Face to Face with Jesus

2 At dawn he went to the temple again, and all the people were coming to him. He sat down and began to teach them. 3 Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center.

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

AN ADULTERESS FORGIVEN

II. Forgiveness

4 “Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. 5 In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”

2 At dawn he went to the temple again, and all the people were coming to him. He sat down and began to teach them.

6 They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him. Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. 7 When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.”

II. The False Motive of Her Accusers

3 Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center. 4 “Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. 5 In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him.

III.

8 Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. 9 When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center.

Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. 7 When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. 9 When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center. 10 When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

10 When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”

11 “No one, Lord,” she answered.

Introduction:

“Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”]

III. The Face to Face with Jesus

The original autographs of scripture which God dictated to His writers were copied and recopied and recopied and recopied through the centuries. When translators go to put it together a Bible, such as perhaps King James in his time commissioned back in 1600, they would gather the evidence of all the ancient manuscripts to find the right text to translate into English. And so our Bible comes from many ancient manuscripts. Now, the majority of the ancient manuscripts do not include this portion of Scripture. they omit verse 53 through verse 11 and start right off with verse 12. Others of them take this section and put it at the end of John’s gospel and make it like a footnote. Others put it at the bottom of the page like a footnote.

I am of the personal conviction that this event belongs right here. Since this passage does not violate the rest of scripture, fits the teaching and context of John’s gospel and pictures beautifully and accurately the person of Christ we should study it, learn and profit from it.

Now let’s take a look at the setting. Verse 1 relates to us that Jesus was at the Mount of Olives. In verse 2, we see Jesus getting up early, at dawn, and teaching in the temple. A great crowd was gathering around him as he taught. Suddenly, there is a great commotion as the Pharisees bring a woman caught in adultery and push her down front and center - face to face with Jesus. We have to remember, these Pharisees were after Jesus. They despised him and were looking for an opportunity to condemn him and to turn the crowds against him. In this moment, they feel that they have their chance. Face to face with Jesus. They were seeking to trap him by putting him in what they considered a no-win situation. If Jesus condemned the woman to death - he would have been no longer seen by the crowds as the friend of sinners. If he set her free, he would have violated the law of Moses. As we consider this event, I want us to consider:

IV. The Forgiveness of

I. The Fact of Guilt

In this passage, there is clearly sin and guilt.

The Guilt of the Woman

This passage of scripture in no way should be read in an attempt to minimize the seriousness of sin. The scripture states that she was caught in the very act of adultery - there was no question concerning her guilt. She was guilty before the world and here before the Lord Jesus.

Sin is a shameful thing, and no doubt this was a shameful moment in this women’s life. Publicly humiliated by the exposure of her sin. We should be reminded that one day all of the books will be opened. () Jesus said in , “whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in an ear in the private rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.”

The sentence of death by stoning for this woman was exactly what the law prescribed. (, ) The reality is that the law called for the man and the woman involved to be stoned to death. Where is the man here? It is possible he was a part of this scheme to trap Jesus. Regardless, the woman is still guilty.

makes clear that the wages of sin is death.

The Judgement of the Judgers

Notice the deliberate way Jesus answers these schemers. He takes time to stoop down and write on the ground. What did he write? The bible doesn’t tell us, but I am of the conviction it was something these men could see and knew. Perhaps it was the ten commandments or their own names. Verse 7 says that they persisted in questioning Jesus, and then he says the words that foiled their scheme. “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” This was exactly what the law taught. . Jesus was not necessarily asking sinless men to make a judgment, because if that were the case then our judicial benches today would be empty. What is in view here is exactly what Jesus speaks of in . That these men were in no position to judge this woman because they had committed adultery as well, if not physically, they had done so in their heart, and they knew it. Their consciences are convicted and they drop their stones and walk away. These men were trying to apply the law to this woman, but not to themselves. They were violating the true intention of the law. They had no compassion for this woman and were blinded to their own need because of their evil hearts.

The Guilt of Us All

makes clear that all have sinned. makes clear that the law was given to reveal sin. The law makes us aware of our guilt and our need. You cannot be saved by keeping the ten commandments, but you will never be saved if you are not first convicted by the law. Without conviction, there is no salvation. You cannot be saved if you don’t know you are lost and deserving of judgment.

II. The Forgiveness of Jesus

The accusers are gone. Now it is Jesus, face to face with this woman who is guilty of sin. What does Jesus do? Jesus is the only one who is sinless, the only one who has the authority to judge her justly. What does he do?

Mercy & Grace

He looks at her and says to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

I imagine that this woman, who was fearing the judgment of death from her accusers is now fearing that perhaps Jesus would do the same. After all, Jesus did not say to the men she should not be stoned. He did not make excuses for her sin or try to defend her. Yet what Jesus says reveals for us the heart of God. Jesus says, “Neither do I condemn you.”

