GRACE GREATER THAN OUR SIN AND SHAME

GRACE GREATER THAN OUR SIN AND SHAME
Accepting God’s Forgiveness

John 8:1-11

I. Forgiving Ourselves
a. Sometimes it is harder to forgive ourselves then to forgive other people
i. The story of the woman caught in adultery plays out in the mind of one controlled by guilt and shame
b. By not accepting God’s forgiveness we allow our sin to define us, rather than the grace of God
i. 2 Corinthians 5:17- 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
ii. Ephesians 2:10- For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
iii. We cannot serve two masters.
c. Both Judas and Peter betrayed God—but only Peter received the forgiveness that Christ offered—and he became the rock upon which the Church was built
i. Matthew 27- 3When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.
d. Ungrace perpetuates the cycles of dysfunction in our relationships and within ourselves
i. The law shames us, while grace frees us!
e. The only way to experience the freedom that Christ offers is to be set free from the sin and shame through the power of the Blood
II. Woman Caught in Adultery- Conviction and Condemnation
a. The Pharisees brought the woman before Jesus to condemn her
b. Jesus is not interested in condemning her sinfulness and tries to ignore their cries for “justice”
c. Jesus is not interested in condemning the world—but convicting the world of sin
i. John 3- 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
ii. Romans 8- 3For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature,[a] God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.[b] And so he condemned sin in sinful man,[c] 4in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
1. Jesus did not condemn the person—he condemns the sin
2. The Holy Spirit only convicts a person of sin who has been born again.
d. The Holy Spirit condemns sin and convicts the sinner
i. Condemnation creates guilt and shame; Conviction leads to repentance and freedom
ii. John 16:8- 8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt[a] in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment
iii. The devil tries to turn the healthy conviction of the Holy Spirit into destructive guilt
1. Romans 8:1- Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
2. John 16- 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.
a. The truth will set us free!
3. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
4. 1 John 1:8-10- 8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
a. Hebrews 10- 22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (BY…)
b. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
III. Laying down our stones and running to Jesus
a. James 4:12- 12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
b. We need to stop holding the rocks—so we can receive his grace. By the same measure you judge—you will be judged
c. We preach Christ!
i. 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. (1 Corinthians 2)
ii. Galatians 6:14- 14May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
iii. 2 Corinthians 4- 5For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"[a]made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
iv. 1 Timothy 1- 12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.