Joh 8:3-11 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. “Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 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. 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.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 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. 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?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
Here we have a woman that has been caught in the very act of adultery. To be honest we don’t know where the man was. He could have fled the scene, or there could have been some other reason that he was not there. The law called for both to be stoned to death. De 22:22 “If a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then both of them shall die-the man that lay with the woman, and the woman; so you shall put away the evil from Israel.”
There are times that we may feel like we have committed too many and too horrible of sins to be forgiven of. This woman had to be feeling as if her back was to the wall. But rather than looking up to the executioner she was looking up at mercy.
I will try to keep this brief. Jesus told the Pharisees and scribes that if any were without sin that they could cast the first stone. There was only one there that could cast that first stone. His Name is Jesus because He is the sinless Son of God! However, He didn’t come to stone. He came to forgive.
There were none were left to stone her. They all went out one by one beginning with the oldest. Now we see the grace of God at work :Joh 8:10,11 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? “She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
I used to say that Jesus forgiving her was liberal. I used to say that Jesus telling her to go and sin no more was conservative. But really it isn’t either one. It is grace. Jesus wasn’t really worried about whether He had liberal, or conservative credentials. He came to save and change sinners.
Most of us really like the part that says, “he who is without sin let him cast the first stone.” That is grace. Praise God for the grace that we can receive to be forgiven of our sins. At one time in my life I thought that mine were too many and too bad to be forgiven. But praise God for the blood of Jesus that is on the mercy seat!
On the other hand, when Jesus tells her to go and sin no more that is grace as well. We don’t often hear people quote that part of the verse. It would be the grace that would keep her from going back into a lifestyle of adulterous living and sexual sin. Praise God for the sanctifying, transforming grace that will take us out of lifestyles that are in rebellion against God. If not for that grace you would not be reading this from me. There are times that the enemy will try to offer us the temporary pleasures of sin to rob us of the life that our Lord desires for us to have. When that happens respond with the word of God and ask the Holy Spirit to help you to keep moving forward with the Lord Jesus Christ away from sin and into His glorious presence.
I pray that you have received that grace of forgiveness. If you haven’t He will forgive you right where you are right now. If you have then ask him to continually pour out His grace upon you that keeps you moving forward in a joyful relationship with Him, rather than returning to a life filled with sin, guilt, and shame.
Let Us Pray
Lord we thank you for the grace that You give that allows us to be forgiven of our sins and restored and reconciled to an eternal relationship with You. Lord today we ask you to continually fill us with your Holy Spirit and keep us from returning to our old sinful destructive habits. Thank You again for the grace that forgives, and for the grace that sustains and empowers.
In Jesus Name
Amen
Thanks to all of you who love us and pray for us. That is the greatest thing that anyone could do for anyone else!
Your Friend/Kinfolk
Preston
