Seeing As Jesus Sees [Part 12]

It's release day of Pastor Alan's latest book, Seeing as Jesus Sees, and only for the remaining days this week.

When you order the book, let us know, and we're including the free audio book. This week only, offer expires Friday at seeingasjesussees.org. That's seeingasjesussees.org. I've watched people at times, Daniel, in their sin try to act like it was no big deal. That's not how Jesus sees it. And I've watched people in their sin get so stuck there and so ashamed.

They're condemning themselves. And that's not how Jesus sees it. That's Pastor Alan Wright. Welcome to another message of good news that will help you see your life in a whole new light. I'm Daniel Britt, excited for you to hear the teaching that's coming straight from the brand new book that's out now, Seeing as Jesus Sees, written by Pastor Alan Wright. This book has just released. It's just launched, and you can get your hands on it today, right now, how a new perspective can defeat the darkness and awaken joy. In fact, when you get the book right now and you let us know, we're happy to send you, as our way of saying thanks, a daily reading guide, a study guide, a free copy of the audio book, and the companion video course. Again, this is all our thanks to you for supporting the launch right here during release week of Pastor Alan's new book and this important message, Seeing as Jesus Sees.

In fact, that's the name of the website, seeingasjesussees.org, where you let us know that you'd like to have these extra resources as an added bonus. Picking up where we left off last time and the story of Pastor Alan trespassing and the lawman coming down to where you were swimming in the quarry. Well, here comes a police officer high above us, walking down the trail. He'd seen Josh's car parked and at the back gate, and he'd driven up top, and he watched us splash around. He could see it all. Still, just weirdly, we're crouching behind the rocks like outlaws, and he comes out and says, boys, he says, come with me.

And this is the thing. Josh was no goody two shoes. He'd had a few encounters with the police. I wasn't surprised that he was in trouble, but I was surprised, Daniel, that I was in trouble. Josh says, never let me live down what happened next.

It's more embarrassing than the trespassing offense. When the officer told us to go with him, I'm embarrassed to say it, but I said to the policeman, do you want me too, sir? If you were to meet my old friend, Josh today, and you would ask him about me, he'd probably make a mocking face and go, you want me too, sir? I might as well have said, let me introduce you to Josh. He's a hoodlum.

He's swims here all the time. Take him away for life, but surely I can't be in trouble. I'm, I'm too good. The cops like, yes, you too. So I was sure I'd rot in jail forever and have my life ruined. Bob just, he didn't even think about it. He headed out to Montana and went camping and said, I doubt they'll come looking for me. Eventually the DA let me off the hook. Uh, my dad talked to him for me and I was still able to become a minister. Yeah. Court never did look for Josh.

He spent about five years skiing out west and then got a PhD. It's such a silly story, but I was horrified at the moment because isn't it different? Interesting how differently we can view our trespasses. You know, some deal with guilt feelings by treating sin lightly. No big deal. Everyone's doing it.

And that was Josh. You know, we can justify sin all life's hard. I need some pleasure. Well, we can redefine it. Who's to say it's wrong. It feels okay. It must be okay. But then, you know, others of us cope with guilt feelings by judging sin to be a serious problem in others, the bad people, not ourselves.

Do you want me to, sir? Can't apply to me. We can hide behind hypocrisy. You know, pride I'm better than other people or tip the scales through self-righteousness.

See, my good outweighs my bad. In other words, without authentic encounter with Jesus, people become either rebellious or religious. And I guess the rebellious drive off to Montana believing they don't have to obey the religious, stay home and convince the DA that they're too good to be prosecuted. So two different pathways of dealing with sin, unless we see our sin through Jesus's eyes, unless we encounter Jesus. And with Jesus, you know, he sees it in the third way, not rebellion or religion.

He sees it through what he came to do for us. That's why I think he told a story about a father who had two sons. Both of them sinned egregiously, but in completely opposite way. The younger we call the prodigal.

He went to a faraway land, blew his dad's fortune on wild living. But the older stayed home and tried to be perfect, claimed to have never disobeyed. So the younger tries to find happiness and rebellious pleasures.

