Adultery

Last Sunday was not one of those feel good sermons. How could it be with a topic like adultery?

I wanted to be specific, without being unnecessarily graphic. I wanted it to be frank, without being insensitive to the young ears in the congregation. I wanted to speak to the married people, but with a powerful word to those who are unmarried.

When Jesus expanded the definition of adultery to lust, it make sense for us to include all those things in between--emotional affairs, premarital sex, pornography, etc. And when you do that, this commandment against adultery suddenly affects everyone--married and single, young and old. No one is left unscathed. No one can sit back with moral indignation, point a finger and say, "At least I've never done THAT!"

Why does Jesus cut such a wide swath to convict everyone with this commandment? Isn't it enough just to condemn those who have done THAT?

I begin with the assumption that everything that Jesus does is to repair, renew, restore and reunite us with God. By convicting everyone, he opens our eyes, reveals our brokenness, extends his hand and says, "Today. Today, make those changes. Today, sin no more. Today, return to me. Today, walk as a child of God. Today, start fresh. Today."

Jesus doesn't end with conviction, but that is often where we must begin in order for us to hear the last word of forgiveness.

Today!
Pastor Scott