John 8:1-11
1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 At dawn He appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around Him, and He sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing Him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with His finger. 7 When they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
John 8:1-11 JESUS OFFERS NEW BEGINNINGS
SPRINGFORD BAPTIST CHURCH: July 30, 2023.
Today’s Scripture presents us with a powerful awareness of God’s love expressed in Jesus and His willingness to forgive and to offer new beginnings.
When we are asking, “WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?”, I wonder how willing we are to support new beginnings in the lives of people we know.
Jesus longs for people to be set free from the hold of sin and to step into the freedom of His grace and healing power.
I know of someone who has recently confessed publicly that he has an issue with alcohol. He has seen that his addiction has hurt his family. He wants to change. He wants a new beginning. This will require the support and love of those around him. Jesus offers new beginnings for every one of us.
If we have tended to speak critically of others and with a sharp tongue then Jesus offers us a new beginning.
If we have been selfish in the use of our time and have not made time to respond to the needs of others, then Jesus offers us a new beginning.
If we have been inclined to notice and judge the faults of others and not to admit our own, then Jesus offers us a new beginning.
Really, when you think about it, an accurate image of church is a hospital where we are all needing ongoing treatment. Everyone of us has sin in our lives and for every one of us Jesus offers new beginnings.
We will look more closely at John 8:1-11 to explore an answer to the question, “WHAT WOULD JESUS DO”?
People come at dawn, (vs.2a) eager to hear Jesus’ teaching. These people are prepared to listen to Jesus. He has gained a reputation for remarkable miracles and profound teaching.
All the people in the temple courts gather around Jesus, waiting to hear what He has to say, ready to listen. Jesus sits down to teach them and it seems that gets interrupted. Yet, what is taught is a lesson never to be forgotten.
The teachers of the Jewish law and the Pharisees bring in a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. It is likely that they were treating her roughly and dragging her along, not at all concerned about her humiliation. They had chosen not to keep her in private custody while they spoke to Jesus, but to expose her to public disgrace. They made her stand before the group. (vs. 3)
This sin of adultery would not have been committed alone, but there is no man in sight. Provision must have been made for him to escape.
We learn that the intent of all this was to trap Jesus. The accusers say to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” (vss.4,5)
The trap was that the Romans, who ruled over the Jews at this time, did not allow the Jews to carry out death sentences. If Jesus approved this, He would have been in conflict with the Romans. If He did not support capital punishment, He would have been seen to be unsupportive of the Jewish law.
We do not know what Jesus wrote on the ground (vs.6), but this action speaks of careful consideration and not rushing to respond.
When Jesus does speak, everyone would have been straining to hear what He was going to say. Everyone was listening expectantly. And what does Jesus say as He straightens up to stand?
“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (vs.7)
Let that sink in… Whenever we find ourselves judging or condemning someone else, we need to hear these words of Jesus. It is not that any of them or any of us is without sin.
Jesus responds to this woman, not with condemnation, but with compassion. Jesus wants to forgive her.
The accusers realize that none of them are without sin. They have listened enough to hear this truth. We read,
“At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.” (vs.9)
Do you catch the significance that only Jesus was left there with the woman?
Only Jesus, the perfect Son of God, is without sin. Only Jesus can be the perfect sacrifice for our sin.
As I was reading this, I was struck by the fact that those who leave one by one had recognized their sin, but they did not stay to receive forgiveness from the only One who could provide it, Jesus.
They walked away from Jesus, our Saviour.
Only the woman is left. Probably trembling and overwhelmed by the whole situation.
Jesus, God’s Son speaks tenderly to her when He asks, “Woman where are they? Has no one condemned you?” (vs. 10)
She confirms the reality, “No one, sir”. (vs. 11 a)
Hear the words of Jesus, “Then neither do I condemn you.”
We have all sinned. Others may know about it or not, but God knows. God does not stand wanting to condemn us. God waits to forgive us out of His heart of love and mercy.
The teaching of Jesus does not end there.
Jesus does leave the woman and each of us with the responsibility and challenge of life change, “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (vs. 11b)
Forgiveness yes, but accountability to live in a new way.As we are listening for God in all of this, we can see that both forgiveness and the power to overcome sin are gifts from God out of His immense love for us.
What have you heard from God today?
Have you heard that God loves you and wants to forgive you?
Have you heard that even when other people condemn you and judge you, God in His love wants to forgive you?
Have you been challenged that none of us in judging another person is without sin?
And have you heard that God is urging You to receive the grace needed to leave sin behind and to live in His grace every day?
Have we also heard that as Jesus offers people a gift of new beginnings, so can we.
You and I can speak the truth that Jesus will support people in seeking a new beginning and if we are willing, we can walk with them in living that new beginning.
We will need to be willing to admit that we too struggle with consistently living in new ways. We can give hope when we acknowledge that only as we rely on Jesus can new beginnings emerge.
We can also bring encouragement that we have known what it is to fail in our desire for new beginnings and we have needed to go again to Jesus for forgiveness and restoration.
When we think about Jesus’ loving response to people, we can see in His words and attitude with this woman that He does not focus on her sin, but on her as a person.
What does this have to teach us?
Will we long for people to be set free and to step into the new beginnings that God can make possible for them.
This is the attitude of Jesus. This is what Jesus does.
Practically speaking, when people admit that they are struggling with overcoming what has a grip on them, how will we support them?
We can pray for them.
We can notice when progress is made and affirm that.
We can acknowledge that we too struggle and need God’s help, not pretending that we are without sin.
We are in this together. We can lift each other up and work together towards the new beginnings that God invites us to embrace.
This will only happen if we regard each person not with judgment, but with love and compassion as Jesus does!