Witnesses
Rev. Tim Greene Preached on 11/8/2026
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57:52
Summary
Rev. Tim Greene explores the legal depth of John 8, revealing how Jesus acted as a masterful attorney to save the woman caught in adultery by using the Law of Moses to expose her accusers' disqualifications. The sermon emphasizes that through our confession of faith, we enter a covenant where there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.
Key points
- •Jesus did not ignore the law of Moses in the case of the adulterous woman; instead, He used His knowledge of the law to defend her by invoking the requirement for two or three valid eyewitnesses.
- •The accusers were legally disqualified because, under the law, false witnesses were required to suffer the same penalty they sought for the accused.
- •Jesus transitioned from the role of Judge to Advocate/Defender by 'stooping down,' illustrating that His current mission is to save rather than to judge.
- •The New Testament functions as a legal 'testament' where our confession serves as binding testimony that activates the promises and grace of God.
- •Grace and Truth are not opposing forces but are perfectly unified in the person of Jesus Christ.
Scripture
Authority
Grace
Salvation
Scripture
Forgiveness
Life application
This week, silence the 'prosecuting attorney' of shame by vocalizing a specific promise of God's Word over your situation, moving from mental agreement to a legal confession of faith.
Reflection questions
- In the courtroom of your own heart, do you more often hear the voice of the Accuser or the voice of the Advocate?
- Why is it significant that Jesus required the woman to make her own confession ('No man, Lord') before declaring her freedom?
- How does understanding the legal weight of a 'false witness' change the way you view gossip or speaking about the failures of others?
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Full transcript
0:00The battles can be great.
0:00Struggles in your family,
0:01struggles in your health, emotional
0:04battles can be great. But he is an
0:07all-time champion.
0:09>> He has never lost a battle.
0:12He is the greatest of the great. He's
0:16the original go a T. Greatest of all
0:20time.
0:22Lord of lord, King of kings.
0:25That's who he is.
0:27[applause]
0:28His spirit lives within us today. And
0:31I'm tremendously thankful. So good to be
0:34back at New Life. We do greatly
0:38appreciate this church and love this
0:40church as well. You know, it's just
0:42natural that pastor and I would be close
0:45because we're both strong introverts.
0:51I don't know why Acts uh opposite
0:53sometimes connects, but I am a strong
0:56introvert. And your pastor of course is
0:59the epitome of extrovert. I believe he's
1:02got more energy than even a
1:04five-year-old. I just amazing the
1:07giftings in his life. but more than
1:09that, a deep desire for things of God.
1:12And I see that in him, a powerful
1:14anointing to reach this generation. And
1:17he's a generational minister for this
1:20time. And so glad to be hooking up with
1:22this church. And you. So good to have
1:25Luscious with me. I've said it again.
1:28This is Luscious is my name for her. Her
1:30name is Lois. And you're all free to
1:32call her Lois.
1:36and I'll continue to call her luscious.
1:38Do uh meet us in the foyer afterwards
1:41and we'd love to visit with you around
1:42the table some great great things
1:45that'll be a blessing to your life. Look
1:47with me in the word of God today from
1:50the Gospel of John
1:53chapter 8.
1:55John chapter 8
1:57and we begin to read around verse
2:01three. What an anointed
2:04worship team this morning. Thank you
2:06very much leading us in the presence of
2:09the Holy Ghost today.
2:14John 8:3.
2:18And the scribes and Pharisees brought
2:20unto Jesus a woman taken in adultery.
2:25And when they had set her in the midst,
2:28they say unto him, Master,
2:32this woman was taken in adultery in the
2:34very act. Now Moses in the law commanded
2:38us that such should be stoned. But what
2:43sayest thou? This they said, tempting
2:47him that they might have to accuse him.
2:50But Jesus stooped down and with his
2:52finger wrote on the ground as though he
2:54heard them not. So when they continued
2:56asking him, he lifted up himself and
2:59said unto them, "He that is without sin
3:02among you, let him first cast a stone at
3:04her." And again he stooped down and
3:06wrote on the ground. And they which
3:08heard it, being convicted by their own
3:11conscience, went out one by one,
3:14beginning at the eldest, even unto the
3:16last. And Jesus was left alone. and the
3:19woman standing in the midst. When Jesus
3:22had lifted up himself and saw none but
3:25the woman, he said unto her,"Woman,
3:27where are those dying accusers? Hath no
3:31man condemned thee?" She said, "No man,
3:35Lord." And Jesus said unto her, "Neither
3:38do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more."
3:42This is preached from a lot across our
3:46world in the Christian realm.
3:49But when it comes to theology,
3:53a lot of individuals stay away from this
3:56particular passage
3:58because there seems to be questions
4:02here.
4:04I've got questions.
4:07John is the revelator. Not just because
4:12he wrote and gave us the revelation of
4:15Jesus Christ, but because he had a
4:18gifting of enlightenment,
4:20a gifting of revelation. When I read
4:24John, I'm looking for what revelation is
4:27he trying to show me about Jesus Christ.
4:31So on the surface,
4:34one thing, but underneath is some
4:37tremendous understanding and revelation.
4:40And I want to share that with you today.
4:43I'm preaching witnesses.
4:47Witnesses. God bless you. You may be
4:49seated.
4:54At first blush, this looks like maybe
4:57the greatest act of mercy and grace.
5:01Surely in the word of God and perhaps in
5:04human history when you realize the one
5:08that is standing before this individual
5:12caught in the very act. But there is
5:15more to be seen underneath the surface.
