The Woman Caught in Adultery – John 7:53 – 8:11

In his sermon, Dr. Steve Watts begins a new series addressing the troubling divide in American society and how the Church, rather than being a healing force, is often perceived as contributing to that division. He laments the perception—sometimes accurate—that the Church is hypocritical, judgmental, or politically aligned in ways that contradict the Gospel. Rather than offering political commentary, Dr. Watts emphasizes that the focus must return to the core of Christian faith: the compassion of God as revealed in Jesus Christ. Using the story of the woman caught in adultery from the Gospel of John, he illustrates how religious leaders—both then and now—often get distracted by enforcing rules or choosing sides, while ignoring the central truth of God’s love and mercy. Jesus’s statement, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone,” serves as the sermon’s focal point, revealing the radical compassion that should define the Church. Dr. Watts warns against the modern Church becoming like the Pharisees, more concerned with control than compassion. He urges believers, especially in churches like his own, to reject judgmentalism and embrace the transformative, unifying power of Christian compassion—not as a neutral stance, but as a courageous and active choice that reflects God’s heart. Compassion, he concludes, is the main point of both the passage and the Christian life.