Jesus Meets a Woman who needs Grace

Jesus Meets a Woman that needs Grace

John 8:1–11 NKJV

1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Now early in the morning He 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.”

Intro: Septt 15 1963 the 16ht St Baptist Church in Birmingham Al was bombed. 4 girls One 11 three 14 were killed. 4 men were involved, 3 were given life sentences. Thomas Blanton was the last one to die, this Friday. I saw on the a FB news post. Elab peoples comments. One person said, “I hope he repented and turned his life over to God” Someone replied. “Of you can repent for something like that”

I don’t know if he did or not, but because of God’s grace, even someone who did something like that can repent and be saved.

I. She was caught in Sin. VS 1-4

John 7:53 NKJV

53 And everyone went to his own house.

In Chapter 7 Jesus is in Jerusalem. The feast of the Tabernacles.(Elab on this Feast) He had been teaching. There was some despite with the Religious leaders. They were always looking for a reason to accuse Jesus and put Him to death.

a. At the end of a long day, “And everyone went to His own house” <”But Jesus went to the mount of Olives” At place where He went often to pray. But I wonder if anyone invited Jesus to their home? I’m sure He would have accepted if they would have.

b. Jesu will always except an invitation to come to someones life.

John 8:2 NKJV

2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.

It’s early, likely day break when Jesus returns (again) to the Temple to teach. Notice He sat down, this was common in this time.

John 8:3 NKJV

3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,

Scribes and the Pharisees: They should have been supporting Jesus Jesus, they should have seen Him for who He was.

They brought her: She did not come willing. “Brought” Carried or dragged her before the crowd of people. (notice they did not bring the man)

“set her in the mist” They wanted everyone to see her.

“she was caught in adultery” She was guilty.

John 8:4 NKJV

4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.

Teacher not Lord.

a. They were ruthless because of the motive that they had. It wasn’t about the woman being caught in the act of adultry. It was about their hate for Jesus. We see that in VS 6

b. The were not interested in accusing this woman; they were interested in accusing Jesus.

II. She was condemned by the religious leaders. VS 5-8

John 8:5–6 NKJV

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.

They question Jesu about the Law. Jesus knew their intent. He knew their plan was to trap Him.

(According to the law, both were to be put to death) They knew the law, they knew the man had to be there too. Jesus came to fulfil the law through grace.

a. Their question to Jesus, this what the law says, but what do you say? If Jesus says, let her go, they would accuse Him of going against the law and call Him a false teacher. (Even if the man was not there) They would have accused Jesus of condoning her sin.

b. If He says to stone her, then they would say, what about what yo teach about love and forgiveness.

c. In their minds, they had Him.

d. What they did not do is examine the situation. The woman, the accuse. But here Jesus is going to let everyone examine the on life.

VS 6 “This they said testing Him”

They were not trying to clean up the community, or cleaning up immorality. The were temping Jesus trying to find something they accuse Him of.

a. I believe that their hate for Jesus, kept them up at night. He drove them crazy.

Matthew 7:29 NKJV

29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

b. He performed miracles, he taught love, he taught forgiveness. He taught the truth. He had a great following. People were coming to Jesus

c. Jesus doesn't answer their question. He doesn’t say a word. He acts like he didn’t even hear them. He stoops down on begins to write on the ground.

d. We do not know what Jesus wrote on the ground.

e. They were not satisfied with his silence.

John 8:7–8 NKJV

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.

Why didn’t they give up. Ever time they came after Jesus they lost. They were energized by the devil. We have a lot of people energized by the devil today.

a. They wanted and audible answer from Jesus to get Him our of their way. To arrest Him and put Him to death. Trying to get the people Jesus was teaching on their side and turn against Jesus.

b. They were very sure of themselves. They just knew they had Him trapped, and kept on asking Him.

c. These religious leaders had a way of controlling people with fear, by using their authority. Jesus knew the motive behind their question. When Jesus dose speak, it’s not to answer their question, but makes that shocks them.

“Let him that is without sin among you throw a stone at her first”

b. The armor of God, the sword of the spirit which is the word of God. The word of God was spoken, and it cut deep into their hearts. His words shocked them .

c. Even the OT law required that a person was doing the stoning had to be free from the same crime. These religious leaders were hypocrites and Jesus knew it. They thought that they had Him, but the words of Jesus caught them off guard.

d. Through wisdom, Jesus avoided their trap, and was waiting for a response, as He once again writes on the ground.

e. They had nothing to say, no one could cast a stone at her.

III. She was forgiven by the grace of Jesus. VS 9-11

John 8:9 NKJV

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.

Everyone that heard Jesu was convicted by their own conscience:

a. Missionaries have gone to places where people have never seen anyone else. They have never heard about Jesus, but they have a conscience, they know there is a right and wrong. That is God given. (Paul in I Tim speaks of the conscience seared with a hot iron” )

b. Here, it’s the religious leaders. The words of Jesus struck them hard, stirred their conscience, to such a conviction they slipped away without a word.

c. God’s word brings conviction. Peter preached on the day of Pentecost. (Elab what that is) 3000 people were saved that day. God’s word pricked their hearts.

d. If you are a Christian and yo have sin, God word will convict.

1 John 1:9 NKJV

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

f. Of you are not a Christian, God’s word will convict you and you need to repent and ask God to save you. He will because of His grace.

John 8:10–11 NKJV

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.”

When Jesus see her accusers were gone, He turned to her with a question. Notice, He did not ask her if she was guilty. What Jesus does is, He shows mercy, He show compassion, He shows grace.

“Woman, are those accusers of yours? Has no man condemned you?

a. Her reply. “No man Lord”

b. Knowing what she had done, she was likely someone with a bad reputation, like the woman at the well.

c. Now she will hear the word of grace from the one with the greatest grace. VS11

d. He was telling, don’t keep on like have been. Her life was changed. Jesus would not condemn her.

f. She was a woman that found grace that day.

Transformed by Grace

Number one: It was by grace. And grace can never be offered until law is established. She was under condemnation. She deserved what the law of Moses said. The law did condemn her and would have condemned her had not Jesus, the giver of grace, reached out to her. Now, remember this: God is not fair; God is just. If you think God is fair, you’re going to think God owes you something and you’re not going to be satisfied when you get it. You’ll think you deserve it, and you won’t still be happy if somebody else gets more than you get. And you wouldn’t be happy if somebody else got it before you got it. But when you realize that God is just, then you’re ready for mercy; you’re ready for the grace of God. It was by grace. Only when justice is establish.

Transformed Through Faith

And it was through faith. “For by grace are [you] saved through faith.” (Ephesians 2:8) She calls Jesus “Lord.” Now, what does the Bible say? Romans 10:9–10: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9–10) Her confession of His Lordship meant that she was now yielding her life to Him. She has become His servant. He has become her Master. That’s what the word Lord means. It was by grace; it was through faith.