5:19I think traditionally there are two
5:22questions that most of us would want to
5:25ask or say concerning this traditionally
5:28when we talk about this story. I I think
5:31the first one might be can Jesus
5:34arbitrarily decide to just choose mercy
5:39and ignore the law. Can he just
5:42arbitrarily decide that grace is a
5:46higher law than righteousness? So what
5:49is happening here with the choice of the
5:52Lord Jesus? And the second question I
5:55think that we would ask here is
5:59what in the world was written on the
6:01ground?
6:04And I I will go ahead and put my two
6:06cents worth in here. I've heard a lot of
6:09good things that have been said and
6:10preached throughout the years and some
6:13have said this about the story. It's
6:16simply um he wrote on the ground where
6:20is the man
6:22because if a woman is allegedly caught
6:25in the very act there had to take two to
6:28tango
6:30>> or maybe even where's the other woman
6:34>> and I think others have said no he was
6:37writing in the ground you know the sins
6:40and the mistakes of the very accusers
6:42that brought this woman to him and that
6:45preacher which is good. We should
6:46continue to preach it. But there's
6:48revelation when we began to really dig
6:51into this. First of all, we know the
6:53scripture says when they heard this,
6:58they were stricken in their conscience.
7:01It's not what Jesus wrote on the ground.
7:05It's what he said.
7:08>> In fact, when you look at the scripture,
7:10Jesus is ignoring them. He's turning his
7:14back on them as they're asking questions
7:17and he's just stooping down like he
7:18never heard their question. And he's,
7:21I'm going to say, doodling on the
7:23ground. I believe that he was drawing
7:26pictures of behemoths and Leviathons,
7:31dinosaurs if you're not understanding
7:33what that is. Or maybe just a heart, you
7:36know, true love, God, world.
7:40I think he was just doodling and it
7:43isn't important what he was actually
7:45saying and I think we'll get to where
7:47you can see where I have that
7:49understanding.
7:51This is obviously a courtroom scene
7:55meant for John. John is meaning for us
7:58to see this as legal operation.
8:02Not something that just happened in the
8:04street somewhere. But these are lawyers
8:08that are bringing an individual
8:11allegedly caught in the very act and
8:13they're wanting Jesus to judge this
8:16situation by the law of Moses. All of
8:19these things are very legal. In fact,
8:22this is why your words are used like
8:24law accuse convicted accusers
8:29condemn, and condemned so that we would
8:32understand this is more than just mercy.
8:35This is absolutely illegal operation
8:37that is happening. So let's set the
8:40scene for this courtroom. They bring
8:43this woman allegedly caught in the very
8:45act of adultery and they put her in the
8:47midst. So that is bringing her front and
8:51center in the courtroom before the
8:54judge's desk or the judge's table. They
8:57make it clear that it's the law of God
9:00by Moses that she should be judged by.
9:04as that is where they were living in
9:07that particular time. Now they have
9:10already decided that their judge and
9:12jury
9:12>> come on now
9:14>> and they said the law says she should be
9:17stoned and they already have rocks in
9:20their hands.
9:23>> The law said she should be stoned. But
9:26what sayaest thou? So, they have put
9:30Jesus behind the judge's desk and they
9:33are wanting her to judge this woman
9:36because they're trying to tempt the
9:38Lord.
9:40>> Because in their minds, he has one of
9:44two choices. He can either choose mercy,
9:48which he has been preaching, love, which
9:51he has been preaching, and deny the law.
9:54And if he does that, they're going to
9:55say, "You're a heretic. you are lawless.
9:58You have no legality and so no one
10:00should follow you. Or he could choose
10:03the other. He could choose the law and
10:06if he chooses the law and tells him to
10:07go out and take her life, then they're
10:09going to say, "You've got no new
10:11message. This is the same thing that
10:14we're saying and you're coming against
10:16us for no reason." They think they have
10:19his arm twisted behind his back and
10:22whatever decision he makes here, they're
10:25going to be able to destroy his ministry
10:27because of the choice that he is making.
10:30But truth,
10:32truth stands up to every temptation.
10:36Truth stands up to every accusation.
10:39Truth is truth all the time or it is not
10:43truth at all. Truth is relevant to every
10:46culture and to every generation.
10:51>> So what is this truth? Well, John tells
10:55us what truth is in chapter 17 verse 17
10:59of his gospel. He makes it clear Jesus
11:03said, "Thy word is truth." Oh God. So
11:08you want to know what is relevant to
11:10every generation? You know what stands
11:12up to every temptation and every
11:14accusation? You want to know WHAT IS
11:17TRUTH ALWAYS? IT'S THE WORD OF GOD.
11:20[cheering and applause]
11:22>> YEAH, we believe that. But then John
11:25also says something in chapter 14 verse
11:286. He's quoting the words of Jesus. And
11:31Jesus said, "I am the way, the
11:36>> truth,
11:38>> and the life."
11:40>> Well, which one is it? Is is the word
11:42truth or is Jesus truth? Because in
11:45John's gospel both of these are spoken
11:48very emphatically.
11:50This is not a if or the answer is yes.
11:57It's why he begins his gospel with this
12:00statement. In the beginning was the word
12:04and the word was with God and the word
12:08was God. the same was in the beginning
12:11with God. ALL THINGS WERE made by him.
12:15So John's saying here is the basis of
12:18the revelation that I'm trying to bring
12:20to you in the Gospel of John. It's that
12:23first of all, you've got to understand
12:25foundationally the word existed from the
12:29very beginning.
12:31>> It was God. It was with God and it was
12:34God. And then we find all the way down
12:38now in verse 14, the word was made flesh
12:43and dwelt among us and we beheld his
12:45glory, the glory of the only begotten of
12:46the father, full of grace and truth. So
12:49we see here that Jesus Christ was the
12:53word in the beginning and then at
12:56Bethlehem's manger became the personage
12:59of God.
