Should Have Been Stoned

Should Have Been Stoned

Pastor Scott Rogers

John 8:1-11

If you were one of the persons involved in this story, which one of those roles would you have played out? The Adulterer, The Accusers, or The Forgiver?

The purpose of this question is to get you to think before you answer.

Its not comfortable for any of us to admit being either the sinner or the self-righteous is it?

That is because both are deserving of the same fate.

The lesson that Jesus teaches us this morning is that we are all in need of God’s forgiveness.

Look Where the event takes place.

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?

There is a scandal in the church.

"My Stars!" And its a doosy!

Someone recently made the remark, concerning church conflict and struggles,

"I wish I could find a church where there was not always some kind of trouble."

Yet we find in scripture whether in the Old Testament Tabernacle/Temple, or the New Testament Church of Jeruselem all were plagued with some kind of scandulous affair, conflict

or struggle.

My advice to anyone looking for a trouble-free church is that when you find it, stay away from it or you will mess it up.

The only trouble free churches that exist are in the backyards of most churches- They are called cemetaries.

In Jesus’ day it was no different.

Things were going well and everything was running smooth.

Because God was in the place!

Oh Hallelujah! Its not enough to have some dry service of ritual where a couple of songs are sung and then the preacher stands up to give some dry speech, the people in Jeruselem on this particular Sabbath were having a service! How do we know that? Three reasons.

1. Jesus was there.

If he’s not there you may as well stay home.

2. The people were there-

being fed the Word of God .

There was a huge crowd that day, as the Evangelist, Prophet, Preist King Jesus Christ was in the house, teaching, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Things couldn’t possibly get any better and in some people’s mind it didn’t, in fact it got worse. Why? Becuase of the third reason.

3. The Devil showed up-

Some people think that if you have an anointed service, you won’t have any problems, John Chapter 8 shoots that theory in the head.

In the midst of the anointed teaching of the Master he is interupted by somebody- a group of unruly people.

Who were they?

Well it was none other than the scribes and Pharasees who were there to stop Jesus from teaching on forgiveness because they had an illustrated message on the Law. It was entitled Death for Adultery.

They would demonstrate to the congregation the penalty for breaking God’s law against adultery by stoning a woman whom they had caught in the very act.

These were the authorities on the Word of God, the teachers and elders of the synygogue.

Now get this picture!

1. Is Jesus teaching and God moving.

2. Is some self-proclaimed experts of the Law, coming in and tearing up the place-

condemining everyone else, yet sin is rampant in their own lives.

But Pastor,"This woman deserved to die!"

"She was caught in the act!"

But where was her lover who was as guilty as she?

And how was she caught?

On video?

With hidden microphone in the bedroom?

Or with these preachers and teachers hidden somewhere in the dark watching the whole thing take place?

How can this be?

Satan doesn’t mind you coming out to church all dressed up and dignified- that don’t bother him one bit.

What he does not want is for you to get a Word!

He doesn’t want you to get hold of the Truth

- that you can be saved through the blood of Jesus Christ!

- that you can be forgiven of your darkest sins!

- that you can be delivered from every imaginable chain of bondage that there is!

- that you can be healed

- that you can be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Because if you come to church and get that, well that means trouble for the Prince of the air and for demonic forces that affect this world.

You don’t think that Jesus would go to a place where he was not needed or wanted?