Special Guest, Brian Taylor
Good morning, everybody. How is everybody today? I was I was reading something this morning and they said that is the pastor's best friend is to have the temperature, plummets, immediately 35 degrees. And I'm thankful that the pastor asked me to come and see if you have your Bibles. We're going to be in John chapter 8, John chapter 8 and we're going to be looking at verses 1 through 11. I'm here in just a few moments. There was a very important book that hit the market in 1984 and it was later released in 2003 and the title of the book was emotions. Can you trust him was written by a Doctor James Dobson in the book itself. Discusses the impact that human emotions have upon the life we live and in the best of cases. We know the emotions can bring us great. Joy emotions can add. I would I call pzazz to life. They can bring color to life and and they're good and they add flavor to it ever were doing, but in the worst of cases, emotions can also blind us and crippled us and put us in a prison that we just cannot get out of some examples. Think of anger that's left unchecked and your left. Unchecked can destroy your relationships in your family and your workplace in your community, in the worst of cases anger, that's left, unchecked can lead to crimes, it can even lead to murder and what not? If you struggle with depression, you're going to struggle with feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. It's not uncommon for young people who struggle with
Selves depression is a crippling disorder. It's a crippling emotion. I'm that could wreak havoc on families and individuals and even livelihood picture of the opposite, end of the spectrum. If you experience something called Mania that euphoric High to can destroy you because you won't think about the basic needs that you haven't live such as eating and sleeping and it bring it won't allow you to bring balance into your life, but I think if there's one emotion above all. That is the most destructive. It's one we don't talk about a lot, it's called Shame. No, shame is different than guilt. Guilt says, I made a mistake. I'm willing to pay the consequences for that mistake. I have a comeuppance as a result of that mistake. I made a mistake. Shame says this shame says, I am a mistake. I am bad. I have I just have not created Havoc. I am havoc, and I'm a destructive individual of those who struggle with trauma in their life. They were brought up in a home where they were abused physically. Emotionally often is pounded into their head. Is this message? You are bad? You are bad. You are bad. And because you are bad, this is happening to you. Such a person who who takes on, Daddy motion feel shame and they go. Believing, they truly are bad as a result. Their life is on a road that leads to destruction of those individuals who have a prodigal child or an incorrigible child, or maybe even a child, who who's incarcerated those individuals can believe. You know what I'm bad because I'm bad. I passed my badge on to my kids. If I were good, my kids would be good and they added up one bad parent plus one bad child 2 equals incarceration. And such a person can feel shame and and can go places and never lift their eyes, but it's always looking towards the ground if you have been in the past. You know, I have and if you if you've been around individuals in the pasture, it is it in the ministry that have failed that can be a very shameful experience because the belief is, God has given you the highest of all callings and of God has given you. The highest of all callings. Certainly would equip you to succeed and if you don't succeed, you believe Somewhere In Yourself is bad and therefore you failed. The good news, is it? Jesus himself experienced shame. You say, what when did Jesus experience shame? If you were to turn to Hebrews chapter 12 and look up first two, it says this, fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and Perfecter of your faith, who for the joy before him scorned, The cross. And sat down at the right hand of the father, you seen Jesus when he was on the cross. He injure this shame. When someone was crucified, not only wear their hair and nail to, the beemster feet were nailed to the beams. Generally, the person was naked or had minimal clothing on when someone died, they often lost control of their bowels and bladder, the birds would come and pick their flesh away and was someone was crucified. The common belief. Is that person is bad. And Jesus and that moment didn't take all of the sin past present and future upon himself. The Russian gulags The Killing Fields in Cambodia the whores that are going on in Ukraine. Today even the Crusades of the Middle Ages. The sense of today, my sins and your since they were poured out Upon Jesus and I believe when he cried on the cross, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? There was that feeling, or believe in shame that Jesus had, but the good news is that very same shame. Is best conquered by the work of Jesus on the cross. Shame is one of those emotions. You cannot outrun shame as an emotion that you cannot just read a book and it'll be over with shame. As one of those emotions that things you just cannot do enough good works and work it off. It doesn't work that way. The only remedy for Shane is Jesus in John chapter 8 and I am not going to text you a criticism here. Showed it shouldn't be here. I know all that, let's just leave that aside. This is our Bible, it's here. So what's the deal with it up front? That's the easiest way. And you know, if you have questions about this, this is a perfect thing to pack, take a pastor Ivan and he will be more than happy to just to just go all day on this. And where it is. Where it is. It shouldn't shouldn't be. What's a council wrong? It's so far but it's here at dawn. He appeared again of the temple. Courts were all the people gathered around him and he set down to teach them the teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery and they made her stand before the group and said to Jesus teacher, this woman was caught in the very Act of adultery in the law of Moses commanded us to stone stone such a woman. Now, what do you say they were using this question as a trap in order that they might have bases to accuse him? The Jesus bent down started to write on the ground with his finger when they kept questioning him, he straightened up and he said to