Emulating the Forgiveness of Christ: Jesus and the Adulterous Woman

Introduction

Good morning. Today, I want to talk to you about one of the most powerful and beautiful aspects of Jesus' ministry - His forgiveness. As Christians, we are called to emulate the forgiveness of Christ in our lives. And to understand this better, we will explore the story of Jesus and the adulterous woman found in the Gospel of John, chapter 8.

John Chapter 8: 1-11

At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said 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?”  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.  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.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

 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. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Setting The Scene

To set the stage, let us travel back in time to a dusty street in Jerusalem, where Jesus was teaching a crowd of people.

A group of religious leaders - The Pharisees brought before Jesus a woman caught in the act of adultery, hoping to test him.

They asked whether she should be stoned - as the law of Moses commanded.

In this moment, the atmosphere was tense and the woman’s fate hung in the balance.

2. The Accusers

Let’s briefly consider the accuseres in this story. The Pharisees, experts in the law, were quick to condemn and judge this woman. Their hearts were hardened and their intentions were far from pure. They saught to trap Jesus, using the woman as a pawn in their scheme.

3. Jesus’ Response

Now let’s focus on the most crucial part of the story: Jesus’ response. His response to the accusation is a powerful lesson abour forgiveness. He didnt react with anger, judgement or condemnation towards the woman. Instead, he stooped down and began writing on the ground, giving careful thought to his words.

When pressed by the Pharisees, he responded with a challenge that echoes through the ages:

“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her”.

As the crowd watched, the Pharisees, covicted by their own sinfulness, began to drop their stones and walk away. One by one they left the scene, leaving Jesus and the woman alone.

This is a powerful reminder that our judgements and condemnation can melt away when confronted with our own imperfections.

4. Jesus’ Compassion

This story teaches us valuable lessons about forgiveness that we can apply in our lives.

First, Jesus challenges us to self-examination and his response highlights a fundamental truth: none of us are without sin . We all fall short of God’s glory. Yet, in this moment, Jesus showed us the path of compassion and forgiveness. Jesus, being without sin, could have been the first to cast a stone, but he chose a different path. He did not condemn the woman, but instead, he extended compassion, love and forgiveness to the adulterous woman. He told her, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more”. In this moment, we see the heart of Christ, full of grace and mercy.

5. Emulating Christ’s Forgiveness

What can we learn from this story? How can we emulate the forgiveness of Christ in our lives?

First, we must recognize our imperfections. We, like the Pharisees, often find it easy to judge and condemn others. However, Jesus reminds us that we are not without sin ourselves. Let us humble ourselves and acknowledge our own need for forgiveness.

Second, we should show mercy and compassion to others. Just as Jesus forgave the adulterous woman, we must extend grace to those who have sinned or wronged us. Forgiveness is not about condoning sin but about releasing the hold of bitterness and anger in our hearts.

Third, forgiveness is a two-way street. When Jesus forgave the woman, He also challenged her to "sin no more." True forgiveness involves a commitment to change and to turn away from sin. As followers of Christ, we must also strive to lead lives marked by repentance and transformation.

This story teaches us that forgiveness is at the heart of our faith. By emulating the forgiveness of Christ, we can break the chains of judgement and resentment that bind us and experience the freedom of God’s grace.

As we leave here today, let us strive to emulate his forgiveness in our daily lives, to be people of grace and compassion and to be quick to forgive as we have been forgiven by our loving Saviour. In doing so, we can bring His light and love to a world in need of forgiveness.