A Stone's Throw Away

TITLE: A STONE’S THROW AWAY

SCRIPTURE: ST. JOHN 8:1-11

Have you ever done anything embarrassing before? Have you ever had an Embarrassing moment in your life? If we are honest, we have all had some embarrassing moments before. The woman found in our text this morning had such an experience. Unfortunately, her embarrassing moment was not something was paraded and seen by many.

• This woman goes from private passion to public spectacle in a matter of minutes

• Imagine being in her shoes

• Imagine being paraded through the streets like this woman

• How embarrassing

I doubt this women ever stopped to think that her sin would be found out. We usually don’t either. Our past can’t be hidden no matter what we think! Word always gets out…somehow. We are reminded in NUMBERS 32:23b “…BE SURE YOUR SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT.” God see’s everything we do.

Caught in the Act of Adultery – How Embarrassing.

• Dragged probably in night gown with nothing else

• Taken by force into a public gathering place

• Humiliated by her Sin

• Separated from anyone or lover to protect her

• Judged and sentenced to death without trial by self-righteous leaders

• Placed before the King of Kings who is Pure and Holy

This is how the Apostle John describes the opening scene of one of the most poignant and theological significant passages of scripture. Though the story reads like modern Soap Opera with immoral activities in which the affluent or privileged escape while the less fortunate are punished. Remember she was caught in the act, but only the woman was brought to judgment.

• At the core of this incredible story is what happens when a sinner is placed at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ

• This is the place where every person who calls themselves a follower of Christ has been and needs to go often

• It is also the place where every person must go in order to experience the incredible promise of eternal life

In the text John clearly identifies two different voices that speak to our situation in life —CRITICS and CHRIST.

• The voice of critics CONDEMN – CRITICIZE – DESTROY - MOCK, AND HUMILIATE

• Their method is to use any means available to exploit your weakness and your failures

This narrative begins early one morning when a crowd gathered in the temple courts to hear Jesus teach. The Feast of the Tabernacles has just come to an end, which meant great crowds would still be in Jerusalem. As Jesus teaches, he is suddenly interrupted by a crowd of men surrounding an embarrassed woman. The men are insistent on pushing their way through the crowd until they and the woman are standing before Jesus.

Who were these men? They are “TEACHERS OF THE LAW” and Pharisees. That meant they were well educated, well known, and reputed to be men of wisdom and high moral standards.

• If anyone had a question about the Law of Moses, these were the men who had the answers

• But although they were religious, they were not godly and their intentions on this day are not good

• They are PROUD - SELF-CONFIDENT – ARROGANT – RUTHLESS – CUNNING - AND THOROUGHLY HYPOCRITICAL

• As this narrative makes clear, hypocrites make the worst judges because zeal to condemn often hides an evil heart

It is obvious the Pharisees did not accidently catch a woman in the act of adultery. This was a planned attack to destroy her life and create a trap for the ministry of Jesus. We must be careful of the Critics, never have anything good to say.

• Church Growing – Still Criticize

• Bible Study Growing – Still Criticize

• Excitement in Sunday Worship – Still Criticize

• Pharisees did not like the fact Jesus had a following – they Criticized

• Pharisees did not like the fact followers of Jesus loved the Lord – they Criticized

Look at the text it is clear how they felt about Jesus. Suddenly, a group of Scribes and Pharisees stormed into the Temple, dragging a woman with them. They squeezed through the crowd, forcing the woman to stand in the middle. Then they said to Jesus, “TEACHER, THIS WOMAN WAS CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF ADULTERY. IN THE LAW MOSES COMMANDED US TO STONE SUCH WOMEN. NOW WHAT DO YOU SAY?”

John, in this gospel account, exposes the motive of this mob. They were not really concerned about her adultery and protecting the purity of society in their town. They wanted to trap Jesus by creating a situation where He would have to choose between His message of forgiveness and obeying the Old Testament laws handed down from Moses.

• Just as this adulterous woman had been used by her lovers for selfish reasons - these critics used her for their own personal agenda