A Woman, A Crowd, And Jesus

“A WOMAN, A CROWD, AND JESUS”

JOHN 8:1-11

INTRODUCTION: TO BE CONDEMING AND JUDGEMENTAL OF OTHERS AND NOT OURSELVES, IS AN ACT OF GROSS HYPOCRISY. WHEN IN REALITY IF THE TRUTH WERE TOLD, MANY OF US ARE JUST AS GUILTY THAN THE ONE THAT WE CONDEMN. FURTHERMORE, WHEN WE JUDGE OTHERS, WE ARE IN VIOLATION OF OUR LORD’S COMMANDMENT WHEN HE STATES LUKE 6:37, “JUDGE NOT, AND YE SHALL NOT BE JUDGED: CONDEMN NOT, AND YE SHALL NOT BE CONDEMNED.” NEVERTHELESS, WE ARE QUICK TO JUDGE THOSE THAT DON’T LOOK LIKE US, THINK LIKE US, DRESS LIKE US, WORSHIP LIKE US. WE ARE TOO ANXIOUS TO POINT OUR FINGER AT SOMEONE ELSE, BUT REFUSE TO POINT THE FINGER AT OURSELVES. WE WILL THROW STONES WITH PINPOINT ACCURACY, THEN HIDE OUR HANDS, PRESUMING TO BE INNOCENT. BUT, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, BEFORE WE STAND IN JUDGEMENT OF ANYBODY, BEFORE WE THROW STONES AT ANYBODY, I SUGGEST THAT WE TAKE A LOOK IN THE MIRROW, BECAUSE ALL OF US ARE GUILTY OF SOMETHING.

I. TEXT

JESUS HAD SPENT A GOOD PORTION OF THE NIGHT IN PRAYER, AND NOW GOES INTO THE TEMPLE EARLY IN THE MORNING TO PROVIDE SOUND INSTRUCTION TO THE CONGREGATION. THE TEXT SAYS THAT HE SAT DOWN AND TAUGHT THEM, DEMONSTRATING HIS PLACE OF AUTHORITY. IN THE MIDST OF THIS ATMOSPHERE OF WORSHIP, THE SCRIBES AND THE PHARISEES, ABRUPTLY INTERUPTS JESUS, BRINGING A WOMAN WHO WAS CAUGHT IN THE VERY ACT OF ADULTERY. ALLOW ME TO MOCK TIME MOMENTARILY AND STATE THAT YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF FOLK WHO HAVE NO REGARD FOR THE SANCTITY OF GOD’S HOUSE. THOSE WHO COME IN AND DISRUPT THE SERVICES BECAUSE IF THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT GOD’S HOUSE, THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT GOD’S PEOPLE.

NOTICE THAT IT WAS THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS THAT INTERUPTED THE SERVICE. IT WAS NOT SOME OUTSIDE MOB. AND THERE ARE THOSE IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE CHURCH WHO REFUSE TO FOLLOW PROTOCOL AND RESPECT AUTHORITY, WHO WANT THINGS THEIR WAY OR NO WAY. HEBREWS 13:17 STATES, “OBEY THEM THAT HAVE THE RULE OVER YOU, AND SUBMIT YOURSELVES: FOR THEY WATCH FOR YOUR SOULS.”

ALONG WITH THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES CAME A CROWD OF OTHER FOLK. THEY STATE THEIR CASE AGAINST THE WOMAN CITING THAT SHE WAS CAUGHT IN THE ACT. AS I STUDIED THIS PASSAGE, SEVERAL QUESTIONS RAN THROUGH MY MIND. FIRST, WHERE WAS THE MAN? SECOND, HOW DID THEY CATCH HER IN THE ACT? THIRD, WERE THEY ANGRY BECAUSE SHE WAS WITH SOMEONE ELSE AND NOT WITH THEM?

THEIR GOAL IN BRINGING THIS WOMAN TO JESUS IS STATED IN VERSE 6, THAT THEY MIGHT TRAP HIM;STONING THE WOMAN WOULD BE A FRINGE BENEFIT. THE CROWD WANTED TO SEE IF JESUS WOULD UPHOLD THE MOSAIC LAW, WHICH PERMITS THE EXECUTION OF ONE FOUND TO BE GUILTY OF ADULTERY. IF JESUS SAID STONE HER, HE WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF ROMAN LAW THAT PROHIBITS JEWS FROM PARTICIPATING IN CAPITOL PUNISHMENT. HE WOULD ALSO BE IN VIOLATION OF HIS LAWS CONCERNING GRACE. IF JESUS WOULD HAVE SAID LET HER GO, HE WOULD BE GUILTY OF VIOLATING THE MOSAIC LAW. YOU HAVE TO WATCH SOME FOLK. THEIR ONLY PURPOSE IS TO CAUSE PROBLEMS.

II. ALL ARE GUILTY

JESUS STOOPS TO THE GROUND AND WRITES IN THE DUST, AS IF HE DOES NOT HEAR THEM. THEY CONTINUE TO PRESS THE ISSUE. JESUS STANDS UP AND SAYS TO THE CROWD, WITH STONES IN THEIR HANDS, “HE THAT IS WITHOUT SIN AMONG YOU, LET HIM FIRST CAST A STONE AT HER.” AND HE STOOPED AND CONTINUED WRITING ON THE GROUND. THE QUESTION IS ASKED WHAT DID JESUS WRITE ON THE GROUND. ONE SCHOLAR SUGGESTS THREE POSSIBLE HYPOTHESIS. ONE, MAYBE JESUS WROTE THE SINS OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEE. SECOND, MAYBE HE WROTE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. THIRD, MAYBE HE WROTE A MESSAGE TO THE PHARISEE.

NOTICE JESUS NEVER CONDEMNS THE WOMAN. WHY? BECAUSE JESUS DID NOT COME TO CONDEMN THE WORLD, BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED. ALL OF US FROM THE PULPIT TO THE DOOR ARE GUILTY OF SOMETHING. ALL OF US HAVE SKELETONS IN OUR CLOSETS. SO IF JESUS DID NOT CONDEMN HER, NEITHER SHOULD WE.

THREE POINTS: FIRST, JESUS BESTOWED ON THE WOMAN MERCY INSTEAD OF JUSTICE. AS CHRISTIANS WE NEED TO HELP FOLK AND NOT HURT THEM. SECOND, HE FORGAVE HER. NO MATTER HOW BAD A PERSON MAY BE, CHRIST CAN FORGIVE THEM. THIRD, HE CHALLENGED HER TO CHANGE. HE SAID, “GO AND SIN NO MORE.”

III. CONCLUSION

IT IS MY PRAYER THAT WE WILL LOOK AT THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF OTHERS JUST A LITTLE MORE DIFFERENT. IT IS MY PRAYER THAT WE WILL LOOK AT OURSELVES BEFORE WE CONDEMN OTHERS. IT IS MY PRAYER THAT WE WILL BE MORE FORGIVING OF OTHERS. IT IS MY PRAYER THAT WE WILL HELP OTHERS SEE THEIR SHORT COMINGS IN A COMPASSIONATE MANNER IN ORDER TO HELP THEM TURN FROM THEIR WAYS AND FOLLOW AFTER JESUS. GO AND SIN NO MORE.