Forgiveness

[0:00] Bibli Алексеюаду 북алистical Namely Wood B książ 해요 **** Puls Nein Então απthm one well turn Hi, we're the Pendletones!

[1:11] First time visitors, please pick up your welcome bag at the connection site in the back of the sanctuary or at our welcome and information desk. Everyone, please write your name on our friendship card.

[1:23] Fill in your address to receive the newsletter or update your information. On the back, you can put prayer concerns, blessings, or notes to the staff and place in the offering plate.

[1:34] Enjoy the service! Good morning! This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.

[1:44] This is the day that the Lord has made.

[2:01] Let us rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day that the Lord has made.

[2:16] Let us rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day. This is the day that the Lord has made.

[2:31] Shall we pray together? Dear God in heaven, we pray your Holy Spirit would pour into this place that would just rest upon us, Lord, and lift us up that we might experience the presence of God in a powerful way.

[2:45] Change our lives, Lord. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. I'd like to invite you, if you're able, to stand as we're going to sing together softly and tenderly, Jesus is calling. Amen. Amen.

[3:18] And for you and for me. And for me. The young of mortals is waiting and watching, watching for you and for me.

[3:39] Come home, come home, ye who are weary, come home.

[3:52] Virtually, tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling, O sinner, come home.

[4:03] Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading, pleading for you and for me?

[4:15] Why should we linger and heed that his mercy is for you and for me?

[4:27] Come home, come home, ye who are weary, come home.

[4:40] Virtually, tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling, O sinner, come home.

[4:52] Oh, for the wonderful love he has promised, promised for you and for me.

[5:04] Oh, we have sent he has mercy and pardoned, pardoned for you and for me.

[5:15] Come home, come home, ye who are weary, come home.

[5:29] Virtually, tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling, O sinner, come home.

[5:41] Shall we join together in professing our faith as contained in the Old and New Testament of the Bible? Do you believe in God the Father? I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

[5:55] Do you believe in Jesus Christ? I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, sovereign of the conscious pilot, was crucified, died, and was buried.

[6:12] He ascended to the dead. On the third day he grows again, he ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to judge the living and the dead.

[6:25] Do you believe in the Holy Spirit? I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

[6:40] Amen. The Lord be with you. And also with you. Please be seated. This morning on our clipboards we have two opportunities. One is to help with the dinners at First Church up in Niagara Falls, and the other is to sign up for our prayer vigil, which is coming up on May 4th and 5th.

[7:02] It's a wonderful day to be in the Lord's presence, isn't it? Amen. Amen. What are we thankful for this morning? I am grateful that you're all here and that we can worship together.

[7:12] What are you thankful for this morning? Yes. No. What are you thankful for? For our families.

[7:24] We're thankful for our families and for the snow. Snow is good. We need rain and that. It's good. What else are we thankful for? Yes. I'm thankful for my friends. Friends, having been able to spend time with friends.

[7:37] That's wonderful. What else are we thankful for? Thank you for your prayers. Pastor Lisa, for a while. Turn to New Jersey last week. Your prayers and the 19th. Prayers for answers. Amen.

[7:48] For prayers in the presence of God. Yeah. Thankful for the medical technology.

[7:59] We need to find out what we need to know, right? Amen. Amen. So we can be healed. Yes. Being able to go where? Ah, wonderful.

[8:11] Being able to go, just go out and have fun. Right? To go out and have fun in the world. What else? Yes. Thankful for the Wednesday night Bible study group and for all the Bible studies we have here in the study times that we can get to know God better.

[8:26] Yes. We're thankful for our church. We're thankful for the family of God, the body of Christ as we are here. Amen? Amen. What else? Thank you.

[8:38] Amen. Sandy Garrick's coming home from Roswell. Amen. What else are we thankful for? For Angel Wings, the Angel Wings group that meets and ministers to the kids.

[8:51] Amen. What else are we thankful for? It sounds like we've got all kinds of stuff bubbling up. Yes. For who? Sisters who share the same birthday.

