LIFE OF
CHRIST
John 7:53-8:11
SEEING JESUS
LIFE OF CHRIST #35
There are at least two different kinds of
learning. There is a kind of learning
that can quote an answer and understand nothing. There is another kind of learning
that may be short on facts and big words, but long on understanding.
We have been studying the Life of Christ, and our goal
is to know Him better. As we enter our
next event in the life of Christ, which directly follows the great invitation
of the Lord Jesus for those who are thirsty to come to Him and drink, we find
there is a great opportunity for us to know him better by just observing
Him. As we look at this story about a
woman caught in adultery, we want to take our eyes basically off of the woman
and the accusing scribes and Pharisees and simply see Jesus. This will help us to learn by seeing
Jesus. This morning we want to:
SEE JESUS AS COMMUNICATOR – John 7:53-8:2
Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles,
the great harvest feast that remembered the wanderings of
He had been teaching during the feast, in spite of the
opposition of the Jewish leadership. On the last day of the feast He had
communicated his offer to those who were spiritually thirsty. John 7:37-39
Jesus’ offer is still valid today. To anyone who will
place their faith and trust in Him as their Savior, He will give them the
“rivers of living water, or the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
Vs. 2 – After a night on the
As you read the Gospels you will find Jesus
communicating. There are great sermons
like the Sermon on the Mount, the Upper Room and the Olivet Discourse.
There are great parables like the Lost Sheep and The
Good Samaritan. The Lord taught how to
pray, how to forgive and how to be humble.
Jesus communicated or taught by example. 1 John 2:6
Jesus communicated God, because He is God! John
1:1,14, John 14:8-9
John 1:1 - In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 - And
the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory
as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
There is no more important communicator to follow than
the Lord Jesus! Mark 13:31, John 14:21, John 15:7
And let us remember that the whole Bible is the Word
of God. And Jesus is God. So, in a real sense, the Bible is the Word of
Jesus.
Jesus prayed for His disciples in John 17:17, Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is
truth.
If we are going to grow as Christians we must see
Jesus as communicator, through This Book!
His Words are to be learned.
His Words are to be obeyed!
SEE JESUS IN CONFLICT – Vss. 3-6a
Vss. 3-4 – The Scribes were copiers and teachers of
the Law. The Pharisees were the religious
fundamentalists of their day.
They were zealous for the Law of God but in many ways
were hypocritical.
They brought a woman caught in adultery before him.
She had been taken in the act of adultery.
She was guilty.
There were witnesses.
Of course, we wonder, where was the offending man in
all of this? He should have also been
brought before Jesus.
Vss. 5-6 – So these accusers who brought the
woman before Jesus reminded Jesus of the Law of Moses. Moses said those caught
in adultery were to be executed.
The whole reason this woman was brought before Jesus
was not for the sake of justice on the part of the scribes and Pharisees. They were in conflict with Jesus and wanted
to trap Him.
How did they think to trap Jesus?
Jesus was known as compassionate and taught
compassion.
He was known as the friend of tax collectors and
sinners.
If Jesus said to stone her for her sin, He would have
lost His influence on the common people who loved Him. He also would have created problems with the
Roman Government because the Jews were not allowed to execute anyone without
Roman permission.
If Jesus said to let her go and not stone her, He
would have created another problem. He
would have been viewed as opposing or violating the Law of Moses.
The rules for accusing someone of adultery were so
strong that it is very possible that this woman was “set up” to be caught. They victimized this woman just to get at
Jesus.
These scribes and Pharisees were out to destroy Jesus.
The religious leaders were out to destroy Jesus.
Jesus explained that there were people who hated Him
and subsequently hated those of us who follow Him. John 15:18-21
·
Why are Christians persecuted by Moslems in some parts
of the world? It is because Moslems are in conflict with Jesus.
·
Why is there a movie called the DaVinci Code that claims that Jesus was not God? Because people are in conflict with
Jesus. They want to destroy Him.
