of their sin. 00:18:07.340 --> 00:18:10.000 Because, you see, when they had contrived this plan 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:13.340 back in somebody's house, back at their headquarters, 00:18:14.300 --> 00:18:15.520 boy, it seemed great. 00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:16.759 This is foolproof. 00:18:16.879 --> 00:18:18.099 We've got him where we want him. 00:18:18.440 --> 00:18:20.059 We can get that woman. 00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:21.460 We know her reputation. 00:18:21.819 --> 00:18:23.139 We'll set her up with this guy. 00:18:23.420 --> 00:18:23.920 We'll rush it. 00:18:24.059 --> 00:18:25.859 They've mapped all this out. 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:29.759 But nobody has thought about the integrity 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:33.379 or lack thereof or the ethics. 00:18:34.819 --> 00:18:37.420 And suddenly, when Jesus gets quiet, 00:18:38.339 --> 00:18:40.000 he's just marveling. 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:42.460 I think he's composing himself in part 00:18:42.460 --> 00:18:45.519 because he doesn't want to lash out too harshly. 00:18:45.600 --> 00:18:47.200 It could cost this woman her life. 00:18:48.279 --> 00:18:49.680 When all that's going on, 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:54.000 it gives their conscience a chance to kick in 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:57.519 and begin to convict them about what they have done 00:18:57.519 --> 00:18:59.140 and the fact that it's not right. 00:18:59.380 --> 00:19:00.200 Look at verse 7. 00:19:00.920 --> 00:19:03.960 When they kept on, the scripture says, 00:19:04.680 --> 00:19:06.460 not once, not twice, 00:19:06.460 --> 00:19:09.100 when they kept on questioning him, 00:19:09.700 --> 00:19:11.700 he straightened up and said to them, 00:19:12.340 --> 00:19:14.720 let any one of you who is without sin 00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:17.779 be the first to throw a stone at her. 00:19:19.460 --> 00:19:21.640 So he doesn't say anything for a long time. 00:19:22.319 --> 00:19:23.660 And they badger him. 00:19:24.660 --> 00:19:25.420 You know what's happening? 00:19:25.860 --> 00:19:27.059 Your conscience is getting to them. 00:19:28.440 --> 00:19:30.160 They're beginning to feel uncomfortable. 00:19:30.840 --> 00:19:32.620 They're beginning to feel like they're on trial 00:19:32.620 --> 00:19:34.279 rather than she's on trial. 00:19:34.279 --> 00:19:37.599 And finally he looks up when they just keep on, 00:19:37.700 --> 00:19:38.720 Jesus, what do you say? 00:19:39.180 --> 00:19:40.500 Are you going to uphold the law? 00:19:40.579 --> 00:19:41.619 What are you going to do, Jesus? 00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:43.399 Jesus, say something. 00:19:44.619 --> 00:19:46.720 And he raises up and he looks at me and he says, 00:19:47.980 --> 00:19:48.740 I'll tell you what, 00:19:50.700 --> 00:19:52.279 whoever hears without sin, 00:19:53.720 --> 00:19:55.619 let him throw the first stone. 00:19:57.059 --> 00:19:58.779 Now, you've heard that so often 00:19:58.779 --> 00:20:00.420 that it's kind of old hat to us. 00:20:01.099 --> 00:20:02.940 But I want you to think about something for a moment. 00:20:02.940 --> 00:20:04.660 That was a brilliant, 00:20:05.320 --> 00:20:06.080 brilliant, 00:20:06.620 --> 00:20:07.840 brilliant, 00:20:08.840 --> 00:20:10.960 wise response. 00:20:11.840 --> 00:20:12.779 You know how I know that 00:20:12.779 --> 00:20:13.720 and how you know it as well, 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:14.799 you just haven't thought about it? 00:20:15.600 --> 00:20:17.120 Because you have heard that 00:20:17.120 --> 00:20:18.880 over and over and over in your life 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:20.120 and it has been quoted 00:20:20.120 --> 00:20:22.860 not tens of thousands of times, 00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:24.759 but millions of times 00:20:24.759 --> 00:20:26.420 over the last two millenniums 00:20:26.420 --> 00:20:28.940 by believers and non-believers alike. 00:20:28.940 --> 00:20:33.039 They all have picked up on that statement 00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:35.759 and recognized that's a brilliant thing to say. 00:20:36.279 --> 00:20:37.559 Whenever we've seen somebody 00:20:37.559 --> 00:20:39.039 who acts a little hoger than thou 00:20:39.039 --> 00:20:40.019 and they're judging people 00:20:40.019 --> 00:20:40.500 when they shouldn't, 00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:41.279 what do we say? 00:20:42.259 --> 00:20:44.120 Well, let he who is without sin 00:20:44.120 --> 00:20:45.500 cast the first stone. 