Christ's Example of Forgiveness

Laurel Bible Church

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Christ's example of forgiveness, and we can kind of think about our culture's perspective on forgiveness, for judgment, for being judgmental, and something you may have heard is, isn't it wrong to judge others?

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Someone's caught in a cycle of sin, who am I to judge? I don't want to be judgmental,

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I don't want to be a hypocrite. Isn't it wrong to judge others? And we have to think about that question, and also the immediate context of John 7 and 8.

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Now, remember in this account in chapter 7 in the Feast of Booths, the Pharisees are riled up and they're wanting to seize him and kill him.

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They're angry because on the Sabbath, Jesus had healed a paralytic, and so they don't like that.

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They're attacking him, and they're coming after him. And what does he say? Don't judge by outward appearances, but actually judge with righteous judgment.

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So in chapter 7, we have a command to judge, that we should have righteous discernment.

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But also now we have in chapter 8, this account where Jesus appears to forgive.

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And as we enter this text, we encounter a remarkable moment where Jesus masterfully navigates between two extremes, the cold legalism of the

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Pharisees and the potential for unchecked permissiveness.

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Today, we find ourselves living in a world really divided by similar extremes.

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On one hand, you have cancel culture that wields judgment swiftly and harshly, showing little room for grace or redemption.

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And on the other hand, there's a growing tendency to accept everything indiscriminately, blurring the lines between compassion and compromise, leaving no space for the call to repentance.

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Jesus, however, presents us with a radical alternative. As the scribes and Pharisees drag a woman caught in the act of adultery before him, they hope to trap him.

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They want to trap him between the justice of the law and the mercy he so often preached.

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Yet, his response transcends their shallow dichotomy. He does not dismiss the law, nor does he excuse sin.

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Instead, he exposes the hypocrisy of her accusers while extending both mercy and a clear directive, go and sin no more.

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This passage reminds us of the balance we are called to live as Christians. We are not to join the mob of judgment, quick to condemn while others, without looking at ourselves, are going along with it.

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We condemn, yet we ignore our own sin. Nor are we to embrace a permissive attitude that forgets sin's destructive power.

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Like Jesus, we're called to embody both grace and truth, to be agents of restoration rather than destruction.

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As we explore this text today, consider where you might be, leaning too far in judgment or compromise.

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Jesus' example invites us to a higher standard, one that neither shames nor excuses, but instead calls sinners, ourselves included, to repentance and to new life.

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So let us learn from his wisdom, his mercy, and his unwavering commitment to the truth.

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The Apostle John sets the scene for Christ's example of forgiveness in verses 1 -5.

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Jesus demonstrates grace and truth in forgiveness versus condemnation in two profound examples.

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The first is the challenge of the accusers. Jesus confronts the Pharisees in verses 6 -8.

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In this tense moment, Jesus turned the Pharisees' trap back on them.

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They came armed with the law, demanding justice, yet they ignored their own hypocrisy.

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Jesus' response was profound and deliberate. He stooped down and wrote in the dust, likely symbolizing the fleeting nature of their self -righteous accusations.

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Then, he stood and issued his challenge. Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone.

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This confrontation revealed the Pharisees' true hearts. They were eager to condemn others while ignoring their own sin.

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Jesus exposed the universal aspect of guilt, leveling the playing field and silencing their self -righteousness.

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His actions demonstrate that true justice is inseparable from self -examination.

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Forgiveness requires confronting sin, not just in others but in ourselves.

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And the second profound example we see is the redemption of the sinner. Jesus addresses the woman, verses 9 -11.

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As the accusers retreated, convicted by their own consciences, Jesus turned to the woman.

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He did not condemn her, though her guilt was evident. Instead, he extended grace.

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Neither do I condemn you. Yet he coupled this grace with a clear command, go and sin no more.

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In these words, we see the fullness of Jesus' mission to save sinners, not to leave them in their sin.

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Grace does not ignore sin. It overcomes it. Jesus offered forgiveness that transforms, calling the woman to a life of repentance and holiness.

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This encounter reminds us that forgiveness and accountability are not mutually exclusive.

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The gospel compels us to forgive as we have been forgiven, but also to call one another to live in the freedom of obedience to Christ.

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In Jesus' handling of both the accusers and the woman, we see a masterful balance of grace and truth.

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He neither dismissed the law nor disregarded mercy. As followers of Christ, we're called to embody this same balance, confronting sin with humility, extending forgiveness with compassion, and always pointing to the transforming power of the gospel.

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Let us learn from Jesus' example, striving to be a people who uphold grace and truth in every relationship that we have.

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And we can think a little bit about the biblical background. We're talking about adultery.