·
Why do people attack the Bible? Because they are in
conflict with Jesus.
·
Why is Christianity demeaned and mocked on television
and in the movies. Because people are in conflict with Jesus.
·
Why are prayer and witnessing disallowed in most
public schools? It is because people are in conflict with Jesus.
The world is in conflict with Jesus. If you are a follower of the Lord Jesus,
expect conflict.
Matthew 5:11-12
SEE JESUS AS CONVICTING – Vss. 6b-9
Vs. 6b – Jesus didn’t answer right away.
Instead he wrote in the ground. Nobody knows what He
wrote. God doesn’t tell us what Jesus wrote, so it was not important.
I believe he wrote, so he would have a reason to be
silent.
He was allowing his silence to be part of the
convicting process.
Vs. 7 – They continue to ask, and I think
they probably got a bit testy. “Come on, Rabi, Give us an answer!” They probably got worked up into a fevered
pitch.
Then Jesus said to them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
When someone was to be stoned for sin, the first ones
to throw stones were to be the accusers.
But they could not be guilty of the same sin. It would be like a thief
condemning a thief or a murderer condemning a murderer.
So Jesus was saying, “You who have no guilt in this
area, you cast the first stone!”
He had not excused the woman from her guilt.
He had not disallowed the Mosaic Law.
He had not even gone against the Roman Government.
But he had convicted these men of their own sin, and
from the oldest to the youngest they left!
Jesus is God.
God convicts.
God convicts through His Word and Jesus the Son of God
did in this incident.
God convicts today through His Holy Spirit. John
16:8-11
What right does Jesus have to convict us of sin?
He is God! He is sinless.
He has every right to convict us of our sins.
Aren’t you glad that He does convict?
If we weren’t convicted our sins we would not turn to
Jesus for forgiveness and eternal life.
And conviction of sin for those of us who are saved,
helps us to confess, repent, and live the Godly lives that God wants us to
live. 1 John 1:9, Titus 2:11-12
SEE JESUS AS COMPASSIONATE – Vss. 10-11
Vs. 10 – All the accusers left. Only the woman
remained.
I think it was with a smile that Jesus said, “Woman,
where are your accusers? Hasn’t anyone
condemned you?”
Vs. 11 – The woman answers, “No man, Lord.”
Jesus now shows His compassion.
“Neither do I condemn you.”
Could Jesus have condemned the woman?
Yes he could have.
He was the only one who was without sin. Jesus is
sinless God.
Wait a minute! God is not only sinless, but He is
righteous.
How could Jesus let the woman go without condemning
her?
He could let the woman go without condemning her for
the same reason that Jesus will let every person go free if they want to.
Jesus would die for that woman’s sin. He bore the
penalty for it on the cross.
It is on the basis of Christ’s death on the cross that
God shows compassion on you.
2 Corinthians 5:21 - For
he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him.
Faith in Christ brings forgiveness and eternal life.
Romans 5:1- Therefore
being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
SEE JESUS AS CONSISTENT – Vs. 11
The woman received compassion.
But then she is told to “Go and sin no more.”
Jesus is consistent as God. He does not condone sin.
He hates sin but loves the sinner!
Those of us who have been forgiven of our sins are to
live lives victorious over sin in His power!
Romans 6:1-2 - What
shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? [2] God
forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
1 Peter 1:15-16 - But
as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of
conversation; [16] Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
As we allow God’s Holy Spirit to control us, we will
experience victory over sin in our lives.
Galatians 5:16 - This
I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
When we do sin, we are to confess and forsake
sin.
SEE JESUS AS COMMUNICATOR – John 7:53-8:2
SEE JESUS IN CONFLICT – Vss. 3-6a
SEE JESUS AS CONVICTING – Vss. 6b-9
SEE JESUS AS COMPASSIONATE – Vss. 10-11
SEE JESUS AS CONSISTENT – Vs. 11
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