00:20:45.700 --> 00:20:46.160 You know what? 00:20:47.059 --> 00:20:48.200 They got it from Jesus. 00:20:49.400 --> 00:20:51.000 In that moment of quietness, 00:20:51.080 --> 00:20:52.019 Jesus stands up and says, 00:20:52.019 --> 00:20:55.139 well, let he who is without sin 00:20:55.139 --> 00:20:58.259 cast the first stone. 00:20:59.460 --> 00:21:00.700 Brilliant move on his part. 00:21:00.779 --> 00:21:01.500 Look at verse nine. 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:02.319 At this, 00:21:02.460 --> 00:21:03.339 those who heard 00:21:03.339 --> 00:21:04.960 began to go away 00:21:04.960 --> 00:21:06.519 one at a time. 00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:09.019 The older ones first 00:21:09.019 --> 00:21:11.579 until only Jesus was left 00:21:11.579 --> 00:21:13.639 with the woman standing there. 00:21:14.019 --> 00:21:16.279 From the oldest to the youngest. 00:21:16.440 --> 00:21:17.139 I understand that, 00:21:17.180 --> 00:21:17.559 don't you? 00:21:17.559 --> 00:21:20.159 From the oldest to the youngest. 00:21:20.599 --> 00:21:22.559 Not that they're smarter, better. 00:21:23.319 --> 00:21:24.159 They've lived longer. 00:21:24.259 --> 00:21:25.079 They've sinned more. 00:21:26.119 --> 00:21:28.079 They've got quite a catalog of sins. 00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:30.839 They know it can't be me. 00:21:32.220 --> 00:21:33.579 And so they begin to disappear 00:21:33.579 --> 00:21:34.659 out one side, 00:21:35.379 --> 00:21:36.039 out another. 00:21:36.619 --> 00:21:37.679 Another leaves here. 00:21:37.819 --> 00:21:38.500 Another leaves there. 00:21:38.819 --> 00:21:39.339 Pretty soon, 00:21:39.720 --> 00:21:41.240 the whole group of them 00:21:41.240 --> 00:21:42.179 have disappeared. 00:21:42.619 --> 00:21:43.759 Even those who had come 00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:45.539 for the Bible study. 00:21:45.539 --> 00:21:48.299 Just Jesus and that woman. 00:21:48.399 --> 00:21:49.539 I want you to watch something else. 00:21:50.859 --> 00:21:52.240 Jesus went back 00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:53.680 to stooping again. 00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:56.279 He's not even looking at that woman. 00:21:56.740 --> 00:21:58.039 He just is so sensitive. 00:21:58.079 --> 00:21:59.039 Aren't you glad 00:21:59.039 --> 00:22:00.460 we have a Savior like Jesus? 00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:02.519 He's so sensitive to her. 00:22:02.659 --> 00:22:03.779 He's not even looking at it. 00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:04.799 Finally, he looks up. 00:22:04.920 --> 00:22:05.920 Well, where'd they all go? 00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:06.879 Well, they left. 00:22:08.759 --> 00:22:09.460 I want you to notice 00:22:09.460 --> 00:22:10.440 what he says next. 00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:11.500 Jesus straightened up 00:22:11.500 --> 00:22:12.019 and asked her, 00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:13.039 woman, where are they? 00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:14.960 Has no one condemned you? 00:22:15.819 --> 00:22:17.259 No one, sir, she said. 00:22:18.259 --> 00:22:20.639 Then neither do I condemn you, 00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:21.659 Jesus declared. 00:22:22.420 --> 00:22:23.940 Now go and leave 00:22:23.940 --> 00:22:25.519 your life of sin. 00:22:26.619 --> 00:22:27.759 Now look up and get this. 00:22:27.879 --> 00:22:28.859 I wish I could tell you 00:22:28.859 --> 00:22:30.240 she received Christ 00:22:30.240 --> 00:22:31.980 as her Savior that day 00:22:31.980 --> 00:22:33.079 and turned her life around 00:22:33.079 --> 00:22:33.799 and two weeks later 00:22:33.799 --> 00:22:34.500 she was baptized 00:22:34.500 --> 00:22:36.480 and she lived a glorious life 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:37.359 from that point forward. 