Intro:
1. Each segment of society has its own terminology:
a. computer terms (foreign to me)
b. medical terms (confusing,hard to understand)
c. mechanic terms (could fool me in a minute!)
2. The church is no exception...we use terms like
justification, sanctification, glorification, etc.
that are foreign terms to the average person who
has no church background.
3. Even we who attend church regularly often need
reminding of the meaning of terms...ALLOW ME
TO SHARE THREE OF THESE TODAY from the encounter
Jesus had in our passage.
I. LEGALISM (GOING BY THE LETTER OF THE LAW TO THE
EXCLUSION OF HUMAN NEEDS...NO ROOM
FOR ERROR, SIN, OR REDEMPTION)
1. These "religious caretakers" represent the
spirit of legalism in many churches today.
2. They wanted to TRAP Jesus..and thought they
"had Him" this time.
3. They had caught a woman in the very act of
adultery (not rumor..caught in the act)..and
welcomed the opportunity to bring her before
Jesus..(as a TEST)
4. "THE LAW SAYS (LEGALISM) such a one should be
stoned...WHAT DO YOU SAY, JESUS??"
a. if Jesus said Stone her, He would negate
all his teaching about forgiveness.
b. if Jesus said don’t stone her, he would be
guilty of breaking OLD TESTAMENT LAW...
and in their eyes not be credible as the Son
of God.
TRS: I thank God that Jesus used his Divine Wisdom
in dealing with this...let us see what He
did next:
II. MERCY (NOT GETTING WHAT WE DESERVE)
1. Did the Adulteress deserve to die? YES!!
2. But Jesus didn’tgive her what she deserved.
Get the picture...He stoops down, writes on the
ground as the legalists continue to press Him
for an answer (to stone or not to stone??)
He rises up and says "He who is without Sin, let HIM
cast the first stone."
a. not denying the law, yet making the point that
NO HUMAN BEING IS QUALIFIED TO CONDEMN ANOTHER
HUMAN BEING...WE HAVE ALL SINNED AND COME SHORT
OF THE GLORY OF GOD!
b. ONE BY ONE, THE STONES THAT WERE TO BE HURLED
AT THE DESPERATE WOMAN, WERE DROPPING TO THE
GROUND...AND THE LEGALISTS WERE WALKING AWAY
WITH THEIR HEADS HUNG IN SHAME...NO ONE WAS
QUALIFIED TO CAST THE FIRST (OR ANY OTHER) STONE!
trs: SHE DIDN’T GET WHAT SHE DESERVED (THAT’S MERCY)
BUT LET US SEE ONE OTHER IMPORTANT TERM:
III. GRACE (GETTING WHAT WE DON’T DESERVE)
1. GRACE and Mercy are two sides of the same coin.
2. Jesus looked at the woman after the accusers had
gone..saying "has no one condemned you??" She
answers "NO ONE, LORD"
...and here’s the GOOD PART: JESUS SAID "NEITHER
DO I CONDEMN THEE...GO AND FROM NOW ON, SIN NO
MORE.."
3. DID JESUS CONDONE ADULTERY?? NO WAY!!
4. DID JESUS ACT WITH COMPASSION? yes!!!
**THE ONLY ONE QUALIFIED TO CAST THE FIRST
STONE INSTEAD OFFERED MERCY AND GRACE...AND
THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS WOMAN, GUILTY AS SHE
WAS, TO START HER LIFE OVER....CLEAN AND FORGIVEN
5. ALTHOUGH IT’S NOT RECORDED, I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THIS
WOMAN EVER COMMITTED ADULTERY AGAIN! WHY??
BECAUSE SHE STOOD CONDEMNED..GUILTY..AND COULD DIE..
YET JESUS CHRIST GAVE HER NEW LIFE BECAUSE OF HIS
MERCY AND GRACE.
6. JESUS SEES THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE BEFORE THE ENFORCING
OF PRINCIPLES. HE NEVER NEGATES PRINCIPLES, BUT
HE OFFERS MERCY AND GRACE WHEN SO MANY OTHERS OFFER
NOTHING BUT LEGALISM.
CONCLUSION:
**GOD HELP US TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS AND LESS LIKE
THE LEGALISTS!!!*
**LEGALISTS REPEL PEOPLE FROM CHURCH
**MERCIFUL AND GRACE-FILLED PEOPLE ARE LIKE MAGNETS..
PEOPLE ARE DRAWN TO THEM...
**GOD HIMSELF IS THE ONLY ONE QUALIFIED TO JUDGE AND
CONDEMN...OUR JOB IS TO BE REFLECTIONS OF HIS MERCY
AND GRACE TO ALL THOSE WITH WHOM WE COME IN CONTACT.
invitation:
1. Perhaps you feel like your sin is too "dirty" for
God to forgive... re-read these verses...then
come to HIM and REPENT (TURN FROM) YOUR SIN
2. AND IN JESUS YOU WILL FIND MERCY AND GRACE TO HELP
IN TIME OF YOUR NEED.
3. Picture Him with outstretched arms...waiting to
receive you! LET HIM DO THE CLEANSING..YOU JUST
COME TO HIM...NOW...WHILE HE’S CALLING YOU!
