It Should Have Been Me

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The One Who Should Be Stoned

Funny little true story as we get started this morning

in a San Diego court room. Two men were on trial for armed robbery.

An eyewitness took the stand, and the prosecutor moved carefully:

"So, you say you were at the scene when the robbery took place?"

"Yes." "And you saw a vehicle leave at a high rate of speed?"

"Yes."

"And did you observe the occupants?"

"Yes, two men."

"And," the prosecutor boomed, "are those two men present in the court room today?" Before the witness could answer the crowd was shocked to see the two defendants raise their hands.

Turn with me, if you would, to one of the most beautiful stories in Scripture

John 8:1-11,

1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their ownconscience, 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. 10When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

No doubt each of us is somewhat familiar with this story

The story of the woman who was caught in adultery.

We’ve read it many times and had our anger stirred as we’ve watched these self-righteous religious leaders degrading this woman, not for the sake of punishing her sin, but for the sake of finding something they could use against Jesus.

Would He side with the law of Moses and condemn the woman?

Or would He side with the woman and contradict the law of Moses?

If He was to say, “Let the woman go,” He would be showing a disregard for the law by allowing her evil, almost encouraging it.

But if He was to say, “Stone her,”

He would be giving the Pharisees something to accuse Him of before the Romans, because they was the only ones at this time who could legally condemn a person to death.

He would also be throwing His reputation of being a friend of sinners to the wind, therefore losing His position of high regard with the people.

How would Jesus answer these hypocrites?

It seems like a tough situation,

but we’ve all read with pride about the way Jesus handles it.

Those men thought they had Jesus;

they didn’t think He could get out of this one;

they thought that they had finally trapped Him.

But Jesus was not confused or unsure of how to handle the situation.

They had not left Him speechless and unable to bring an answer back to them.

As I picture this story in my head it causes me to want to smile as Jesus quietly bends down and begins writing in the sand, almost as if He isn’t even listening to these accusers.

And as I picture this story it's fun to see Jesus forcing them to keep pressing for an answer from Him.