The older tries to find fulfillment in prideful self-righteousness, but neither attempt worked. So with Jesus, there's a third way of dealing with predicaments of sin, not through rebellion, not through religion, but through redemption. It is Jesus's beautiful way. So when you begin to ask the question, Jesus, how do you see me? And when I'm at my worst, how do you see me when I've been caught? How do you see me in my sin? It's helpful to look at how Jesus viewed people who were caught in sin.

And maybe that's what leads us to the story of a woman who's caught in adultery. So throughout Daniel, the book, I like to take readers and in this broadcast, take our listeners to the scene as if you are not trying to so much learn some religious principles, but to look through Jesus's eyes, watch the scene develop through his eyes. And you can learn a lot when you look through Jesus's eyes in the stories of the gospel.

It's a powerful, beautiful way to read the Bible. That's Alan Wright, and we'll have more teaching in a moment from today's important series. Wondering what you need to do to find more freedom, wonder, and joy? What if you don't need to do more as much as see more? What if victorious breakthrough and enduring transformation comes not by striving, but by seeing? For years, Pastor Alan Wright has been practicing a new spiritual discipline, a simple prayer. Jesus, how do you see this?

It's brief enough for a single breath, but deep enough for lasting life change. It's a prayer Christ loves to honor because the Savior came to open blind and blurred eyes. Jesus is after all the light of the world. In his new groundbreaking book, Seeing as Jesus Sees, Alan Wright leads readers into a fresh kind of Bible study where they're invited in close side by side with the Savior to see themselves, others in the world through Jesus's eyes. There's good news on every page because divine revelation and spirit-filled living is a reserve for the spiritually elite.

Every Christian can live with wide-eyed wonder and spirit-revealed vision. For a limited time, when you order a book from Amazon or your favorite retailer, you'll receive over $100 of bonus resources. To order the book, visit SeeingAsJesusSeas.org or come to our website, PastorAlan.org, and you'll also receive a free six-week Seeing as Jesus Sees companion video series from Pastor Alan, along with a study guide and a daily reading plan.

So place your order today with your favorite online book retailer and visit our website for instructions on receiving all the extra resources. Christ's call to discipleship isn't an invitation to strive to do what Jesus would do, but to come and see what Jesus sees. So pre-order your copy of Alan Wright's newest book and discover and start seeing yourself, others, and the world through Jesus's eyes. The book Seeing as Jesus Sees, where Pastor Alan confesses his trespasses, quite literally. I got to say, though, I've always wanted to swim in a quarry.

Was it worth it? Well, they see it as how I got let off the hook and didn't ruin my life. Yes, but that is not Pastor Alan advising anyone to climb over a no trespassing sign on a locked gate. I have a proper private property sitting with Pastor Alan. And maybe you, as you think about we're looking inward in this section of the book and speaking of sin, and maybe you feel sad because you've done it again.

You've blown it, maybe even exasperated it yourself. Maybe you can't imagine why anyone would even associate themselves with you. Yet the radio preacher sitting across from me will be quick to tell you that Jesus is always hanging out with the likes of us.

What's with that? What does Jesus see in us? And you have a section where you talk about He sees it all, and then you say He sees it not at all. And so is that a turn of a phrase? Is that creative license from the author's point of view?

What do you mean by that? So to understand how Jesus looks on sin means that He both sees it, I think, more weighty than we see it. But then He sees us more liberated from it than we could ever see ourselves. And so to see the sin for what it is, but then to see ourselves washed. So He's looking at it through His eyes, the Savior's eyes who came to redeem us.

And that's what we need from Him. So you read stories in the Scripture and try to look through His eyes. It's like we have the Holy Spirit. When we say, Jesus, how do you see this? Jesus, how do you see me? We're inviting the Spirit of Jesus to do what Jesus promised to do.

And that is to bring the light of life to us so that we don't stumble in the darkness. We're inviting the Holy Spirit to do what Paul said, to enlighten the eyes of our heart. And so it's a very important prayer to say, Jesus, how do you see me?

How do you see me? I've watched people at times, Daniel, in their sin, try to act like it was no big deal. That's not how Jesus sees it. And I've watched people in their sin get so stuck there and so ashamed. They're condemning themselves. And that's not how Jesus sees it. How does Jesus see it? Well, let's just take a moment and go with a crowd and see yourself in the midst and get close enough to try to look through Jesus's eyes as they bring this woman who was caught in the very act of adultery. Caught. Caught.