them. If any, one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her. Again, he stooped down and he wrote on the ground at this. Those who heard again, to go away, one of the time, the older ones first and totally Jesus was left with a woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and ask woman where are they Has no one condemned. You no one sir. She said. Then neither do I condemn you Jesus declared go now and leave your life of sin. God. We thank you for these words and and we thank you for this beautiful picture of how you treat each and every one of us. And my goal this morning is that we accept the mercy you provide And in turn we provide that same Mercy. Two others around us. In Jesus name, we pray, amen. Open up, Jesus is introduced by the three individuals or three groups of individuals. The Bible says, it was a dog. He got up early in the morning and he went down to the temple. And and there must have been people Milling around already because he began to speak more and more gathered around him. On this particular day, it was probably likely that he had people all around him. And people just kept coming and perhaps she was sitting there in the middle, but they were listening. The crowd was quiet, the crowd was very attentive. That the group of people was contemplated, maybe Jesus was talking about The Sermon on the Mount week, we believe most dollars do The Sermon on the Mount was one of Jesus's go to scriptures are excuse me. Go to messages as a man named Jesus was talking about that but as Jesus was there talking son. play out in the crowd, there was a there was a rustling, there was a noise and there was pushing and shoving and and some were probably going to go and all of a sudden This group of people burst in front of Jesus, the Bible teachers of the law there were, these were the scribes, these were the individuals, it would begin their study, their formal study at about the age of 13 and for 17 years, it would study the law, they would become the rabbis. And these individuals, specialized, they knew the law, they recorded the law. They were the ones who literally put the law on the books, and they knew the law and the other group of people that was with them, were the Pharisees and the Pharisees were an elite group at the time of Jesus. Maybe six thousand people. And this group also stressed the scantily clad woman in front of Jesus is a Porsche Boxster in front of Jesus. They said Jesus, this woman was caught. In adultery. Cigarettes in the word caught literally means grass in the act. So, this woman was torn out of whatever situation she was in. Let's call it a compromising situation and she was dragged, and she was brought to Jesus, she had definitely broken the seventh commandment. Thou shalt not commit adultery. There was no question to that. Gallery player hair was mad at her arms were bruised. Her face was blotched, and at the very least, she was filled with Shane now, standing in front of Jesus. And before, all of these Christ followers, have you gathered around or all of these individuals? We just wanted to hear about Jesus and an ironic twist in Verses 4 through 6. I'm Jesus just put on the horns of a dilemma. Remember, it was the writers of the law of the teachers of the law, the keepers of the law, who brought this woman who had broke the law. And now, They were asking Jesus to interpret the law and they said Jesus. According to the law, according to the Hebrew law, the law of Moses, the wall, you claim, you follow this person. Deserves to be Stone. What do you say? How do you say up front? They did not care about this woman and they really didn't care about the law. Are they cared about the law. That would have been the adulterer as well to see. Adults rest brought to Jesus. They did not care about this woman. She, she was a mere pawn and they were using her to trap Jesus. And they really believed they had Jesus on the horns of a dilemma. As such that if Jesus said, yes, Stone her. 2 problems. 1. Jesus would not be viewed as a friend of sinners and a man who's full of forgiveness and Grace. And secondly, Jesus would also be usurping. The Roman law only Romans had the ability to execute or the carry out capital punishment, but if Jesus said, no, let her go. Then those who were listening with. No, you know what? Jesus does not follow the law. He said it one point in Matthew, he came to fulfill the law. They would know for sure that he had no desire or no connection whatsoever with the law. And so they cast this person in front of Jesus and their desire was to catch him but notice how he turns the tables. Beginning of the latter, part of her six, big, Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. Edward. Wright literally means to ride an accountant. And many people have tried to guess what? Jesus wrote. I know that the Bible says at least on two occasions, God wrote. All right, God, wrote the Ten Commandments to Moses on the stone. That was one time. The other time he wrote was in front of belshazzar and Daniel chapter 5 on the wall. And there are those who believe Jesus wrote. One of these two things to show he too, was. He was sitting there, perhaps tracing out the Ten Commandments or or maybe he was there riding. Those four words that the hand of God wrote on the wall, in Daniel chapter 5. Take this say you know what? You've been weighed in the balance and you've been found wanting and now your destruction is it hand. We don't know what Jesus actually wrote but as he's bent down as he continued to write, we know the people held their Stones High. They pointed at the woman. If you go on and you read the first is they continue to pester Jesus and say, tell us, tell us. What is the response? What is your response to this? They believed they had caught Jesus and trapped him. The Bible says that Jesus raised up. From writing on the ground. And outside with those who were listening to him, originally inside the circle where that group of of law, of lawmakers and law keepers. And Jesus began to address that group. And and I believe on that day, he looked at the oldest the most mature of those standing around him who thrust a woman before him. And he looked at me said this, you, you you
You you who have no sin? You throw your stone. And Jesus was intimated by throwing the stone. You're telling all of the people here, listening to me and all of the younger ones gathered around here that you have no sin.
