Caught In The Act
Of
Compassion
Text: John 8: 1-11
Intro: Of all the accounts mentioned in the New Testament concerning Christ’s dealings with people, the account just read from our text is among my favorites. Not only was this woman’s life being wrecked by her sin, but she was forced to endure public shame as well. Yet in spite of this woman’s wicked and lurid past, Jesus extended compassion to her. That’s not to say that He condoned her wickedness. He didn’t. But in His matchless wisdom, Jesus knew this woman didn’t need another critic; she needed someone who cared.
Another thing I find amusing about this account is the fact that it was the religious crowd of that day who was condemning this poor sinner. They were the very ones who should have been trying to minister to her. But they had no time for that. They were too busy touting their strict observance of the Law and trying to find fault with Jesus to show compassion to the likes of this wicked sinner.
But such was the way of the religious crowd of Christ’s day. Jesus once rebuked them for overlooking the more important aspects of the Law, when He said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith…” (Matt.23: 23a). These self-righteous scribes and Pharisees cared nothing for upholding the righteousness of the Law. They wanted Jesus’ blood; and if they had to stone this poor wretch in the process; well, that was just too bad.
In this account we will find that not only did Jesus rescue this poor woman from the religious crowd, who condemned her, but He also redeemed her from the sin that contaminated her. For you see, here, Jesus is caught in the act of compassion.
Theme: Christ’s compassion is seen in:
I. THE WOMAN’S GUILT
A. She Was Guilty According To The Religious Leaders.
John 8: 1 “Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, 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?
6a This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him…”
B. She Was Guilty According To The Religious Law.
1. The Law specifically forbade this sinful practice.
Ex.20: 14 “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
2. The Law’s sentence was death for both parties.
Deut.22: 22 “If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.”
NOTE: [1] This woman was guilty, plain and simple. She was plainly due the penalty prescribed by the Law. Please notice that Jesus never denied this woman’s guilt in the matter of adultery, nor that the prescribed penalty was not due her. However, Christ’s love and compassion sought her deliverance, not her death.
[2] There is another thing I see happening here. This poor woman was being forced to face herself and her sin. That is a necessary first step in salvation. One must realize that they stand condemned before God, and worthy of His righteous judgment. It is interesting to note that this lady never uttered a word of refutation when these religious leaders accused her. She was broken, humiliated, and humbled.
[3] People respond to guilt in many different ways. But just because one vehemently denies their guilt doesn’t change the facts. Apart from Christ, we are all guilty, and under condemnation.
The scene was San Diego Superior Court. 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 court today?” At this point the two defendants sealed their fate. They raised their hands.
Tom Blair, “San Diego Union,” quoted in Reader’s Digest.
II. THE WRITING ON THE GROUND
John 8: 6b “…But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.”
A. This Writing Is Of Unknown Content.
1. Perhaps Jesus wrote how these men had twisted the Scriptures.
a. These guys acted as though guilt rested solely upon the woman.
John 8: 5 “Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?”
b. The Law itself proved them wrong.
Lev.20: 10b “…the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.”
NOTE: [1] If these men had caught this woman in the act of adultery, she obviously had a male partner. Why was the man not also publicly accused? Why was he allowed to escape punishment?
[2] There was really only one purpose behind this sham; that was to trap Jesus. “This they said tempting him, that they might have to accuse him…” (John 8: 6a).
2. Perhaps Jesus wrote about the compassion and mercy of God, of which they had remained silent.
Ps.86: 15 “But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.”
Ps.111: 4b “…the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.”
NOTE: [1] If this religious crowd had been operating on the basis of righteousness, they wouldn’t have handled this situation with such insensitivity and harshness. Plato once said, “To do injustice is more disgraceful than to suffer it.”
[2] This dear woman didn’t need condemning; she needed converting. She didn’t need public humiliation; she needed help. This lady didn’t need stoning; she needed saving.
3. Perhaps Jesus wrote down these men’s particular sins.
Jer.17: 13 “O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water.”
NOTE: [1] This religious crowd professed themselves to be spiritual leaders of their day, when in fact, they possessed no real spiritual substance. The idea is much like this true story.
The Queen Mary was the largest ship to cross the oceans when it was launched in 1936. Through four decades and a World War she served until she was retired, anchored as a floating hotel and museum in Long Beach, California.
During the conversion, her three massive smokestacks were taken off to be scraped down and repainted. But on the dock they crumbled. Nothing was left of the 3/4 inch steel plate from which the stacks had been formed. All that remained were more than thirty coasts of paint that had been applied over the years. The steel had rusted away.
When Jesus called the Pharisees “Whitewashed tombs,” He meant they had no substance, only an exterior appearance.
Robert Wenz
[2] The fact is, these men had rejected the God they claimed to worship and serve by rejecting His Son. They rejected Jesus in spite of the numerous proofs He gave that He was the promised Messiah. Perhaps Jesus simply wrote the above verse in the dust for them to see.
B. This Writing Possessed Unquestionable Conviction.
1. Jesus then gives a heart-searching answer.
John 8: 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.”
2. As conviction lay heavily upon their conscience, these men turned and walked away.
John 8: 9 “And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, 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.”
III. THE WONDERFUL GIFT
A. This Woman Received Christ By Faith.
John 8: 10 “When 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?
11a She said, No man, Lord…”
NOTE: This woman could have chosen to refer to Jesus in any number of ways. She could have referred to Him as “teacher,” or “rabbi.” But she called him “Lord.” During this ordeal she had seen something in Jesus she had seen in no other man. Faith had dawned upon her heart.
Once to every man and nation
Comes the moment to decide
In the strife of truth or falsehood
For the good or evil side.
But to every man there openeth
A high way and a low
And every man decideth
Which way his soul shall go.
- James Russell Lowell
B. This Woman Received Forgiveness.
John 8: 11b “…And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee…”
NOTE: No condemnation—what a wonderful truth. It is the natural result of salvation, and the forgiveness of one’s sins. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…” (Rom.8: 1a).
C. This Woman Received A New Future.
John 8: 11c “…go, and sin no more.”
NOTE: Once this woman was in bondage to sin. But now a brighter future awaited her. She would no longer live as a slave to sin, but as a servant of the Savior.
Theme: Christ’s compassion is seen in:
I. THE WOMAN’S GUILT
II. THE WRITING ON THE GROUND
III. THE WONDERFUL GIFT
