Sunday Service

Lorde.

May you speak your word to your people. In Christ name, amen. John chapter 8, this morning, you're free to just listen, you're free to open up bibles if you want to. But we're going to look at this woman, caught in adultery to gather going to verse by verse with the understanding of our theme for Orphans this month, for our children, which is integrity Integrity. So I know we've gone over this before. But what is and take anybody?

How do you define integrity? Respect.

Doing the right thing. Anything else. When no one's looking bill. I heard him. Yes. So, you're not share this. When I was in high school, I was done in our tea and Civil Air Patrol, and we would have these tests in order to promote. And that was like, the definition that we were taught was Integrity doing what is right, when no one is looking. Right? And so, we're definition and that understanding and to our children, including but Rick really got it right this morning, the Ten Commandments, right? Until when he lies to Mom and Dad, he knows it's a lack of integrity. And it's a sin that we should be honest and forthcoming with our parents With God, all of those things. And so again, and ain't here and John chapter 8 verse 1 It simply says what, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. All right. Well, we can read that at face value, but we're going to kind of look at this. First of all, In the context of the temple, right? This is the epicenter and communal life of the time. Jesus begins his day teaching, the people who have gathered know, we know about the early disciples. What do they do? They met together date Lee. For the reading of scripture and the breaking of bread, right? So they were together, they lived life together. Not one of our core values, my vision for st. James, which I pray becomes everyone's vision for St. James, if it doesn't, let me know why we can talk about it but is simply living life together. We like each other. We love each other. We eat together. We Fellowship. We are there for each other in the good moments and the bad moments. Now again, last night, I don't know how much of a crush that it was, but there was fifteen of us that went the Headless Horseman together. At Connor's Prairie, it was so much fun last night and I might want to leave her here, right? Even though we had a late night, right? We all had a late night was great. I'm in bed by like, 9 on Saturday. It was way past. But we had a great time, and then I'm so happy about 40 folks from our church ended up at Mount Lebanon or Amanda pastors for their barbecue dinner, how to show their support for their local Mission Outreach. And so again we live life together, that's what the early disciples did and that's what we continue to do here and the more we do that, guess what? The more that we love each other, we Are Family Right? But Integrity going back to that begins with our actions and our behaviors at the very Heart Of Our Lives, where we work. Where we worship? And where we interact with people. Right about this. We can't buy personality, this comes to our Christian walk. People must know, we are Christians. By the way, we behave right now, I get it. We're centers were always going to be centers but Our life should reflect Jesus, it should 100%. Amen. You should love me. You should love each other, like the old Christian him, right? They will know us by our love, we actually love each other because Christ first loved us as we talked about send Raise your hand if you deserved death this morning. Everybody, I'm sorry everybody. In here, we deserve that Jesus. Took that away the punishment of Santa's death was what we're going to do to the woman caught in adultery. Now I'm skipping ahead of my versus but they wanted to kill her for her act of adultery. No. I better be careful here. Brewster Street and for the teachers of the law and Pharisees brought the woman adultery, and they made her stand before the group and said to Jesus teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. they brought this woman up, and They presented at ass really write up Integrity not only for the woman, but also for Jesus. The Integrity is tested when we are confronted with the sins of others. Compelling us to respond in the way that reflects the gods character weekend at you and main people sends out if we're not willing to look at ourselves and a publicly say I'm a sinner. Add on XYZ, right? We have to take the log out of my before we can take it out of others. We are all sinners. We are all sinners. I've been versus four and five should be a short sermon today. They made her stand before the group and said teacher. This woman was caught in the act and the law of Moses commanded us to Stone such a woman. Now what do you say

They're posing a delimiter, Jesus between adherence to the law and compassion. And praise be to God. We are people of Grace, not of the law because again, all of us would deserve death. And it goes back to Adam and Eve, doesn't it in the garden. When God said, leave this tree alone, you can have anything else that you want and what does Eve do? She's Tempted By The Serpent and what is Adam do. He's Tempted By The Serpent and they take of the fruit of Good and Evil and we are all done from that moment on condemned from original sin until the second Adam Jesus Christ comes on the earth and dies for us. But we hear this, we hear the tension. Of Law and compassion, and all of us. I am sure. At some point in your life will be split between the two. But it does not mean that the law doesn't exist. It doesn't mean that we are not held to that standard because sin is still real. This is the whole issue with our society today, right? Now I know this might be in a dead horse. But our society has removed sin. That's what feels good is. Okay, whatever we want to do, because God made it. It's okay. But that's what that is. Contrary to scripture, amen. We have the law and Jesus came. And said I came to fulfill the law, not to abolish. And that is exactly what Society does. It says we want to abolish the law into a polished in and pack me just don't believe it. It's just a man-made book after all. But no, it's not. God gave us his word. He gave us his word to live by, we messed it up. We broke the Covenant with God. He didn't break it with us. And so, he said, you know what, I love my children so much he gave us. Jesus, he became the form of, man, a slave servants, and was crucified and died for us. And we see this in the scripture as well.

