Do What Makes You Happy
Key Scriptures: John 8:2-11
At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 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. 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.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
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. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Lesson One: Sin disqualifies us from God’s glory, but it qualifies us for his grace.
Romans 3:23-24, There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Lesson Two: Jesus loves us even in our sin.
John 3:17, For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him
Romans 5:8, But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Lesson Three: Jesus calls us out of our sin.
John 8:10-11, Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Lesson Four: Holiness is the pathway to true happiness.
Psalm 16:11, You God have made known to me the path of life; you fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Malachi 3:10,12, Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. “Then all the nations will call you happy, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.
John 13:14-17, Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be happy if you do them.
1 Peter 3:13-14, Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are happy.
1 Peter 4:14, If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are happy, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
Proverbs 29:18, Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but happy is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.
James 5, those who persevere in the Lord are happy…
Lesson Five: Jesus cleanses of our sin.
1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Romans 6:11-14, 17-18, In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
Romans 10:13, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.