Just A Stone's Throw Away

“JUST A STONE’S THROW AWAY!”

ILLUSTRATION

There was a man that told his friend that they had dismissed their pastor. His friend asked, why? The man said, “Because he told us we we’re going to hell.” The friend asked, “What does your new pastor say?” The man said, “He says we’re going to hell, too!” The friend said, “So what’s the difference?” The man said, “When the first pastor said it, he sounded like he was glad about it. When the new pastor says it, it sounds like it’s breaking his heart.”

Introduction: It was said of D.L. Moody that he could never speak about hell without weeping. You can’t read the New Testament without finding a trail of tears of compassion for hurting, broken and sinful people.

There has never been a greater time for the church to love like Jesus loves than today. It should be our prayer and desire to see people through the eyes of Jesus and love people with God’s love.

I love the Matthews Church of God! I have great confidence in our people. The hallmark of our church is that it is a loving church. There are times when we are given opportunities to demonstrate that love and to be a New Testament church. It is a time for us to practice what we preach and live what we proclaim.

We will never be able to win the lost and to help the fallen if we don’t love them first. We can mouth all the right words and quote all the scriptures but it is love that causes others to see Christ in us.

Anyone can shout at people and condemn them but it takes the heart of Christ to feel deep sorrow for hurting and lost souls. If you can laugh about someone going to hell then you don’t have the heart of Christ. If you can make light of someone ravaged by sin then you don’t have the heart of Christ.

Jesus wept over an entire city because they were lost. He wept at the tomb of Lazarus because He has great compassion.

The definition for compassion is: “Sympathy, empathy, concern, kindness, consideration and care”

Aren’t you glad that we serve a compassionate God?

Psalm 145:8 (KJV)

“The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.”

Psalm 78:38 (KJV)

“But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.”

How many times has He been gracious to you? How many times in His compassion has He forgiven you? How many times in His compassion has He kept back His wrath from you?

Lamentations 3:22 (KJV)

“It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.”

I. AN ADULTEROUS WOMAN

A. This story begins early one morning when a crowd gathered in the temple courts to hear Jesus teach.

a. The Feast of Tabernacles had just come to a close, which meant the great crowds were still in Jerusalem.

B. While Jesus was teaching He was interrupted by a crowd of men that brought to Him an adulterous woman.

a. These men were teachers of the law and Pharisees.

b. They were very religious, well educated and reputed to be men of wisdom and high moral standards.

c. However they were proud, arrogant, ruthless and hypocritical.

C. There is no compassion or concern shown for this woman.

a. She was guilty of the terrible sin of adultery.

D. Adultery is mentioned 15 times in the OT and 18 times in the NT.

Proverbs 6:32-33 (KJV)

“But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.”

E. “Thou shalt not commit adultery” is the seventh commandment.

a. According to Leviticus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 22:22, both parties to adultery were to be put to death under the law.

b. The rabbis taught that a man should take his own life rather than commit idolatry, adultery or murder.

c. Adultery by definition requires two people, the woman is guilty but the greater guilt lies with the man because he is the responsible spiritual leader in the eyes of the Lord.

F. Adultery is a terrible sin!

a. It tears marriages apart.

b. Adultery results in divorce 65% of the time.

G. This woman was guilty!

a. There was never any question concerning her guilt and she does not deny that she is guilty.

b. She deserved death for her sin and she was just a stone’s throw away from paying the price for her sin.

c. Her life hung in the balance and a death penalty was hanging over her head.