Conversation Not Condemnation | Kyle Thomsen

“Jesus loves you just the way you are.”

Sounds comforting, right? But what if it’s only half true?

This week, in Encounters:  We walk through one of Jesus’ most scandalous moments in John 8:2–11—a moment dripping with tension, shame, grace, and truth.

Before we meet the woman caught in adultery… Before Jesus kneels in the dirt… Before the stones hit the ground… We confront the most common lie people believe about God.

It’s not a bold-faced lie. It’s subtler. Safer. Easier to swallow. It sounds like love, but it leaves you stuck. Because half-truths are the most dangerous lies. As Anurag Shourie wrote,

“A half-truth is even more dangerous than a lie. A lie, you can detect at some stage, but half a truth is sure to mislead you for long.”

This sermon will challenge the lies we tell ourselves: 🌀 “I’m fine.” 🌀 “I’ve got it under control.” 🌀 “I don’t want to gossip, but…”

And ultimately, the one lie that keeps us stuck in spiritual neutral:

"God loves me just the way I am." Without hearing the second part: "…but He loves you too much to leave you that way."

In a moment where condemnation felt inevitable, Jesus offered something greater—a conversation that changed everything. No stones thrown. No shame piled on. Just grace. And truth. In full.