00:22:38.019 --> 00:22:39.079 We don't know that. 00:22:40.399 --> 00:22:41.500 I don't know what she did. 00:22:41.500 --> 00:22:43.759 But I know this. 00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:45.960 Jesus gave her 00:22:45.960 --> 00:22:46.940 the best shot 00:22:46.940 --> 00:22:47.640 at redemption, 00:22:47.879 --> 00:22:48.500 the best shot 00:22:48.500 --> 00:22:49.619 at changing her life 00:22:49.619 --> 00:22:51.359 she would ever get 00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:53.440 because he didn't condemn her. 00:22:53.980 --> 00:22:54.879 He just looked at her 00:22:54.879 --> 00:22:55.240 and said, 00:22:55.339 --> 00:22:55.700 you know what? 00:22:56.099 --> 00:22:57.420 Neither do I condemn you. 00:22:58.039 --> 00:22:58.900 Go your way 00:22:58.900 --> 00:23:00.039 and sin 00:23:00.039 --> 00:23:01.779 no more. 00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:04.180 Now what do we take away 00:23:04.180 --> 00:23:04.879 from this passage? 00:23:05.059 --> 00:23:05.819 I want you to see 00:23:05.819 --> 00:23:07.180 basically two things. 00:23:07.500 --> 00:23:08.339 One thing's going to have 00:23:08.339 --> 00:23:08.920 four parts 00:23:08.920 --> 00:23:09.440 but I'm going to run 00:23:09.440 --> 00:23:10.200 through them real quick. 00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:10.960 The first thing, 00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:11.579 just one thing. 00:23:11.579 --> 00:23:12.740 And here's the biggest thing 00:23:12.740 --> 00:23:13.379 I want you to take away 00:23:13.379 --> 00:23:13.740 from this. 00:23:14.359 --> 00:23:15.299 What a glorious, 00:23:15.559 --> 00:23:16.099 magnificent, 00:23:16.379 --> 00:23:16.939 compassionate, 00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:17.659 merciful, 00:23:17.919 --> 00:23:18.740 gracious Savior 00:23:18.740 --> 00:23:20.079 we have. 00:23:20.599 --> 00:23:20.919 Amen? 00:23:21.859 --> 00:23:23.339 Aren't you glad 00:23:23.339 --> 00:23:25.339 Jesus did what he did? 00:23:26.299 --> 00:23:27.359 Because you know what? 00:23:27.559 --> 00:23:28.399 I know in a room 00:23:28.399 --> 00:23:29.259 of this many people, 00:23:29.379 --> 00:23:30.240 there are some of you here 00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:30.539 who, 00:23:31.159 --> 00:23:31.299 boy, 00:23:31.379 --> 00:23:32.579 you've lived by the rules. 00:23:34.019 --> 00:23:34.919 And when it comes 00:23:34.919 --> 00:23:35.500 to the things 00:23:35.500 --> 00:23:36.039 that we think of 00:23:36.039 --> 00:23:36.799 as the real big sins, 00:23:36.919 --> 00:23:37.740 you've avoided them 00:23:37.740 --> 00:23:38.679 and I'm glad for you. 00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:39.639 That's a wonderful thing. 00:23:39.640 --> 00:23:41.560 But I'm going to tell you 00:23:41.560 --> 00:23:41.740 something, 00:23:41.840 --> 00:23:42.420 there's some of you, 00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:43.820 you've got some scars on you. 00:23:45.280 --> 00:23:46.100 There's some of you 00:23:46.100 --> 00:23:47.320 bearing some things 00:23:47.320 --> 00:23:48.540 that's happened in your past 00:23:48.540 --> 00:23:49.780 that nobody in the world 00:23:49.780 --> 00:23:50.120 knows about. 00:23:50.259 --> 00:23:51.520 You were never outed 00:23:51.520 --> 00:23:52.259 the way this woman 00:23:52.259 --> 00:23:52.940 was outed. 00:23:54.220 --> 00:23:55.560 But you've got a story. 00:23:56.580 --> 00:23:57.840 You've got some scars. 00:23:59.320 --> 00:23:59.820 I'm going to tell you 00:23:59.820 --> 00:23:59.980 something, 00:24:00.060 --> 00:24:01.240 it ought to be real comforting 00:24:01.240 --> 00:24:02.280 to any of us 00:24:02.280 --> 00:24:03.440 in that situation today 00:24:03.440 --> 00:24:04.060 to know this. 00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:05.680 He's a Savior 00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:06.660 who forgives us. 00:24:07.180 --> 00:24:07.420 Amen? 00:24:07.420 --> 00:24:09.240 He's a God 00:24:09.240 --> 00:24:10.000 of compassion. 00:24:10.860 --> 00:24:11.539 He's a God 00:24:11.539 --> 00:24:11.940 who says, 00:24:12.039 --> 00:24:12.120 hey, 00:24:12.160 --> 00:24:12.539 you know what? 00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:13.539 Go your way 00:24:13.539 --> 00:24:13.960 and sin no more. 00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:15.680 He's not winking at sin. 00:24:15.800 --> 00:24:16.860 He's not permissive 00:24:16.860 --> 00:24:17.400 towards sin. 00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:18.880 You can't imagine 00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:20.600 how his heart 00:24:20.600 --> 00:24:21.420 must have been offended 00:24:21.420 --> 00:24:23.160 by her immorality, 00:24:24.120 --> 00:24:24.940 her impurity 00:24:24.940 --> 00:24:26.180 because he's so pure. 00:24:27.300 --> 00:24:28.700 But what a compassionate, 00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:29.340 loving, 00:24:30.220 --> 00:24:30.880 gracious Savior. 