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It's defined as sexual relations outside the covenant of marriage. It was considered a grave sin under Mosaic law, a grave sin.

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And from a biblical and even Protestant Reformed perspective, it violates the sanctity of marriage instituted by God in Genesis chapter 2, where marriage is established as a one -flesh union, reflecting

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God's covenantal relationship with his people. Adultery not only breaches this divine covenant, but also undermines societal stability.

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It erodes trust and fidelity. The Mosaic law explicitly condemned adultery, labeling it as a capital offense punishable by death for both parties involved.

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Let me share a couple of passages from the Old Testament, Leviticus chapter 20. If there is a man who commits adultery with another man's wife, one who commits adultery with his friend's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

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How about another? Deuteronomy chapter 22, a little bit more detail here.

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If a man is found lying with a married woman, then both of them shall die.

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The man who lay with the woman and the woman, thus you shall purge the evil from Israel.

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If there is a girl who is a virgin engaged to a man, and another man finds her in the city and lies with her, then you shall bring them both out to the gate of the city and you shall stone them and they will die.

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The girl because she did not cry out in the city, and the man because he has violated his neighbor's wife, thus you shall purge the evil from among you.

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This is severe, severe punishment, and it underscores the holiness of God and the seriousness in which he views the covenant of marriage.

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The law's intent was not merely punitive, but also protective. It will purge the evil from among you.

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The law is aiming to preserve the integrity of families and communities. And it's in Israel as a theocratic nation under God's direct rule, but certainly this applies for us today.

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However, the Mosaic law also required careful judicial process.

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For example, in Deuteronomy 19, the law stipulated that charges required the testimony of at least two witnesses to ensure fairness and prevent false accusations.

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Adultery's punishment thus demanded substantial evidence reflecting God's justice and mercy.

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In today's passage, the scribes and Pharisees bring before Jesus a woman caught in adultery, supposedly seeking to uphold the

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Mosaic law. However, we know that's not true. Their real intent was to trap

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Jesus. If he condemned her, he would appear harsh and contradict his own message of mercy.

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If he forgave her without penalty, he could be accused of disregarding the law. By saying, let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her, he neither denies the law's validity nor ignores her guilt.

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Instead, what does he do? He exposes the hypocrisy of her accusers, who likely failed to follow proper legal procedure where they're in sin themselves.

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When the accusers leave, Jesus addresses the woman, neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.

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From a reformed perspective, this passage highlights several profound theological truths.

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I'll share a couple with you. How about three? Well, it shows God's holiness and justice.

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Think about that, God's holiness and justice. Jesus affirms the law's moral standards, showing that sin is serious and it must be addressed.

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It also shows God's mercy and forgiveness. Jesus' forgiveness demonstrates

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God's desire to restore sinners rather than destroy them. His grace does not negate the law, however.

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But actually, what does his grace do? It fulfills the law, as Jesus himself would bear the penalty for sin on the cross.

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The apostle Paul is helpful here. Consider Romans chapter 8, for what the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh,

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God did. Well, how did he do that? By sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh as an offering for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh so that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the

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Spirit. Another theological truth is the call to repentance.

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Consider Jesus' directive, go and sin no more. This is not permissive.

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It's transformative. Grace is never an excuse for sin but empowers believers to live in obedience and holiness.

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In light of Christ's forgiveness, adultery, like all sin, must be confronted by both truth and grace.

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A Reformed understanding emphasizes that believers are justified by faith in Christ, not by their ability to keep the law.

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Yet, this grace compels sanctification, a life increasingly conformed to God's will.

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Again, the apostle Paul is helpful. Romans 6, what shall we say then?

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Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? Paul says, may it never be.

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How shall we who died in sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

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Therefore, we were buried with Him through baptism into death so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the

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Father, so we too might walk in what? In newness of life.

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Jesus' response in John 8 reminds us that while sin deserves punishment, and it does,

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God's ultimate desire is for repentance and restoration. This dual emphasis on justice and mercy is central to the gospel message.

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It's calling us to uphold God's truth while extending His grace to sinners, just like He has done for us.

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And so in verses 1 through 11, we witness a moment that beautifully illustrates the balance that Jesus struck between justice and compassion.

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It is a scene filled with tension, a woman caught in adultery, religious leaders seeking to trap

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Jesus, a crowd eager for a spectacle. The Pharisees demanded a response to the

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Mosaic law. They're hoping to pit Jesus against either divine justice or human mercy.

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Yet, Jesus masterfully turned their legal trap into a moral awakening, leaving everyone confronted by their own sin, the way of the

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Master. This account invites us to examine our own hearts and our own approach to sin, both in ourselves and in others.