[9:02] Amen. And for, you know, for God's blessing on that. Do we have any others? Yes. Your sister's birthday tomorrow? Amen. Little tiny birthdays.

[9:13] Yeah. Tiny human birthdays. Yeah. Any others we want to share this morning? One more? We are thankful.

[9:23] You are thankful for God's forgiveness? That is a blessing. That is a blessing. As we continue with these praises bubbling up and overflowing, let's bring our gifts, our tithes, and our offerings before the Lord, because that's a thanksgiving too.

[9:38] Amen. Thank you for sharing. Thank you.

[10:39] Thank you.

[11:09] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[11:41] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[11:53] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[12:05] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. This is coming. rose again cause he loved me so much died and rose again cause he loved me so much Somebody believes in me Somebody is watching, watching and taking good care of me Somebody believes in me Somebody is watching, watching and taking good care of me Somebody believes Somebody believes In me Thank you.

[13:43] Thank you.

[14:13] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[14:24] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. talents and abilities of our time, all of the things that we can offer for your service.

[14:42] We pray that you bless them and give us wisdom to know how to best use them for the furtherance of your kingdom. It is in your name that we pray, Lord. Amen. Amen. Please be seated.

[14:55] Amen. So have you been blessed so far this morning? Amen. Amen. It is a blessing to be in the presence of the Lord and participate in worship. And we have to come before the Lord now and offer up our prayers because God hears us and he answers us. We have some folks who are right now experiencing some health concerns. Linda Barnes and Victoria James and the baby that she's not had yet. And Irene Tate, who is recovering from surgery. Jan Gertz, who's at Newfane Rehab after having a fall. And Sandy Teeter, who's having surgery on May 1st and has asked us to pray.

[15:40] We also want to keep in prayer the family of Scott Fallendorf and his family. Scott's grandfather, Fred, died this past week and we want to make sure that we keep that family in our prayers as well.

[15:54] Do you have other concerns you'd like to lift up before the Lord this morning? Yes. Okay. Jerry, who's a brother-in-law, Jerry, who's been diagnosed with stage four cancer. We want to lift that, lift him up. Yes.

[16:16] Yes. Your son is having a surgery, cancer surgery? Thursday. Thank you. What others? Yes.

[16:28] Mark and John are both having cancer. We're going to lift him up. Brian for a job. And two families that I know are very strong. I'm going to serve the Lord here in time. So we're giving for all of that.

[16:40] All right. Amen. Healing for cancers and for a job and for all of these concerns that the Lord knows that we need. What other concerns? Carl with kidney issues. Thank you. All right. With these concerns and those that are on your heart, whether you join me from your seat or at the rail, let's turn to the Lord in prayer. And you call us to pray. Because where two or more agree is touching on anything on this earth in the name of Jesus, it is done for us by our Father who is in heaven.

[17:25] Lord, we know that you hear and answer prayers according to your perfect will. So we're lifting them up at now and we're trusting you. We're trusting that you will respond as only you can respond.

[17:42] That you will respond out of your great love and mercy in the way that you know is a perfect response.

[17:52] Father, we pray for all of those who are sick and infirm in need of a healing touch from you. Those with cancers, those having surgeries, those with all kinds of other maladies who are in need of healing.

[18:07] Injuries, Lord, that are in need of healing. We pray for those who are caring for them, that they would have wisdom and mercy, compassion. Help them, Lord.

[18:22] We pray also for those who are grieving losses. We pray that by your Spirit, you would draw them near to you and bring them comfort and peace.

[18:36] Whatever that loss may be, grant them hope in their hearts. Hope for a new day. Hope for eternal life in you.

[18:49] We pray, Lord God, for those who are in need of work, who desire to do something that contributes to the community.

[19:05] We pray that you will make a place for them and bless them so that they can be a blessing. Lord God, we pray for all those who do not know you throughout the world, Lord, and in our very own neighborhoods and everywhere in between.

[19:25] Shine your light through your people. Help us to desire to share your love wherever we go. Give us the tools we need, Lord God.