00:24:31.300 --> 00:24:32.400 Here's the second thing. 00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:36.140 This story teaches me a lot 00:24:36.140 --> 00:24:36.860 as a pastor 00:24:36.860 --> 00:24:37.700 and as a Christian 00:24:37.700 --> 00:24:40.280 about how each of us 00:24:40.280 --> 00:24:41.240 ought to be engaged 00:24:41.240 --> 00:24:42.040 in ministry 00:24:42.040 --> 00:24:44.019 with people in need 00:24:44.019 --> 00:24:45.240 who come into our lives. 00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:46.720 Four things I want you to see 00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:47.380 and I'm going to go through 00:24:47.380 --> 00:24:48.240 them real quickly. 00:24:48.360 --> 00:24:49.019 Here's the first. 00:24:49.540 --> 00:24:50.560 If you want to be prepared 00:24:50.560 --> 00:24:51.540 for any situation 00:24:51.540 --> 00:24:52.640 life throws at you, 00:24:54.180 --> 00:24:55.600 you had better be prayed up. 00:24:57.340 --> 00:24:58.540 If you want to be prepared 00:24:58.540 --> 00:24:59.860 for any situation 00:24:59.860 --> 00:25:01.040 that's going to come your way 00:25:01.039 --> 00:25:02.379 in life where you're going 00:25:02.379 --> 00:25:03.940 to serve the Lord 00:25:03.940 --> 00:25:05.659 the way he would have you 00:25:05.659 --> 00:25:05.960 to serve, 00:25:06.059 --> 00:25:07.220 you had better be prayed up. 00:25:07.700 --> 00:25:10.000 Jesus had spent the night 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:11.980 in the Mount of Olives. 00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:14.159 He did that routinely 00:25:14.159 --> 00:25:15.440 when he was in Jerusalem. 00:25:15.579 --> 00:25:16.559 You know what my guess is? 00:25:17.099 --> 00:25:18.680 Everywhere Jesus went, 00:25:19.480 --> 00:25:20.240 he got away. 00:25:20.460 --> 00:25:21.819 Where it was on the Sea of Galilee 00:25:21.819 --> 00:25:23.539 or there at the Mount of Olives, 00:25:24.339 --> 00:25:25.399 Jesus had this habit 00:25:25.399 --> 00:25:26.220 of getting along 00:25:26.220 --> 00:25:26.839 with his Father 00:25:26.839 --> 00:25:28.599 and that's how he recharged 00:25:28.599 --> 00:25:29.220 his battery. 00:25:29.339 --> 00:25:30.240 Now I want to tell you something. 00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:31.839 You're never going to be 00:25:31.839 --> 00:25:32.859 any stronger 00:25:32.859 --> 00:25:35.700 than your personal walk 00:25:35.700 --> 00:25:36.579 with God. 00:25:37.460 --> 00:25:38.339 Never going to happen. 00:25:39.019 --> 00:25:39.680 If you're somebody 00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:41.200 who relies on your own intellect 00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:42.259 and your own ability 00:25:42.259 --> 00:25:43.200 and your own personality 00:25:43.200 --> 00:25:44.500 and let's just face it, 00:25:44.579 --> 00:25:45.579 some of you are good at that. 00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:46.339 Some of you are great 00:25:46.339 --> 00:25:47.359 problem solvers 00:25:47.359 --> 00:25:48.400 but I'm going to tell you 00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:48.559 something, 00:25:48.680 --> 00:25:49.420 time's going to come, 00:25:49.740 --> 00:25:50.240 you're going to be 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:51.279 throwing a problem 00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:52.900 that you're not up to, 00:25:53.660 --> 00:25:55.059 that you can't solve. 00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:56.720 You're a little cutesy saying, 00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:57.660 it's not going to be enough. 00:25:57.940 --> 00:25:59.099 You're a winsome personality, 00:25:59.099 --> 00:26:00.099 it's not going to be enough. 00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:01.059 Your intellect 00:26:01.059 --> 00:26:02.279 is not going to be enough. 