“He Wrote in the Sand”
Pastor Dan Peters
October 18, 2026
John 8:1 “But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.” Luke 21:37 “And in the day time He was teaching in the temple; and at night He went out, and stayed in the mount that is called the Mount of Olives.”
John 8:2 Early in the morning He came again to the temple. All the people came to Him, and He sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So, what do You say?” 6 This they said to test Him, that they might have some charge to bring against Him. Jesus bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask Him, He stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more He bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
v. 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So, what do You say?”
Leviticus 20:10 “If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.”
Deuteronomy 22:22 “If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman. So, you shall purge the evil from Israel.”
Three characters in today’s story:
1. The Pharisees
2. Jesus
3. The woman
v. 6 “This they said to test Him, that they might have some charge to bring against Him.”
Three characters in the story:
1. The Pharisees
2. Jesus
v. 6 “Jesus bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask Him, He stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more He bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.”
1. Every man has an unwritten divine law within him or her —the conscience.
1. Conscience is a voice.
2. It tells you right from wrong.
3. It is the design of the Creator for your benefit.
1. Every man has an unwritten divine law within him or her —the conscience.
2. It bears witness to God’s law within us.
Romans 2:15 “Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another…”
God speaks to us
1. Thru His creation
2. Thru the pages of the Bible
3. Thru our consciences
Jeremiah 17:10 “I am the Lord Who searches the heart, Who tests the inner depths to give to each person according to what he deserves…”
1. We all have a conscience.
2. Our conscience is either a megaphone or a whisper.
Titus 1:15 “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” Hebrews 10:2 “…the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.”
Hebrews 10:22 “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience…”
Hebrews 9:14 “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” “And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last…”
1. We all have a conscience.
2. Our conscience is either a megaphone or a whisper.
3. Jesus is pure kindness.
v. 9 “and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now sin no more.”
Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”
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“Forgive Generously”
Pastor Dan Peters
October 4, 2026
Matthew 18:21 “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven. 23 Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26 At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 28 But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. 32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 “This is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Question –
Answer –
Illustration –
Application –
1. Peter comes to Him with a question; v. 21 “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
2. Jesus’ answer; v. 22 “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven.”
3. Jesus illustrates His point with the King and one of his servants; one of his debtors; vs. 23 – 34
4. Jesus applies the lesson; v. 35 “This is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
1. Peter offers the max; v. 21 “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
1. Peter offers the max.
2. Jesus understands. No one understands like Jesus. He’s a friend beyond compare; Meet Him at the throne of mercy; He is waiting for you there.
No one understands like Jesus When the days are dark and grim; No one is so near, so dear as Jesus– Cast your ev’ry care on Him!
1. The king; v. 23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents of gold was brought to him.”
One talent = 6,000 denarii
One denar = one day’s wages
1.The king; v. 23
2.The servant; v. 28
“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 29 His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ 30 But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.” v. 32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers until he should pay back all he owed. 35 “This is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Blessing # 1 – Forgiveness = cancelation of a debt.
Ephesians 4:31 “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and quarrelling and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
- Blessing # 1 – forgiveness = cancelation of a debt.
- Blessing # 2 – forgiveness means I have to look back.
- Blessing # 3 – forgiveness means I’m acting in the place of God.
- Blessing # 4 – forgiveness is like a well-running car.
Luke 7:47 “Wherefore I say unto you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”
“Humility Vs. Pride”
Pastor Dan Peters
September 27, 2026
I Samuel 17:4 “And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span (9 feet 9 inches tall). 5 He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze (125 pounds). 6 And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. 7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam (22 feet long), and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron (15 pounds). And his shield-bearer went before him. 8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.”
I Samuel 17:17 “And Jesse said to David his son, “Take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain (2/3 of a bushel); and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers (two days food for a small group). 41 “And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained (scorned) him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, Whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hand.”
Goliath – Pride
David – Humility
Proverbs 8:13 “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate.”
1. Until you allow God to bring down your pride, He will not be glorified with your life.
2. Until you allow God to fill you with the Spirit of humility, He will not be glorified in your life.
James 1:22 “But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.”
The Sisters of Pride
1. Self‑importance
2. Stubbornness
3. Defensiveness
I Peter 5:5 “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.
James 4:6 “…God resists the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
1. He was an errand-boy v. 17-20
2. He isn’t a pretender; vs. 34-37
3. His successes are God’s successes and not his own; vs. 38 – 39
4. He doesn’t brag; vs. 46
5. He is able to trust God; vs. 45-47 “The battle is the LORD’s.”
Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 Who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth…”
“Reverence for God”
Pastor Dan Peters
September 20, 2026
I Peter 1:17 “If you call “Father” the One Who judges everyone impartially according to what they have done, you must live in reverent fear as long as you are strangers in a strange land. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things like silver or gold that you have been ransomed from the worthless way of life handed down to you by your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or defect.”
Vss. 3 – 12 – you are rejoicing because your faith is being tested – so, hope …
Vss. 13 – 16 – as obedient children, be holy because God is holy.
Vss. 17 – 20 – walk in reverence “… live in reverent fear…” I Peter 1:17 “If you call “Father” the One Who judges everyone impartially according to what they have done, you must live in reverent fear as long as you are strangers in a strange land.”
John 15:18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love his own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world despises you.”
I Peter 1:17 “… you must live in reverent fear …”
I Peter 1:15 “… But as He Who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
I Peter 1:17 And if you call on Him as Father Who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, live [conduct yourselves] with reverent fear throughout the time …”
I Peter 1:17 “Reverence for God”
1. Fear that frightens Genesis 3:7 “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. 8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”
I John 4:16 “God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as He is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us.” v. 17 “If you call “Father” the One Who judges everyone impartially according to what they have done, you must live in reverent fear as long as you are strangers in a strange land.”