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Today, we face two common extremes within and outside of the Church. On one hand, many, believers and unbelievers alike, struggle with forgiveness, choosing instead to hold grudges or harbor bitterness, refusing to extend the grace they themselves have received from God.

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On the other hand, there are those who, really in an attempt to be accepting, shy away from addressing sin, even when it harms individuals, even when it dishonors

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God. Jesus did not condone sin, nor did

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He condemn the sinner. His words to the woman, neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more, capture the essence of the gospel.

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Grace offered freely, coupled with a call to repentance and transformation.

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As Christians, we're called to live this balance out. We must practice forgiveness.

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We must, not as an option, but as an outflow of the forgiveness we've received in Christ.

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Simultaneously, we are called to admonish one another in love, holding each other accountable in a way that reflects both grace and truth.

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The New Testament is clear about these one another commands. Loving, exhorting, and restoring one another are central to our life together as a body of believers.

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So as we delve into this passage, let us consider a few questions. Are you withholding forgiveness?

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Are you withholding forgiveness? Harboring grudges that keep you from reflecting

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God's grace? Or are you so eager to avoid conflict that you fail to lovingly address sin?

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May Jesus' example in this account challenge us to be a people who neither ignore sin, nor condemn sinners, but who actually extend the same grace and truth that we ourselves have received.

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So let's now go into this passage. In the first five verses, John sets the scene.

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John sets the scene. Look at verse one. Jesus went to the

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Mount of Olives. Early in the morning, He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him.

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And He sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Him, Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery in the very act.

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Now in the law of Moses, in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women.

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What then do You say? And so let me just sort of paint this scene for you.

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It was early in the morning in Jerusalem, the city stirring to life as sunlight spilled over the temple walls.

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Pilgrims and worshipers filled the courtyards, their footsteps mingling with the faint murmur of prayers and the rustling of scrolls.

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The scent of morning dew still lingered in the air as Jesus sat amidst a growing crowd.

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His voice calm, yet commanding, teaching them truths that seemed to unlock the mysteries of the kingdom of God.

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Suddenly, the tranquil scene was interrupted by an eruption of commotion, a group of scribes and Pharisees, their robes flowing, their expressions stern, pushed their way through the gathering, dragging with them a woman disheveled and distraught.

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Her shame was palpable, her head hung low, her face flushed with humiliation as whispers rippled through the onlookers.

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The crowd parted to let them through, curiosity and judgment flickering in their eyes.

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The Pharisees were deliberate, their movements calculated. They positioned themselves before Jesus, creating a spectacle that would command the attention of everyone in the temple.

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They stood tall, their posture exuding authority, but their eyes betrayed something darker, a cunning malice, an eagerness to trap the one who dared to challenge their understanding of the law.

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One of them, his voice ringing with feigned righteousness, broke the silence. Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of adultery.

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His words hung in the air like a stone, heavy, condemning. The murmurs grow louder, the accusation settles on the crowd.

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Another Pharisee steps forward, the edges of his mouth curling. You can imagine a self -satisfied smirk.

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They've got him in the trap now. He clutches the scroll of the Torah tightly in his hand, as if wielding the very authority of Moses.

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Now, in the law of Moses, Moses commanded us to stone such a woman.

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What do you say? The trap was set, the net cast wide.

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The question was not born out of a desire for justice or reverence for God or for His law.

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It was laced with venom, meant to ensnare Jesus. If he upheld the law and called for her execution, he would clash with the

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Roman authorities who forbade Jews from carrying out capital punishment. But if he spoke against the law of Moses, he would discredit himself as a teacher of righteousness.

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Either way, they thought they had him cornered. Yet the Pharisees didn't understand who they were talking to.

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And so you can imagine the scene. The woman trembled. I mean, think about the weight of her guilt, undeniable.

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The Pharisees standing there, unmoved, their self -righteousness shielding them from the very law they claim to defend.

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They had turned the holy temple into a courtroom and Jesus into the defendant. But Jesus, calm, unshaken, did not rise to meet their challenge.

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Actually, what did he do? He stooped low, his finger tracing the dust of the temple floor.

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His silence was deafening, drawing the eyes of all upon him. In that moment, the tension was not just between Jesus and his accusers, but between grace and law, truth and hypocrisy.

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It is here in this collision of judgment and mercy that the heart of the gospel begins to unfold.

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And as we move from verses 1 through 5 into verses 6 through 8, we see the

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Pharisees intensifying the trap. Their goal was not justice, but manipulation, using this woman as a pawn in their scheme to discredit

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Jesus. The irony is glaring. While they demanded fidelity to the

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Mosaic law, they themselves had disregarded it. The law required that both parties caught in adultery face judgment, yet they brought only the woman, a glaring act of hypocrisy that really exposed their selective nature, their selective application of justice.