The Bible says Jesus stooped down. He began to write some more.
And one by one.
The stones began to fall. And the oldest to the youngest.
Moved away. They threw no Stones. They said no more.
The Bible says Jesus stood up. I looked at the woman.
He said. Isn't anybody here condemning you? She said, no. No one sir. And Jesus, look at this woman who is guilty of adultery. And said neither do I condemn you go? And sin, no more.
That's a powerful story.
and there's some observations that I'm as I thought about this past week that Kind of make me squirm a little bit. I know what the heck I'm going to church. You guys can kick me out after the service. There's some observations here that really make me squirm. First one is this. Unfortunately, today's Church.
Is very good at promoting shame.
I want to take for a few moments and I want to contrast today's church with the first church, today is church verses that first church in Jerusalem that seems like a pretty good comparison. To me, it was only about three hundred years after Jesus. That the church begin to ranks in. Did you realize this? You may know what that's called the seven. Deadly sins I want quiz you over the seven deadly sins, but they were something like this sloth greed gluttony. They were wrath Envy Pride. Those were some of those seven deadly sins and you know what? We have kind of taken those seven deadly sins that the church said, these are the worst of the worst and we've regraded those today. Think about this for a moment. Walk you don't we say I'm a messy. So, I live in a pig pen.
It only comes to Greed, we say no, that's the American dream. Grab that Brass Ring work hard. There's anybody we say I don't envy, I set goals, I high standards for myself Pride, I just have good self confidence, that's what I have. Rest, I'm just a type A personality, I can't get around it. We've taken those seven deadly sins. You always said, we should, you know, it's not that big a deal. These are not the seven biggest. We kind of rationalize it, especially in our Americanized way. And we said, you know what, they're not that big of a deal, we've laid it beside, it's just a sign of prosperity, that's all it is in America. And we set those aside, you know, something these are for us.
Divorce.
And often people when they walk in the churches are made to feel like they have a Scarlet Letter. On their forehead, because they've gone through a divorce.
Another biggie. Is the lgbtq community. Someone belongs to that Community, they are really Spinners, right? They are really centers. In fact, is we talked about this morning, they are in fact more centers in those little kids that look at you, knowing all along there, being stubborn and say no, we should go. That's cute though, that, that is Major League fencing to God. We drank it yet as someone else said, Santa is really missing, the Mark is in it and when you miss the mark, you send, but we as a church have rank, send it as a result of our ranking, sin of our ranking attitudes, weep or shame, On people.
We should be the first church in Jerusalem just so I know who the pastor was the first.
you know, one of his brothers was Jesus, can you imagine Heaven? Jesus was an older brother? I just imagined this around my house, when we were growing up, we had chores to do. You know, my mom would go to work, my dad would go to work in there to be a list of chores there and every day those chores and kind of change, but imagine having Jesus in the household and your mom said, you know what, Jesus, I want you to clean the house today. Mary come home and that house spotless. Imagine being change. I can't do that. There's no way I can sleep. Like, Jesus, Does, there is no way I can make everything Perfect Like Jesus. Does, that was the environment that change grew up in his older brother was perfect? I knew he wasn't perfect. But James was the pastor of that first church in Jerusalem and James actually made a little man for himself. He got a book in the Bible named after him and that was called the book of James. His nickname was camel knees. He became a man known for fervent prayer. And many, remember James at this, man, the fervent prayer also known as camel knees. But in James 5:16, I believe he tells us something very important about the early church And he says this, he says confess your sins. One to another. And pray for one another. That you might be healed. Doing that early church. Contrasting, it to our church. And that early church, instead of maybe having a praise and worship time every every month or so people would come in and they would begin to confess their sins and they would confess their sins of, of greed of denying someone help of prejudice towards somebody. Maybe they would confess their sin of of drinking too much alcohol. Maybe they would confess their sin that I'm in commit, adultery the days and nights a week before but they would come there as part of that early church and James knew if they would confess that sin and the brothers and sisters of Christ would get there around that person, there would be healing and not just physical healing, but emotional healing from things like shein. They were pressing them down. Now, imagine that that happened in this church.