Seems like that in today's world, politicians, celebrities cruise past infidelities unscathed, but not so a first century Jewish woman. So you got to pause here. Notice the tremor in your own hands and heart and feel your soul as it knows something of that kind of remorse and angst. Put yourself there as if you are not just in the crowd, but what if you are that woman and there's no hiding place and your sins in the open. Your soul feels more naked than your body. Feel your hands feeling hiding your face as you bend towards the dust.

Feel your arms and your legs curling inward, longing to ball up and not be exposed. And you know, you're trembling not just for the shame of the moment, but for the stain that you fear will linger for a lifetime. And then maybe the Pharisee who has brought up the whole accusation quotes, Deuteronomy in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. And of course, no one tends to bother to quote the whole context that says that if a man's found lying with the wife of another, both of them shall die. Nobody brings that up, but there's no accomplice there to join you to half your shame. It's just you alone, guilty, quivering. I just want you to envision yourself as if you're that woman, because we're learning to see ourselves through Jesus's eyes. They're trying to trap Jesus here. Maybe you recognize that eventually or early on when the Pharisees say, what do you say, Jesus?

And maybe you realize I'm just a pawn in this thing. And you grow quiet. You listen, you wait, you listen, you wait, because in Jesus's words, hang life and death for you.

It's silent. Savior doesn't speak. Instead, he bends down, stoops to the dirt. Now he's lower than you, low enough to look up at your downcast face, low enough to get dirty. You're the one scheduled to get dusty today, but here's Jesus in your place. You know, he's a great man, but now he looks so much like a servant. And you watch as the stooped Messiah writes with his finger on the ground and you strain your eyes. What's he writing? Is it the 10 commandments?

You look at the stony outer court floor of the temple. Remember how God wrote the law on stone. Is this Jesus imitating the law giver? You hear all these voices. What do you say?

Answer us, say something. Religious leaders are riding the rabbi hard and you watch then Jesus stands up and you feel the atmosphere change when he rises from the dust. And finally he speaks and you hear him say, let the one without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her. One good sentence from the Savior's mouth in the face of your accusers. And suddenly you feel a breeze of hope.

And maybe you can begin to breathe again. So the teacher refuses to excuse your sin, but he also refuses to single it out. It's as if he said, if we're going to punish sin today, then every sinner here will be punished. He's leveled the playing field. No way to describe how suddenly you don't feel so alone. You know, this is what I'm wanting everyone to think about.

Oh, put yourself there. What does it feel like to see the Messiah go lower than you and then stand up for you? And the religious leaders grow quiet. Jesus stoops right in the ground again.

Your face is hung low, but it's time. Did he, did he just smile at you? Did he maybe wink at you?

Did maybe there just be a little twinkle in his eye towards you? What's he writing now? Oh, I just love to conjecture about this. Are those the names beside the commandments? Who's listed in the jumble of names next to the seventh commandment? You shall not commit adultery. Other than the names of the ones who've done the very thing. Maybe it's the names of the mistresses of which they've had their own names. The mistresses of which they've had their own offenses. He keeps writing in the dust until all the accusers are gone.

All the rocks have fallen to the ground. And when he stands up again, now your life stands still. He gently lifts your head. For the first time on this day of shame, he addresses you. He asks two questions that change your life. Two questions that empower you to see your sin from Jesus's point of view. And his questions aren't really about you. Questions are about the accusers.

Where are they? Has anyone condemned you? Anyone here left to condemn you at all? And all the attention's off your shame to your accusers that have now left. And you have to say no, Lord. No, Lord. Only one person left who could curl accusations at you.

One person with the authority to pronounce judgment on you. And he says, nor do I condemn you. Go and sin no more. And just envision this still. You're envisioning yourself as this woman.

You walk from this scene. Could have marked your last day on earth, but you realize he's given you new life and you'll never be the same. And in this moment of deepest shame and the horror of being found out, you've experienced genuine peace. And then you realize you do want to live a completely different life and it dawns on you.

This is what authentic change feels like. This is the meaning of repentance. Daniel, I just love that story. I hope our listeners envision themselves there being this woman, that that's a way to look at yourself through Jesus's eyes. Because Jesus didn't say no big deal.