Mercy - Not getting what you deserve - judgment

Grace - Getting what you don’t deserve - forgiveness

New Life in Christ

Jesus doesn’t stop there. He then says to her, “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” The true experience of grace will motivate the repentant sinner to live for Jesus. Notice the ordering of the words, Jesus is not telling this woman to change in order to be accepted - but to change because he had accepted her. Religion tells you to clean up your act and then God will accept you. The gospel tells us that we are unacceptable no matter how hard we try, and that the righteousness we need comes from outside of us, from Christ - change is the natural result of the new birth by repentance and faith in the finished perfect work of Christ. Jesus did not say from the cross, “Go fix yourself” he said, “It is finished”

, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!”

New life in Christ. This is a gift given not to deserving people, but undeserving people.

Further application points:

No Rock Groups Allowed in Church

Religious people can put together some pretty vicious rock groups. Are there some stones you need to put down? Do you need to take off the sandals of self-righteousness you’ve been wearing and put on the sandals of the gospel of peace. (Ephesians 6:15)

, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”

Social media has created all kinds of rock groups. Stones are constantly being thrown, and the sad thing is that there are a lot of professing Christians throwing them. I have read and seen some vile and hate-filled comments being hurled at others on blogs and social media. Christians not just attacking Non-Christians, but Christians attacking other Christians. Your hand can’t hold grace as long as your holding on to rocks. God help us.

2. Jesus - The Sinless Lamb of God died on the Cross for Sin

Sin is serious. Jesus bore the punishment and shame due sinners on the cross. We do not dare wink at sin or perceive the love and grace of God as some kind of get out of hell free card where we can simply mutter a prayer and then go on living our lives anyway we please with no concern for our sin.

3. Jesus is the only one who can Forgive You of Sin

, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

, “But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

, “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.”

Conclusion:

, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Conclusion:

A great English prince … went to visit a famous king of Spain. The prince was taken down to the galleys to see the men who were chained to the oars and doomed to be slaves for life. The King of Spain promised, in honour of the prince’s visit, that he would set free any one of these men that the prince might choose. So the prince went to one prisoner and said: “My poor fellow, I am sorry to see you in this plight; how came you here?” “Ah! sire,” he answered, “false witnesses gave evidence against me; I am suffering wrongfully.” “Indeed!” said the prince, and passed on to the next man. “My poor fellow, I am sorry to see you here; how did it happen?” “Sire, I certainly did wrong, but not to any great extent. I ought not to be here.” “Indeed!” said the prince, and he went on to others who told him similar tales. At last he came to one prisoner, who said: “Sire, I am often thankful that I am here, for I am sorry to own that if I had received my due I should have been executed. I am certainly guilty of all that was laid to my charge, and my severest punishment is just.” The prince replied wittily to him, “It is a pity that such a guilty wretch as you are should be chained among these innocent men, and therefore I will set you free.” C. H. Spurgeon.

Pulpit Pages: New Testament Sermons Guilt, Gloating, and Grace (John 8:1–11)

A great English prince … went to visit a famous king of Spain. The prince was taken down to the galleys to see the men who were chained to the oars and doomed to be slaves for life. The King of Spain promised, in honour of the prince’s visit, that he would set free any one of these men that the prince might choose. So the prince went to one prisoner and said: “My poor fellow, I am sorry to see you in this plight; how came you here?” “Ah! sire,” he answered, “false witnesses gave evidence against me; I am suffering wrongfully.” “Indeed!” said the prince, and passed on to the next man. “My poor fellow, I am sorry to see you here; how did it happen?” “Sire, I certainly did wrong, but not to any great extent. I ought not to be here.” “Indeed!” said the prince, and he went on to others who told him similar tales. At last he came to one prisoner, who said: “Sire, I am often thankful that I am here, for I am sorry to own that if I had received my due I should have been executed. I am certainly guilty of all that was laid to my charge, and my severest punishment is just.” The prince replied wittily to him, “It is a pity that such a guilty wretch as you are should be chained among these innocent men, and therefore I will set you free.” C. H. Spurgeon.

All guilty, but only one admitted their guilt and was set free. The others saw themselves as innocent or saw the deeds of others worse than their own, so they refused to admit their need. Pardon was given to the one who admitted his guilt, admitted that he was deserving of punishment.

Face to face with Jesus is where misery meets mercy. Where guilt meets grace. The scripture has brought us all this morning face to face with Jesus - how will you respond? Have you cast yourself upon his mercy and grace for forgiveness and walking in new life? Or are you trapped in the cycle of religious performance - veiling your sin with outward acts of morality and judgment upon others - failing to see the great need in your own heart. Or perhaps you are here and you are miserable, trapped in sin and shame - guilt..no freedom, no peace. Only Jesus can deliver you and set you free and give you new life. Would you come to him today?