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This scene mirrors really much of what we see in today's cancel culture.

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On one side, we encounter a harsh judgmentalism where people are erased from society for their failures, often without context, mercy, or an opportunity for restoration.

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On the other hand, there's a growing tendency to excuse or overlook evil altogether, avoiding accountability under the guise of something good, acceptance.

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You need to be accepting. Both extremes leave no room for the gospel's transformative power.

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In verses 6 through 8, Jesus demonstrates a better way, a third way, one that neither condones sin nor crushes the sinner.

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As the Pharisees pressed Him for a response, Jesus stooped to write in the dust, a deliberate pause that redirected the focus from the woman to the hearts of her accusers.

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By His actions and words, Jesus confronted their hypocrisy and forced them to reckon with their own sin before condemning another.

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In our modern context, we must ask ourselves, are we quick to join the mob in condemning others, blinded by our own faults?

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Or are we so afraid to confront sin that we allow it to thrive unchecked?

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As we move into verses 6 through 8, let us consider how Jesus' example calls us to balance truth and grace, both in confronting others and examining ourselves.

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And so we see here in this first section the challenge of the accuser. The challenge of the accuser is plural.

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Jesus confronts the Pharisees in verses 6 through 8. Look at verse 6.

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They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have evidence to accuse

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Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.

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In verse 6, we find Jesus responding in an unexpected and profound way to the

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Pharisees' challenge. Rather than immediately addressing their question, what does He actually do?

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He stoops down and He began to write on the ground with His finger. This act, seemingly passive, was a calculated demonstration of His disdain for their hypocrisy and their malicious intent.

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Jesus knows their hearts. And the point in this verse is not what

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He wrote, but how He responded. And so this is one that you might think about, and, oh,

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I wonder what He wrote. You probably have heard people say a bunch of different things, and maybe some of those are weird things.

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Oh, He wrote the true name of God. The text doesn't say that. So whatever, if you're listening to like an online

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YouTube guy who claims to know exactly what Jesus wrote, just stop listening to that person.

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This is not Gnosticism. There's no secret message. There's no secret thing that He wrote. That's not the point.

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Not the point. The Pharisees, eager to trap Jesus, sought to exploit the tension between the

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Mosaic law and Roman governance. If He dismissed the law's command to stone the adulterous woman, they could accuse

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Him of undermining God's Word. Conversely, if He endorsed her execution, they could portray

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Him as defying Roman law and tarnishing His reputation for compassion. Yet Jesus and His divine wisdom refused to be ensnared by their duplicity.

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The significance of His gesture lies not in what He wrote, but in what His action communicated.

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By riding in the dust, Jesus signaled His disregard for their insincerity. They were not sincere.

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Much like ignoring an irrelevant argument or turning away from a distraction, He demonstrated that their accusations were unworthy of His immediate attention.

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You know, you think about like an axiom for us or a phrase. I'm not even going to dignify that with a response.

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No, their accusations were unworthy of His immediate attention. His silence rebuked their pretenses.

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They're coming to the table with false motives, and it forced them to grapple with their own motives and sin.

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For modern believers, this moment serves as a reminder of the importance of discernment.

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Not every provocation or argument merits a response, in other words. The enemy often seeks to derail us with irrelevant disputes and diversions, much like the

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Pharisees sought to hinder Jesus' mission. By refusing to engage in their futile debates,

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Jesus remained focused on His higher purpose, revealing the truth of God's grace and justice.

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As we face challenges and opposition in proclaiming the gospel, let us follow

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Christ's example. May we wisely discern when to speak, and when silence itself becomes a powerful testimony to the truth.

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John writes, But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up and said to them,

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Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her. In verse 7,

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Jesus delivers a piercing and profound challenge to the Pharisees and the scribes.

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He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first. These words, rooted in Mosaic law, simultaneously upheld the law's integrity and exposed the hypocrisy of His challengers.

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Let us carefully examine the depth of Jesus' statement, its basis in Scripture, and its application for us today.

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Jesus' words connect directly to the legal requirements in Deuteronomy 17, where witnesses of a crime were to initiate the execution of the guilty.

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Deuteronomy 17, verse 7, it says this, The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people.

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So you shall purge the evil from your mist. You think about that.

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They're coming to Him with the law. They're talking to the author of the law. He's calling them out.

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They're not following the law, even in the way they're trying to bring this woman forward. The provision in Deuteronomy 17 served as a safeguard, ensuring that witnesses bore full responsibility for their testimony.

