Verses Used:

• John 8:1-11
• Leviticus 20:10
• Ephesians 2:8-9
• Galatians 2:16

• Grace is God’s unmerited favor. Grace means that we are in good with God even though we don’t deserve it.
• Guilt can be a positive thing for us, a gift from God, but, it can also be a very harmful thing that does damage to our hearts.
• Healthy guilt lets us know when we have done something wrong, something that caused harm to others or to ourselves.
• Healthy guilt leads us to repentance and forgiveness.
• Unhealthy guilt leaves us feeling trapped in condemnation.

• Your relationship with guilt will dramatically affect how you live and treat others.
• Self Punishment: Some people dwell on past mistakes and refuse to forgive themselves, believing they must suffer for what they’ve done.
• Keeping Score: We sometimes like to view others through a lens of guilt when God has already forgiven them.
• Manipulation: We guilt people into doing what we want them to do.
• God is not a manipulator. God motivates through grace - not guilt.

• Jesus removes the woman in our reading from public shame. Grace cancels out guilt, and grace leads to transformation, not permission to sin.
• Grace is what saves us and grace is what sustains us.
• Living in Grace
• If we cannot receive grace from God and others, we will not extend it to others.
• If we live with a self-righteous heart or attitude, we will struggle very much to show grace to other people.
• Grace becomes not just a formal doctrine but a felt reality. No one is too low, too far gone, too needy - too anything - to worry about not fitting in.

• Do you think unhealthy guilt is a good motivator? Why or why not?
• Which is harder for you, to receive grace or extend it to other people? Why?
• What was the desired outcome of Joe confessing to his youth group? What was the actual outcome?
• When you hear that value, the phrase Grace over Guilt, what is your response?