Drop Your Rocks!

Title of Message: Drop your Rocks!

(Series: “Changed”)

We are continuing the series called “Changed” as we study the Gospel of John and look primarily to the people whose lives were changed by meeting Jesus. Today we will be studying how the Jewish Religion back then dealt with sinners and how Jesus dealt with sinners.

Verses used: John 8:1-11, Leviticus 20:10, Deuteronomy 22:22, Deuteronomy 17:6-7, Matthew 7:1-3, John 3:16-17

Key verse: John 8:10-11

10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Sermon Notes:

Background

1. Setting: It is common for Rabbis to bring their disciples to the temple courts and teach from there

2. A crime was committed. That was not the proper venue for a judicial hearing. Jesus was not a civil magistrate. He had no jurisdiction in legal matters. Clearly this was mob action, a public lynching with an agenda.

3. The religious leaders were not concerned about justice or the law. They did not even follow the proper legal proceeding. The law required both man and woman caught in adultery to be punished, or else there is no case. Where was the man? This clearly had an agenda and Jesus knew it.

4. The agenda was a trap for Jesus. If Jesus said stone her, he would be violating Roman Law which prohibits capital punishment without the Roman governor’s approval. If he said no to stoning, he would be going against the Torah. Deuteronomy 22:22, Lev 20:10.

5. No respectable Rabbi would side with an adulterer, let alone defend her. And yet Jesus did. Why?

Who was on trial?

· In the eyes of the man, the woman was on trial.

· In the eyes of God, the crowd was on trial.

Problems presented in the story

· The crowd. The problem with public lynching is it’s never fair. Why? It has no rules. And they thought they could intimidate Jesus by their sheer numbers.

· The religious leaders. The problem with religion is its propensity for control by using the fear of God as a means to manipulate and control people. Stoning is about fear and control. Conformity is motivated by fear, which leads to abuse.

· The woman. She already knew the harshness of the punishment for adultery. Why did she do it?

· Jesus. What was their problem with Jesus? The power of Religion rests upon the people’s fear. If the people no longer believe the religious leaders, they lose their power. Jesus was challenging their authority. They considered him a threat to their very existence, so they wanted to eliminate him.

What is the wrong way to judge?

· When you look down on another person and place yourself above that person, thinking that you are better and they are inferior.

What is the right way to judge?

· Look at the person with compassion and a desire to help, not condemn.

Application

· 1.Whenever we judge others, we are on trial.

· 2. We who experienced redemption are not in a position to judge or condemn the world. Rather we are in a position to save it. John 3:16-17

Some Questions for Your Group This Week:

1. What was something you learned or what stood out to you from the sermon on Sunday?

2. The woman caught in adultery was clearly guilty of the crime. What was wrong with the way the religious leaders handled her case?

3. Grace is defined as undeserved favor. How was grace demonstrated in this passage? (John 8L1-11)

4. Why do you think the crowd didn’t stone the woman?

5. The ultimate act of grace is forgiveness. How did Jesus forgive the woman?

6. How do show love and grace to people who are difficult to love? (Hint: begin with your own heart’s attitude!)