00:26:03.180 --> 00:26:04.019 This was one of those 00:26:04.019 --> 00:26:04.960 moments in time. 00:26:05.579 --> 00:26:06.440 Who would have ever thought 00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:07.720 in the middle of a Bible study 00:26:07.720 --> 00:26:10.000 guys of religious background 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:10.660 would come in 00:26:10.660 --> 00:26:11.160 with a woman 00:26:11.160 --> 00:26:12.339 just called in adultery 00:26:12.339 --> 00:26:13.460 and pose the question 00:26:13.460 --> 00:26:14.819 they posed to Jesus. 00:26:14.920 --> 00:26:15.759 How would you have fared? 00:26:16.940 --> 00:26:17.519 Well, I tell you, 00:26:17.579 --> 00:26:18.319 I hate to think 00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:19.039 how I'd have fared 00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:20.160 in that situation. 00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:22.680 Jesus was up to the task 00:26:22.680 --> 00:26:24.460 because he was prayed up. 00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:25.640 Second thing I want you 00:26:25.640 --> 00:26:26.220 to see is this, 00:26:26.220 --> 00:26:27.240 when circumstances 00:26:27.240 --> 00:26:28.240 are chaotic 00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:29.000 and challenging, 00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:30.700 is it ever that way 00:26:30.700 --> 00:26:31.480 around your house? 00:26:32.500 --> 00:26:33.299 Is it ever that way 00:26:33.299 --> 00:26:33.900 in your business? 00:26:34.059 --> 00:26:34.960 Are they ever challenging, 00:26:35.160 --> 00:26:35.500 chaotic, 00:26:35.620 --> 00:26:36.440 you don't know what to do? 00:26:36.660 --> 00:26:37.440 When circumstances 00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:38.279 are chaotic 00:26:38.279 --> 00:26:38.920 and challenging, 00:26:39.279 --> 00:26:40.519 you can ill afford 00:26:40.519 --> 00:26:41.220 the luxury 00:26:41.220 --> 00:26:42.960 of saying or doing 00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:46.339 simply what you feel. 00:26:46.339 --> 00:26:48.759 Now, if you don't get 00:26:48.759 --> 00:26:49.759 anything else out of the message, 00:26:49.899 --> 00:26:50.500 get this. 00:26:51.559 --> 00:26:52.679 I think Jesus, 00:26:52.959 --> 00:26:55.279 when he is kneeling here 00:26:55.279 --> 00:26:56.299 and riding on the ground, 00:26:56.500 --> 00:26:57.799 he's creating this diversion. 00:26:58.399 --> 00:26:59.619 He's giving their conscience 00:26:59.619 --> 00:27:01.559 a chance to kick in and act. 00:27:01.639 --> 00:27:02.259 But you know what else 00:27:02.259 --> 00:27:02.619 he's doing? 00:27:03.559 --> 00:27:05.000 He's gathering himself. 00:27:06.579 --> 00:27:08.419 When I see how he acted 00:27:08.419 --> 00:27:09.619 with the tax collectors 00:27:09.619 --> 00:27:10.319 in the temple, 00:27:11.579 --> 00:27:12.319 man, at times, 00:27:12.419 --> 00:27:14.519 Jesus could be angry, right? 00:27:14.859 --> 00:27:15.539 He didn't sin, 00:27:15.539 --> 00:27:16.460 but he could be angry. 00:27:17.359 --> 00:27:19.359 When I hear at other times 00:27:19.359 --> 00:27:21.980 the message he delivers 00:27:21.980 --> 00:27:23.019 to the Pharisees, 00:27:23.119 --> 00:27:25.059 how candid and forthright 00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:26.299 and transparent it is, 00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:28.779 boy, it's blistering at times. 00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:31.099 He had to be angry. 00:27:32.039 --> 00:27:33.480 So why is he not angry 00:27:33.480 --> 00:27:34.059 in this issue? 00:27:34.159 --> 00:27:34.839 Why didn't he turn 00:27:34.839 --> 00:27:36.440 and just lambast them? 00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:38.839 I know why he didn't. 00:27:38.920 --> 00:27:39.740 You know why he didn't. 00:27:40.399 --> 00:27:41.279 Because if he had, 00:27:41.339 --> 00:27:42.480 they'd have taken that woman out 00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:43.359 and they'd have stoned her. 00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:46.779 There are times in life 00:27:46.779 --> 00:27:47.740 when the situation 00:27:47.740 --> 00:27:49.319 is so chaotic 00:27:49.319 --> 00:27:52.039 and just so fragile. 00:27:53.319 --> 00:27:55.839 If you act the way you feel 00:27:55.839 --> 00:27:56.859 in the moment 00:27:56.859 --> 00:27:57.959 and what you think 00:27:57.959 --> 00:27:58.799 and feel in the moment, 00:27:59.359 --> 00:28:00.000 you're going to make 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:01.639 a bad situation a lot worse. 