13:01That's right.
13:02>> But if you didn't catch it in verse 14,
13:05here's the key. The word was made flesh
13:09and dwelt among us. And we beheld his
13:13glory. What glory is he talking about?
13:16The glory of the only begotten of the
13:18father
13:20full of grace
13:24and truth. There is a phenomena that
13:28happened in the birth of Jesus Christ.
13:32Used to it seemed like you had to choose
13:35either grace
13:37or truth. But once Jesus was born, he
13:41was full of grace and full of truth.
13:45>> This is what the psalmist began to
13:47prophesy about in Psalms 85 and 10. He
13:51said prophetically, there's coming a
13:53time when mercy and truth will meet
13:56together, where righteousness and peace
13:59will kiss each other. He's a phenomena
14:01of all time in HUMAN HISTORY. NOW YOU
14:04DON'T HAVE TO choose grace or truth. Now
14:07you DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE peace or mercy.
14:11NOW THEY COME TOGETHER as righteousness
14:14and peace kiss each other and mercy and
14:17mercy and truth meet together.
14:20So understanding this, it's impossible
14:24for Jesus to choose one and ignore the
14:27other.
14:28>> He can't choose grace and ignore law
14:30because he's full of both.
14:34>> He can't choose truth and ignore mercy.
14:38He's he's full of grace, full of truth.
14:42>> So this is the re revelation that John
14:45is trying to let us see here. So, let's
14:49go back to that courtroom scene and
14:51continue on scene two here. It's the
14:55scribes and the Pharisees, these lawyers
14:58of the Old Testament law, if you will,
15:00that are demanding that Jesus would
15:02judge this individual. But Jesus does an
15:06interesting thing. He stoops down. And
15:10in this courtroom setting, what he is
15:12doing is dismissing himself from the
15:15judge's table. He's refusing to be the
15:19judge in that courtroom. But while he
15:22stoops down, he goes down to the
15:25defending lawyer's table.
15:28>> And he is going to be her attorney and
15:31legally fight for her
15:33>> instead of judging her in front of these
15:36prosecutors,
15:39>> stooping down. The scripture tells us in
15:42John 12:47
15:44that Jesus came not to judge
15:48[snorts] but to save.
15:51>> Jesus wasn't there to judge this woman
15:55allegedly caught in the very act of
15:56adultery. And he's not here in his
15:59presence today to judge you. No matter
16:03what your circumstances of life, what
16:05sin you have committed, what failure you
16:08have fallen into, uh, what habit you
16:10continually break in your life, I'm
16:12telling you, HE'S NOT HERE TO JUDGE.
16:15HE'S HERE TO SAVE. [cheering]
16:18>> NOW, for all of us crusty
16:21Christians, let me tell you what verse
16:2248 says of John 12. The word that I have
16:26spoken will judge you in the last day.
16:30There is a judgment for things that have
16:33been done and the word will bring that
16:36forth. But not today.
16:39>> That's in the last day when the judgment
16:41is upon us.
16:45>> Obviously Jesus has positioned himself
16:48by stooping down and becoming the public
16:52defendant. And they are pressing him
16:55because they don't recognize his change
16:57of position. and they're still trying to
17:00get him to judge the woman as he's
17:03ignoring and drawing behemoths in the
17:05sand. My opinion. And so he's just
17:08ignoring them. And finally, as they
17:11press him over and over from the
17:14defending attorney's table, he stands up
17:17and gives his opening and his closing
17:20statement with one sentence.
17:24how much money we could save in civil
17:26courts if lawyers were half that smart.
17:32>> One sentence and this is what he says.
17:36He that is without sin among you, let
17:39him throw the first stone. But this is
17:43not an ambiguous statement of great
17:46great mercy. Although it is a statement
17:48of mercy, he is directly quoting from
17:53the law of Moses because while it is
17:57true, Leviticus 20 and tunes 20 and 10
18:02says this that the penalty for adultery
18:06should be death. So that's true.
18:10There is also a seventh law that
18:13declares, "Thou shalt not commit
18:16adultery."
18:18It looks cut and dry. Commit adultery,
18:21death penalty. But there's another law
18:25just a couple of down from thou shalt
18:27not commit adultery that says, "Thou
18:30shalt not bear false witness."
18:33And Moses law declares this in
18:35Deuteronomy 17:6 that laws or those
18:40things that are sins worthy of death,
18:43there must be two or three eyewitnesses
18:46for this to be established
18:49or to be legally binding.
18:52Now, this is a principle in the mouth of
18:54two or three witnesses that you find in
18:56Moses law. You find it in the New
18:58Testament covenant. You find it
19:00throughout the It's a heavenly law that
19:03when two or three agree together, there
19:06is a covenant binding purpose that they
19:09come with, especially if they come in
19:11the name of the Lord.
19:14Moses law also says this, the next
19:16verse, Deuteronomy 17:7, that the
19:19witnesses are to be the first ones to
19:22pick up stones and put to death the
19:25guilty.
19:27Now,
19:30I I'm I
19:32you know, you can't even preach without
19:34being political incorrect nowadays.
19:39So, I'm not trying to hurt anybody's
19:40feelings, but I want you to know that
19:43when the founders of our nation put
19:46together civil laws, they leaned very
19:50heavily on Old Testament understandings.
19:55It's not European mindset ideas. It's
19:58biblical concepts and principles that
20:01they try to enforce. One of these is the
20:05law of the false witness. But in our
20:08society and culture, we've got white
20:12lies,
20:15yellow lies, pink lies, I mean just lies
20:18is what they are. But we have somehow
20:21made them not so bad. We tell lies to
20:25save people's feelings and feel good
20:27about ourselves.