Everybody slips up now and then. So he's not excusing sin. And he's not, on the other hand, saying the law has condemned you and therefore I can do nothing for you. It's just, what a story. Only God, only Jesus, God in the flesh could do this and be this for us. And it just shows if you want to see yourself through Jesus's eyes when you're worse, not only is this a good story to go to, but it's just good to say, Jesus, how do you see me? And I think what you realize is, yeah, he sees our sin as horrific, but he also sees his redemptive work as being all pervasive. And that's why we can leave the presence of Jesus without feeling condemned. What a story.

Jesus, how do you see me? It's a great question to ask. It should give you a way to live with a renewed security and confidence. And that's part of the principles that are taught in this book. It's a brand new one that Pastor Alan, seeing as Jesus sees, but there's something you can do right now today. And you'll get a wonderful load of resources as our way of saying, thanks. You'll receive a free audio book, a daily reading guide from us, a study guide, and a companion video course from us is our thank you for supporting the launch of Pastor Alan's new book and the important message contained here. All of this is over a hundred dollars in value at seeingasjesussees.org or pastorallen.org.

Either way, just come there and let us know. We're back in a moment with our parting good news inspiration to see as Jesus sees in just a moment. Wondering what you need to do to find more freedom, wonder, and joy?

What if you don't need to do more as much as see more? What if victorious breakthrough and enduring transformation comes not by striving, but by seeing? For years, Pastor Alan Wright has been practicing a new spiritual discipline, a simple prayer. Jesus, how do you see this?

It's brief enough for a single breath, but deep enough for lasting life change. It's a prayer Christ loves to honor because the savior came to open blind and blurred eyes. Jesus is after all the light of the world. In his new groundbreaking book, Seeing as Jesus Sees, Allen Wright leads readers into a fresh kind of Bible study where they're invited in close, side by side with the savior to see themselves, others in the world through Jesus's eyes. There's good news on every page because divine revelation and spirit-filled living is a reserve for the spiritually elite.

Every Christian can live with wide-eyed wonder and spirit-revealed vision. For a limited time, when you ordered a book from Amazon or your favorite retailer, you'll receive over a hundred dollars of bonus resources. To order the book, visit seeingasjesussees.org or come to our website, pastorallen.org, and you'll also receive a free six-week Seeing as Jesus Sees companion video series from Pastor Alan, along with a study guide and a daily reading plan.

So place your order today with your favorite online book retailer and visit our website for instructions on receiving all the extra resources. Christ's call to discipleship isn't an invitation to strive to do what Jesus would do, but to come and see what Jesus sees. So pre-order your copy of Allen Wright's newest book and discover and start seeing yourself, others, and the world through Jesus's eyes. Back here now with Pastor Alan and our closing inspiration directly from the new book, Seeing as Jesus Sees.

Here's Pastor Alan Wright. How does Jesus see our sin? Well, first he sees it. He really sees it in all of its life-robbing power and all of its idolatrous ugliness.

He sees it in all its dark deception. He sees our sin to the depths, and his heart breaks, and he grieves, and he longs for our freedom. But it isn't despairing to think of how deeply Jesus sees our sin.

It's reassuring. I love the words of Jay Apacker in his classic book, Knowing God. There is tremendous relief, and knowing his love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery can disillusion him about me and quench his determination to bless me. So how does Jesus see our sin?

Well, he sees it, but then he sees it not at all. Isaiah 43 25, When God forgives sin through Christ's atoning work, God remembers our sins no more. Jesus's sacrifice is not partial. Christ is not partial. It's full.

That's the picture. There's no one left to condemn. As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. So next time you get caught trespassing and hear the accuser's voice condemning you, pause and think of the Messiah who stooped for a woman in the dust, and then ask Jesus, how do you see my sin? And when you have him open your spiritual eyes to the wonders of his mercy and advocacy, you'll be swimming in waters deeper and clearer than any quarry lake. And with all the accusing voices silence, your heart can rise with gratitude.

Your head can lift with confidence as you also go and sin no more. Thanks for listening today. Visit us online at PastorAlan.org or call 877-544-4860.

That's 877-544-4860. If you only caught part of today's teaching, not only can you listen again online, but also get a daily email devotional that matches today's teaching delivered right to your email inbox free. Find out more about these and other resources at PastorAlan.org. That's PastorAlan.org. Today's good news message is a listener supported production of Alan Wright Ministries.