[19:36] Give us the wisdom we need. Give us the compassion and mercy and love we need to touch people's hearts for you. As we hear the word, as we sing songs of praise, as we hear the message that you have given, Pastor Tom, for us this day, let it all wash over us and transform us so that we can be more like Jesus, so that we can be your light shining in this dark world.

[20:09] Help us to worship, Lord. Help us to worship well in this place, on this day, because this is why we came. And help us to live lives of worship wherever we go, as we go through our days.

[20:24] Let us always remember you, carry you in our hearts, and be your vessels to reach souls for you, to give glory to your name always.

[20:39] In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Shall we hear from the word of the Lord? Amen. Amen.

[21:01] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[21:25] Amen. Thank you.

[21:55] Thank you.

[22:25] Thank you.

[22:55] Good morning. Good morning.

[23:27] Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning.

[23:39] Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning.

[23:51] Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Jesus straightened up and asked her, Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?

[24:08] No one, sir, she said. Then neither do I condemn you, Jesus declared. Now go and leave your life of sin. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

[24:22] What you have to remember is by 1990, the city of Buffalo had fallen on some hard times. But the people of Buffalo were resilient, and they loved their Buffalo Bills. The Buffalo Bills fans were the best fans in the NFL, and so in 1990, we made sure to give them the best team in the NFL.

[24:40] Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reid, James Loft, and all Hall of Famers. Defensively, we were stacked. Hamilton! It was unfair, really. They were resilient, they cared about each other, they were guys of high character.

[24:54] We went 13-3 in a regular season, and I felt we completely dominated on both sides of the ball. Buffalo represents the AFC in Super Bowl XXV.

[25:04] By the time we got to the Super Bowl, it felt like we could not be stopped. The 25th Super Bowl matches the NFC champion New York Giants against the favored AFC champion, Buffalo Bills.

[25:19] Nobody gave us a chance to win. These were the mighty Buffalo Bills. Touchdown, Buffalo takes the lead! The Giants wouldn't die. Late in the fourth quarter, they kicked a few goals to take a one-point lead.

[25:31] We had the game in hand. We were going to be Super Bowl champions. Man, what happened next, I'll never forget. Now we have 2-16 to play. The Bills are pinned back at their 10-yard line.

[25:44] This is what I dreamt about as a kid in my backyard. Clock running down, Super Bowl on the line. Thurman Thomas out to the 40, he's going to run with it, and he picks up the first down.

[25:56] It's going to be Scott Norwood who gets the shot now. We had a lot of trust in Scott Norwood. He was our guy. He made big kicks all year long. This was it. And the kick is good!

[26:16] Man, that was really something. With all of that pressure to watch that kick sail through the uprights, fantastic. I couldn't believe it. When he kicked the football, I thought it was going to go wide right.

[26:27] And... Oh, we can only dream! It's amazing how one little event can change the way people look at life.

[26:41] The city of Buffalo is defined, in many ways, by their sports teams. I don't know what other cities that don't have sports teams do. But in Buffalo, we live and breathe our sports.

[26:55] We just got the number one pick in the NHL. Yes! And when we were watching the draft the other night, we were wondering, which quarterback are they going to take?

[27:08] And half the city went, yes! And the other half of the city went, no! And we'll find out. But the truth is, it's part of what makes us who we are.

[27:19] As a community, we can come together around that. And what makes us who we are as Christians is our key ABC core absolute beliefs.

[27:32] And we're talking about them as how they're contained in the Apostles' Creed. That ancient statement of faith from back when the church was one church together. And today we're going to talk about the one little line that says, the forgiveness of sins.

[27:47] The forgiveness of sins. Jesus, in this story, is teaching in the temple courts. It's a delightful story. Can you imagine being there?

[27:58] Jesus is sitting on the steps. And the people are all gathered around him. And he's saying those wonderful words of life. It's such a beautiful, wonderful day. It's the kind of setting that we would dream about having happen in glory.

[28:12] Where we just sit around and listen to the wonderful words of Jesus. And along come these guys with some woman. Who's probably not even properly dressed.