20:30>> So in our culture, in our society, lies
20:33are not a big deal. But when you look in
20:35the word of God, God hates
20:38>> a lying tongue.
20:41>> And there's a reason why. Because when
20:44you open your mouth and speak, legal
20:47things are happening.
20:49All right.
20:51>> So it is one of the ten commandments.
20:54Thou shalt not bear false witness.
20:57>> What we know of the scribes and
20:59Pharisees, the one that are bringing
21:00this woman before the Lord is that they
21:02were very pious in their own thinkings.
21:06Jesus speaks of them as hypocrites. They
21:09look real good on the outside, but on
21:10the inside they're full of dead men's
21:12bones, whitened supplers. In fact, their
21:16laws, their manual told them that they
21:21would be they would be guilty of sin
21:24themsel if they just saw somebody else
21:27sinning.
21:31>> Knowing that it's inconceivable
21:34that they were in the red light district
21:36where this woman was actually in
21:38adultery.
21:39>> All right.
21:41>> They would have hid their eyes. they
21:43they would have covered their oh my no
21:46that there's no way that they're a true
21:49eyewitness.
21:52>> That's why he uses that one statement
21:55from the law. He that's without sin,
21:58that means he that is here and has legal
22:00good standing to be testifying about
22:03this, you go ahead and throw the stone.
22:14Jesus does a powerful thing because
22:17after he speaks this word which they now
22:21realize, you know, we shouldn't have
22:23took that word of that one person that
22:25said, "Hey, take it on good authority."
22:27You know, it's almost every time that
22:28someone starts with that, they're about
22:29to gossip. I've got it on good authority
22:32that
22:36I just I just told on us, didn't I?
22:38Can't use that one anymore.
22:41>> It It's It's almost every time that that
22:44happens. And maybe they had it on good
22:46authority that this woman was caught in
22:48the very Maybe maybe they just decided
22:51to pick this girl because after all,
22:53she's loosey goosey, easy peasy, and
22:56everybody KNOWS IT.
22:58SO FOR whatever reason they did no
23:01thoughts that somehow it would be
23:03doubted that they were eyewitnesses
23:06which must be if there's going to be a
23:08death penalty according adultery
23:10according to the law of Moses. And now
23:12when Jesus makes this statement they
23:15realize
23:16this is not good because we're false
23:20witnesses. Now, in our courts, if you
23:24perger yourself on the in the court or
23:28on the testimony stand, there's really
23:31not much punishment that comes to you. I
23:34mean, if it's a high pri profile course
23:37uh court case, they might slap your
23:39hands or or, you know, find you a few
23:41hundred dollars. And in real high
23:43political court cases, they might put
23:45you in prison for a couple of days.
23:47That's it. But I want you to see what
23:48the law of Moses says. is Deuteronomy
23:5019:19.
23:53False witnesses should receive the same
23:55death penalty that they wish to put upon
23:58the one they're witnessing against
23:59falsely. Hey,
24:03so now look at the law of Moses. This is
24:06the way it works. That if you testify
24:09that this individual did this worthy of
24:13death and they're convicted, you have to
24:16be the first one to flip the switch on
24:18the electric chair.
24:20witnesses, the first ones, flip the
24:23switch. You have to be so sure of your
24:25testimony that you're willing to follow
24:28up with the judgment and the punishment
24:29with your own hands. You have to lock
24:32the door. There is a weight upon the
24:35witness.
24:36And then the law says, if you're lying,
24:39if you're perjuring yourself on the on
24:41the uh stand, then you yourself are now
24:46worthy and must be judged by the same
24:48judgment, the individual you lied about.
24:52So now these scribes and Pharisees
24:54realize that woman's not in trouble
24:58>> and Jesus ain't in trouble. But we have
25:01got a problem because we just lied in
25:05this courtroom and the law said a false
25:08witness is worthy of death.
25:13And Jesus does a powerful thing by
25:16stooping down again and writing on the
25:20ground. not for this woman, but for
25:23these liars and these hypocrites
25:27and these gossipers.
25:30He stoops down not to judge them either,
25:33but to go over to their side of the
25:35table and fight for them as well. I'm
25:38here to tell you, it doesn't matter
25:40where you feel like you land on one side
25:42or the other. Whether you are a rank
25:44sinner or you're a Christian, that maybe
25:47you've got things that are just not
25:49right. HE'S HERE TO FIGHT FOR YOU. HE'S
25:52NOT HERE TO JUDGE YOU. He's here to save
25:55you and to do that legally.
26:01>> [applause and cheering]
26:02>> So he's stooping down, doing the same
26:05thing he did before, ignoring their
26:08statement, giving them an opportunity to
26:12retract what they have said, making sure
26:15that they do not have to stand there
26:17behind what they have confessed and no
26:20longer believe and confess that this is
26:22truth in a legal courtroom. And it seems
26:26like it had to hit the oldest first. and
26:28he realizes, my goodness, this is mercy.
26:32>> Yes.
26:33>> That he's not going to judge me when we
26:35came with a judgmental spirit.
26:37>> That he's not going to convict me when
26:39when we came with no care and concern at
26:41all for this woman. And so from the
26:43eldest to the youngest, they realized
26:48mercy and dropped their judgment and
26:51just backed out of that place with a
26:54thanksgiving and a gratitude that they
26:56were able to escape their death.
27:00Jesus waits
27:03until all of these have left the place.
