Waterstone Church Sermon Podcast · Waterstone Church

In the Dirt

March 15, 2026·44 min·4 clips

Jesus tells the crowd, 'Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.'

This sermon from Waterstone Church examines the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery from John 8:2-11. Pastor Paul preaches to the congregation, framing the episode within a series called "Unlikely Encounters." He opens by recounting a personal story about Colorado residents and visiting Texans reacting differently to a herd of elk at a camp, using it as a metaphor for losing a sense of wonder toward familiar biblical stories. The sermon directly addresses two immediate questions from the text: the absence of the man involved in the adultery and the Old Testament command for stoning found in Deuteronomy 22:22. Paul cites a Gallup study showing 90% of Americans believe adultery is morally wrong. He argues that modern culture often minimizes sexual sin as merely a private, consensual choice, whereas Scripture presents it as a covenantal breach with devastating relational consequences. Paul shares an example from his past church where an affair between staff members caused widespread damage to families and the congregation. The sermon contends that a minimized view of sin stems from a minimized view of God's holiness, described as "holy, holy, holy." Paul explains the trap set by the Pharisees: if Jesus dismisses the law, he undermines his authority, but if he upholds stoning, he defies Roman law. Jesus responds by writing on the ground and then challenging anyone without sin to throw the first stone. The pastor speculates that Jesus was refusing to engage their flawed premise rather than focusing on what he wrote. He describes how the accusers left one by one, leaving the woman alone with Jesus, who tells her, "Neither do I condemn you; go now and leave your life of sin." A key insight is that Jesus turned the crowd's spotlight on the woman's sin into a mirror for their own. The sermon emphasizes that Jesus, the only sinless one present, offers mercy without minimizing the seriousness of sin, which he would later defeat on the cross. Paul concludes that people often identify either with the accusers carrying stones or the woman bearing shame, and the invitation is to either "put down our stones" or "put down our shame." The tone is pastoral, explanatory, and applicational, blending personal anecdote, scriptural analysis, and direct address to the congregation. Listeners interested in a detailed, pastoral exploration of a familiar Gospel story and its personal implications would appreciate this episode. Those seeking a purely academic or historical-critical Bible study might find the style too anecdotal and applicational.

As heard by us

A pastoral sermon that pairs mercy with accountability while warning that sexual sin is never just private.

The sermon opens with John 8 and moves quickly from the trap set for Jesus to a firm warning that sexual sin is not private. It argues, in plain language, that sin can reach marriages, children, and church life, and it treats God’s prohibitions as protection from harm rather…

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Why you'd press play

When you want grace that still names sin, this sermon keeps its footing.

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