You've heard the story. You've read the story. You could probably tell the story. But have you ever noticed what a really mean trick Jesus played on the poor woman?
Let me cut this up into some little pieces so you can chew on them. Go to the last part of the 7th chapter of John and let's ease through it together.
John 7 ends by telling us that after the men of Jerusalem, the officers and Pharisees had completed a very heated discussion regarding this Jesus guy, that "every man went to his own house" or went home. But chapter 8 beings by saying "Jesus went to the mount of Olives". It just kind of struck me that when everyone else had a house to go to Jesus instead went back to His favorite place. He went to the little hill on the East side of Jerusalem and spent the night there. He alluded to that fact at another place in scripture. Remember in Matthew 8:20 when He said, "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nest; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head"
Verse 2 tells us that "early in the morning". I like the fact that Jesus didn't lay around and sleep till noon don't you? Oh, I don't think there is anything wrong with sleeping in from time to time. The older I get the more I realize that I look forward to going to bed more than I do getting up. It didn't use to be that way.
"Jesus came again unto the temple". He had been there before. It was a common place for Him to visit. Let me say the church house shouldn't be a place that we just visit on holidays or special occasions. You should be familiar with the house of God.
So while Jesus was there at the temple teaching, the big shots of the church brought a woman who had been caught committing the act of adultery. The law of Moses said that she could be stoned for this. Even thought the scribes and Pharisees didn't have on one of those WWJD bracelets, they all wondered "what would Jesus do".
If Jesus was anything He was "cool". He stooped down, He doodled in the dirt, and acted like He didn't hear them. There have been many discussions as to what Jesus was writing in the Jerusalem dirt that morning. I have no idea. He may have begin listing the names of those in the group who had also sinned. (No doubt a lengthy list). He may have written times and dates where those scribes and Pharisees had failed. He may have just doodled.
After being pressed to answer their question Jesus finally stood up and said "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her". He stooped back down and continued His scribbling.
You know how the story goes. You've no doubt heard the rocks falling or dropped a few rocks yourself. They all turned away and left Jesus there alone with the woman.
"Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee"? She said, "No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more".
Did you catch that? What a mean trick to play on a woman. She had already been caught doing the dirty dance with someone. She had already been publicly embarrassed. She had already been very close to being killed. And now Jesus plays this trick on her.
What trick? Jesus forgave her! There is no trick to forgiveness! Oh, but there must be. Jesus said, "GO AND SIN NO MORE". Obviously He had never heard that one must sin every day. Obviously He didn't understand the excuse that "we are only human and can't live a sinless life". What a nasty trick. To forgive a woman and then tell her to do something that she could not do.
You know Jesus is not that way don't you? You know Jesus would not tell us to do something that He does not give us the ability and help and strength to do. If Jesus told that woman there in the street that day to "go and sin no more", do you think it's His intent for you and I to "continue in sin"? The God who hates sin in the sinner must despise it a thousand times more when He sees it in the life of those who call themselves by His name.
Sinning Christians have done more harm to the cause of Christ than all the bootleggers and and prostitutes in the county. When He saved us He saved us to sin no more. It's not a trick. He promised that if we "confess our sins that He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness".
Additionally, He promised us that "If we being sinners know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will our heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him".
I believe with all my heart dear reader that God came to same us from our sins. He came to free us from the guilt of sin and from the chains of sin. He meant what He said. He didn't play any tricks on us. It is possible and it is expected of us to "go and sin no more".
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