How God Talks to Us The way God talks to us must be the same way - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

How God Talks to Us The way God talks to us must be the same way we, as a church, talk to the world We need to learn the language of God

How God Talks to Us Sermon #1: Through Jesus (John 1) Sermon #2: With Glory (John 2) Sermon #3: With Grace (John 3-4) Sermon #4: With Forgiveness (John 8)

“For God so loved the world , that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life .” John 3.16 Salvation through personal sacrifice

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves , so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” Matthew 10.16

John 7.53-8.11 [The earliest manuscripts do not include 7:53–8:11.] 53 [ They went each to his own house, 1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them.

John 7.53-8.11 [The earliest manuscripts do not include 7:53–8:11.] 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.

John 7.53-8.11 [The earliest manuscripts do not include 7:53–8:11.] 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

John 7.53-8.11 [The earliest manuscripts do not include 7:53–8:11.] 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground.

John 7.53-8.11 [The earliest manuscripts do not include 7:53–8:11.] 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.

John 7.53-8.11 [The earliest manuscripts do not include 7:53–8:11.] 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” ]

How did religious leaders treat the sinful woman? They “brought domination a woman” (v.3) “and placing her humiliation in the midst” (v.3)

Mel White

“I am not discussing my views of homosexual behavior, only my attitudes toward homosexuals.”

“Every gay person I interviewed could tell hair- raising tales of rejection, hatred, and persecution. Most had been called names and beaten up too many times to count. Half of the people I interviewed had been disowned by their families. Some of the AIDS patients had tried to contact their estranged families to inform them of the disease but had received no response. One man, after ten years of separation, was invited home for Thanksgiving dinner in Wisconsin. His mother seated him apart from the family, at a separate table set with Chinese plates and plastic utensils.”

“As a gay man, I’ve found it’s easier for me to get sex on the streets than to get a hug in church.”

How did religious leaders treat the sinful woman? They “brought domination a woman” (v.3) “and placing her humiliation in the midst” (v.3) “This they said to test him, that they manipulation might have some charge to bring against him.” (v.6)

How did Jesus treat the sinful woman? a word to the a word to the an action accusers woman

How did Jesus treat the sinful woman? a) an action: “Jesus bent 1. An attitude of reflection down and 2. An intention not to judge wrote with 3. A way to draw their his finger on attention from her to the ground” himself (v.6)

How did Jesus treat the sinful woman? b) a word to the accusers: “Let him who is 1. He did not deny her guilt. without sin among you be 2. He affirmed the guilt of his the first to throw accusers a stone at her.” (v.7)

Paul T ournier wrote about a friend who was getting divorced: “I cannot approve of his course of action, because divorce is always disobedience of God. I should be betraying my belief if I were to hide it from him. I know that there is always a solution other than divorce to a marital conflict, if we are really prepared to seek it under God’s guidance. But I know that this disobedience is no worse than the slander, the lie, the gesture of pride of which I am guilty every day.” […]

Paul T ournier wrote about a friend who was getting divorced: “The circumstances of our life are different, but the reality of our hearts is the same. If I were in his place, would I act any differently from him? I have no idea. At least I know that I should need friends who loved me unreservedly just as I am, with all my weaknesses […] If he gets his divorce, he will no doubt meet even greater difficulties than those he is in today. He will need my affection all the more, and this is the assurance I must give him.”

How did Jesus treat the sinful woman? c) a word to the woman: “Woman, where are 1. Forgiveness they? Has no one 2. Freedom condemned you?” […] 3. Transformation “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” (vs.10-11)

How did Jesus treat the sinful woman? c) a word to the woman: Do we change to be forgiven, or are we forgiven to change?

“Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I buy from you; I withdraw it from black thoughts and the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God.” Victor Hugo Les Miserables, Chapter XII — The Bishop works

How did Jesus treat the sinful woman? c) a word to the woman: “Woman, where are 1. Forgiveness they? Has no one 2. Freedom condemned you?” […] 3. Transformation “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” (vs.10-11)

God talks to us with FORGIVENESS Are we doing the same to others?