BREAKING THROUGH THE PAST

Sermon Notes, January 11, 2015

Rev. Dan White

            Rev. White’s sermon was titled “Breaking Through the Past.”  The scripture was John 8:2-11, the drama of the woman who was caught in adultery and brought by the Pharisees to Jesus.  They told him, “The law says she should be stoned.  What do you say?”  Jesus stooped down and started writing in the dirt.  Then He said, “Let the one who is without sin throw the first stone.”  After her accusers quietly left, Jesus asked her, “Where are they?  Has no one condemned you?”  When she said, “No one,” He told her “Neither do I condemn you.  Go now and leave your life of sin.”  God didn’t send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. (John 3:17)  Jesus’ blood shed on the cross covers our sins. 

He set the example for us.  Sometimes we don’t really help those who are still living in sin when we condemn them. 

Only one man stood between the Pharisees and the stoning of the woman—Jesus.  But what had He done?  He’d fed the 5,000.  He’d raised Lazarus from the dead. He’d told the Samaritan woman all the things she’d done in her life—she told others and they came. (John 4)  He did many other things as well—so many that if they were all written down, the world couldn’t contain the books. (John 21:25)

We should be doing what Jesus did: He’s given us a job—leading others to the Lord.  We are to keep on leading people to the Lord.  People are happy when you lead them to Him.  We are to use all the knowledge we have of Jesus’ birth, His life, death, and resurrection.  We can learn from our past mistakes.   Some sins try to live on; for instance drugs, alcohol, shame and pain.  God is all-knowing, but when He forgives, He forgets.

Discover the compassion of Jesus.  “Let the one without sin throw the first rock.”  We become rock-throwers when we speak negatively about others.  Be like Jesus!  Don’t throw stones!  Confess sins.  Break away from them.  Put the past behind you.  Follow Him.