[28:23] And they throw her in front of Jesus. And destroy everything. This woman was caught. She was caught in the act of adultery.

[28:38] I'm trying to figure out how they caught her. You know, what were they, peeking in the windows? Did they set this thing up? Did they just randomly happen to all come by in a group and see it?

[28:51] How'd they catch this woman? But they did. And imagine how she felt. Totally embarrassed in front of the people she knew. And everybody around her.

[29:03] Can feel the tension. And how can one person get caught in adultery? How does that even happen? Right? Isn't there someone missing in this story?

[29:17] But she's caught. Have you ever been caught? I know as a kid I got caught a couple times. I got caught once stealing from a store.

[29:30] A store manager took me in this back storeroom and starts working me over. I'm just a young little guy and he's like hammering me. Please don't tell my mother. Please, please, please.

[29:41] Don't tell my mother. We get caught. One time I was minding my own business. I was walking around late at night. I happened to have had a couple drinks.

[29:53] I was 18. It was legal at the time. But I was walking while young. You know, kind of like driving while black. The police saw me there. What are you doing?

[30:03] I'm over here. Threw me in the back of a paddy wagon with these snarling dogs and took me downtown for questioning. What? I got caught and I hadn't even done anything. Imagine if you got caught doing something you really knew was wrong.

[30:19] There was a guy a long time ago and he wanted to try this out. So he sent a letter to 10 of his friends. All it said was, all is found out. Flee tonight.

[30:33] Eight of his friends. Eight of his friends packed their bags and left the city. Because we all have something, don't we? We have something in our hearts, in our minds, in our history, in our lives that we feel wrong about.

[30:50] The creed talks about our belief in the forgiveness of sins. The most women is standing before Jesus. And he says to her, where are your accusers?

[31:04] She says, there's no one left, sir. He says, and I don't condemn you either. Then I don't condemn you either. The one who is perfect.

[31:15] The one who is without sin, as Jesus says it, who could condemn. The God of the universe says, no, I offer you forgiveness instead. It is probably the most central belief, the most essential belief we have as Christians that we break God's heart and he loves us and forgives us anyways.

[31:38] That we know what's dark in our lives. We know what's broken in our lives. We all know what we've done. And when we take it to God, God says, I don't condemn you either.

[31:52] So I'm going to invite you to do that with me if you're willing and you would like to. We're going to offer our prayer of confession to God, shall we? Dear God in heaven, I have sinned.

[32:04] You know what I've done wrong. And I know what I've done wrong. Forgive me, Lord. Guide me to the right life.

[32:16] Take away the penalty of sin. Help me to be yours. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

[32:28] The Bible says if you confess with your mouth and believe with your heart that Jesus is Lord, you will be saved. You will have everything broken in your life removed.

[32:40] And Jesus has promised it. And you are today forgiven. You are actually right now perfect. I was explaining this to the confirmation class last week. You are absolutely without fault.

[32:52] No sin. You are completely and entirely perfect like the day you were born. Anything you've ever done has been wiped away. God. I asked the confirmation class, how long do you think that lasts?

[33:05] They said, oh, a couple minutes. Which makes me wonder what they're doing in church, you know. A couple minutes. Which may be true. I hope you'll ask a little more than a couple minutes.

[33:17] But God forgives us. And it's a powerful, wonderful thing. And actually when I first looked at this, that's what I thought I would preach an entire sermon on until I realized where it was in the creed.

[33:30] Because you've probably noticed by now that when we say the creed, we ask you to believe in God the Father. And then we ask you to believe in Jesus Christ. And then we ask you to believe in the Holy Spirit. And the forgiveness of sins, that line is not under Jesus.

[33:44] It's under the Holy Spirit. Not that Jesus doesn't forgive our sins. Of course he does. And it says so in the creed. But this section of the creed is not about the fact that we're forgiven by God.

[33:57] As essential as that is to our faith, this part of the creed is actually found where we talk about the church. And the life of the Holy Spirit. And how we live out life together.

[34:08] The forgiveness of sins in the Apostles' Creed. Is about you and I figuring out a way to live with each other. And to forgive one another.