Someone comes in and begins to confess their sins. First ever be found was like, okay, take kids out, take the kids out the tickets out of here like we don't want them to know about Sin. Let me see all the pictures, I sent too much. Why do they have to give all the Gory details? Well maybe they gave the Gory details because James said confess get get it out spray and there's healing and wholeness in that experience.
Second, truth about this passage as you look at it. What person? Do you most closely identify with? Here in the text. Are you one of those who? Your Riders of the law. you know, the law, you have books of law on your mind and and you can watch somebody say, oh my gosh, there's
Are you a person who's been crushed? By the law.
Most of us are very familiar with this Fairy Tail and goes something like this in a land far far away. Once Upon a Time. There was a beautiful young woman who grew up in a beautiful Majestic Palace. She had raven black hair and deep blue eyes.
Her skin was soft and milky. And one day, the daughter of this King was going to be the most beautiful woman. In the whole world. But unfortunately, this woman had a very evil and mean stepmother was very beautiful. Some people also thought was lovely in her own way and the stepmother had a magic mirror and every day she would go to the mirror and she would say mirror mirror on the wall. Who's the fairest of them all? And the mirror would always answer back. Why you are like clean the fairest in all the land but is it in the Years went by there? Predictable happened in one day. She stood before the mirror and she said mirror mirror on the wall Who's the fairest of them all and that mirror responded, back Snow White. Is a most lovely person. and with that, the anger and hatred consumed, This very miserable stepmom and she intent on killing her step-daughter. And my question to you was when you look in the mirror and nobody is looking, what do you see? Really. Do you see someone who's been packing around? Shame. See someone who's been harboring anger. Her bitterness.
Or do you see somebody that's been bent most of their life on exacting? A pound of Flesh from everybody else around you, with your husband, your wife, your kids, your friends, or coworkers, what do you really see? When you look in the mirror.
Third observation, only Jesus, and his work on the cross can Deliver Us from shein. I was watching a pastor a few weeks ago. And, you know who the guy was, you're bored. You can you start watching people? I admire people who can speak? Well, I can honestly say, you know what, I watch comedian sometimes they speak so well, in transition Sowela clean comedians. Don't let me clarify that fine thing for me to do. When a pastor speak, he was telling the story. I don't know what a story about a young person about 21 years of age. He went to talk to the older, Pastor, probably my age if I come to Jesus. Do I need to quit smoking pot? She said, no.
The young person said you'd understand. If I quit, if I come to Jesus, do I have to quit smoking marijuana in case you didn't know? The young kid pool pulled up. Pull a blunt out of his out of his pocket and he said, listen, you don't understand. If I come to Jesus, do I need to quit smoking disc? And the Pastor said, no, they looked at him and said, you're right, you don't understand.
The old man says what don't understand. You should let me ask you a question. When you get ready to shower. Do you have to clean up before you get in the shower? Uno, you get my shower to clean up and the Pastor said that's how it is with Jesus. You get with Jesus. You hang with Jesus and he begins to clean things up in your life. And as you get close to him as you snuggle up to him, he begins to show you things in your life that you need to change. And you know what, if you're hanging with him you're going to want to change him and he's going to give you the power to change, so you don't have to quit smoking marijuana. To come to Jesus. Jesus will take care of that. He will clean you up.
As a church. When did we be so much better off? if people who were Shackled with shame, Chakra with these other emotions that are pressing them and destroying their life, kids that I work with every day at the door, wouldn't it be better if we let them come in? And like Jesus. Do the work?
Wilmer contrast. I don't know where this comes from but I love watching old, westerns homemade cookies but one thing about old westerns you have to have church is Right, have churches? Okay. And before you could come to a church, what do you have to do clean up? Yo the old town drunk is there. He was called he couldn't just walk into the church he had to clean up his act and when he cleaned up his act and then he could come into the church, Jesus's know as a church. You like people, as they are and I'll clean them up. And my prayer is that is what we do. every time we step into the church, That's bright. God. We thank you so much for your word. Learn it. Life is hard.
And people are cruel. This we said earlier, there's sinners. And Lord too often. We do not do our part to just lift up Jesus. Have another people, exactly. As they are and allow you to clean them. Hop. In fact, Lord, we have a cleanup plan in most churches, you come to church will get you in this plan will help you. Help us to be a people that just show others how to snuggle up and communicate with Jesus because Jesus I know you are the only one that's going to do any cleaning that really matters. May we the people of Grace Just As You Are. And guide me your blessings and your grace pour out upon this church. The strong name of Jesus. We pray. Amen.