00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:04.099 I want to tell you 00:28:04.099 --> 00:28:04.959 a passage of scripture. 00:28:05.099 --> 00:28:05.479 I don't know if it's 00:28:05.479 --> 00:28:06.379 in the outline or not. 00:28:06.439 --> 00:28:06.859 It is. 00:28:06.919 --> 00:28:08.039 I see it up on the screen now. 00:28:08.779 --> 00:28:09.500 Write that down. 00:28:09.500 --> 00:28:10.759 James 1.20. 00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:12.680 But let me tell you 00:28:12.680 --> 00:28:13.200 about the verse 00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:14.799 right before James 1.20. 00:28:14.880 --> 00:28:15.759 James 1.19. 00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:16.920 Here's what it says. 00:28:17.160 --> 00:28:18.259 Let me just paraphrase it. 00:28:19.059 --> 00:28:21.440 Be quick to listen. 00:28:21.579 --> 00:28:22.700 You know that passage, right? 00:28:23.819 --> 00:28:27.019 Be slow to speak. 00:28:28.460 --> 00:28:29.960 And be slow to anger. 00:28:31.420 --> 00:28:32.440 And James 1.20, 00:28:32.519 --> 00:28:33.140 and I'm going to tell you something. 00:28:33.240 --> 00:28:34.059 God spoke to my heart 00:28:34.059 --> 00:28:35.339 about this years ago. 00:28:35.500 --> 00:28:36.079 Convicted me 00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:37.259 and it changed how I live. 00:28:37.259 --> 00:28:39.480 Here's what James 1.20 says. 00:28:39.559 --> 00:28:40.599 There's no getting around it. 00:28:41.400 --> 00:28:43.000 For the anger of man 00:28:43.000 --> 00:28:44.339 never achieves 00:28:44.339 --> 00:28:46.619 the righteousness of God. 00:28:48.019 --> 00:28:48.859 Now, if you're somebody 00:28:48.859 --> 00:28:49.859 who's a little quick-tempered 00:28:49.859 --> 00:28:50.940 and a little quick to speak, 00:28:51.559 --> 00:28:53.559 boy, you need to take note of that 00:28:53.559 --> 00:28:55.299 because I'm telling you something. 00:28:55.400 --> 00:28:56.519 James has got it right. 00:28:56.599 --> 00:28:58.059 He's absolutely dead on the money. 00:28:58.359 --> 00:28:59.700 Not most of the time, 00:28:59.799 --> 00:29:00.779 all of the time. 00:29:02.240 --> 00:29:03.119 He says, 00:29:03.359 --> 00:29:04.819 be slow to speak 00:29:04.819 --> 00:29:06.019 and slow to anger 00:29:06.019 --> 00:29:06.879 and quick to listen 00:29:06.879 --> 00:29:08.779 because the anger of man, 00:29:09.160 --> 00:29:10.400 the anger of man 00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:12.599 never, never, 00:29:12.819 --> 00:29:14.720 never accomplishes 00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:16.900 the righteousness of God. 00:29:17.859 --> 00:29:18.720 When you're blowing up 00:29:18.720 --> 00:29:19.259 at your wife 00:29:19.259 --> 00:29:19.799 or your husband 00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:20.619 or your kids, 00:29:21.079 --> 00:29:22.139 they've done something 00:29:22.139 --> 00:29:23.680 that needs to be corrected 00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:25.599 with your children, 00:29:26.259 --> 00:29:28.299 but you just blow up 00:29:28.299 --> 00:29:30.639 and you get real verbal with them, 00:29:30.819 --> 00:29:32.279 does it make things better or worse? 00:29:32.279 --> 00:29:34.519 Have you ever just gotten 00:29:34.519 --> 00:29:35.420 really, really angry 00:29:35.420 --> 00:29:36.240 and you're so frustrated 00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:38.799 and you just blow up at work? 00:29:39.660 --> 00:29:40.420 Does it ever help? 00:29:41.559 --> 00:29:42.720 Ever make matters better? 00:29:43.420 --> 00:29:45.000 Always makes them worse. 00:29:45.859 --> 00:29:46.980 Thirdly, in fragile, 00:29:47.420 --> 00:29:48.859 volatile situations, 00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:50.660 silence is often 00:29:51.299 --> 00:29:52.660 our best response. 00:29:54.559 --> 00:29:55.079 Again, 00:29:55.420 --> 00:29:56.279 if you don't go away 00:29:56.279 --> 00:29:57.039 with anything else, 00:29:57.119 --> 00:29:57.920 go away with that. 00:29:58.599 --> 00:29:59.740 There are some times 00:29:59.740 --> 00:30:01.480 when things are so volatile, 00:30:01.720 --> 00:30:03.079 the best thing you can say 00:30:03.079 --> 00:30:04.599 is nothing. 00:30:06.680 --> 00:30:08.160 I won't ask for a show of hands. 