Dropping Stones: Embracing the Compassion of Jesus

Last Sunday I preached on John 8:1-11. I thought it would be fun to take my entire manuscript and ask Chat GPT to summarize it for you! Let me know what you think

Life is full of moments that bring joy and happiness, like weddings where two people come together in love. But life also presents us with challenges and poor choices, especially in our relationships. We've all been there – maybe it was a middle school crush, a high school romance that didn't last, or even a college relationship that took an unexpected turn. The truth is, we've all made mistakes in our relationships, and the real challenge lies in learning and growing from those experiences.

Today, we're continuing our journey through the Gospel of John, exploring a story that revolves around a woman who made a poor choice in her life. We don't know all the details, but her actions led her to a place she never expected. In John 8, we encounter a woman caught in the act of adultery, standing before Jesus in Jerusalem after the Festival of Tabernacles.

A Difficult Situation in Jerusalem (vv. 1-2)

Before diving into the heart of the story, it's important to acknowledge that some ancient manuscripts don't include these verses. However, their historical significance and their relevance to our journey compel us to explore them. Jesus was known for teaching and spending time with people, and this passage aligns with his pattern of engaging with those around him.

Standing Naked Before Jesus (vv. 3-6)

The scene is set with a woman caught in the act of adultery, potentially standing naked before Jesus. This situation is a trap set by the Pharisees to catch Jesus. They're using this woman's sin to try to entangle him in a theological dilemma. According to the Law of Moses, both parties involved in adultery were to be stoned, yet they only bring the woman before Jesus. It's a setup, plain and simple.

But as we contemplate this scene, we must also reflect on our own lives. Have you ever been caught in a moment of wrongdoing? We've all made mistakes, and religion often sets traps to expose our faults and condemn us. In this story, we see the religious leaders using this woman's sin as bait to trap Jesus.

Instead of responding with words, Jesus stoops down and starts writing in the sand. We can only speculate about what he wrote, but one thing is clear: Jesus protects the dignity of this woman in her most humiliating moment. He shifts the focus away from her and onto himself, offering her a chance to escape public condemnation.

The Written Word of God (vv. 7-11)

The Pharisees persist in their attempts to trap Jesus. They seek a legal ruling from him, but Jesus responds with a profound statement: "Let the one who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." He then resumes writing in the sand. Slowly, the accusers, starting with the older ones, depart, leaving Jesus alone with the woman.

What they've missed, and what we can't overlook, is that Jesus, the Word of God made flesh, has just written in the sand. The last time the finger of God wrote was when the Ten Commandments were inscribed on stone tablets. But now, Jesus writes in the sand, symbolizing a new way, one rooted in mercy, not condemnation.

The older ones in the crowd depart first, perhaps recognizing the trap's futility and their own fallibility. The truth is, we are all sinners, and this crowd's actions remind us to drop our stones of judgment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this story teaches us that the compassion of Jesus invites us to drop our stones. While Jesus doesn't condone the woman's sin, he offers her a chance at redemption, a chance to leave her life of sin behind. Similarly, we must let go of our judgment, both of others and ourselves, and embrace the grace and forgiveness that Jesus offers.

Coastline is a church that values grace, understanding that it's the flip side of the coin that bears the weight of the cross, paying for our sins. If you've been quick to cast stones of judgment, take a moment to apologize and seek reconciliation. Remember, there's always a path to redemption, and Jesus is there to guide us.

Let's strive to be a community that drops our stones, embracing the compassion of Jesus and extending it to others. As we leave behind our lives of sin and judgment, may we live in the freedom and grace that Christ offers us.

Thank you for joining us today, and may you walk in the compassion and grace of Jesus as you continue your journey of faith.

Dropping Stones | John 8:1-11

The Gospel of John is a unique and powerful account of the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Written by John, one of Jesus' closest disciples, this gospel presents a deep and thoughtful perspective on the person and work of Jesus. Unlike the other three gospels, which are known as the Synoptic Gospels and focus on Jesus' actions and teachings, John's gospel emphasizes the spiritual and theological significance of Jesus' life and ministry. For this series I will write some of the small group questions that go along with each sermon. It seemed like a waste to leave them in a file on my computer and not share them with everyone.