[34:19] If you're following along in your Bibles in chapter 8 of John, I want you to keep a finger on Luke chapter 6. Because we're going to be looking there quite a bit this morning as well. In Luke chapter 6, we remember this verse that says, Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

[34:37] Have you ever noticed how easy it is to see what's wrong with somebody else? I mean, you can pick out somebody else's faults. You can go driving down the road and see somebody on the side of the road you've never met, never talked to, don't know anything about.

[34:53] And you can pick out what's wrong with them, can't you? It's absolutely simple. But it's a little harder to see what's in our own lives. So Jesus says to these people who are standing there with rocks.

[35:09] Rocks. Waiting to throw them at this woman. To crush her life with rocks. And he says, whoever hasn't sinned before.

[35:23] Whichever one of you hasn't done anything wrong. Go ahead. Throw it. Go ahead. Go ahead. Crush her life because you're perfect.

[35:38] It's hard, isn't it? Who's really good enough? Who really deserves? To say they're perfect.

[35:49] Luke chapter 6. Again, it says to us, Don't judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Now, you know, people use this verse in so many wrong ways.

[36:04] Of course we have a right, even an obligation, to help guide our children, the people around us, to understand what God would think would be right and appropriate behavior. What God says is good and what God says is not.

[36:15] This judgment is not about having no discernment, having no boundaries, just do whatever you want. It's about condemning other people as if you had the right to do it as God would do.

[36:27] And thank God that's above all our pay grade. Amen? You don't have the right. I don't have the right. None of us choose who goes to glory.

[36:39] That's completely up to God. And when we get there, we'll be surprised at the people that are there and we'll be surprised at the people that are not there. Because mercy is up to God.

[36:50] It's not for us to choose who will be condemned. It's not for us to choose who we're going to throw the rocks at and crush the life out of them and send them to God.

[37:04] We try. I won't say this church is perfect because it's made up of people. I won't say I'm perfect because I'm a person. We all have feet of clay.

[37:15] But we try. One of the principles of this church is you've got stuff. There's things wrong with you. I've got stuff. You work on your stuff. I'll work on mine.

[37:25] And there's no reason we need to talk about each other's. Amen? It's not absolutely perfect, but that's the whole idea. Everybody in this church has something they're struggling with.

[37:36] Everybody has some sin, some problem, some default or defection that they need to try and get better. I really don't need you peeking in my windows.

[37:48] And I'm not going to go looking in yours either. Because really, when we talk about the forgiveness of sins, we talk about how do we live as a people together?

[37:58] How do we live as a church? How do we live? And how do we treat one another? And this thing can start right at the very beginning of our journey. I'm a little boy with glasses.

[38:24] The one they call a geek. A little girl who never smiles. Cause I've got braces on my teeth. And I know how it feels to cry myself to sleep.

[38:39] I'm that kid on every playground. Who's always chosen last. A single teenage mother trying to overcome my past.

[38:53] You don't have to be my friend. Is it too much to ask? Don't laugh at me. Don't laugh at me.

[39:04] Don't call me names. Don't get your pleasure from my pain. In God's eyes, we're all the same.

[39:19] Someday we'll all have perfect wings. Don't laugh at me. Don't laugh at me. Don't laugh at me. What is it about people that they feel that there's some reason to hurt each other?

[39:35] To crush each other? You've heard me say it before. Sticks and stones will break your bones. And names will last forever. The words we use can heal and they can hurt.

[39:50] And God hasn't called us to hurt and crush the life out of each other. But we do it. We have this hurtful attitude. They came before Jesus and they threw this girl down on the ground.

[40:07] Didn't even have time to get herself together, I'm sure. And they used shame to try and break her. They used the community as the biggest rock.

[40:21] To try and destroy her by helping her to feel as if somehow she wasn't worth anything. I want you to just imagine right now.

[40:33] We all have something we don't talk about. We all have something in our lives, in our past, in our current lives that we wrestle with. That we would be afraid if it would ever come out to the whole world.

