Email: hpaulsilas@hotmail.com
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Statement of beliefs: https://apostolicinternational.com/statement-of-beliefs The sermon: https://apostolicinternational.com/sermons/SCRIBES_AND_PHARISEES_CARRY_US_TO_JESUS.pdf
This sermon unpacks the powerful story in John 8:1-11, where Jesus demonstrates mercy, judgment, and transformative forgiveness. It begins with Jesus teaching in the temple after visiting the Mount of Olives, a place symbolizing judgment. The scribes and Pharisees interrupt His teaching by bringing a woman caught in adultery, attempting to trap Jesus into violating either the Law of Moses or Roman law. Their actions expose their hypocrisy and the societal tendency to condemn women while ignoring the sin of men, as seen throughout history.
Jesus responds not with immediate judgment but with silence, writing on the ground—a mysterious act that shifts the focus from the woman to the accusers. When pressed, He declares, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone.” Convicted by their own consciences, the accusers leave, one by one, leaving the woman alone with Jesus.
This moment illustrates that ultimate judgment belongs to Christ alone. He does not condemn the woman but instead offers her forgiveness and a call to repentance: “Go, and sin no more.” The sermon emphasizes that Jesus’ judgment is redemptive, not destructive. His mercy leads to transformation, as reflected in Romans 2:4, which highlights that God’s goodness brings us to repentance.
The scribes and Pharisees, though intending harm, inadvertently brought the woman to the safest place—Jesus’ presence. Similarly, accusations in our lives can lead us to Christ, where we find mercy and salvation. The sermon concludes with a call to repentance, baptism in Jesus’ name, and receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), urging believers to embrace the transformative power of Jesus’ grace and live renewed lives free from sin.