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It demanded that they act with integrity and sincerity, knowing they would be held accountable before God for their role in the judicial process.

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The law was meant to discourage frivolous or deceitful accusations, protecting the sanctity of justice, true justice.

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By invoking this principle, Jesus upheld the legal requirement for witnesses to lead in carrying out the punishment.

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Yet, He added a profound spiritual dimension. Only those who were themselves free from guilt could cast the first stone.

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While the Mosaic law emphasized the gravity of false testimony, Jesus expanded it to highlight the universal reality of human sinfulness.

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Jesus' statement did not abolish the law, but exposed the hypocrisy of His accusers.

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These men, eager to trap Jesus, conveniently ignored their own sinful hearts.

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They weaponized the law, not out of reverence for its sanctity, but as a means to manipulate and to condemn.

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By challenging them to consider their own sin, Jesus turned the spotlight from the woman's guilt to their own guilt, their own sin.

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This confrontation is a reminder that hypocrisy often distorts justice.

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When we harshly judge others without first examining our own hearts, we misuse the standards of righteousness.

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Jesus' call to self -reflection reminds us that true justice begins with a humble acknowledgment of our own shortcomings.

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At the same time, Jesus demonstrated a perfect balance between justice and compassion.

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By stating, he who is without sin, He did not dismiss the law's penalty for adultery.

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Rather, He elevated the discussion to one of moral accountability. Jesus neither condoned the woman's sin nor excused the

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Pharisee's hypocrisy. Instead, He emphasized the need for forgiveness and the recognition of shared human frailty.

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This teaching has profound implications for us today. How often are we quick to condemn others while ignoring our own sins?

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In today's culture, many rush to judgment, eager to throw metaphorical stones at those who fail, without considering their own flaws.

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Conversely, some swing to the opposite extreme, avoiding any acknowledgment of sin for fear of being labeled judgmental.

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Who am I to judge? You hear it all the time. Jesus offers a better way to uphold righteousness while extending grace.

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He calls us to confront sin but to do so with humility, recognizing our own need for mercy.

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As followers of Christ, we are called to reflect on our own attitudes towards sin and judgment.

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Do we, like the Pharisees, weaponize righteousness to tear others down?

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Or do we approach others with the same grace we have received from Christ? Jesus' challenge to His accusers is one we must take to heart.

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Before pointing out the sins of others, let us examine our own hearts. Only when we confront our own shortcomings can we approach others with both truth and compassion.

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By doing so, we honor the gospel and we reflect the character of our Savior, who is full of grace and truth.

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May we resist the temptation to condemn hastily and instead strive to model

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Christ's perfect balance of justice and mercy in every aspect of our lives.

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John continues in verse 8, Again, he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

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In verse 8, we encounter a brief but profound moment as Jesus stoops again to write in the dirt.

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This simple action is so rich in meaning. It serves as a deliberate pause in the escalating tension between the

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Pharisees, the crowd, and the accused woman. So, let's think about this verse in its context, uncovering the full significance of this confrontation with the accusers and its implications for us today.

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By bending down to write on the ground, Jesus introduces an intentional pause in the heated exchange.

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This act, repeated from verse 6, forces the accusers to consider His previous challenge.

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Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone. This delay is not meaningless.

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It creates space for self -reflection. The Pharisees had come prepared to trap

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Jesus with the rigidity of the Mosaic law, but His unexpected response disrupted their schemes.

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In the stillness of Jesus' action, the accusers were given time to confront their own sinfulness in light of His words.

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The act of stooping low also conveys humility. While the

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Pharisees stood in judgment, Jesus lowered Himself, symbolically distancing Himself from their self -righteousness.

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His posture mirrored His mission, not to condemn but to seek and save sinners, to seek and save the lost.

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Though the content of Jesus' writing remains a mystery, its symbolic significance is profound.

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Writing in dust or dirt evokes the transient nature of human life and deeds.

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Think about this echoed from Psalm 103, for He knows our frame. He remembers that we are dust.

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This imagery subtly undermines the permanence of the Pharisees' accusations as well.

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Their legalistic condemnation rooted in their own sinfulness is as fleeting as words etched in the soil.

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Moreover, this act recalls Jeremiah 17, those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the

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Lord. And whether or not Jesus intended this allusion, His writing underscores the contrast between divine justice and human false pretenses.

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While the Pharisees sought to judge, they failed to recognize their own standing before a holy

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God. Jesus' response in this moment exemplifies the perfect balance of grace and truth.

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He neither dismissed the woman's sin, nor did He succumb to the Pharisees' hypocrisy.

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Instead, His silence spoke volumes. By stooping to right,

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He refrained from immediate condemnation, allowing the accusers to wrestle with their own guilt.

