EVERYONE IS A SINNER

November 23, 2010

EVERYONE IS A SINNER

John 8:1-11

Sydney Martin

Central Truth

Do not look down on those who sin because you also are a sinner.

"He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8:7b)

1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”]]

Today, I sinned. My brother and my parents sinned, too. Everyone is a sinner. That is what John 8:1-11 talks about. It is saying that you should not judge people who sin because you also sin. When I hear someone saying bad things and think that the person is a bad person, I need to remember that I, too, am not glorifying God by judging them. I need to understand that everybody sins and nobody is perfect, except for Jesus. Further, instead of thinking about how mean or nasty that person is, I should remember that his or her sins are no different from my sins.

John 8:7 says, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Here, Jesus is saying that only a perfect person can punish another person's sin. Since none of us is perfect, we are called to forgive one another as He has forgiven us. God is the only one who deserves the right to judge, because only He is perfect.

Throughout the New Testament, we see examples of Jesus forgiving sinners, and we should follow His leadership. How different would the world be if we viewed people through God's eyes and not our own? He wants people to forgive each other because everybody makes mistakes, and no one should take God's place as the only righteous judge.

The overall concept of this passage is that everyone is a sinner, and you should not judge people who sin because you, too, have made mistakes. And God forgives. He will always love you and give you a second chance.

1. When someone sins, what is your first response?

2. Would your judgment be different if it were through God's eyes?

3. When you see someone sin, do you ever think about whether you have committed a similar sin? If so, does your perspective of the person change?

FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Adultery: when a husband or wife chooses to go outside of their marriage to do things that God created only to happen in marriage.

1. What were the Pharisees trying to do in bringing this woman before Jesus (verse 6)?

2. How did Jesus respond?

3. Is there anyone who has never sinned (Romans 3:23)?

4. What does Jesus offer to those who have sinned (Ephesians 2:8-9)?