The Gospel of John: Center of the Court

In his sermon "Center of the Court," Pastor Johnathan explores John 8, particularly focusing on the story of the woman caught in adultery. He begins with a basketball analogy, describing how being in "the center of the court" means your performance is on full display for everyone to judge. Similarly, our lives are often in the center of the court of public opinion, where societal judgments create pressure that can lead us to destructive behaviors when we listen to the wrong voices.

Pastor Johnathan emphasizes that as Christians, we should only care about the opinions of "God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit." He quotes Colossians 4:5, "Live wisely among those who are not believers and make the most of every opportunity," and Abraham Lincoln's wisdom: "My concern is not whether God is on our side. My greatest concern is to be on God's side. For God is always right."

The sermon then delves into John 8:1-11, where the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus. Pastor Johnathan points out that this was clearly a setup, as they only brought the woman and not the man, despite Leviticus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 22:22 stating that both parties should be punished. The woman, likely humiliated and half-dressed, was thrown into "the center of the court" as the religious leaders tried to trap Jesus between upholding Jewish law (which required stoning) and Roman law (which prohibited Jews from carrying out executions).

Instead of immediately responding to their trap, Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground—the only recorded instance of Jesus writing in the Gospels. Pastor Johnathan suggests this demonstrates the power of restraint when facing accusation: "Sometimes the best thing we can do is to say nothing at all." When Jesus finally spoke, saying, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her" (John 8:7), He elevated the issue from a legal matter to a spiritual one, bringing conviction to the accusers who then departed one by one.

Pastor Johnathan identifies three reasons why people fail to extend grace to others: pride and concern for social status, not knowing God's grace personally, and believing one's own sins aren't as bad as others'. He emphasizes that Jesus' words to the woman—"Neither do I condemn you" (John 8:11)—represent salvation, while His instruction to "sin no more" represents sanctification. Romans 8:1 is highlighted: "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus."

The sermon concludes with Jesus' declaration, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12). Pastor Johnathan explains that Jesus exposes darkness not to hurt us but to heal us, freeing us from the spiritual baggage of sin. He reminds the congregation that no matter what sins they've committed or what accusations they face, Jesus stands with them in the center of the court as "the lifter of your head." The final invitation is to come to Jesus, throw off shame, and receive His grace, for "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more."