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This approach reveals the heart of the gospel. Forgiveness is available to all, but it requires humility and repentance.

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Jesus did not avoid addressing sin. He redirected the focus inward, exposing the universal nature of human guilt, human sin.

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In doing so, He demonstrated that grace is inseparable from truth, and justice must be tempered by mercy.

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In today's culture, where swift judgment and condemnation are commonplace, this verse challenges us to pause and reflect.

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Are we quick to cast stones at others without examining our own hearts?

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Jesus' example reminds us to approach others with humility, with compassion, recognizing our shared need for grace.

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Verse 8 is more than a moment of silence. It is a vivid portrayal of divine wisdom and patience.

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Jesus' deliberate delay compels us to consider our own sinfulness before condemning others.

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You know, you think about it, man, I can tell you so many things that I've said

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I regret. But you know what I don't regret? Something that I haven't said.

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We have to be careful. Sometimes silence is the best option. Think about just a simple phrase, speak first, or how about think before you speak.

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There's a lot of wisdom in these verses. 6 and 8 may seem, you know, we can't get anything out of that.

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He's riding on the ground. But no, His demonstration of silence, patience, divine wisdom.

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May we follow His example, extending forgiveness while upholding the truth of the gospel. Imagine the scene.

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The Pharisees were armed with stones and smugness, eager to execute judgment, not just on the woman caught in adultery, but also on Jesus.

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They thought they had Him cornered. It's as if they were the original members of the cancel culture committee.

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They're there to cancel Him. They want to trap Him. They're ready to cancel this woman, literally, for her sin.

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And if possible, they want to cancel Jesus for His grace. But then Jesus does something utterly unexpected.

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Instead of grabbing a stone, instead of launching into a theological debate,

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He stoops down and writes in the dirt. You can almost hear the awkward coughs in the crowd as the accusers pause, unsure of what's happening.

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You know, one Pharisee could even have probably whispered to another, does this count as a legal response?

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He's writing in the dirt. What's He doing? And then comes the clincher, let

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Him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone, boom, mic drop.

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They don't know how to respond to that. Jesus doesn't raise His voice. He raises the stakes.

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Suddenly, the accusers realize they aren't holding stones. They're holding mirrors. Each one sees his own reflection, his own sin, staring back at Him.

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This is where we see the transition from really stones to silence. One by one, the

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Pharisees drop their rocks and leave, beginning with the oldest, likely because they have the most sin to remember.

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By the time the dust settles, it's just Jesus and the woman remaining. So now let's bring this into today's world.

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Our culture loves extremes, does it not? On one hand, people are quick to throw stones, verbally, digitally, or otherwise, canceling others for their mistakes as if they've never stumbled themselves.

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On the other hand, there's this growing tendency to pretend sin doesn't matter, to excuse or ignore behavior that dishonors

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God. But Jesus models a different way. In the next verses, we'll see how

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He addresses sin without condemning the sinner, how He extends both grace and truth.

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Friends, this is the gospel in action. And if we're paying attention, we'll realize that while we love to identify with the woman forgiven, we're often the

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Pharisees with stones in our hands. I mean, you hold grudges and bitterness and resentment in your heart over things that are petty and not eternal.

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It's fun to think, I'm the woman that is in God's grace. You're probably the Pharisee. You're probably the

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Pharisee. So what do you do when you realize you've been holding a stone?

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You're the one holding the stone. What do you do about that? Do you cling to it? Justifying yourself, justifying your judgment, or do you let it fall?

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Do you drop it, humbled by the weight of your own sin? Forgiveness requires confronting sin, not just in others, but in ourselves.

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As we step into verses 9 through 11, we'll see how Jesus offers us all a better path, a path that neither cancels nor condones, but transforms.

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In verses 9 through 11, we see the redemption of the sinner. Jesus addresses the woman.

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Look at verse 9. When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones.

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And he was left alone and the woman where she was in the center of the court.

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The scene before us in verse 9 is one of remarkable contrast and deep conviction.

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Here we see the power of conscience awakened, even in the hearts of hardened hypocrites.

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The scribes and Pharisees with malicious intent had brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus, seeking to trap him.

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Yet with a single phrase, Jesus exposes them. He exposes the hypocrisy within their hearts.

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Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her. His words, simple yet penetrating, act like a divine hammer, breaking, shattering their pride, exposing their guilt.

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The text tells us that they were convicted by their consciences. Conscience, even in a fallen state, remains a powerful testimony to the law of God written on every human heart.

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These men who prided themselves on their outward righteousness were suddenly confronted by their own sinfulness.

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Their elaborate facade of self -righteousness crumbled, and shame overcame them.

