Jesus Loves Homosexuals - Part 1
John 8:1-11
Skip Heitzig
John 8 (NKJV™) | |
1 | But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. |
2 | Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. |
3 | Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, |
4 | they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. |
5 | "Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" |
6 | This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. |
7 | So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." |
8 | And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. |
9 | Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. |
10 | When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" |
11 | She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." |
New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.
There is not a hotter or more controversial subject being discussed today in our country than homosexuality. Voices are loud and tempers run hot whenever this subject is mentioned. Although the text before us doesn’t deal specifically with homosexuality, it does show us how Jesus approached a woman caught in sexual sin and what He had to say to those who were quick to condemn her.
Jesus loves people—all people: prostitutes, drug addicts, abusers—and you. This profound truth is at the very heart of the gospel. Jesus loves the unlovable and touches the untouchable, and during His time on earth, He was compassionate and merciful toward people from all walks of life. What would it be like if you personally encountered Him? Join Pastor Skip Heitzig in this series to learn more about God's radical love for you and fall more in love with the living Savior.
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Few pastors speak on homosexuality, because they worry about losing church members and diminishing tithes. The subject is made more complicated by media spin, political rhetoric, and arguing. Some consider it too distasteful or painful to think about. Many who are homosexual have been bashed by preachers, thumped by Bible verses, and rejected by Christians. While John 8:1-11 does not deal specifically with homosexuality, from it we discover how to address sexual sin in general—including homosexuality.
First, we see that Jesus was candid with all people. He was honest with the woman in our passage when He told her to ʺgo and sin no moreʺ (v. 11), thus referring to her sexual behavior as sinful. He was not condemning her sexuality, but her choice to express her sexuality in a way God had not prescribed. Our response to anyone’s sin should reflect the God we say we follow: we should love the person enough to tell him or her the truth. Homosexuality is mentioned seven times in Scripture (see Genesis 19, Leviticus 18; 20; Judges 19; Romans 1; 1 Corinthians 6; 1 Timothy 1). The Bible teaches that homosexuality is sin and is contrary to God’s original purpose and plan. In addressing it, we must have Peter’s mindset when he said to the Sanhedrin, ʺWhether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge…. We ought to obey God rather than menʺ (Acts 4:19; 5:29). We must not handle biblical prohibitions irresponsibly, nor can we shape them around personal or cultural preferences. We should never think God blesses the very behavior He denounces. Whatever the culture tells us, God’s revelation trumps all. However, in loving others, we should note the difference between a preference and a practice. The woman in this passage had a preference that became her practice; she was attracted to a man who was not her husband, and she followed her desire into adultery. The good news is that an orientation or a preference does not have to define a person when a spiritual orientation can. We must choose to be defined not by our preferences but by our submission to God. What does this mean? Read Romans 8:1-2. Have you experienced this freedom? Do you want others to?
Next, we consider that God condemns all sin, including hypocrisy, and that Jesus was confrontational with all hypocrites (see vv. 3-9a). The scribes and Pharisees were legalists who claimed to keep the Law and were zealous to judge the woman by the Law. Consequently, they gave a one-sided interpretation of Leviticus 20, which declares that both ʺthe adulterer and adulteress shall surely be put to deathʺ (v. 10). This was because they were not really concerned about morality, but mortality; they were hoping to trap Jesus so that they could kill Him. They did not bring the woman to Jesus because they hated adultery; they brought her because they hated Jesus and were using her for their purposes. In response, Jesus raised the situation from a legal issue to a spiritual issue: they were unfit to be her executioners because they were not without sin. Self-righteous judgment becomes its own gallows (read Esther 5:14; 7:9). However, if we are in touch with our own fallen nature, we will be more compassionate with all unbelievers, whether gay or straight. The Bible has strong things to say about homosexuality, but it also says strong things about divorce, lust, idolatry, and greed (see 1 Corinthians 6:9-11). We were washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord; what makes us forget this? Read Ephesians 2:8-10.
