Milton Jones

Our series: The God Jesus knew…

The process of spiritual formation is replacing destructive images and false narratives with the images and narratives that filled Jesus’ mind. Phil 2:5 …have the same mind set as Christ Jesus…

God is love. God’s love is unconditional. God is also a consuming fire. This sounds daunting but is good news.

Dominant false narrative. God is wrathful by nature. He’s always full of simmering anger.

Dominant false narrative. Cosmic benevolent God. Force for good in the world.

The God Jesus knew…

John 8: At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.

5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’ 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’

8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ 11 ’No one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’

A trap for Jesus. v6 Another bomb in the room! Jesus answers the accusers: If any one of you is without sin, let him be the one to throw a stone at her. v7

The God Jesus knew… hates sin but loves the sinner

Teddy bear God isn’t Biblical or loving. A God that doesn’t care about sin undermines the whole Christian narrative.

Teddy bear God is attractive. But we see evil and darkness in the world and in our hearts. We long to see it eliminated. A teddy bear God is powerless against this evil. God’s desire to deal with the sin in us is a beautiful and majestic part of his love.

Integrating God’s love and wrath is tricky. Most people don’t. They choose one. But this is the tension of the Kingdom. Jesus shows us a God of both – the woman. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: Romans 11:22

What is love? More than an emotion or a feeling. It’s a decision. Like a parent towards a child.

What is wrath? Not a fit of rage, loss of reason and control. Simple and consistent opposition to sin and evil. Our loving God hates sin. God is opposed to things that hurt his people.

Reconciling wrath and love. God loves us into purity. Come as you are but don’t stay as you are. God is a consuming fire. Heb 12:29 God’s love burns in us to make us holy and pure. He is against my sin because he is for me.

God stands against those desires in me that he knows will cause my destruction. We excuse our sin. We rationalise it. God doesn’t. We’re too important for that.

Love doesn’t demand love in response. God does everything he can to reach out to us. Yet we are always free to reject his love. (What did the woman do?)

Our rejection isolates us from God. Our deepest sin is refusing to let go of control over to God. Part of the human soul resists relinquishing this control. If unchecked this need for control can lead to our isolation and ruin. How deep will we invite God in?

Jesus destroyed evil’s grip on the world. As we are drawn to him we understand his sacrifice. We love him with an everlasting love.

God doesn’t deal in shame, guilt, fear. He always works through love and grace. He draws us closer to him. His love burns up the dross.

As with the woman, it’s always love & grace first. He calls us to new life. He transforms us to look like Jesus – holy. Our invitation – to keep saying yes to him.

Milton Jones