00:30:08.240 --> 00:30:09.460 I don't want to show hands here, 00:30:10.519 --> 00:30:11.839 but if any of you ever 00:30:11.839 --> 00:30:12.920 tried to play Holy Spirit 00:30:12.920 --> 00:30:13.700 with your children, 00:30:15.599 --> 00:30:17.000 you try to make sure 00:30:17.000 --> 00:30:18.720 that they get the message 00:30:18.720 --> 00:30:19.960 that they should be convicted. 00:30:21.400 --> 00:30:22.079 Have you ever done that 00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:22.839 with your wife, 00:30:23.839 --> 00:30:24.900 with your husband, 00:30:26.400 --> 00:30:27.880 with someone in the church 00:30:27.880 --> 00:30:28.440 they sinned, 00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:29.440 so you just want to make sure 00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:30.100 they understand 00:30:30.100 --> 00:30:31.640 what they did was sin, 00:30:32.580 --> 00:30:33.620 so you kind of come 00:30:33.620 --> 00:30:34.380 to the assistance 00:30:34.380 --> 00:30:35.420 of the Holy Spirit? 00:30:36.520 --> 00:30:37.320 Can I tell you something? 00:30:37.420 --> 00:30:38.520 Even with lost people, 00:30:38.560 --> 00:30:39.040 it is true. 00:30:39.600 --> 00:30:40.360 God has given 00:30:40.360 --> 00:30:41.340 even lost people, 00:30:41.400 --> 00:30:42.260 not the Holy Spirit, 00:30:42.620 --> 00:30:43.520 but a conscience. 00:30:44.740 --> 00:30:45.660 But I'm telling you, 00:30:45.760 --> 00:30:46.580 a lot of times, 00:30:46.660 --> 00:30:47.980 I think we're so fearful 00:30:47.980 --> 00:30:49.600 their conscience won't act 00:30:49.600 --> 00:30:51.460 that we just think 00:30:51.460 --> 00:30:52.740 we've got to help it along. 00:30:53.200 --> 00:30:54.300 But by helping it, 00:30:54.400 --> 00:30:55.400 you hinder it. 00:30:56.100 --> 00:30:57.000 Have you ever seen that? 00:30:57.839 --> 00:30:58.720 People maybe feel 00:30:58.720 --> 00:30:59.339 a little bit guilt 00:30:59.339 --> 00:31:00.519 until you jump on them 00:31:00.519 --> 00:31:01.099 and guess what happens? 00:31:01.480 --> 00:31:02.700 The guilt dissipates. 00:31:03.819 --> 00:31:05.200 I did feel bad about that 00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:05.859 for a second, 00:31:06.059 --> 00:31:07.599 but now you've made me feel okay, 00:31:07.799 --> 00:31:09.900 justified in my being wrong 00:31:09.900 --> 00:31:10.819 about whatever it is 00:31:10.819 --> 00:31:11.539 I'm wrong about. 00:31:11.900 --> 00:31:13.279 And here's the final fourth thing. 00:31:13.460 --> 00:31:14.259 Embarrassing people 00:31:14.259 --> 00:31:15.539 over moral failure, 00:31:17.000 --> 00:31:19.119 it seldom leads to repentance. 00:31:20.119 --> 00:31:21.359 I say the word seldom 00:31:21.359 --> 00:31:22.880 because maybe at some point 00:31:22.880 --> 00:31:24.299 in time it does. 00:31:25.200 --> 00:31:26.480 But I've got to be honest with you. 00:31:27.000 --> 00:31:28.420 As a pastor 00:31:28.420 --> 00:31:29.440 and somebody who's preached 00:31:29.440 --> 00:31:30.359 for 50 years, 00:31:31.380 --> 00:31:32.420 I'm real tempted 00:31:32.420 --> 00:31:34.660 to use the word never. 00:31:36.799 --> 00:31:37.319 Never. 00:31:38.319 --> 00:31:39.559 But maybe seldom. 00:31:41.099 --> 00:31:42.779 But it's a true seldom 00:31:42.779 --> 00:31:43.500 if it's seldom. 00:31:45.559 --> 00:31:47.420 We seldom bring people 00:31:47.420 --> 00:31:48.220 to repentance 00:31:48.220 --> 00:31:51.339 by beating them down. 00:31:51.339 --> 00:31:54.579 When people have sinned, 00:31:55.079 --> 00:31:56.799 they don't need you 00:31:56.799 --> 00:31:57.539 to remind them. 00:31:58.779 --> 00:31:59.959 Most time they're aware. 00:32:01.539 --> 00:32:02.819 And what they need 00:32:02.819 --> 00:32:03.879 is love, 00:32:03.959 --> 00:32:04.539 not a lecture. 00:32:06.639 --> 00:32:07.659 They need some love, 00:32:07.720 --> 00:32:08.259 not a lecture. 00:32:09.679 --> 00:32:10.720 And that's what Jesus did. 00:32:11.000 --> 00:32:11.519 Now you know why 00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:12.639 we think we have to give 00:32:12.639 --> 00:32:13.119 the lecture? 00:32:14.119 --> 00:32:15.339 And conservative evangelicals 00:32:15.859 --> 00:32:16.759 like me and you, 00:32:16.759 --> 00:32:18.940 we're the world's worst at it 00:32:18.940 --> 00:32:20.099 because we're fearful 00:32:20.099 --> 00:32:21.079 that another conservative 00:32:21.079 --> 00:32:21.700 looking at us 00:32:21.700 --> 00:32:21.980 will say, 00:32:22.079 --> 00:32:22.160 well, 00:32:22.619 --> 00:32:23.819 he's soft on sin. 00:32:23.900 --> 00:32:24.680 He didn't say anything 00:32:24.680 --> 00:32:25.379 about you shouldn't 00:32:25.379 --> 00:32:26.119 commit adultery. 