Legalism, Mercy, Grace Series

Intro:

1. Each segment of society has its own terminology:

a. computer terms (foreign to me)

b. medical terms (confusing,hard to understand)

c. mechanic terms (could fool me in a minute!)

2. The church is no exception...we use terms like

justification, sanctification, glorification, etc.

that are foreign terms to the average person who

has no church background.

3. Even we who attend church regularly often need

reminding of the meaning of terms...ALLOW ME

TO SHARE THREE OF THESE TODAY from the encounter

Jesus had in our passage.

I. LEGALISM (GOING BY THE LETTER OF THE LAW TO THE

EXCLUSION OF HUMAN NEEDS...NO ROOM

FOR ERROR, SIN, OR REDEMPTION)

1. These "religious caretakers" represent the

spirit of legalism in many churches today.

2. They wanted to TRAP Jesus..and thought they

"had Him" this time.

3. They had caught a woman in the very act of

adultery (not rumor..caught in the act)..and

welcomed the opportunity to bring her before

Jesus..(as a TEST)

4. "THE LAW SAYS (LEGALISM) such a one should be

stoned...WHAT DO YOU SAY, JESUS??"

a. if Jesus said Stone her, He would negate

all his teaching about forgiveness.

b. if Jesus said don’t stone her, he would be

guilty of breaking OLD TESTAMENT LAW...

and in their eyes not be credible as the Son

of God.

TRS: I thank God that Jesus used his Divine Wisdom

in dealing with this...let us see what He

did next:

II. MERCY (NOT GETTING WHAT WE DESERVE)

1. Did the Adulteress deserve to die? YES!!

2. But Jesus didn’tgive her what she deserved.

Get the picture...He stoops down, writes on the

ground as the legalists continue to press Him

for an answer (to stone or not to stone??)

He rises up and says "He who is without Sin, let HIM

cast the first stone."

a. not denying the law, yet making the point that

NO HUMAN BEING IS QUALIFIED TO CONDEMN ANOTHER

HUMAN BEING...WE HAVE ALL SINNED AND COME SHORT

OF THE GLORY OF GOD!

b. ONE BY ONE, THE STONES THAT WERE TO BE HURLED

AT THE DESPERATE WOMAN, WERE DROPPING TO THE

GROUND...AND THE LEGALISTS WERE WALKING AWAY

WITH THEIR HEADS HUNG IN SHAME...NO ONE WAS

QUALIFIED TO CAST THE FIRST (OR ANY OTHER) STONE!

trs: SHE DIDN’T GET WHAT SHE DESERVED (THAT’S MERCY)

BUT LET US SEE ONE OTHER IMPORTANT TERM:

III. GRACE (GETTING WHAT WE DON’T DESERVE)

1. GRACE and Mercy are two sides of the same coin.

2. Jesus looked at the woman after the accusers had

gone..saying "has no one condemned you??" She

answers "NO ONE, LORD"

...and here’s the GOOD PART: JESUS SAID "NEITHER

DO I CONDEMN THEE...GO AND FROM NOW ON, SIN NO

MORE.."

3. DID JESUS CONDONE ADULTERY?? NO WAY!!

4. DID JESUS ACT WITH COMPASSION? yes!!!

**THE ONLY ONE QUALIFIED TO CAST THE FIRST

STONE INSTEAD OFFERED MERCY AND GRACE...AND

THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS WOMAN, GUILTY AS SHE

WAS, TO START HER LIFE OVER....CLEAN AND FORGIVEN

5. ALTHOUGH IT’S NOT RECORDED, I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THIS

WOMAN EVER COMMITTED ADULTERY AGAIN! WHY??

BECAUSE SHE STOOD CONDEMNED..GUILTY..AND COULD DIE..

YET JESUS CHRIST GAVE HER NEW LIFE BECAUSE OF HIS

MERCY AND GRACE.

6. JESUS SEES THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE BEFORE THE ENFORCING

OF PRINCIPLES. HE NEVER NEGATES PRINCIPLES, BUT

HE OFFERS MERCY AND GRACE WHEN SO MANY OTHERS OFFER

NOTHING BUT LEGALISM.

CONCLUSION:

**GOD HELP US TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS AND LESS LIKE

THE LEGALISTS!!!*

**LEGALISTS REPEL PEOPLE FROM CHURCH

**MERCIFUL AND GRACE-FILLED PEOPLE ARE LIKE MAGNETS..

PEOPLE ARE DRAWN TO THEM...

**GOD HIMSELF IS THE ONLY ONE QUALIFIED TO JUDGE AND

CONDEMN...OUR JOB IS TO BE REFLECTIONS OF HIS MERCY

AND GRACE TO ALL THOSE WITH WHOM WE COME IN CONTACT.

invitation:

1. Perhaps you feel like your sin is too "dirty" for

God to forgive... re-read these verses...then

come to HIM and REPENT (TURN FROM) YOUR SIN

2. AND IN JESUS YOU WILL FIND MERCY AND GRACE TO HELP

IN TIME OF YOUR NEED.

3. Picture Him with outstretched arms...waiting to

receive you! LET HIM DO THE CLEANSING..YOU JUST

COME TO HIM...NOW...WHILE HE’S CALLING YOU!