Intro: On March 22, 1824 an incident took place in Madison County, Indiana, which came to be known as the Fall Creek Massacre. Six white men murdered nine Seneca and Miami Indians and wounded another. Among the nine dead were three women and four children. The six men were apprehended and tried and some were executed. One of the men named John Bridge Jr. was sentenced to death by hanging for his part in the massacre. He was to be executed on June 3, 1825. His father, John Bridge Sr. and another man named Andrew Sawyer, who was John Bridge Jr.’s uncle, were also to be executed that day. John Bridge, Jr., along with a large crowd, witnessed the hangings of his father and uncle as the crowd waited expectantly for a pardon from the governor. With no sign of a pardon, a sermon was preached as the crowd waited expectantly. Finally, John Bridge, Jr. was lead to the gallows and the rope was lowered over his head. But as the men waited for a signal, a cheer arose from the back of the crowd. A stranger rode forward and looked the condemned man in the face. "Sir, do you know in whose presence you stand?" Bridge shook his head. "There are but two powers known to the law that can save you from hanging by the neck until you are dead, dead, dead; one is the great God of the Universe, the other is J. Brown Ray, Governor of the State of Indiana; the latter stands before you..." Handing over the written pardon, the governor announced, "You are pardoned." In an instant, what had looked like a hopeless situation became a door of hope. John Bridge Jr. went back home, settled down, opened a dry goods store and died peacefully, fifty-one years later! I told that story to ask this question: Can you imagine the fear that must have gripped the heart of that young man as he watched his father and his uncle die, knowing that he was next. Can you imagine the terror as he was led onto the gallows and that noose was placed around his neck? It must have been a moment of terror like few have ever experienced! But, I know one person who had experienced that feeling. This poor sinful woman, whose story is related in this text, she knew that kind of fear. As she is led trembling into the presence of Jesus, she knows in her heart that she is about to die a horrible death by stoning. However, her path had led her into the presence of "the great God of the universe". And, when she met Him, everything changed, forever!
She was caught in the act of Adultery, dragged possibly naked by force into a public gathering place. She was humiliated by her sin, separated from anyone to protect her, judged and sentenced to death by self-righteous leaders, and placed before the King of Kings who is pure and holy.
This is John’s description of the opening of this Biblical scene. It is possibly one of most emotional and theologically significant passages in the New Testament. (Significance of it mission from early MSS) (Some say it is not inspired because this periscope or portion of John does not appear in the earliest of manuscripts. I believe it was removed because of the possibility of making Jesus look soft on sin.)
As do many of the instances in the Bible this passage yells soap opera, soap opera, full of immoral activities injustice, abuse. At the core of the story is what happens when a sinner is placed at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the place every person must go in order to experience the promise of eternal life. It doesn’t matter whether you sin is a socially unacceptable or acceptable one. Socially unacceptable include adultery, murder, stealing, etc. Socially acceptable are gluttony, gossip, and greed. Everyone must come to the feet of Jesus to experience His mercy and grace.
I. Voices
In our text John identifies two distinct voices that speak to our situation in life, critics and Christ. The voice of critics condemn and criticize, destroy, mock, and humiliate. Usually their method is to use any means available to exploit your weakness and you failures. It is obvious that 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. John not only identifies the voices but also clearly shows us their motives. There was no genuine concern about her adultery and protecting the purity of their community. They wanted to trap Jesus by creating a Kobayashi Maru for you Star Trek fans an unwinnable situation. They wanted to trap Jesus in a situation that would cause Him 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. They recognized that Jesus was a threat to their little empire that they had built by exploitation of people and false teaching for personal gain.
This story reveals that we all face situations where different voices compete for our attention. We fail to recognize that the world or the crowd from which we so often seek approval and affirmation really doesn’t care about us. We are just tools to be used and discarded as needed to advance someone’s personal gain. Like the Pharisees we are all guilty of pointing out the failures of others while ignoring our own in order to advance up the invisible ladder of social status.
