Sermon Tone Analysis

(8:1-11) Introduction: this event is a most striking picture of "Man's Dark Sinfulness and God's Great Forgiveness." 1.

A picture of Jesus' life (v.1-2).

2. Man's dark guilt (v.3-6).

3. Man's dark nature: All men are sinful—guilty of serious sin (v.7-9).

4. Conclusion: The great revelation—Jesus alone has the right to condemn and forgive (v.10-11).

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – John.

Scriptural Text:

The Second Chance

The following story appeared in the newsletter Our America:

Dodie Gadient, a schoolteacher for thirteen years, decided to travel across America and see the sights she had taught about.

Traveling alone in a truck with camper in tow, she launched out.

One afternoon rounding a curve on I-5 near Sacramento in rush-hour traffic, a water pump blew on her truck.

She was tired, exasperated, scared, and alone.

In spite of the traffic jam she caused, no one seemed interested in helping.

Leaning up against the trailer, she prayed, “Please God, send me an angel … preferably one with mechanical experience.”

Within four minutes, a huge Harley drove up, ridden by an enormous man sporting long, black hair, a beard, and tattooed arms.

With an incredible air of confidence, he jumped off and, without even glancing at Dodie, went to work on the truck.

Within another few minutes, he flagged down a larger truck, attached a tow chain to the frame of the disabled Chevy, and whisked the whole 56-foot rig off the freeway onto a side street, where he calmly continued to work on the water pump.

The intimidated schoolteacher was too dumbfounded to talk.

Especially when she read the paralyzing words on the back of his leather jacket: “Hell’s Angels—California.”

As he finished the task, she finally got up the courage to say, “Thanks so much,” and carry on a brief conversation.

Noticing her surprise at the whole ordeal, he looked her straight in the eye and mumbled, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.

You may not know who you’re talking to.”

With that, he smiled, closed the hood of the truck, and straddled his Harley.

With a wave, he was gone as fast as he had appeared.

Given half a chance, people often crawl out of the boxes into which we’ve relegated them.

Angels, Prayer

Craig Brian Larson, 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers & Writers (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2002), 275–276.

The love Jesus demonstrated at the Cross is unconditional.

True love reaches out to the unlovely.

The love Jesus demonstrated at the Cross is unconditional.

True love reaches out to the unlovely.

The woman caught in adultery sought affection, but reaped a scandal.

As the scribes and Pharisees brought her before Jesus, they demanded that her punishment be stoning.

Jesus reacted in love.

Stooping down, He began writing something in the sand.

Then He related the basic truth that only the sinless have a right to cast stones.

Knowing that sinlessness was not something they could claim, the crowd of religious men dispersed.

Only Jesus was left, and He refused to condemn her.

Jesus’ ministry always allowed for second chances.

His interest was not to hold on to records of wrong, but to give people the chance to accept Him and do right.

We do well to reflect His love by giving others second chances.

Our greatest acts of love may be offering forgiveness to someone who has wronged us or to reach out to someone others have judged as unlovely.

Always remember the love and forgiveness God has shown you as you deal with other people.

You will be less likely to cast stones and more likely to give second chances.

The woman caught in adultery sought affection, but reaped a scandal.

As the scribes and Pharisees brought her before Jesus, they demanded that her punishment be stoning.

Jesus reacted in love.

Stooping down, He began writing something in the sand.

Then He related the basic truth that only the sinless have a right to cast stones.

Knowing that sinlessness was not something they could claim, the crowd of religious men dispersed.

Only Jesus was left, and He refused to condemn her.

Jesus’ ministry always allowed for second chances.

His interest was not to hold on to records of wrong, but to give people the chance to accept Him and do right.

We do well to reflect His love by giving others second chances.

Our greatest acts of love may be offering forgiveness to someone who has wronged us or to reach out to someone others have judged as unlovely.

Always remember the love and forgiveness God has shown you as you deal with other people.

You will be less likely to cast stones and more likely to give second chances.

Man’s Dark Guilt () (1) A woman [some man] were guilty of adultery (2) Some witnesses who were offended were guilty of being vindictive and seeking revenge (3) the religionists and the public were guilty a) A self-righteous, critical spirit b) A hypocritical attitude (4) Jesus ignored them as long as possible

Man is pictured as being critical, condemnatory, self-righteous, and adulterous—every single person sinful.

In the woman man is seen as adulterous and guilty—living a life of darkness, without purpose and meaning and significance.

In the religionists man is seen as deceitful, critical, condemnatory, selfish, self-righteous, and loaded with guilt.

Not a single religionist is seen to be free from the darkness of serious sin.

Jesus reveals Himself to be the Light of the World, the One who brings liberty, forgiveness, purpose, meaning, and significance to the life of man.

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – John.

b.

There was hypocrisy.

They felt and claimed that they were religious, better than the woman, free from any sin serious enough to be exposed.

They even used Scripture to condemn her sin and to support their right to condemn her.

c.

There was complete failure to "love thy neighbor as thyself" (; ; ; ; ; ; ; ):

⇒ a complete failure to do what we all need sometime, to be embraced and pulled out of the sin and hurt gripping us.

⇒ a complete failure to hush—be quiet, and say nothing, except to the one caught in sin—and to set about a ministry of restoration and reconciliation to God and man.

Man’s dark nature: all men are sinful-guilty of serious sin () (1) No man is without sin (2) No man has achieved moral goodness and perfection (3) Therefore only Jesus can judge

"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" ().

"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one" (; cp. ; ).

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – John.

"And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye" (; cp.

, ; ; ).

"What then?

are we better than they?

No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one" ().

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – John.

Jesus alone has the right to condemn and forgive () (1) Jesus did not condemn but gave a second chance , , (2) Jesus wished to forgive and did forgive , , (3) Jesus challenged, but warned: repentance is essential for forgiveness , , , ,

"And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him" ().

"Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?

till seven times?

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven" ().

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.

And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" ().

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – John.

"Who is he that condemneth?

It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us" ().

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" ().

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" ().

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – John.

"Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon thee" ().

"And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" ().