Gtcotr/ss072626
Let’s go back to the year AD29, give or take a year or so. It was one of the most wonderful and powerful times in the history of man. Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, was about 31 years old and had gained a lot of fame and recognition as a religious Teacher among the Jews. His popularity was such that it irritated the established religious and political leaders of the day. I am referring to the Pharisees and the Sadducees. They hated Jesus and wanted to do whatever they could to diminish His popularity and get Him permanently out of the way.
In a moment we will be reading from the Gospel of John, chapter 8. Allow me to set the scene before we read.
It is a mid-autumn morning in the city of Jerusalem.
The Feast of Tabernacles had just concluded the evening before.
The controversy concerning Jesus had been brewing all week and the religious leaders felt they were losing control of the people.
Many people believed Jesus was the Messiah or at least a Prophet sent by God.They had never heard anyone teach this way before.
But the religious leaders could not understand why Jesus had not been arrested yet … something had to be done about Him.
They decided to entrap Him. They knew He was kind, gracious, merciful, and forgiving – maybe they could use that against Him.
John 8
2 Now early in the morning Jesus came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.
3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,
4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.
5 “Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”
6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”
8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
There are four possible places to stand in this story. One place is a place of observation and the other three are places reserved for participants.
First is the group of people who gathered to listen to Jesus. The innocent by-standers who were The Congregation of Christ. They are observing all that is going on, watching and listening to the arguments and waiting to see what Jesus would do. Perhaps some stayed and maybe some left as soon as the trouble started. Maybe they had their own opinion but for the most part they remain silent.
Second is The woman who is being publiclyAccused. Evidently, she is forced to stand,looking guilty, and it is reasonable to assume that she was. But no doubt she was tricked and trapped in this scheme. Guilty, exposed, embarrassed, she was unable to defend herself.
Third were The Accusers. They saw the woman’s sin clearly but apparently had difficulty seeing their own. This was a group of men who cared nothing for the law or for the lives they were ruining. This was more about them. The nature of an accuser must lend every accusation to suspicion. It is reasonable to ask yourself some questions: what is their goal and what do they have to gain?
Then last is Jesus … this is who I’d want to be in the story.
Jesus did not allow the accuser’s determination to dictate His response.Passion is persuasive but it does not justify purpose.
Jesus did not react but rather took His time and considered His response. He was conscious of everyone in the situation, including you this morning, and the lessons each would learn.
Also of note: Jesus did not condemn the woman for her sin, and neither did He reveal the accuser’s sins. Jesus is not in the condemnation or accusation business. Be watchful of those who are!
Sometimes the people who learn the most from how we handle a difficult situation aren’t the people involved in it – they’re the people standing by, watching and learning – from the disciples to the innocent, uninvolved bystanders. And most of the time that’s who we are …
What can we learn from this account?
Jesus does not condone sin or condemn sinners.
What the Law could not do, Grace did(Romans 8).
Grace separates the sin from the sinner. Grace forgives, encourages, and sets back on track.
Beware of accusers.
It appears that all the men who accused the woman were sinners. What did they have to gain?
Remember, Joseph did not publicly accuse Mary, even though he could have (Matthew 1:19).
People who talk bad about others to you, will talk bad to others about you.
The Bible calls Satan “the accuser” (Revelation 12:10).
Don’t do Satan’s work … repent and stop condemning yourself.
Then go and sin no more. There is nothing else you can do.
Think before you speak.
How can you make it better? WDJD?
Remember – those innocent bystanders, the ones who aren’t involved? They might be the ones who stand to benefit the most. And, the prisoners are always listening. (Acts 16)
This message is not meant to make you feel justified when you’re accused but rather to make you think twice before accusing someone else … even when you know they were wrong.
Very few times in life will you find yourself as the accused or the accuser, most of life will be spent as an uninvolved observer, trying to decide what did Jesus do?
