“AT THE POINT OF GRACE!”/JOHN 8:1-11/SHASTA WAY/11-17-02/A.M.
In the text for this morning we see a difficult situation. A woman has been taken in the very act of adultery. She has been literally dragged into the presence of Jesus. There is something frightfully wrong with this picture. First, the woman is being used as a pawn to further the anti-Christ ends of the Jewish leaders. Second, they are not half as interested in keeping the Law as they are in shafting Jesus. Third, where is the man? You know, it takes two to tango and one was as guilty as the other. Some have speculated that they set the woman up only to be apprehended so they could use her against Jesus. Something is wrong in this picture. But there is also something really right about this picture. You see, Jesus is there. He is not gulled or deceived by the duplicity of the crowd. He is not over a barrel with no alternatives. He is not stumped. This is a wonderful picture of grace. And it is at the point of grace that we learn some great lessons and see some great truths. Consider with me.
I. FIRST WE SEE FOES AND A FRIEND:
A. The foes were the religious leaders. They were specialists in Jewish Law.
1. But they were using Law as a weapon to condemn, to kill and destroy when God had intended it for the good of man.
2. Their motives were tarnished; their attitudes were godless; their hearts were hard; their minds were closed.
3. They were foes to the woman, foes to Jesus Christ, and in reality, foes to God.
B. But in the midst of that crowd of hostile, glaring, accusing countenances, was the kind and compassionate Friend, Jesus.
C. The world can be a hostile place. People can be cruel. When faced by formidable foes, take a hint from the Bible! Turn to your Friend!
1. Psalms 25:2 (NASB) “O my God, in Thee I trust, Do not let me be ashamed; Do not let my enemies exult over me.”
2. Psalms 27:3 (NASB) “Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident.”
3. Romans 8:31 (NASB) “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”
4. Isaiah 41:10-13 (NIV) “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you.’”
D. We all need a friend when the foe is overwhelming. In a painting, a boy is pictured as playing chess with the devil. The devil seemingly has him in checkmate. The game seems lost! Looking at the painting is a chess champion who said, “I can counter the devil’s move!” and demonstrated how he would save the boy and put the devil in checkmate. That’s what Jesus did! The foe seemed to have the woman, and Him, in checkmate – but with one good move, He turned the tables and set the foes to flight: “Let the one among you who is without sin cast the first stone.” Checkmate! Jesus – and the woman, won!
Not only do we see foes and a friend, but:
II. THEN WE SEE ACCUSATION AND ACQUITTAL:
A. They said, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”
B. Jesus turns the table and makes the accusers become self-accusers: “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Note two striking truths:
1. He did not set aside Law: He allowed that the sinless could cast a stone at her.
2. He did not condone her sin: He merely said, “If there is anyone here truly qualified to carry out the penalty of Law, let him do so. But you have to be without sin to do it!”
C. Contra their finger pointing vilification, Jesus shows compassion and extends the hand of mercy and grace.
1. This is not tantamount to endorsing her action; it is tantamount to endorsing her as a person.
2. Here is a perfect blend of justice and mercy. Justice allowed a stone to be cast but only by the innocent; mercy allowed that the only Sinless One would not cast that stone.
D. Let me illustrate this in another way: A girl was brought before a civil magistrate charged with speeding. The judge looked at the charge and asked, “How do you plead?” Knowing that she was guilty, she said, “Guilty, your Honor!” The judge said, “I fine you $100.00!” Then, stepping down from the bench, he removed his robe, took out his checkbook and wrote a check for $100.00 and paid the fine. You see, as judge he had to assess a fine — but as her father, he could pay her fine! Here she met the point of grace. Here she learned that justice can be fulfilled in mercy. So did the woman brought to Jesus. Jesus didn’t say she shouldn’t be stoned; He told the innocent in the crowd to carry that sentence out. All of them departed. Then, as her Friend and Savior, He acquitted her: “I don’t condemn you, either. Go and sin no more!” This was the point of grace. And that brings us to the ultimate lesson:
So we see foes and a friend; we see accusation and acquittal; but there is yet more:
III. FINALLY WE SEE MERCY AND MANDATE:
A. Hear the tenderness in His voice: “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” And then He said, “Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on sin no more.”
B. Note the balance:
1. The mercy: “Neither do I condemn you!”
2. The mandate: “From now on sin no more!”
C. Jesus never merely excuses sin; He never condones it; He never makes place for it; He never rationalizes it. He forgives and forbids it in the same breath.
1. He spoke as Paul did: Romans 6:1-2 (NASB) “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?”
2. He agreed with Peter: 1 Peter 2:24 (NASB) “and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.”
3. He recognized her wrong, forgave it and gave an opportunity to do the right from then on.
D. On one occasion while filming “Little House On The Prairie,” Melissa Gilbert forgot her lines. After several takes, it was obvious that she needed help. Michael Landon dismissed the entire cast and crew for lunch, but kept Melissa there. He worked with her patiently until she learned her lines. Then he looked right into her eyes and asked, “Will you ever let this happen again?” She, tearfully, and firmly replied “No, sir!” He said, simply and to the point, “Don’t!” He showed mercy, but connected a mandate. And you can be sure she never forgot her lines again – ever! This was a point of grace in her life.
In the text we see a woman who sinned; she fell short. There’s no denying or minimizing or softening that! But she met Jesus. Where she met Him was the point of grace in her life. Whenever you meet Jesus in your own life: in sorrow, in tragedy, in failure, in fear, in danger, in sin, in loss – that, in your life, is the point of grace. Grace is Him loving you when you don’t deserve it. Grace is not cheap or easy. Grace cost Jesus His life. But grace is free; grace is gratis grace is available without cost to you! And grace is waiting to touch your life right now! Grace is so amazing! It is amazing because it is sufficient for all we need. It is amazing because it is available to all the world at the same time. It is amazing because of the change it works in the life of those who receive it. Grace is amazing because it restores alienated sinners, fixes broken lives, heals broken hearts, assures of a blessed future. Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! You who are perhaps lost, can be found; you who are perhaps blind can see. All because of Amazing grace. At this moment we are at the point of grace. Will you receive it as you turn to Jesus?
Illustrations from various emails and from a tv interview with Melissa Gilbert
