WHEN GRACE AND TRUTH CONFRONT ACCUSATION AND SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS

JOHN 8:1-11

INTRODUCTION

          An elderly woman was standing in the checkout line ready to pay for her grocery: a quart of milk and a loaf of bread. She opened her purse. No money was there; neither was her checkbook. As she was about to ask the clerk to put the things back, suddenly a gentle voice said, "It looks like that is your lunch.” A gentleman was standing right behind her, smiling. “Don’t worry,” he continued. “Today I want to treat you. Take your things with you.” Then the man paid for her groceries and his own. A week passed by, and the woman came back to the store. The checker knew about the incident and recognized her. She approached the woman and whispered, “Ma’am maybe you’d be interested to know. That gentleman’s check—it bounced!”

          I would like to share with you on the subject, “When Grace and Truth Confront Accusation and Self-righteousness.”

The Setting and Occasion

          After spending time at the Mount of Olives, Jesus returns to the temple the next morning. All the people are coming to Him, and He sits down to teach them. Suddenly some teachers of the law and the Pharisees break through the crowd and throw down at His feet a woman taken in the act of adultery.

I.                  THE CHARGE OF THE LEADERS VV. 4-5

          The religious leaders claim that they have caught this woman red-handed in the act of adultery. They want to know what Jesus will say about her punishment. To back up their accusation they refer to the Law of Moses that such a person should be stoned (Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:23-24). Both passages in the Law demand that both the man and woman be stoned to death. The question in this episode is, “where is the man?” It takes two people to commit adultery or fornication. This alone shows that the religious leaders have a hidden agenda. They want to hear Jesus’ side of their charge against the woman. Besides, they are using this woman as bait to trap Jesus in what He will say. They want to pin Jesus against Moses, who was revered as the lawgiver of Israel. Not only that but also they want to get Jesus into trouble with the Roman government. When the Romans conquered the world, they took away the right of the Jews to inflict the death penalty. The unmerciful accusers see in the situation an opportunity to accuse Jesus of disloyalty, either to the moral code of Israel or to the regulations of the state. If Jesus disavowed (set aside) the Law of Moses, His credibility would be instantly undermined. He could be dismissed as a lawless person and perhaps charged in the Jewish courts with serious offences. If Jesus upheld the Law of Moses and they stoned the woman in His presence, He would be usurping the Roman law. In addition, His reputation as gracious, compassionate, loving, merciful, and life-transforming person would be in jeopardy.

          However, according to verse 6, Jesus knows that the charge of the religious leaders is not prompted by religious but by political motives. They used the accusation as a test question to enable them form a charge against Him, but Jesus will not play their game.

II.   THE CHALLENGE OF THE LORD VV. 6B-8

          As they are voicing out their complaint, Jesus stoops down and begins to write something on the ground. Many preachers and New Testament scholars have speculated about what Jesus wrote, but the truth is that nobody knows exactly what Jesus wrote. Jesus is in control here, because He is fully aware of their intentions. He knows that these people are not the preservers or custodians of the Mosaic Law. He knows that the zeal of these self-righteous Pharisees is “not according to knowledge.” Martin Luther said that the problem with a sinner is that “he does not know his own sin.” They see the evil that is in others, but are blind to the evil that is in them. They fail to see that their self-righteousness in itself is sin. Jesus said in one occasion, “Take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matt. 7:5).

          On the French Riviera, it is such an important status symbol to have a balcony on an apartment that is quite common to see balconies painted on the walls of apartment houses. People even painted wet laundry hanging on clothesline, just to give it a touch of reality. Hypocrisy is a façade painted just to give it a touch of reality. Hypocrisy is like a pin. It is pointed in one direction, and yet is headed in another. It is easy for you to see and criticize the sin of others while ignoring or excusing yours. You would think that as Jesus is writing on the ground, the people would leave concluding that He is not interested in their case, but they keep on pressing their charge for a verdict from Jesus. Therefore, as Jesus straightens up, the religious leaders are now ready for His response. Jesus’ response to them is simple and straightforward. “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” After giving them His response, Jesus stoops down and writes on the ground again. Some people have said that Jesus was writing the sin and the names of the accusers beginning with the older to the younger, but as I said earlier, we do not know.

III.           THE CONVICTION OF THE LEADERS V. 9

What Jesus says convicts the self-righteous leaders, because none of them is willing to say publicly that he is without sin. In Jesus’ response, He seems to say, “Judgment must begin at the house of God” (1 Pet. 4:17). Judgment begins with those who claim to speak in God’s name, to be defenders of His justice, and to administer His laws, but who do not know that their own vision is blinded by sin. Condemned by their consciences, one by one the men leave. You could imagine how their confidence has evaporated right before their eyes. You could imagine how their religious pride and arrogance have been shattered. Those who have come to shame Jesus now leave in shame. Ladies and gentlemen, before you point accusing fingers at someone else, take a good look at yourself whether you have the right to do that. Remember, when pointing the index finger at somebody, the other four fingers are pointing back at you.

          Jesus’ answer to the scribes and Pharisees stabbed their conscience like a dagger and they began to leave one by one. In my sanctified imagination, I could see their sullen, downcast, and long faces drawn as they exited one by one from the oldest to the youngest. The self-appointed judges have been convicted and put to shame by their own sins.