What do you say, Jesus? Does she deserve to be stoned?

Integrity off in places Us, in difficult situations where we must navigate the tension between love and standing firm and righteousness and extending Mercy.

Then we move on to the next few versus here, but Jesus bent down. Now this is where it gets fun for me, right? He started to write on the ground with his finger and when they kept on questioning them, he straightened up and said to them. Let any one of you who is without sin, be the first to throw a stone at her and what was Jesus writing in the sand? Have you heard this? What are y'all think? Jesus was writing in the sand brothers and sisters? Any ideas? The interactive sermon so people don't fall asleep. Noodling noodling no more than likely, he was riding their sense and thus, and now could you imagine the king of the universe? You're right there. You're going to Stone this lady and he writes you're sick.

Not all of us this morning. I'm up here. This was a, I don't know, some sand or a Blackboard, and we started writing your sends down who would be comfortable with that in front of the whole church this morning. That would be really uncomfortable, wouldn't it? But that is what happened with the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. He called them out on their sin. But all of us need to be called out on our sin.

We need to be open about it. You know why? Because there's people that need Jesus. That thing has church. People are just as perfect group of people with any issues in the whole world. We have it all together, which could be the farthest from the truth. Ali Center. Maybe faster. I don't know, probably crazy families. We got that crazy aunt and uncle that always have issues cousin siblings. You name it, right? We are far from perfect. All of us because soon as enter the world and has caused us to be in perfect. Facebook down. maybe there's some Doodles maybe one of those specials or something, but most importantly, he wrote more than likely their sins, the sins of the one's accusing. First again, he stooped down. Android on the ground and biting the sinless, the cast the first stone.

Who would be ready to cast the first stone today? Certainly not me.

We must examine ourselves before accusing or judging anyone. Amen. I know that stuff. I mean really is good. Maybe we think to ourselves, I'm not as bad as that guy. I'm not as bad as that woman, you know, I do what I'm supposed to do, I'm basically good but that's what it doesn't matter. When you have broken the law, we deserve equal treatment under the law and that is deaf. Jesus, frees us from that punishment, right? By giving us everlasting life. First sign of town that day after those, who heard began to go away one at a time. Now I don't know why the scripture says those but it does friends, it says the older ones went first. Does that mean the older ones have more sin? I have no idea. But that's what is that? They're wiser. So they had to had to leave first. That's right. The younger one said, you know what? We're perfect.

Aunt, only Jesus was left. What the woman still standing there. She's a straightened up and asked her woman. Where are they? Has no one condemned you. Not even one. Jesus demonstrates. The Integrity of Grace by not condemning the woman. But urged Jean her to leave her life of sin. Now, this is where it can get complicated, right? because while we may never be perfect, we are encouraged as Christians to live a holy life to be holy because he is Holy Now again we're not going to achieve Holdings and that way, but we should certainly be trying to live our life. Like our father in Heaven tells us, we should be living a life that follows in the footsteps of Jesus.

