Throwing Stones

Introduction

Jesus finds himself in a dilemma in our text today. This text has been hotly debated. If you are using the NIV, there is a statement that the earliest and most reliable manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have this section. This has resulted in people far smarter than me debating this text. When Dwight and I were putting sermons together from John we decided that a debated text should not be ignored. The debate will continue. Today we are going to look at a text that can help us understand something about the nature of God.

Dilemmas abound. Being stuck between a rock and a hard spot is not new for any of us. Dilemmas are interesting conflicts of life. Dilemmas present us with options neither of which are especially appealing. Two hunters came across a bear so big that they dropped their rifles and ran for cover. One man climbed a tree while the other hid in a nearby cave. The bear was in no hurry to eat, so he sat down between the tree and the cave to reflect upon his good fortune. Suddenly, and for no apparent reason, the hunter in the cave came rushing out, almost ran into the waiting bear, hesitated, and then dashed back in again. The same thing happened a second time. When he emerged for the third time, his companion in the tree frantically called out, “Woody, are you crazy? Stay in the cave till he leaves!” “Can’t,” panted Woody, “there’s another bear in there.”

I remember during my 9th grade year, I had to decide if I was going to participate in a track team running event or participate in a youth retreat. For a 14 year old it was a real dilemma. Run with my team and there were opportunities to excel against some of the best competition but miss out on being with friends on a youth retreat. Go on the youth retreat and enjoy time with my friends and dismiss my teammates. As I look back on that, I realize that may have been the easiest dilemma of my life. But a childhood dilemma was still a dilemma for a youngster just as adult dilemmas are difficult for us as adults.

What we will see from Jesus is that God is a God of grace even while calling for change. Such a lesson is worthy of our time and attention. I want us to focus our singing today on God’s grace. All of our songs will exalt God’s grace and our response to this grace. May we be encouraged today.

The Story

This story focuses on the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders. It becomes obvious that the intent of the story is to make Jesus look bad. Jesus is in the temple area teaching. He is approached by the religious leaders with a woman being dragged in front of Jesus. She is frightened. She is guilty of sin. Notice verse 3, “she is made to stand before the group.” She is going to be humiliated. She knows it. The charges are brought. She was caught in the act of adultery.

Caught in the act. But the religious leaders are not concerned about this woman, her feelings, or even her spiritual condition. The leaders want to trap Jesus. What are we to do with this woman? The law instructs us to stone her? What do you say? It is obvious that the leaders think they have Jesus in a real dilemma. If Jesus should say stone her, then he will reveal his lack of compassion for people and will go against Roman authority which forbade death of another except through them. If Jesus should say don’t stone her, then he will be condemned for his breaking the law. A real dilemma. What will he do?

He writes on the ground. We don’t know what he writes. Any ideas are speculations. But it appears that his writing takes the attention from the woman. Perhaps this is what he is trying to do. All eyes begin to look at the ground rather than the woman. I would have appreciated such a diversion. Finally, Jesus speaks that stoning should commence with the one who doesn’t have sin in his life. Such a declaration certainly caught the religious leaders off guard. Not only does Jesus endorse stoning and thus the law, but he sets the parameters for the stoning to begin. The sinless one may begin. And then he goes back to writing on the ground.

And a progression began. One by one, they each turned and walked away from the accused and from Jesus. The accusers are gone. Jesus and the woman engage in a brief dialog in which Jesus acknowledges that since no one condemns her neither does he, but she is to leave resolved to change her life.

So What?

What are we to learn? Consider that all of us have been in this woman’s place at one time or another. Before you begin thinking that you have never been guilty of adultery, realize that for all of us our sin has been exposed at one time or another. We have all stood before the crowd accused and left feeling helpless and defenseless. But as we stand defenseless, there is a lesson for us about the nature of God. Jesus doesn’t condemn. Nor does he defend. Instead he calls for change. Jesus doesn’t wink at the sin. He, in fact, endorses the law’s consequence—kill the offender. What he does provide is a second chance.

This is the nature of God’s grace. Grace never winks at sin, but grace by its very nature allows us an opportunity to change. Grace is God’s favor expressed to those who do not deserve such favor. This woman deserved to die. She deserved to have her sin condemned. But Jesus did not condemn her. This is the nature of grace. Grace is found when one spouse treats the other spouse with dignity and honor although the offending spouse mistreated the other. Grace is found when a child is given another chance although the actions deserve punishment. Grace is found when a fellow member invites you over for dinner although you have gossiped about them. Grace is found when a schoolmate is treated with kindness even when they treat you unkindly. Grace is found when we are not condemned although our sin demands such.

Grace is one of God’s great gifts to us. Instead of condemnation we receive a second chance. Don’t you want to know what happened to this woman? I do. I would like to know if she changed. Maybe she did. But the real question is what do we do with God’s grace?

Some ignore grace. They take God’s offering of a second chance and ignore it. They never even attempt to make changes. Some abuse grace. They take the second chance and temporarily make changes in attitudes or actions but then revert back to shameful and sinful ways. Some change. They understand that a second chance is a rare opportunity and they seek ways to live under God’s grace. We don’t know what happened to this woman, but you know your response to God’s grace.

God wants to give a second chance to us all. God’s nature is not to condemn without presenting an opportunity for us to change. He loves us so much. He cannot wink at sin, but provides an opportunity to start anew. That opportunity is yours as well.

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