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

The way God talks to us must be the same way we, as a church, talk to the world

How God Talks to Us

We need to learn the language of God

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)

How God Talks to Us

“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

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

• lder 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.” ] John 7.53-8.11

[The earliest manuscripts do not include 7:53–8:11.]

They “brought a woman” (v.3) “and placing her in the midst” (v.3)

domination humiliation

How did religious leaders treat the sinful woman?

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

• f 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.”

They “brought a woman” (v.3) “and placing her in the midst” (v.3) “This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him.” (v.6)

domination humiliation manipulation

How did religious leaders treat the sinful woman?

How did Jesus treat the sinful woman?

an action a word to the

accusers

a word to the

woman

a) an action:

• 1. An attitude of reflection
• 2. An intention not to judge
• 3. A way to draw their

attention from her to himself

“Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground”

(v.6)

How did Jesus treat the sinful woman?

b) a word to the accusers:

• 1. He did not

deny her guilt.

• 2. He affirmed

the guilt of his accusers

“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

(v.7)

How did Jesus treat the sinful woman?

Paul T

• urnier 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

• urnier 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.”

c) a word to the woman:

• 1. Forgiveness
• 2. Freedom
• 3. Transformation

“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” […] “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now

• n sin no more.”

(vs.10-11)

How did Jesus treat the sinful woman?

c) a word to the woman:

How did Jesus treat the sinful 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

c) a word to the woman:

• 1. Forgiveness
• 2. Freedom
• 3. Transformation

“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” […] “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now

• n sin no more.”

(vs.10-11)

How did Jesus treat the sinful woman?

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