Bent Oak Church

The story of the woman caught in adultery is well known and controversial. We take a close look at the text and recognize why it was placed in chapter eight.Jesus uses the moment to reveal the universal depth of sin and to war those who find sin in others more quickly than in themselves. Ultimately, Jesus offers a new way of obedience. "Go and sin no more."

Increasingly, John portrays controversy around Jesus. He disappointed the crowd, confused his disciples, and offended the leaders. In John 7 we see people increasingly divided over who Jesus and what should be done with him. It is no different today. Jesus divides the world. 

Jesus's disciples were offended. They were offended by his talk of flesh and blood and by his unwillingness to meet their needs and expectations. Many abandoned Christ that day. The truth is, Jesus often said or did things that offended. It was this possibility of offense that forced people to make a decision. They could no longer live in their delusions or expectations but were forced to deal with the real Christ in their midst. 

Having witnessed and tasted Jesus's miraculous provision of bread, the crowd was ready to seize him and make him king. But Jesus slipped away. They eventually tracked him down in Capernaum where they began to question him. But Jesus sensed they were not there for the truth, they were there for more bread. Jesus explained that the bread they were really looking for was him. 

Brad Lombardi shares from the familiar stories of Jesus feeding the crowd and walking on water. 

Surrounded by accusations of blasphemy and law-breaking, Jesus worked to explain his power and authority to the Jewish leaders. It wasn't a formal trial, but the accusations were extremely serious. So Jesus did what any other accused in the first century would have, he called witnesses.  

Jesus continued his conversation with the Jewish leaders by turning to the topic of the resurection. He had been given the power of life. Though Jesus spoke of the expected future resurrection, he also said that hour was now. Resurrection was here. On this Easter Sunday, we take a look at what it means to live with the hope of a future and present resurrection. Practice resurrection. 

The Jewish leaders confronted Jesus about his healing on the sabbath. But Jesus didn't buckle under their pressure; in fact, he doubled down. He explained that as the father had been working since creation, so too had he. Jesus went on to explain why all authority to judge and give life and been given to him. It makes a turn in John's gospel in which the Jewish leader decide that Jesus must be killed.

On arriving in Jerusalem for a festival, Jesus found a man who had been lame for 38 years and healed him. It was a miracle, but we quickly learn that it was also the Sabbath and Jesus had commanded the man to take up his mat, a violation of Sabbath law. The leaders were forced to make a decision, had Jesus violated the Sabbath, or was he the fulfillment of it.

Jesus returned to his home region of Galilee to a warm welcome. His hometown fans had seen his miraculous signs and were suddenly supports. Everyone suddenly claimed to beleive in him. But Jesus was skeptical and used the desperate request of an official to talk about true belief.