Hebrews 2:14 “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” v. 17 “If you call “Father” the One Who judges everyone impartially according to what they have done, you must live in reverent fear as long as you are strangers in a strange land.”
“A Heart of Obedience”
Pastor Dan Peters
September 6, 2026
I Peter 1:14 “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as He Who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
“Identity”
I Peter 1:14 “A Heart of Obedience”
1. Who are you?
I Peter 1:14 – “As obedient children…”
WHO ARE YOU?
I Peter 1:14 God calls us – “obedient children.”
I Peter 2:5 He calls us – “living stones.”
I Peter 2:11 He calls us – “strangers and pilgrims.”
I Peter 4:10 He calls us – “good stewards”
Ephesians 2:1 “And you were dead in your offenses and sins, 2 in which you previously walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all previously lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath …”
Obedient child: Trusting, open-hearted, sincere, willing to please his or her mom and dad.
I Peter 1:14 “A Heart of Obedience”
1. Who are you? I Peter 1:14 – “As obedient children…” 2. Obedience begins with a good father. Matthew 16:13 “Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah [son of Jonah]! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven.”
I Peter 1:14 “A Heart of Obedience”
1. Who are you? I Peter 1:14 – “As obedient children…”
2. Obedience begins with a good father.
3. Obedience happens with a spirit of reverence.
Obedience is reverence. “He’s not safe; but He’s good.”
Peter calls believers “obedient children” not because obedience is the first thing God demands, but because reverence is the first thing God deserves.
“A Heart of Obedience”
1. Who are you? I Peter 1:14 – “As obedient children…”
2. Obedience begins with a good father.
3. Obedience happens with a spirit of reverence.
So, what will you do this week?
“A Quiet Mind”
Pastor Dan Peters
August 30, 2026
The Bible is made up of
Short stories – 175
Poems – 250
I Peter 1:13 “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being soberminded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
“I thought my mind had settled the question. But it wasn’t until my heart agreed that I finally felt whole.”
Proverbs 23:7 “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”
Daniel 1:8 “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank…”
I Kings 8:17 “And it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.”
The Christian Heart
The first 12 verses of I Peter 1 are just one very long sentence in the original. It’s the longest sentence in the New Testament.
v. 3 – You’ve been born again unto a living hope.
v. 4 – Your inheritance is reserved for you in heaven.
v. 5 – You’re kept by the power of God through faith.
v. 6 You rejoice even though you face severe trials.
v. 7 Your trials are your preparation for your glory.
v. 8 You love Somebody you’ve never seen.
v. 10 – Your salvation is the same salvation as the one preached by the prophets of the OT.
I Peter 1:13 “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being soberminded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
A Christian is a person whose mind and heart are dominated by the ideas and words of Jesus Christ.
HOPE
1. Your mind needs your attention.
2. Your mind needs to be sober.
Mark 5:3 “He lived among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, not even with a chain. 4 He had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but had snapped the chains apart and broken the shackles in pieces. No one could tame him. 5 He kept screaming night and day among the tombs and on the mountainsides, and kept cutting himself with stones.” 8 Jesus had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 Then Jesus asked him, “What’s your name?” He told him, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us.” 14 So the people went to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus and saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there dressed and in his right mind, they were frightened.16 The people who had seen it told them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and the pigs. 17 So they began to beg Jesus to leave their territory.”
I Peter 1:13 “preparing your mind for action.”
1. Your mind needs your attention. “Never act in a panic; nor allow man to dictate to you; calm yourself and be still; force yourself into the quiet of your closet until the pulse beats normally and the scare has ceased to perturb (cause anxiety). When you are most eager to act is the time when you will make the most pitiable mistakes.” (F. B. Meyer)
I Peter 1:13 “…being sober-minded.” 1. Your mind needs your attention.
2. Your mind needs to be sober.
l Peter 1:13 “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being soberminded [clear-minded], set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
I Peter 5:8 “Be soberminded; be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
I John 2:1 “My little children, I’m writing these things to you so that you might not sin. Yet if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father—Jesus, the Messiah, the One Who is righteous.”
“The Angel Who Couldn’t Turn Away”
Pastor Dan Peters
August 23, 2026
I Peter 1 and John 20
I Peter 1:10 “Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels desire to look into.”
“Bewildered”
John 20:1 “On the first day of the week, early in the morning and while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and noticed that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran off and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved (the Apostle John). She told them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put Him!” 3 So Peter and the other disciple took off for the tomb. 4 The two of them were running together, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 Bending over to look inside, he noticed the linen cloths lying there, but didn’t go in. 6 At this point Simon Peter arrived, following him, and went straight into the tomb. He observed that the linen cloths were lying there, 7 and that the handkerchief that had been on Jesus’ head was not lying with the linen cloths but was rolled up in a separate place.”
5 “Bending over to look (he stooped down)” The Apostles (John and Peter) were BEWILDERED
“The Angel Who Couldn’t Look Away”
1. “LORD, of all the things I know about You, is grace the most important thing?”
2. “LORD, why is everything with You dependent upon the Cross of Your Son?”
Matthew 26:50 “…Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once send Me more than twelve legions of angels?”
3. “LORD, how can suffering bring about eternal life?”
II Corinthians 5:21 “God made the One Who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that God’s righteousness would be produced in us.”
Acts 20:28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which He has purchased with His own blood.”
4. “LORD, how does salvation by grace work?
II Corinthians 5:21 “God made the One Who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that God’s righteousness would be produced in us.”