[40:47] We wouldn't know how to even raise our head up. Everybody has that. Everybody has that one piece of their lives that they wish they could have somehow just taken back. Imagine if we just started announcing those things.

[41:01] We put a little video up to show what you did and who you are. So that everybody could see. The church was not made to crush people.

[41:13] Jesus said, on this rock I will build my church. The rock is not a rock of crushing and killing people and shaming people and destroying people. People try to get ahead by pushing other people down and tearing people down.

[41:27] They're using this woman. Using this woman. To get to Jesus. They call him teacher. But they're not sincere in that.

[41:41] In fact, they use that word on purpose. You can almost hear the derision in their voices. Because right now they're feeling hurt. What a beautiful setting. Everybody's gathered around Jesus.

[41:52] Listening to what he has to say about the wonderful words of God. That was their job. That was what they did. He waltzes into the city and everything they worked their entire life for just vanishes.

[42:08] Nobody's listening to them anymore. They're disrespected. They're diminished. They feel broken.

[42:20] And so they're jealous. It hurts. Jesus is just trying to teach the people. But all they feel is the brokenness.

[42:31] And you see, that's our problem. We're so quick to want to cast our stones at somebody else. But we don't know their lives. My wife and I were driving down the road the other day.

[42:43] And we're driving through this town. And we looked to our right. We both did. And we both saw the same thing. Somebody was trying to screen their yard from the highway.

[42:53] And oh, it was the ugliest, messiest, shall I say most, what's the word I'm allowed to use? Ridiculous way of doing it? And we both thought the same thing.

[43:07] What a sad thing. They just don't know how to do it right. And they're too poor to go out and buy the right stuff. They don't know. They don't have the money to go and get that beautiful vinyl outlet thing, right?

[43:18] So they put up what they could. But that's not how we usually see it. What's the matter with those people? They have no class.

[43:30] We don't know the story. And because we don't know the back story, we throw the stones. We don't know the story.

[44:05] We laid them in the ground. It's the day I lost my mind. And right now I'm down to hold this little cardboard sign.

[44:19] So don't laugh at me. Don't call me names. Don't take your pleasure from my pain. Don't take your pleasure.

[44:31] You know, the measure we give is a measure we will receive. In Luke chapter 6, it says to us, Give and it will be given to you.

[44:43] A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Jesus takes this condemnation, this brokenness, and he throws it back at them.

[45:02] Whoever is without sin, whichever one of you has never done anything wrong, anybody here who's perfect, anybody here who has had no fault, go ahead and throw a stone.

[45:16] It wasn't a stone that they were carrying, by the way. That's kind of a misnomer. It was a rock to break them.

[45:29] What would happen if we all did like Jesus and stopped condemning each other? Could you imagine the change in our lives? You know, the most defining moment, in my mind, of sports history for Buffalo was not when that football went wide right.

[45:47] It was when Scott Norwood flew into Buffalo and had to face his fans. And 25,000 people came out in the freezing cold of winter in Buffalo.

[45:59] Well, why wouldn't we? We all come out in the snow. It doesn't really matter anymore. 25,000 people cheered, we love you, Scott.

[46:11] We love you anyways. We love the Sabres even though they lose. We love the Bills even if they could go 17 years without making the playoffs.

[46:24] It's not that we define ourselves because we know how to be the champions of the world. We know what it means to lose. Get back up the next day and face the world.

[46:38] And we do that collectively. That's partly how this whole sports thing works for us. We live it. We breathe it. We're not ready to cast our stones at the lowly Tampa Bay teams because we know what it's like.

[47:02] We know that really the key issue is to work on our own problems. Luke chapter 6 says to us, how can you say to your brother, let me take the speck out of your eye when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye?

[47:15] You hypocrite. First take the plank out of your eye. Then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. You see, they quote the Mosaic law.

[47:27] They quote the Mosaic law. But you know what the law of Moses was for? It was for the purpose of convicting us, telling us what's wrong with us so that we could change, so that we could become better.