          Self-righteousness is like a bottomless cup: though you pour and pour, you will never be able to fill it. Why? Because pouring yourself into yourself adds nothing to you. Nothing plus nothing always equals nothing.

          Instead, accept God’s righteousness rather than trying to accumulate your own. You will find that the righteousness He offers is real. That is what fills the cup of sanctification. The Bible says that our righteousness is like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).

IV.           THE COMPASSION OF THE LORD VV. 10-11

          When Jesus straightens up all the accusers have left, except the accused woman. Then, Jesus asks the woman the whereabouts of her accusers. Notice that this is the first time that Jesus addresses the woman. Jesus addresses her with respect, “woman.” Jesus does not ask her whether she is guilty of the charge, but if there are others to condemn her. They have left in shame and disgrace. That day they would have neither a good dinner nor a good night’s sleep. Woe betides their children and wives who cross them that day at the house. They would put all their frustrations on them.

          Jesus asks the woman, “Did no one condemn you?” Jesus was saying, "Did those who want to stone you unable to carry out the death penalty?" Those who wanted to take the law into their own hands have taken off running in disgrace, because they have seen how sinful they are.

          The woman answers Jesus’ question, “She said, ‘No one, Lord.” Do you see the difference? When the scribes and Pharisees came to Jesus, they addressed Him as Teacher. Here the woman addresses Him as Lord. The alleged adulteress acknowledges that Jesus is the Lord and she is deeply grateful to Him. The woman affirms that she is free, because without the help of the Holy Spirit no one can call Jesus Lord. As soon as the woman’s statement ends, Jesus says, “I do not condemn you, either.” The Bible states that Jesus did not come to condemn the world but that the world might be saved through Him (John 3:17). The world is already under condemnation but no one who puts his /her faith in Jesus Christ is condemned. The Bible says, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). It was good that the accusers brought the woman to Jesus. Maybe you feel like this woman in your life. Everybody is accusing you. Whatever you do for people it does not please them. They pay you with insults and accusations. Come to Jesus and He will not condemn you. Rather, He will receive you, save you, and give you liberty.

          Jesus shows compassion and forgiveness to this woman but He concludes with admonition: “Go. From now on sin no more.” Dr. Karl Menninger, the famous psychiatrist, says that if he could convince the patients in his psychiatric hospitals that their sins are forgiven, 75 percent of them could walk out the next day. So often, we do not take God at His word.

          Jesus is compassionate, gracious, and merciful but when He saves you, He does not leave you in your sinful lifestyle. Many people are ready to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior but are not willing to make Him their Lord. If the woman would make Jesus her Lord, then she has to give up her sinful ways. She has to give up her old ways of life. She has to say goodbye to her life of immorality. What kind of life were you living when Jesus saved you? Are you still living that old way of life? If the answer is yes, then you cannot call Jesus, “Lord.” To call Jesus Lord means that He is the ultimate ruler of your life.

          Jesus gives this sinful woman an insight into the blessed truth proclaimed in John 1:17, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” Therefore, when Jesus says to the woman, “I do not condemn you” that is grace. However, when He says to the woman “Go from now on sin no more,” He is telling her the truth. In other words, you cannot accept His grace and reject His truth. “He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life no one comes to the Father, except through Him” (John 14:6). Only in Jesus Christ are mercy and truth met together; only in Him do righteousness and peace kiss each other (Psalm 85:10).

          This passage reveals to you and me that Jesus is the only one who has the authority to forgive sin. It shows the confidence that Jesus has in forgiving sin. The response to God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness is a life of purity. When Christ saves you, He transforms your way of life. He transforms your ambitions and conviction. The word, “Go” is an imperative. Jesus is commanding the woman to abandon or give up her life of sin. Truth is painful but it is good medicine for the soul. Truth can be painful but it will set you free.

          You are driving down the highway when you encounter a sign that reads, “Dangerous Curve Ahead.” Immediately, you are confronted with making a choice. One, you can observe the warning and slow down. Two, you can ignore the warning and maintain your rate of speed. Or, three, you can defy the warning and speed up. Whatever response you exercise, you will not change the truth of the sign. The curve remains dangerous, regardless of whether you acknowledge the fact or not.

          In this encounter, the pardoned woman has two alternatives. She can pay heed to Jesus’ command and change her way of life. Or, she can go and continue in her sinful ways, but that would not change the truth. What would change is that if she is caught again the accusers may take the law into their own hands and stone her to death. The problem with many Christians is that they have accepted the grace of God through Jesus Christ, but they have rejected the truth that Jesus teaches them about the way they live their life. They say, I have taken Jesus as my Savior but don’t tell me to change the way I live. If you do that then, you are not a Christian.

          What are some things in your life that Jesus has been asking you to give up? Until you are willing to cooperate with Jesus and give up what is sinful in your life, you cannot call Him, “Lord.”

          Maybe you are one of those people who are quick to point out what is wrong in others, while overlooking the glaring sins of your life. Let us learn from the Lord and be gracious to those who are caught up in the web of sin. Let us reach out to them and bring them to Jesus Christ. Aren’t you glad that these scribes and Pharisees brought the woman to Jesus instead of taking her to the high priest or the religious council?