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Unable to bear the weight of their own guilt, they began to withdraw, starting with the eldest.

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And we can ask the question, why the eldest first? John adds this in the account. Perhaps it was because age and experience bring with them a deeper awareness of one's failures and shortcomings.

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Those who have lived longer often have a more acute sense of the way they have fallen short of God's perfect standard.

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The younger in their zeal may still cling to the illusion of their own righteousness, but time has a way of revealing the truth, doesn't it?

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These men in their departure demonstrated an unwilling acknowledgment of their sin, but it was not repentance.

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We need to be very clear here, this was not repentance. True repentance does not flee from the presence of the judge, but it runs toward him, seeking mercy and forgiveness.

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And herein lies a crucial lesson. External shame or embarrassment before men is not the same as godly sorrow.

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It's not. The scribes and Pharisees left Jesus because they sought to escape the discomfort of conviction, not to find cleansing.

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How different this is from the posture of genuine repentance, which compels us to lay our sins bare before God, trusting in His grace to forgive and to restore.

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The woman, by contrast, didn't leave. She remained with Jesus. What a striking image.

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The accusers fled, but the accused stayed. Her presence before the

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Savior illustrates the only place of safety for sinners is at the feet of Jesus Christ.

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That's the only safe place for sinners. This passage also reminds us of the wisdom and power of the

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Holy Spirit working through Christ. Jesus did not engage in a fruitless debate or descend into their petty schemes.

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Instead, His words, guided by divine insight, dismantled them.

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He dismantled their argument, and He turned the trap they had set for Him into a moment of truth for their own hearts.

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This is God they're dealing with. He sees their hearts, and He lays it bare.

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When we face opposition or temptation, we too must rely on the Spirit's guidance.

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We need to rely on the Holy Spirit's guidance, the Word of God, rather than on our own wisdom. Without the

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Spirit's direction, we are prone to stumble into snares, but under His leadership, we will stand firm.

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Let us also learn from the woman's example. Though guilty, she did not flee.

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She remained before Christ, submitting herself to His authority and mercy.

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This is the posture of every true believer—acknowledging our guilt, forsaking any pretense of self -righteousness, and casting ourselves entirely upon the grace of God and the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ.

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For there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8.

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May we, like her, find our refuge in Him alone. John continues the account.

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Verse 10. Straightening up, Jesus said to her, Woman, where are they?

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Did no one condemn you? The profound exchange between Jesus and the woman caught in adultery reflects the heart of His redemptive mission.

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The Greek word here for condemn, katakrino, carries the idea of rendering a guilty verdict.

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Not just that, rendering a guilty verdict with the expectation of punishment. Yet, as the accusers departed, convicted by their own consciences,

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Jesus turned to the woman not to condemn, but to restore. Woman, where are they?

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Jesus' question was both tender and incisive, prompting her to recognize the absence of her accusers and the grace of the moment.

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His address, Woman, though seemingly formal, was a term of respect and dignity, elevating her beyond her shame.

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The accusers had come to wield the law as a weapon, yet Jesus fulfilled the law's purpose.

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He certainly could have said, Adulteress, where have they gone? But He didn't do that. Notice the subtlety there?

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No, the accusers had come to wield the law, but Jesus fulfilled the true law's purpose, to reveal sin and point to the need for a

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Savior. He alone, sinless and sovereign, had the authority to condemn her, yet He chose to extend mercy.

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In this moment, we see the perfect union of grace and truth. Jesus neither excused her sin, nor left her in it.

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Instead, He called her to a new life, go, and sin no more. True grace does not leave us unchanged, it transforms us, leading us into holiness and obedience to Christ.

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She answered Him, she said, No one, Lord. And Jesus said, I do not condemn you either, go, and from now on sin no more.

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In this powerful moment of grace, Jesus exemplifies the balance of forgiveness and righteousness that defines

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His mission. Remember, the Greek term used for condemn speaks of a judicial pronouncement of guilt.

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Yet Jesus' response to the woman reveals not an abdication of justice, but a fulfillment of His purpose as the

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Savior, who came not to condemn the world, but to save it. John 3, 17,

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For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

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It is vital to understand that Jesus did not excuse the woman's sin, or dismiss the gravity of adultery.

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He didn't. His words, go, and from now on sin no more, emphasize a call to repentance.

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The original phrase carries the idea of abandoning a habitual pattern of sin, a habitual pattern of conduct in life.

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It's pointing to a transformed life. Grace does not nullify

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God's holiness. Rather, it bridges the gap.

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It enables the sinner to walk in obedience. And some have misinterpreted this passage as a dismissal of the law, or a denial of its consequences.