27:07And then he speaks to the woman one more
27:11time. lifted up himself and there's none
27:14but the woman there. And he said,"Woman,
27:17where are those thine accusers?" You
27:19know, the two or three eyewitnesses that
27:21it's going to take for you to be killed
27:24according to the law. Where are those
27:27thine accusers? Hath no man condemned
27:30thee? And she said, "No, man. There is
27:35no one here with a testimony to convict
27:38me for the actions that I've taken,
27:41allegedly taken in my life. But she adds
27:45one little word here to her statement
27:48because this is not something that Jesus
27:51is ignoring law. He's full of
27:53righteousness,
27:55but he's going back to the law and he's
27:57looking at the two or three witnesses.
28:01And he who is the lamb of God slain from
28:05the foundation of the earth that will
28:08pay the price for man's sin is standing
28:11on that authority and that belief of who
28:14he is. The word and Jesus are two
28:17witnesses.
28:19But not really cuz John's already
28:21established that they're one and the
28:22same.
28:24So, it's demanding upon her that she
28:27opens her mouth and gives confession
28:30that makes legally things binding in
28:33this courtroom. He could turn to her and
28:35say, "Well, this a mistrial.
28:40We got no testimony against you. Get out
28:41of here." That's not what he's going to
28:43say to her. He's going to speak to her
28:45that there is no condemnation to her.
28:48>> She cannot be condemned. And this is why
28:51because he declares I know who I am. I'm
28:55the lamb of God and it's already
28:57prophesied in the word and just a full
28:59short time I will be on Calvar's heel
29:01shed in my blood. So that the sins you
29:04have committed are gone.
29:07>> But that two witnesses the word and him
29:09are one witness. SO HE NEEDS THAT SECOND
29:11witness and he speaks to her that she
29:14has to open her mouth and confess. This
29:16is so we got to understand this even in
29:20our courtrooms today. It doesn't matter
29:22how much you believe something or how
29:24much you know something. It has no legal
29:26binding till you open your mouth and
29:28confess.
29:32>> And so she says no man. And she puts
29:35that word Lord at the end. This is not
29:37just a term of endearment. She's saying
29:39I am making you your word which cannot
29:42be separated from you. I'm making you
29:44Lord of my life. Therefore, what the
29:47word says concerning you and what you're
29:49saying concerning you is truth in my
29:52life. It's a eyewitness of what I
29:54believe.
29:56>> And Jesus said, "That's that's what I
29:58needed to hear. Two or three words, two
30:01or three witnesses, every word is
30:02established. Let me uh where's where's
30:04my armor bearer?
30:07Come on. Come on up here, Bo. I should
30:10have thought twice about this. I'm going
30:11to look really short and
30:16I I I've known Cameron for a little
30:18while now. And um this is what I want
30:22you to know. I believe in this man.
30:27He he's got a spirit of servantthood and
30:30he's uh he's overcoming in some areas of
30:33his life that a lot of you have no clue
30:35about. And there's a calling upon his
30:38life. If if I say this, if I say, "Hey,
30:42I I believe in Cameron."
30:45What I'm not saying is I believe he
30:47exists
30:53or that I believe, you know, he's he's a
30:54man of God and all these things. So,
30:57this statement that Christianity makes,
31:00and forgive me because I I I don't quote
31:03it all the time and I don't really know
31:05exactly what the words are. this
31:07statement that we confess about our
31:08belief that I believe in the Lord Jesus
31:11Christ as my savior and I I told you I
31:13was going to mess it up and accept him
31:15blah blah blah.
31:17Making that statement
31:21could be a false witness
31:24if you're just saying words.
31:30But if you look into your heart and
31:33you're like, I I believe
31:36I I I know I've been a dirty rotten
31:38sinner, but I believe he loves me.
31:42>> I believe he shed his blood for me. Then
31:45your confession now has legal weight
31:49because you're not a false witness.
31:52Thank you, Cameron. So, so when we say
31:54our confession, we we want to shy away
31:57from this because it's so abused in a
31:59lot of Christian places. It is a
32:01powerful statement to look into your
32:03heart and to be a eyewitness of what you
32:06believe.
32:08>> And to confess what you believe because
32:10until you open your mouth in a courtroom
32:13setting like this, it has no legal
32:15binding.
32:16>> But when you confess
32:19>> now, it's got legal ramifications.
32:21And if you truly are a true eyewitness,
32:24then it has legal blessings and legal
32:27boundaries for you.
32:29This is this is what we need to
32:31understand. Isaiah 53. Anytime God sends
32:35a lawyer to the pullpit with a word and
32:39usually it's a text or just like Jesus,
32:42one sentence is going to turn everything
32:44around in the courtroom. Uh we need to
32:46realize that legal operation is
32:48happening.
32:50In fact, this story here in John 8 is
32:54not just some little story pulled out
32:56that we can everything in the New
32:58Testament is legal. That's why we call
33:01it a testament.
33:03>> It's legal operation,
33:06a microcosm of what we see in the New
33:09Testament. In fact, every church service
33:12becomes that as well.
33:15We come to church court and immediately
33:20the prosecuting attorney is sitting on
33:22your shoulder.
33:25Bible says that our enemy is an accuser
33:27of the brethren.
33:29>> And just like he did with Job before
33:31God, he's trying to tell God and you,
33:36you don't even need to be here because
33:37you made mistakes. He's trying to give
33:40you false statements that you would
33:43believe that and not confess truth.
33:46>> The whole time we're up here singing,
33:48you know what we're doing? We're singing
33:50the law,
33:52New Testament law about how good our God
33:55is,
33:56>> how he is greater.