[47:39] It's not so we can throw rocks at each other. It's so that we can figure out what we need to do to make our lives not so broken. This story is fascinating because Jesus gets down in the dirt and starts writing with his finger.

[47:56] And for 2,000 years, everybody wants to know, what was he writing? You know, is it the names of the mistresses of the guys with the rocks in their hands?

[48:07] Maybe. Maybe. Maybe it was the sins of each one there. You know, the last time God wrote with his fingers, we got the Ten Commandments. And you know why there's ten?

[48:18] Because any more, and it would be devastating to us. It's not because there's nothing else wrong with us. Because that was enough to convict us just as these people were convicted.

[48:30] And the oldest ones first because, you know, those of us who've been around on the earth long enough know there's a lot wrong with us. Amen? You know, becoming senior citizens doesn't mean we get perfect.

[48:41] It means we've got years and years of messing up. And so that helps us to understand how to turn to forgiveness. Not to look at other people and think that we're somehow perfect.

[49:01] It takes time sometimes for things to sink in. But the purpose of our life is not just that we're forgiven, but that the forgiveness leads somewhere.

[49:14] See what we can do with these blocks here. now there's something to do. Welcome to the mission. Thank you.

[49:25] Hello. You figured out yet?

[49:55] God calls us not to just simply be forgiven, but that forgiveness will lead to change, transformation, that we will repent, which means to turn around, change the direction of your life, do something different, live better.

[50:14] Our culture wants forgiveness without repentance. They want cheap grace. They want to say, it's not my fault. You know who the greatest running back I think ever lived was?

[50:24] He played for the Buffalo Bills. I saw him in person run from three yards in the end zone, 103 yards to the other end of the field and score a touchdown. O.J. Simpson.

[50:36] We don't talk about his name anymore. We struggle with it because he's got brokenness in his life, and he really does. Whichever way you'd want to turn that whole thing, there's stuff in his life that just isn't right.

[50:48] And we don't know what to do with it. What happens when our heroes aren't as perfect as we thought they would be? What happens when the people we look up to somehow let us down? The key is, is if we learn how to repent, we can learn how to love them in a different way.

[51:04] Jesus didn't say, I don't condemn you alone. He said, now go and leave your life of sin. Live different. Live in a way where people can respect who you are.

[51:17] Don't live to the brokenness in the past. Live to the promise of the future. Don't live in the problems. Live into the blessings. Change your life. We love our sports teams.

[51:30] But I'll tell you what, if they don't start making some changes and getting some new personnel in here and doing things differently, we ain't gonna go watch them anymore. Just saying it's okay that you lost for 17 years doesn't cut it.

[51:43] We wanna win. And we want you to at least go down swinging. Whether they made the right choices, the wrong choices, at least they're doing something. And that gives us hope.

[51:55] And God wants us to live as people of hope. People of promise. People of life. Good morning, saints. Good morning, sinners.

[52:06] Good morning. We're all here. But which one are you today? Which one are you when you read this story? Are you the woman?

[52:18] Are you the woman who feels like you've been caught in sin and somehow you've been put in front of everyone and you're ashamed? And Jesus is saying to you, where are your accusers? I'm not gonna accuse you either.

[52:31] Go and live your life of sin. Are you the guys coming with the rocks? You know? Guys coming with the rocks, gonna take people down.

[52:42] Taking names, taking numbers, trying to figure out who they can blame. It's interesting that they blame this woman. Gotta believe that the guy must have been one of their friends, one of their buddies, one of their pack, you know?

[52:55] Because we only condemn the people that we don't like. Or maybe you're just feeling okay about yourself because you're living out in the crowd. You're not condemning anybody.

[53:08] You just came to hear Jesus say something nice. You didn't yell at anybody. You didn't say anything. You didn't commit any big crime. You're just sitting there.

[53:18] But you didn't do anything to help that woman either, did you? You just sat and watched to see what would happen. Because it might be fun to see somebody get broken. We can be the people who condemn or the people who redeem.

