Message Series // Bumping Into Jesus Pt. 3 – Drop The Rock (John 8:2-11)
Message Date // November 15, 2020 (Scotty Priest)
Big Idea
Have you ever bumped into someone and known right away that they were your type of person (or not)? It can be a powerful thing when we bump into someone that can change the course of our life in a good way. This is what happened for many that bumped into Jesus when he lived here on earth. They intersected with Jesus, and their lives were radically altered. This series is an opportunity for us to “bump into” Jesus through the stories in the Bible of others who encountered him. It’s a chance for us to come back to Jesus and see him for who he really is…and to realize how caring, powerful, and irresistible Jesus can be.
“Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’” – John 8:10-11
Discussion
Read John 8:2-11. There are a couple of audiences Jesus bumps into in this story. One audience is the religious leaders, and another is a woman caught in adultery. As you read, it’s a tense situation full of judgment and guilt. Put yourself in the shoes of the religious leaders…what would be going through your mind, and how would you be expecting Jesus to respond? Now put yourself in the shoes of the woman…what would be going through your mind and how you be expecting Jesus to respond?
Re-read John 8:10-11. The reality is that we can find ourselves in the woman in the story. We might not be guilty of the sin she was caught in, but we are guilty of our own sin before God. (Romans 3:23) We are not perfect and we do deserve the guilty sentence. Why is this reality so important for us to grasp when it comes to the message of Jesus? Why was it also important that Jesus was present with the woman in the midst of the guilty verdict? (Romans 5:8)
Re-read John 8:3-9. The truth is that we can also relate to the religious leaders in the story. It can be easy for us to judge others of their sin, and even want condemnation to come their way. How is it so easy for us to become like the religious leaders and feel the need to condemn the sin in others? Why was it important that Jesus was present when their judgment was being given? (Romans 8:1)
Next Steps
One of the most powerful moments in the story is when all the religious leaders drop their stones. There comes a time when we need to realize that the foot of the cross is level ground, that we are all guilty, and that we all need to “drop the rock”. We don’t dismiss or minimize sin, but we also understand that in the end it’s always grace that leads to change and empowers people to live a new life. Is there someone in your life that, because of Jesus, you need to “drop the rock” and give grace? How can your small group come alongside and help?