33:59WHO ARE YOU, GREAT MOUNTAIN, BECAUSE
34:01THIS IS MY GOD. We're singing about the
34:05law. And you got to decide what you
34:07believe. The preacher preaches and
34:09sometimes he takes just that one
34:11sentence from the law and under the
34:12anointing of God he's saying this is
34:14what the law says that you do not have
34:16to be condemned that you do not have to
34:18make mistakes that you can be an
34:20overcomer that YOU CAN GO FREE AND HAVE
34:22peace and joy AND HE'S PREACHING THE
34:24WORD. YOU'VE GOT TO DECIDE what you
34:26believe.
34:27>> Let me show you how much this is a
34:30courtroom setting. Romans 8:1 says,
34:32"THERE IS THEREFORE NOW NO CONDEMNATION
34:34TO THEM which are in CHRIST JESUS, WHO
34:37WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH, BUT after the
34:38spirit. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE, LEGAL, FOR YOU
34:41TO BE condemned if you are in Christ and
34:44walking after the spirit."
34:47Legal. Matthew 12:37 says, "For by thy
34:51words
34:52you shall BE JUSTIFIED, AND BY THY words
34:55thou shalt be condemned."
34:58How important your confession is.
35:01Romans 12:11 says they overcame him by
35:03the blood of the lamb and by the word of
35:05their testimony in the mouth of two or
35:07three witnesses. This is how you
35:09overcome by legally stating your belief
35:12and the blood of the lamb being applied
35:14to your life. It's it's everywhere here
35:18in the word of God. So if God sends his
35:22lawyer if you will to the podium to say
35:26by his stripes we are healed. And today
35:28in the place healing is going to happen,
35:30you have to decide what you're GOING TO
35:32BELIEVE. WHOSE REPORT WILL YOU BELIEVE?
35:38>> Are you going to believe what our own
35:40heart will tell ourselves, our own
35:42emotion will tell ourselves? You going
35:44to believe what the prosecuting attorney
35:46will tell you? Or are you going to
35:48believe what the word of God says? Who
35:50hath believed our report? And to whom is
35:53the arm of the Lord revealed? That
35:55second statement uh speaks to the first
35:58statement because who's going to see the
36:00arm or the power of God revealed? Those
36:04that believe the report of the Lord.
36:08>> So he's wounded for our transgressions.
36:13He's bruised for our iniquity.
36:16Chastisement of our peace. That's that's
36:18that crown of thorns. The chastisement
36:20of our peace was upon him. So all this
36:23mental stuff going on today, a crown of
36:25thorns was worn for your healing.
36:29>> Chastisement of our peace was upon him
36:32and with his stripes we are healed. So
36:35you hear the word of God in this
36:37courtroom and then you've got to come
36:40down to the front as a taking the stand
36:43for your own confession.
36:46and you get down here and you say, "Hey,
36:49I know all the circumstances,
36:54>> but I know he loves me.
36:58>> He went to the whip and post for me. I'm
37:01his child. He's my heavenly father. So,
37:04I have come down here to confess he's my
37:07great physician and I'm here for
37:08healing." And when you make confession
37:11with a true eyewitness of your heart, if
37:14you believe, then there's legally
37:16binding for your healing.
37:19>> Now, let me qualify. If you have chosen
37:22to be a disciple of Christ, you also
37:25have a cross to carry
37:27>> just like our leader. You also will be
37:30despised and rejected man of sorrow just
37:33like our leader. So you've got legal
37:37rights, but then you've got disciplehip
37:39opportunities.
37:42>> Don't have time to talk about that.
37:45Understanding this this story today is
37:51so much more than, oh, look at how
37:53merciful Jesus is. And I I don't want to
37:56mock that. He is.
38:00>> I've experienced it maybe more than all.
38:04I think Paul lied when he said he was
38:06the chiefest of sinners. He didn't know
38:08me.
38:14>> So I know the mercy of God.
38:19>> But the scripture tells us that if we
38:22make mistakes,
38:24we've got an advocate, a lawyer, we've
38:27got an advocate with the father.
38:32Listen, Jesus Christ the
38:36the righteous.
38:39So all this junk about condemnation and
38:42feelings of condemnation are not
38:46biblical.
38:49>> That's from the other side of the
38:51courtroom, the prosecuting attorney.
38:57>> He is legally
38:59given the rights here.
39:02Sometimes when I look at our judicial
39:04system, I'm closing. If you'd help us on
39:06some keyboards,
39:11when I look at our judicial system, it
39:14seems so unfair.
39:17And maybe, you know, if you got the
39:20money for a high-powered lawyer
39:23or if you can get a certain
39:27certain desired group on the jury,
39:31it it seems it seems so unfair to me at
39:34times.
39:36But then when I think of, well, you
39:38know, this one that I know, they're
39:40pretty good person, but man, they're no
39:43hope for parole. They're in life forever
39:45for what they did. and then other
39:47individuals that were my goodness, are
39:50they even human what they did and
39:53they're going to get out.
39:55Sometimes it seems in our culture it's
39:58so unfair
40:00as judges
40:02use their own agendas
40:05to try to push ideology.
40:08And I know that there's ambiguity in
40:12every law. This is why we want to not
40:15just have the letter of the law, but the
40:17intent of the law. And that's where I
40:22see great understanding here that Jesus
40:26didn't have to decide.
40:28Well, this is intent.
40:32He legally
40:34brings mercy,
40:36grace,
40:38truth, righteousness, law right along
40:42beside the other. I hope no longer will
40:47we be saying things like, "Oh, we're
40:49we're word church."
40:53Meaning, I guess somehow that, you know,
40:56we don't give a lot of to the movement
40:57of the spirit and gifts of the spirit
40:59and stuff. We're word church. That's
41:01that's an ignorant statement because you
41:03can't separate the word from the spirit.
41:08>> It's the same.
