Sermon: "Only the Innocent Can Condemn" by Ron Halvorsen, Sr.

Prayer: Rob Mohr

Pastoral Welcome: Darold Retzer

Baptism: Paulo Vitor Scalioni - Dan Matthews
Matthew Grace - Calvin Thomsen

Profession of Faith: Jennifer Aguilar

Children’s Feature: Patty Marruffo

Meditation:

“People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.” – Mom Halvorsen, Brooklyn, NY, 1950

“Grace is totally alien to human psychology.  We want to get our house in order and then let god love and accept us.” – David G. Benner, Surrender to Love, p. 46

“The Buddhist eight-fold path, the Hindu doctrine of Karma, the Jewish covenant, the Muslim code of law, each offers a way to earn approval. Only Christianity dares to make God’s love unconditional.” – Philip Yancy

“If we expect our prayers for forgiveness to be heard, we must offer them in a forgiving spirit.  We must forgive others in the same manner and to the same extent that we ourselves hope to be forgiven.” – Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, April 29, 1884

Responsive Reading: John 8:3–7, TNIV - Paul and Sarah Herrmann

Note: Baptisms and child dedications are in the extras section of the DVD

INTRODUCTION TO THE SERMON

This week we want to take a close look at one of the great stories found in the Gospels.  It is the story of unconditional love, Jesus and the woman taken in adultery.  Our focus will be on this encounter and how Jesus handles the religious bigots of His day.

We will probe into the way the Innocent deals with the sinner.  How forgiveness is the way to healing.  The Christ and the crowd (church) – what a stark contrast.  One the one hand, the church wants to condemn the woman according to the law of Moses.  On the other hand, Christ wants to forgive the woman according to the law of love.  What a stark contrast between the church and Christ.  Two thousand years later we have not changed our attitudes.  We condemn by some policy.  “Brother Halvorsen, the church manual, page 303, says. . .” But what does Emmanuel say?

We will take a close look at how Jesus deals with forgiveness in the two acts of intimacy: the intimacy of silence and the intimacy of speech.  “They sins be forgiven thee.”  Jesus expresses the intimacy of love with silence and then with speech.  Amazed, this woman clings to Jesus as if he is her only hope.  Purity is the only hope for impurity.  Love, unconditional love, is the only hope for lust.

Philip Yancy writes, “The Buddhist eight-fold path, the Hindu doctrine of Karma, the Jewish covenant, the Muslim code of law.  Each offers a way to earn approval.  Only Christianity dares to make God’s love unconditional.”

Come join us in this exciting journey to forgiveness.

Ron Halvorsen, Sr.
Retired Pastor/Evangelist
Prayer Coordinator, It Is Written Telecast

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