Small Group Questions | Dropping Stones | John 8:1-11

Relationships can be difficult and challenging. Sometimes they have the ‘happily ever after’ ending and other times they end like a train wreck. Today we’re going to see a story of a woman who made a bad choice. She might have made this choice once, several times, or for several years, we don’t know all the details of the story. Her bad choice puts her in a place that she never imagined she would be. Our story involves the religious leaders treating an adulterous woman with no compassion. In John 8 we read about a woman who was caught making a bad choice and finds herself standing next to Jesus. Study these questions to learn more about the mercy of Jesus. 

1) Relationships can be amazing, challenging, fulfilling, and difficult. When we add romantic feelings things can get complicated at times. Share about a time when you had to navigate a unique situation in any type of relationship you’re involved in. 

2) Read John 8:1-2. Jesus was in the habit of teaching the people about the truth of God in a way they understand (Matthew 4:23, Mark 6:6, and Luke 13:10). What have you learned from the teaching of Jesus and how has it changed you? 

3) One of the things the Pharisees tried to do in this situation was to trap Jesus with this question (read John 8:3-6). The Law required that two or three people witness a sin like this. What would motivate the Pharisees to treat a woman in such a manner? 

4) If Jesus condemns the woman He is not viewed as compassionate. If Jesus frees the woman, He negates the Law. Is there a way for us, in our current culture, to keep a balance between compassion and following the commands of God? 

5) It appears that Jesus gives the crowd the freedom to throw stones as long as they know they are also condemned in their sin (read John 8:7-8). Read Matthew 7:1-6 and talk about how to be better at removing sin from your own life. 

6) As people saw the words of Jesus written in the sand, they began to leave (read John 8:9-11). Romans 3:23 says that we have all sinned. Following the Law of Moses, Jesus didn’t condemn this woman but invited her to leave her life of sin. Share with you group when you trusted Jesus and how that changed your life. 

7) For Jesus to offer the mercy that He offered to this woman it meant He would have to climb on the cross to pay for our sins (see Luke 23:26-49). How can we share this great love of Jesus with people in our lives who are in need of mercy?  

Close your time in prayer. Pray for strength to invite a friend to meet Jesus. 

When Confusion Abounds | John 7:25-53

The Gospel of John is a unique and powerful account of the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Written by John, one of Jesus' closest disciples, this gospel presents a deep and thoughtful perspective on the person and work of Jesus. Unlike the other three gospels, which are known as the Synoptic Gospels and focus on Jesus' actions and teachings, John's gospel emphasizes the spiritual and theological significance of Jesus' life and ministry. For this series I will write some of the small group questions that go along with each sermon. It seemed like a waste to leave them in a file on my computer and not share them with everyone.

Small Group Questions | When Confusion Abounds | John 7:25-53

Earlier in John 7 we saw that three different groups of people were confused on who Jesus is. As we continue in John 7 we’re going to see that confusion about Jesus remains. His teaching in the first half of the chapter didn’t clear up the confusion. In our passage today we read that Jesus interacts with three groups of people. Keep your eyes open for the crowd, the guards, and the Pharisees. We’re going to see how each of these groups interact with Jesus and how their confusion actually creates more confusion. In the midst of their confusion there is hope because we find that through Jesus teaching many come to believe in Him as the Messiah. 

1) “It’s all Greek to me!” is a common phrase when we don’t understand something. Share about at time in your life when you had a hard time comprehending something you needed to learn. How did this situation play out? 

2) Read John 7:25-31. The crowd asks three different questions concerning Jesus. The questions show us the crowd has a desire to learn about Jesus. What one of these questions do you most resonate with? 

3) In John 7:31 we read a great result of Jesus’ teaching. There are several times in Scripture when many believe (read Acts 2:41 and 9:31). What would it look like to see those you’ve been praying for come to Jesus this week? 

4) The Pharisees were intent on arresting Jesus (read John 7:32-36). Jesus came to tilt our chins towards heaven and keep us focused on spiritual matters. Share a time in your life where you got fixated on the physical world and missed the spiritual.    

5) Read John 7:37-39. During the Festival of Tabernacles water was an important part. For Jesus to say that He would offer rivers of living water would be massive! Where have you been drinking of the world and need to drink from the rivers of Jesus? 

6) Jesus promised an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament the Spirit would come on people for a time, event, or occasion. But Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to us (read John 14:16, 26, 15:26-27, and 16:7). What do these passages teach us about the Holy Spirit? 

7) Near the end of the chapter we see Nicodemus is a voice of reason (read John 7:50-51). Who is a voice of reason in your life? A person who constantly keeps you focused on the truth of God in a confusing world? 

Close your time in prayer. Pray for strength to invite a friend to meet Jesus.