41:10>> And I hope we don't say, "Oh, we're a
41:12spirit church." And somehow mean, you
41:14know, we get away with all kind of stuff
41:16because grace,
41:19mercy, moving of the spirit type of
41:22deal. Just as ignorant, you can't
41:25separate the two. He is full of grace
41:28and full of truth. So legally today,
41:33he's here to
41:35wipe away every mistake and failure that
41:38each and every one of us had made.
41:43That's the word of God. He's not willing
41:46that any
41:48should perish.
41:50>> But that all
41:52would come or live in repentance.
41:56And he is so
41:59smart.
42:02He He knows the law so well
42:07that every price that needs to be paid
42:11for him to legally do that, it's done.
42:16And the only thing that separates us
42:20from complete no condemnation,
42:24complete freedom
42:26is just believing in our heart and
42:30confessing with our mouth. This is why
42:33Paul writes that to the church at Rome,
42:36not to sinners.
42:39so that we can understand
42:41this is the advocate that we have.
42:45>> And no matter where we are and what we
42:46do legally, he's paid the price for our
42:52salvation,
42:53>> for our forgiveness of sins,
42:55>> for our peace from the mental torment,
42:58from our joy, from the faith instead of
43:01the fear or loss from fear and gaining
43:04faith
43:05>> from healing in our physical. It's the
43:07law. Yes.
43:12>> And he's just presenting the case here
43:16today.
43:17And you've got to get on the witness
43:20stand and decide what you believe. And
43:23when you look into your heart, be a true
43:26eyewitness of what you if if you don't
43:28believe, don't come down here and say
43:30anything because if you believe not,
43:32you're condemned already.
43:35But if you believe and you can see that
43:37that's in your heart to believe, then
43:39then make your confession and have legal
43:43standing for deliverance.
43:46>> Yes.
43:46>> For salvation, for overcoming power, for
43:50everything that you brought to this
43:52courtroom needing God to do something
43:54supernatural. He's greater.
43:59>> He's greater.
44:03Stand with me today if you would.
44:06My first appeal to come to the witness
44:09stand. And don't be afraid. No one's
44:11going to make you speak to them. No
44:13microphone will be in your mouth. My
44:15first appeal is to those that need help
44:18in their salvation journey today.
44:21Doesn't matter where you are on that
44:22salvation journey. If you need to
44:25repent, then then bring yourself down
44:27with a belief that he paid the price for
44:30me. Or or if you're perhaps past
44:32repentance and you need a commitment of
44:34Jesus name baptism, what doth hinder
44:37you? Come on down and make your
44:39confession that I believe when I repent
44:41and baptize my sins will be remitted or
44:44washed away.
44:45>> Or maybe you've not received the gift of
44:47the Holy Ghost with the initial evidence
44:49of speaking in tongues. This is the
44:51place to confess your belief and get
44:53your legal right for the promise of the
44:55father in your life.
44:57>> Or maybe even beyond that, you need
45:00overcoming power. Or you need your mind
45:03to become clear and clarity to be in
45:06your life or peace and joy. So, first,
45:08if you need help in your salvation
45:10journey, would you have enough boldness
45:13in this court to just walk down to this
45:16altar area here standing like some are
45:19already here and just make your
45:21confession. I believe
45:24the Lord loves me
45:27>> and he paid the price for everything I
45:30need in my salvation. You need help with
45:32your salvation journey, don't hesitate.
45:34Come down right now.
45:36>> There you go. Come right there. You go.
45:37There's some that are coming. There you
45:39go.
45:41Even from the balcony, I'm talking to
45:43you.
45:44Need help in your salvation journey?
45:46It's not too far to make your way down
45:48and come on down here. This is your
45:50opportunity.
45:52Now, saints of God, I want you to
45:54absolutely understand
45:57that this is legally binding what we do
46:00here. We can't just walk out of here
46:02with no statement.
46:05What a waste of time and energy and
46:08God's presence and all the legality of
46:10what he has done for you. We need to
46:12make some confessions of what we believe
46:15today.
46:18Come closer, sis.
46:21Yeah, I know you're praying. I know
46:23you're praying. You're an intercessor. I
46:25can see that. What's your first name?
46:27>> Julie. My hands are cold, aren't they,
46:29Julie?
46:32How long can you hold ice? I'm just
46:34wondering right
46:38Julie a lot have discounted you but I
46:41see a deep compassion in your heart for
46:43others. And some have said the giftings
46:46that you have maybe are not enough to do
46:48this to do that. Wh what a what an
46:51accuser of the brethren that is trying
46:53to say that. I agree with you together
46:56right now. There's a calling upon your
46:58life. You are a soul winner and a prayer
47:01intercessor. And God is using your
47:03prayers to affect people's lives. You're
47:06standing in the gap legally because of
47:08what God has called and put in your
47:10spirit, in your heart. Father, let a
47:12renewed passion and what she's dealing
47:15with physically right now. I'm speaking
47:18a healing virtue. Father, give good
47:20gifts to your children and let a healing
47:22virtue come upon my sister.
47:28Come on, church. If you're ready to make
47:29a confession, would you join me in the
47:31altar? I'm going to get out of the
47:32microphone. I don't want to embarrass
47:34anybody. Would you would you come on
47:35down? I'm going to pray for as many as I
47:37can out of the microphone. In the altar,
47:39there's gifts of the spirit flowing
47:40here. There's healings and miracles. You
47:42just got to come down and confess or
47:44believe. Be a true eyewitness of what
47:47you know is in your heart and make that
47:49confession. If you're part of the
47:51community and maybe this isn't your home
47:53church, [music] we're just all children
47:55of GOD HERE. WHY DON'T YOU COME DOWN AND
47:57OBEY THE WORD OF GOD AS WELL? JUST COME
47:59ON down and receive the presence of God
48:01today. As they begin to sing, we begin
48:04to worship. Ministry, help me in this
48:06altar in the name of Jesus.