Lastly, we see that Jesus was compassionate with all sinners. We read that He ʺwas left alone, and the woman standing in the midstʺ (v. 9). In that gathering, there had been only one who was qualified to throw stones, and He didn't. Has this changed? How do we throw stones now? What should we do instead? The accusers were concerned with her punishment, but Jesus was concerned with her. Many people with same-sex attraction feel alienated and uniquely condemned by the church. Historically, the Christian church has been good at showing contempt but bad at showing compassion. It is time to reverse that, using the acronym LOVE. Listen: don’t offer advice until you have really listened. Offer support: pray, wrestle with the issues, and stand with the person through their ups and downs. Voice God’s truth: don’t be embarrassed by the Bible, but watch your tone and speak with tenderness (see Ephesians 4:15). Esteem: all people deserve respect because they are made in the image of God. Read Colossians 1:13-17. Discuss. Church should be a refuge for struggling people, not a museum of perfect people.Adapted from Pastor Skip’s teaching
The BIG Idea
ʺWe are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good worksʺ (Ephesians 2:10). Join Jesus in saying, ʺNeither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.ʺ
Figures referenced: David Kinnaman, Alfred Joyce Kilmer
Greek words: kategraphen, anamartétos
Cross references: Genesis 19; Leviticus 18; 20; Judges 19; Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23; John 2:4; 3:16; 4:16-18; 6:60; 8:1-11; 19:26; Acts 4:19; 5:29; Romans 1; 2:4; 1 Corinthians 6; Ephesians 4:15; 1 Timothy 1
Date | Title | Watch | Listen | Notes | Share | Save | Buy | |
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1/25/2015 completed
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Jesus Loves People Mark 10:21;Philippians 1:8-10 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Welcome to our new weekend series, Jesus Loves People! For the next many weeks, we will observe how Jesus' love for people was displayed and conveyed to a cross section of society. We will see Him as He loves the most religiously devout folks to the weak and doubting, from the prostitutes to the priests, from the bewildered to the brokenhearted. We will marvel at His love for thieves, murderers, and atheists. In each message, we will consider how we as God's people can show authentic love to people within each group. |
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2/1/2015 completed
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Jesus Loves Doubters Matthew 11; John 20 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Jesus never turned away the questions of a sincere searcher. I have personally wrestled with issues of faith and doubt on a number of occasions. Oswald Chambers quipped, "Doubt is not always a sign that a man is wrong; it may be a sign that he is thinking." Today we will see how Jesus loved two doubters—both of whom were friends of His. |
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2/8/2015 completed
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Jesus Loves the Broken John 5:1-16 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Just about everyone who has ever lived has experienced a broken heart to some degree or another. But then there are others who have been affected so adversely by events in their lives that they can be described as broken people. We can respond by questioning why God allows bad things to happen or by loving the broken in His name and thus being part of the solution. |
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3/15/2015 completed
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Jesus Loves Homosexuals - Part 2 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Be assured that I didn't select the topics in this series because I am equating homosexuals with murderers; nor am I suggesting that addicts or homeless people are to be seen the same as terrorists. It’s simply that the church has historically been unkind to these groups, and we believe it is time to make the statement that Jesus loves all people. In today’s text, we see it clearly: everyone has some kind of past, and everyone can be freed from sin. |
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3/22/2015 completed
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Jesus Loves Haters Matthew 5:43-46;Luke 9:51-56 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary One of the worst things to ever hear or say are the words "I hate you." And since Jesus is the One who God sent to show love to the world, how He handled haters is significant. Today we will explore and hopefully apply two important lessons. Hatred can flow in two directions: hatred towards you and hatred from you. Jesus shows us what to do about both. Get ready by turning to two passages: Matthew 5 and Luke 9. |
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3/29/2015 completed
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Jesus Loves Traitors Matthew 26 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a traitor as "one who betrays another's trust or is false to an obligation or duty." On this Palm Sunday, I've chosen to consider in contrast the two traitors seen side by side in the New Testament accounts of the Passion of Christ. Though we may see some similarities in Judas and Peter, they are separated by one giant factor—the cross of Jesus Christ, the one thing that still offends most people. |
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4/12/2015 completed
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Jesus Loves Atheists John 18:28-38 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Yes, Jesus loves people who don't believe in Him or who aren't sure what they think about Him. Pontius Pilate was the cynical Roman governor of the district of Judea. He was unsympathetic to religious Jews and religion itself. He had no room for the superstitious claims of prophets, priests, or would-be messiahs. He was a secular pragmatist concerned about Roman order and personal advancement. Pilate also represents how Jesus loved and handled atheists—and how we should. |
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4/19/2015 completed
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Jesus Loves Prostitutes Luke 7:36-50 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary It was Blaise Pascal who noted, "There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus." In our text today, we find a woman, the city prostitute who acutely felt the need to have the vacuum of her heart filled. She discovered that Jesus loved her with a wholesome love—the kind of love every woman is searching for. |
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4/26/2015 completed
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Jesus Loves Murderers Luke 23:33-34 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary A Jewish proverb reads, "Blood that has been shed does not rest." And yet there is rest that is possible for even the worst murderers of all time—those who killed Jesus Christ—if they would be willing to receive it. In two verses of Scripture, we will examine how Jesus loves murderers, even those who murdered Him. |
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5/3/2015 completed
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Jesus Loves Criminals Luke 23:33-43 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary A lengthy seventeen-year study in Washington, D.C. by psychiatrist Samuel Yochelson shows that crime cannot be traced to environment, poverty, or oppression but to people making wrong moral choices. Corresponding to that is another report showing that the lack of proper moral training by parents has a direct correlation to crime, especially to children in their formative years. But when parents and their offspring fail, Jesus can step in to rescue. |
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5/17/2015 completed
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Jesus Loves Terrorists Acts 9:1-16 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary One magazine noted that "religious terrorism is the communism of the 21st century, the most serious international threat to human rights." I am aware that the title of this sermon is a strange one, and it's even stranger to think we should be told to love terrorists. Today we consider the stark reality of terror in our world and what a proper biblical response to it is, and we see the conversion of a terrorist who became Christianity's most celebrated cleric. |
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6/7/2015 completed
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Jesus Loves Addicts Luke 4; Matthew 11 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary When a person ingests a substance or engages in an activity that provides temporary pleasure and then such acts become compulsive and interfere with ordinary life responsibilities, he or she is said to be an addict. Addictive behavior is widespread and is one of the reasons many addicts turn to Christ for help. Jesus has a special message for them and a special plan to help them. As the body of Christ to our generation, shouldn’t the church be part of that plan? |
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6/28/2015 completed
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Jesus Loves People, BUT... Romans 2:1-11 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary In this last message of our series Jesus Loves People, we want to bring equilibrium to the series itself. It’s true that God loves people. It’s equally true that He hates evil and the practice of it. Today we want to show how both the wrath of God and the love of God are integral parts of the nature of God Himself. This is crucial so that we don’t distort Him to the world and mislead people eternally. Let’s consider three requirements for representing the God who loves people. |
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