the footsteps of the disciples in the apostles and all of those that came before us in Christian faith, Integrity is revealed. Despite having the authority to judge this woman. and all of us this morning, We can extend compassion and restoration for all people. Burke's 11:00 here. The woman answers. Jesus. No one sir. she said, The neither do I condemn, you, Jesus declared go and leave your life of sin. And Jesus response emphasizes the Integrity of transformation. Urging, this woman to abandon her sinful ways, and I think part of this Integrity question and I appreciate before is having a group of people that you live life together. Another reason why that's one of our Visions, right? Is that all of us are accountable to one another, right? And we learned this through the passage that I preached on a couple weeks ago on on conflict. What are you do? Right? And in Matthew 18, when there's conflict you go together and you meet, right? Until when you don't have relationships with people, it's difficult to confess our sins to ask for accountability To ask for help and those trying times, but when you live life together, it's just natural. Now, I'm going to give you a just one quote here, since we're talking about integrity. You guys know, I love Dietrich Bonhoeffer and he said this, I think it's so relevant to today, destruction of the seed of evil. Yes, but not of the center. There is a difference for the center. I am also somehow sometimes a destroyer of the evil seed. Bonhoeffer's words, remind us as we address in. And work towards Integrity. We must remember the potential for Redemption and transformation. We have a lot of evil going on in the world, don't we? Today we see what's going on right now and Israel and Hamas and poor innocent children, be murdered for no reason. Something around 150 children were murdered. That's pure evil, isn't it? There was videos that them security children would just a sword right across the neck evil. How do we explain evil in the world? When God is here, how do we explain that? Right? Well the truth is the devil is alive, isn't he? He is here to tempt and Destroy and it is another reason why we need to as Believers of Jesus to spread the good news of Christ that he has forgiven. Even the murders of those children, if they choose to go to Christ, he can forgive Hitler and all of these horrible people that I am, I sell. Where should they would burn in hell for all eternity, for their crimes, they deserve it. And my view. I'm probe penalty for people that especially for children. Now that's very difficult. That wasn't it as a Christian to be pro-death penalty but I am. But Jesus, praise the Lord has a different standard than Pastor blue. Jesus has forgiven us because all of us should be in that electric chair. All of us deserve death even though we're not as horrendous as those people in Emmaus right now that killing innocent children. Do I say that? Not to, I don't know. It's going to be hard to come back from, but I want you to seriously pray for the the lives of those who have lost their lives. Through this tragic situation and seems like every year, there's a war in Ukraine, the war now and Israel before that there was another War we go back to 9, right? Horrendous loss of life.

For many other options, continue to be the infidels. We are people that don't worship the true God and their eyes. And fact on Friday, there was a call for jahat day. You got, did you guys hear this? Which is simply a day to kill all of us. That are not of their faith. Absolutely horrendous. And what do we do with that as Christians? Can we pray? Amen, we should be on our hands and knees. We we can engage can't wait and dialogue with non-believers. We can engage in dialogue with Jews with Muslims. At very minimum to try to bring peace to this Earth, but more than likely, we will fail. But we can try, because as Believers of Jesus, we are to be people of Peace. There is enough chaos in the world without us adding to it. So I encourage all of us, don't care where you are, politically where you are socially, any of that. Be peacemakers. People of integrity. I might be the same person you are here as you are out there. All of us. And when someone doesn't know Jesus, please have the courage to share the gospel. Can we learn in Romans chapter 8 that without a preacher? All of you this morning, not just the ordained. Our preacher, they can't hear the gospel. That's you, my friends. You have to proclaim the good news, this world needs it. We have generations of people that have never heard the true gospel. Maybe some of your children. And grandchildren, I bet you if we would have you raise your arms. Today there are many of you that would say some of your loved ones. Don't believe in Christ.

Doesn't that hurt. Our inner soul? That is why the church is here. We are here to proclaim the good news. We are here. To proclaim the good news to your grandkids and great-grandchildren and for Generations. So a vision for Saint James. Why are we relevant? Why are we here? What is God calling us to do right now? I want us to think about those next Generations. In this society, that is becoming less and less Christian. When we have a fat.

Coming to get candy. I guarantee you. Not all of them. Some of them, some of them may have churches. But many of them, guess what? This may be the only time that they come onto a church property and the next 12 months isn't that a great opportunity to preach the good news? Amen. Don't be scared. What's the worst thing they can do? Take a piece of candy and leave. That's it right? Be bold Witnesses. For Jesus Christ. Have integrity. I have a spirit of love and compassion. Amen. By the spray. Lorde.

You have called us to be people on faith of integrity and to preach the good news of Jesus Christ.

Lord, we are hurt by all of the chaos in the world today, especially lift up, sisters in Israel.

lower the ones that have lost their loved ones, due to a war, they wanted to engage in For the innocent children who have lost life. Bored. I I asked you a holy spirit to come upon this congregation.

The proclaim, the good news of Jesus Christ to those, who don't know it. Lord to be peacemakers in our community and around the world to live a life that models Christ. So that others may know you as our Lord and savior.

Lord help our church to navigate where you are. Leading us how you are leaving us Lord.

I pray for the churches in this community Lord to proclaim the gospel this morning, Seek the lost sheep.

Florida. Bring love and compassion to the hurting.

To reignite flames of lost faith.

Lord, I Lift all this to you and your holy name. Amen.