I recently read a book about the circus when it traveled to small towns by train. The author described in detail the unofficial hierarchy of the traveling circus. From the ring master through various performers down to the roadies who set up the tents, everyone knew their place on the food chain. Even the freak show performers or side show acts created a system of evaluation their peers. The three legged man out ranked the bearded woman who trumped the man with the crab claw hands.
As I read the book I couldn’t help thinking that you don’t have to join the circus to experience the cutting edge of judgment; just spend some time with religious people. All of us at one time or another judge people by the color of their skin, the brand names of their clothes, type of car, their accent, athletic prowess, education, intelligence, musical ability, religious background, and the list goes on.
Are you a tether? Do you have a daily quiet time? Do you watch R rated movies? Do you attend a Christian school or the public schools? Have you ever looked at pornography? Are you a Republican or a Democrat? Are you spirit filled? Do you speak in tongues? Are you divorced? Are you one of the good looking people, or did you get hit with the ugly stick a few times?
When labels placed on people override the Love of Christ toward that person how do you respond? I am not nor does this story suggest that we ignore sin and the damaging affects upon people’s lives, but the Scripture does teach that using other people as a stepping stone is offensive to a holy God. The most offensive sin described in this story is not the adultery; it is the malice, arrogance, and ignorance of the Pharisees to use the sin, of another person for personal gain while ignoring the sin that resides in their own heart.
The voice of the critic seeks to condemn you by exploiting and exposing all your failures. In contrast, the voice of confronts our sin with love and provides a better way to live.
Which voice has your ear? The voice you listen to will determine the life you choose.
II. Choices
This passage is used by many to justify their sin. Whey sin is confronted some arrogantly say, “Who are you to call me a sinner? Don’t throw stones at me unless you are without sin.” This attitude completely misses the point of this story. The woman in the story is guilty. The depravity of the Pharisees did not make the woman any less guilty. The Law of Moses did call for strict punishment for adultery, but the Law also provided a way of forgiveness. The Bible contains examples of sinners who repented and received forgiveness. King David is probably the most recognizable example, but he is not the only one who escaped the death penalty for failing to keep God’s moral code. God even established cities of refuge for people who had committed murder.
Please notice that Jesus does not excuse this woman’s sin neither will he excuse yours or mine. There is not mention of a difficult childhood, and abusive husband. There is no appealing to victimization that is the scapegoat in our culture so that no one has to take responsibility for their sin. Jesus doesn’t even ask who the man was with whom she was committing adultery, so that the punishment would be fair. He doesn’t cal what the woman did a personal choice that is different than what He would prefer. The Lord Jesus identifies her actions as sinful.
So what can we learn from this story?
First we learn that our response to sin should be to admit our sinful condition before a holy God. The Bible is clear on this point. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3.23)
Second we learn that we should acknowledge that sin is destructive. Some attempt to present sin as not big deal. It is just having fun. They say, “My sin is my personal business and doesn’t hurt anybody else.
Shame, embarrassment, and destroyed lives are not laughing matters. How many marriages did this woman destroy? I wonder how the children of parents who divorced because their daddy was having an affair felt about this woman. This story allows us to see the harmful effects of a lifestyle of sin.
The third lesson revealed on how to respond to sin is to accept the compassion offered by Christ. Jesus is the Savior who rescues us from our sin. He declared that he was the light of the world. I believe that John must have remembered this story when he wrote 1 John 1:7 “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. And this we know, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all our sin.” The only one with the power and authority to condemn declared that He would not condemn her, but He extended to her holy compassion. That is what it means to represent Christ. Without arrogance or malice gently and tenderly extend the compassion of Christ to others.
This compassion was not just a onetime free pass that enabled here to continue her previous lifestyle. It was not a get out of jail card, so she could continue playing the sin game. The compassion of Jesus gave her a new life. She was not the lowest ranking member of the freak show any more. She was no longer living by the standard of the critics who make arbitrary rules about a person’s worth. She was a child of God freed from the bondage of sin and society’s ranking system to walk in the light of Jesus Christ.
Conclusion: Jesus offers compassion and forgiveness for our sins not excuses.
In the NIV translation of this passage it captures very well what he voice of comfort and compassion says.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