[53:34] The people who push folks down or the people who pull them up. We can forgive and be forgiven. Remember that prayer? Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

[53:49] That makes it a little harder. The people who see other sins and judge or remember our own sins and offer grace. God is calling us to live in the way he made us.

[54:06] In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. Glory to God. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[54:16] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[54:50] Amen.

[55:20] Father's Pete Father's Pete Father's Pete Amazing grace How sweet the sound Amazing love How glowing down From hands and feet How we're nailed to the tree

[56:23] Praise those loud and covers me It covers me It covers me It covers me It covers me It covers me It covers me It covers me Amen.

[57:50] Amen. I called you and saw And you came to my rescue And I want to be where you are God of mercy, humble thy bow down

[58:55] I will light my place in your hands God of mercy, humble thy bow down In your presence at your throne I called you and saw And you came to my rescue And I want to be where you are My life We lifted high in our world We lifted high in our world We lifted high We lifted high in our love

[60:12] We lifted high in our world We lifted high in our world I called you and saw And you came to my rescue And you and I I want to be where you are You have confessed your sins before God Almighty You have been absolved of your sins You are made perfect Now go and share the peace of the Spirit with one another And return the grace that God has given to you To the people made in His image And they react to him Take care of your sins I will nordicine To the people made in His image To the people named God

[61:12] Webased救助 And the people named implפed And the people named Also another This is a church To the people named Poish Thank you.

[61:58] Just as I am without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thy blood's become to thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

[62:39] Just as I am all tossed about, with many a conflict, many a doubt, thy dreams and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

[63:15] Just as I am, thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, heart, and cleanse, relieve, because thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

[63:55] And our God does accept us just as we are. If you love God, repent of your sin, and seek to live in peace as a disciple of Jesus Christ, you are welcome to come to the table where our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has invited you.

[64:21] Come expecting to receive, come expecting to be assured of God's grace and love and mercy in your life.

[64:32] You are welcome here this morning. Just as you are, I'm welcome just as I am. And I am blessed. Are you?

[64:43] I know you are. So come to the table, because God invites. The Lord be with you. Lift up your hearts. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

[64:59] It is right. And a good and joyful thing always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. You formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life.

[65:12] When we turned away and our love failed, your love remained steadfast. You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God, brought us to a land flowing with milk and honey, and set before us the way of life.

[65:32] And so with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn. Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.

[65:48] Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Holy are you and blessed is your son Jesus Christ.

[65:59] By the baptism of his suffering, death and resurrection, you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the spirit.

[66:15] By your great mercy, we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of your son from the dead and to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.

[66:31] On the night in which Jesus gave himself up for us, he took bread and he gave thanks to you. He broke the bread and gave it to his disciples. He said, Take and eat.

[66:47] This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.

[67:02] When the supper was over, he took the cup. He gave you thanks and praise and gave it to his disciples. He said, Drink from this, all of you. This is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sin.

[67:24] Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. On the day you raised him from the dead, he was recognized by his disciples in the breaking of the bread.

[67:38] And in the power of your Holy Spirit, your church has continued in the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the cup. And so in remembrance of these, your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice in union with Christ's offering for us as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

[68:01] Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here. And on these gifts of bread and wine, and on these gifts of bread and wine, make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world, the body of Christ redeemed by his blood.

[68:20] By your Spirit, make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

[68:32] Through your Son, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy church, all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and forever. Amen. Shall we pray together with the confidence of children of God, the prayer Jesus taught us?

[68:47] Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

[69:00] Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

[69:14] For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Will those who are serving, please come forward.

[69:44] Amen. Amen.

[69:57] Amen. 1 Thank you.

[70:27] Thank you.

[70:57] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Jesus invites you, no matter who you are and what you are or where you've been, just as you are, to come to the table and receive his presence.

[71:20] Be blessed by God. Be a part of what he wants to do in your life. You're welcome to come. Come to the rail for prayers for anointing, for healing, for conviction, or to light a candle as your prayer.

[71:33] Come and join us with the Lord. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

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[76:49] Thank you. Thank you.

[77:21] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[77:33] Thank you. Thank you.

[78:07] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[78:19] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.