48:13[music]
48:15Our great defender,
48:19[music]
48:20our [singing] strong tower.
48:25>> [music]
48:25>> He's never lost a battle.
48:29He has never [music and singing] lost a
48:31battle.
48:34Our great defender, [music]
48:39our [singing] strong tower,
48:44he's never [singing] lost a battle.
48:48He's never lost a battle. [music] Our
48:51brace,
48:53our great defender,
48:57[music]
48:58our strong tower, [singing]
49:01he's never lost. [music]
49:05He's never lost a battle.
49:09[music] See our great defender.
49:11[singing]
49:14He's our strong tower. [music]
49:20He's never lost.
49:24He's never lost a battle.
49:28[music] He has never lost a battle.
49:33He has never lost a battle.
49:38He has never lost [singing] a battle.
49:43He has never lost a battle. [music]
49:48Oh, he's never lost a battle.
49:52He's never lost a battle.
49:57He's never [music] lost the battle.
50:02He's never lost the battle. [music]
50:06We listen to the sound. We listen to the
50:10sound
50:13of power on my [music and singing] lips.
50:17Jesus has broken [music] the curse.
50:21He [singing] has never lost
50:24a battle. Who are you? [music]
50:28>> Who are you? [singing]
50:29Mountain
50:30>> that you should not
50:32>> should not [music]
50:34>> Jesus defeated the darkness.
50:39He has never lost his
50:41[music and singing] lost
50:44battle. And he never will.
50:47[music] And he never will. He never
50:50will.
50:53And he never [music and singing] will.
50:54He never will.
50:57And he never will. He never [music]
50:59will. Will forsake you.
51:02>> And he never will. He never will.
51:04[music and singing]
51:04>> He never. He never will. He never will.
51:08He never will. [music]
51:09>> He never will. He never [singing] will.
51:12He never will. He never will.
51:14>> And he never will. He never will.
51:16[music]
51:16>> And he never will. He never will.
51:19>> I can hold on to his hand.
51:21>> And he never will. He never. [music]
51:23>> And he'll never leave me.
51:26>> And he never will. He never will.
51:28[music]
51:28>> And he never [singing] will. He never
51:30will. He never. Our great,
51:34our great [music and singing]
51:35defender,
51:39our strong tower.
51:43He has never lost [music] a battle.
51:46[singing]
51:48He has never lost our great, [singing]
51:53our great defender, [music]
51:58our strong.
52:00He [singing] has never lost.
52:02>> He has [music] never lost the battle.
52:05>> He has never lost [singing] a battle.
52:07>> He's never lost. [music]
52:09>> He's our great defender.
52:12>> Our great defender. [music]
52:15>> Let him be a strong tower. [singing]
52:17>> Strong tower.
52:19>> He's never lost a battle.
52:22>> Never lost a battle. [music]
52:24>> He's never lost a battle.
52:28Who are you bringing? [music]
52:31>> Who are you? [singing]
52:33>> Who are you?
52:37[music]
52:37>> Who are you?
52:40Are you Who are you? [music]
52:47>> Who are you? [music]
52:50>> You
52:52got to speak to your mountain. [music]
52:55Are you
52:57are you great? [singing]
53:01Who are you? [music]
53:11Never.
53:13He never [music] will.
53:21>> [music]
53:25>> I praise you, Lord.
53:29[music]
53:43See, you are [music] you
53:46[singing]
53:49>> should not follow. [music and singing]
53:53>> Jesus defeated
53:55Jesus. [music]
53:58>> He has never lost
54:01>> a battle. [music]
54:05[singing]
54:07And he never will. He never will.
54:11[music] And he never will. He never
54:13will.
54:16He never will. He never will.
54:21And he never [music] will. He never
54:23will. He never will. He never will. He
54:26never will. [music] He never will. He
54:29never will. He never will. He never
54:31will. He never will. He never will. He
54:34never will. And he never will. [music]
54:37He never. And he never will. He never
54:40will. Our
54:44great defender, [music]
54:48our strong [singing] tower.
54:52[music]
54:53He's never lost a battle.
54:58He's never lost [music] a battle. Our
55:01great
55:05He's my strong tower.
55:07[singing and music]
55:10He has never lost a battle. He's never
55:13lost a battle.
55:14>> He has never lost [music and singing] a
55:16battle.
55:26[music]
55:27Heat. Heat.
55:42[music]
55:50>> [music]
55:56[music]
56:00>> You are my [singing]
56:01champion.
56:04Giants fall when you stand. [music]
56:10Every battle [singing]
56:11you've won.
56:14I am who you say I [music] am.
56:18You crown [singing] me with comfort as I
56:22am seen
56:24in the heavenly [singing]
56:26place [music] undefeated
56:28with the one who has conquered it all.
56:33You are my [singing and music] champion.
56:38Giants for [singing] when you said
56:40undefeed
56:44[singing]
56:49[music and singing]
56:54[music and singing]
56:59[music]
57:02[singing]
57:04it all. You are [music] my champion.
57:11Giants [singing] fall when you stand on
57:14defeat.
57:16Every battle [music]
57:17you've won. I am who you say I am. You
57:21say [music] I am.
57:22>> You crown me with confidence. Crown me
57:26with confidence.
57:28I see
57:30in [music] the heavenly places to be
57:35with the one who I [music] am seeing.
57:39You are my [singing] champion.
57:43[music]
57:44Giants fall when you stand on defeat.
57:49Every [music] battle you [singing]