Drop The Stone | “Help With Consequences” Sermon

Series: “Drop The Stone”  Sermon: “Help With Consequences” 

“A study of people ages 16–29 in the United States found that nearly 90 percent of respondents articulated the opinion that Christians are Judgemental.”  Barna Research 

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.  Mother Terresa

What is Jesus agenda for sinners?

Not to harm but to help.   Not to judge but to justify.   Not to condemn but to convert

Matthew 7:1 (NLT) “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.  For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.”

John 8:10-11 “So he stood back up and said to her, ‘Dear woman, where are your accusers? Is there no one here to condemn you?’ Looking around, she replied, ‘I see no one, Lord (BELIEF – FAITH).’

Jesus said, ‘Then I certainly don’t condemn you either. Go, and from now on, be free from a life of sin.’” 

Is he glorified in the stoning of a sinner or in the salvation of a sinner?

The only one qualified to throw a stone doesn’t .. why would you? 

Accusation doesn’t stop people from sinning it keeps them from church!

Condemnation (katakrinō):—  to give judgment against, to judge worthy of punishment, to condemn.

Condemned:— prove or show to be guilty or unsatisfactory; officially declare (something) to be unfit for use; sentence (someone) to a particular punishment, especially death

A dwelling unfit for occupation.

“If you get condemnation out of the Gospel, you put the condemnation into it yourselves! It is not the Gospel” 

                Charles Spurgeon 

“The Law and the Gospel are two keys. The Law is the key that shutteth up all men under condemnation, and the Gospel is the key which opens the door and lets them out.”    William Tyndale

Pastor Cheryl said:  “Romans 8 Paul begins his case with there is no condemnation and closes it with nothing can separate us from the love of God. Perfect book ends!”

Romans 8:1-4 (TPT)  “So now the case is closed. There remains no accusing voice of condemnation against those who are joined in life-union with Jesus, the Anointed One. …

For the “law” of the Spirit of life flowing through the anointing of Jesus has liberated us from the “law” of sin and death. For God achieved what the law was unable to accomplish, because the law was limited by the weakness of human nature. …

Yet God sent us his Son in human form to identify with human weakness. Clothed with humanity, God’s Son gave his body to be the sin-offering so that God could once and for all condemn the guilt and power of sin. …

So now every righteous requirement of the law can be fulfilled through the Anointed One living his life in us. And we are free to live, not according to our flesh, but by the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit!”

Guilt:— I regret what I did.       Shame:—  I regret who I am.

“Condemnation has to do with identity, but consequences have to do with behavior.” 

1 John 2:1-2  “My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.”

1 John 3:20-22 “My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. (for others and ourselves) This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.”

You are forgiven past, present and future. That’s permanent!

But the consequences of sin … That’s persistent!

Proverbs 26:11  “As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly.”

Grace is Jesus. 

He is the ongoing sacred place where we encounter a Holy God.  

I don’t have to earn or qualify for my forgiveness nor do I battle the consequences of sin on my own.

Psalm 103 10-12 “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

Isaiah 57:18  (AMP) “I have seen his [willful] ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him [also] and will restore comfort to him and to those who mourn for him,”

Psalm 38:1,22 “Take a deep breath, God; calm down— don’t be so hasty with your punishing rod. … Hurry and help me; I want some wide-open space in my life!”

Titus 2:11-12 (TPT). “God’s marvelous grace has manifested in person, bringing salvation for everyone. This same grace teaches us how to live each day as we turn our backs on ungodliness and indulgent lifestyles, and it equips us to live self-controlled, upright, godly lives in this present age.”

Mattew 11:28-30 (Message) “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Hebrerws 4:16  (AMP) “Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].”

You’re not Justified because you behaved right.

You behave right because you’re Justified.

Identity always precedes behaviour.

Lamentations 3:20-23 “I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.”

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