00:32:27.740 --> 00:32:28.460 Jesus give her 00:32:28.460 --> 00:32:30.759 a little scripture here 00:32:30.759 --> 00:32:31.220 to tell her 00:32:31.220 --> 00:32:32.299 she's got to change 00:32:32.299 --> 00:32:32.920 her ways 00:32:32.920 --> 00:32:33.539 or she's going 00:32:33.539 --> 00:32:34.279 to burn in hell. 00:32:37.539 --> 00:32:39.299 But Jesus forgoes that 00:32:39.299 --> 00:32:41.079 because he knows 00:32:41.079 --> 00:32:42.339 she's already convicted. 00:32:42.640 --> 00:32:43.839 He knows she's scared. 00:32:43.839 --> 00:32:45.720 He knows she knows 00:32:45.720 --> 00:32:46.740 what she's done is wrong. 00:32:47.980 --> 00:32:48.859 What he does is 00:32:48.859 --> 00:32:49.439 he loves her 00:32:49.439 --> 00:32:50.419 instead of lecture her. 00:32:51.679 --> 00:32:52.259 He says, 00:32:52.899 --> 00:32:53.339 go your way 00:32:53.339 --> 00:32:53.819 and sin no more. 00:32:53.879 --> 00:32:54.839 I don't know what she did 00:32:54.839 --> 00:32:56.139 but I'm going to tell you 00:32:56.139 --> 00:32:56.379 something. 00:32:58.259 --> 00:32:59.619 She had a better chance 00:32:59.619 --> 00:33:01.199 at turning her life around 00:33:01.199 --> 00:33:02.419 as a result of what he said 00:33:02.419 --> 00:33:03.679 than if he had just 00:33:03.679 --> 00:33:04.539 pounded her 00:33:04.539 --> 00:33:06.459 with scripture 00:33:06.459 --> 00:33:07.639 and with morality 00:33:07.639 --> 00:33:09.679 and rules and regulations. 00:33:10.759 --> 00:33:11.819 People need love. 00:33:11.919 --> 00:33:12.759 They don't need a lecture. 00:33:14.379 --> 00:33:15.240 Let's bow together 00:33:15.240 --> 00:33:15.519 in prayer. 00:33:15.639 --> 00:33:15.919 Father, 00:33:17.199 --> 00:33:17.819 I thank you 00:33:17.819 --> 00:33:19.059 for this wonderful story. 00:33:20.399 --> 00:33:21.500 It shows us 00:33:21.500 --> 00:33:22.000 you 00:33:22.000 --> 00:33:23.779 in a matchless 00:33:23.779 --> 00:33:25.019 gracious fashion 00:33:25.019 --> 00:33:26.919 and if anyone 00:33:26.919 --> 00:33:27.720 in this room 00:33:27.720 --> 00:33:28.899 needs a savior, 00:33:30.379 --> 00:33:30.579 Lord, 00:33:30.659 --> 00:33:31.159 I don't see 00:33:31.159 --> 00:33:31.839 how anything 00:33:31.839 --> 00:33:32.759 could draw them 00:33:32.759 --> 00:33:33.439 to you more 00:33:33.439 --> 00:33:34.079 than to see 00:33:34.079 --> 00:33:34.899 how you regarded 00:33:34.899 --> 00:33:35.639 this woman 00:33:35.639 --> 00:33:36.740 called an adultery. 00:33:38.119 --> 00:33:39.119 And for those of us 00:33:39.119 --> 00:33:39.839 out there in the world 00:33:39.839 --> 00:33:40.559 trying to minister 00:33:40.559 --> 00:33:41.000 to people 00:33:41.000 --> 00:33:42.500 who we run in contact 00:33:42.500 --> 00:33:43.180 with sometimes 00:33:43.180 --> 00:33:44.140 in our own families 00:33:44.140 --> 00:33:45.920 who they've messed up 00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:46.460 for sure. 00:33:48.299 --> 00:33:49.000 But God, 00:33:49.079 --> 00:33:50.319 I pray that we could do 00:33:50.319 --> 00:33:51.799 something to bring them 00:33:51.799 --> 00:33:52.480 close to you 00:33:52.480 --> 00:33:53.900 and not drive them away. 00:33:55.220 --> 00:33:56.240 I pray you'd 00:33:56.240 --> 00:33:57.539 let us see ourselves, 00:33:57.779 --> 00:33:57.859 Lord, 00:33:57.960 --> 00:33:58.940 first before we look 00:33:58.940 --> 00:33:59.359 at them. 00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:01.819 I pray you'd give us 00:34:01.819 --> 00:34:03.119 a heart of compassion 00:34:03.119 --> 00:34:03.640 for them 00:34:03.640 --> 00:34:06.119 and we could love them 00:34:06.119 --> 00:34:06.839 as much as 00:34:06.839 --> 00:34:08.159 we're prone 00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:09.179 to lecture to them. 00:34:09.179 --> 00:34:11.519 have your will 00:34:11.519 --> 00:34:11.819 and way 00:34:11.819 --> 00:34:12.719 in this service today. 00:34:12.799 --> 00:34:13.279 If there's anyone 00:34:13.279 --> 00:34:13.839 here, Lord, 00:34:13.899 --> 00:34:14.379 who needs 00:34:14.379 --> 00:34:15.679 to make a public 00:34:15.679 --> 00:34:16.500 decision for you, 00:34:16.579 --> 00:34:17.259 I pray today 00:34:17.259 --> 00:34:18.099 would be that day. 00:34:19.500 --> 00:34:20.139 For we make 00:34:20.139 --> 00:34:20.519 this prayer 00:34:20.519 --> 00:34:21.359 in Jesus' name. 00:34:21.579 --> 00:34:21.839 Amen.