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Such interpretations fail to recognize the distinction between Christ's role as Redeemer and the role of civil authority in upholding justice.

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Jesus' refusal to condemn was not an annulment of the law, but a demonstration of His mission to seek and save sinners.

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Luke 19, For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.

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By extending grace to the woman, He highlighted the purpose of His coming, to offer reconciliation and renewal to those bound up and chained by sin.

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Christ's charge to go and sin no more underscores the transformative power of forgiveness.

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Grace is never a license to continue in sin. It is a summons to holiness.

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The Apostle Paul echoes this truth in Romans 6, declaring that those who have died to sin cannot continue living in it.

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Remember Romans 6, what shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?

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Paul says, may it never be. May it never be. How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

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Jesus' words remind us that forgiveness is both a gift and a call.

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Forgiveness is a gift and a call. It's a call to life, to living. A gift of unmerited pardon and a call to a life that honors

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God. Furthermore, this encounter invites us to reflect on our own response to sin, both in ourselves and in others.

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The Pharisees came with condemnation, seeking to exploit. They wanted to exploit the woman's failure for their own agenda.

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Jesus, on the other hand, brought restoration. He did not condone her sin, but He extended mercy that pointed her toward a new path.

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As followers of Christ, we are called to model this same balance of grace and truth.

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The ultimate pattern of example is Jesus Christ, Christ's example of forgiveness.

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Let us not overlook the personal nature of this exchange. Jesus addressed the woman directly, restoring her dignity, reminding her of her worth in God's eyes.

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This encounter exemplifies the heart of the gospel. Sinners are not left in their brokenness.

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The gospel transforms. Sinners are invited into a relationship with the one who forgives, transforms, and empowers them to live in righteousness, confronting sin with humility, extending forgiveness with compassion, and always pointing to the transforming power of the gospel.

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May we, too, receive His grace with humility and walk in the newness of life that He provides.

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And so think of how we started this sermon this morning. Isn't it wrong to judge others?

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You hear that in the culture, who am I to judge? Isn't it wrong to judge others? Just live and let live and everything's...

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Isn't that what we hear today? Isn't it wrong to judge? Who am I to judge? Remember the immediate context.

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Chapter 7, Jesus says, judge with righteous judgment.

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In chapter 8, He forgives. He doesn't condemn, but then He gives a directive.

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Think about what He said on the Sermon on the Mount. Is this really any different? How about this?

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Let's go in the right order here. How about the way that we should pray? How do we pray to our

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Heavenly Father? What does Jesus say? Father, forgive us of our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

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And there's a little tale on at the end when He goes through the Lord's Prayer. He makes it clear. If you don't forgive others, your

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Father in heaven won't forgive you. Very serious. And then what does

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He go into after that? Don't judge others because the way you judge others, it will be measured to you.

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So don't go around, you have a two by four sticking out of your eye and you're trying to get a little speck of dust out of your neighbor's eye.

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But actually, what does He say? Take the log out of your own eye and then you can deal with the speck in your brother's eye.

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So is there a command to condemn? No. Is there a command to judge?

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Think about the one another's, 58 New Testament one another's, admonish one another, exhort one another, encourage one another, train up one another, build up one another, instruct one another, teach one another.

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Who am I to judge? What? If you think that, you've been tricked by an evil world system controlled by Satan.

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We are to judge with righteous judgment, not condemning, not forgiving the sin, addressing the sin, but with mercy and compassion.

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The Apostle John really points us to an amazing example here. He paints a vivid picture of Christ's display of mercy and truth in this account.

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Jesus displays mercy and truth and forgiveness and judgment through two striking examples.

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The first is the challenge of the accusers. Jesus confronts the Pharisees in verses 6 through 8.

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In this critical moment, Jesus skillfully turned the Pharisees' snare against them. They came wielding the law, demanding punishment, but blind to their own duplicity.

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Jesus' response was intentional. It was profound. He bent down and wrote on the ground, perhaps signifying the transient nature of their accusatory claims.

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Rising, He issued a piercing challenge, Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to cast a stone.

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And this confrontation unmasked the Pharisees' inner corruption. They were zealous to judge others while disregarding their own guilt.

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Jesus unveiled the universal reality of sin, leveling their arrogance and silencing their hypocrisy.

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His actions teach that true righteousness demands self -reflection.

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Forgiveness requires confronting sin, not just in others, but in ourselves.

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Mercy begins with an honest reckoning of our own failings, not just pointing to the flaws in others.

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And number two, the redemption of the sinner. The second example, Jesus addresses the woman, verses 9 through 11.

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As the accusers withdrew, convicted by their own consciences, Jesus turned His attention to the woman.

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Though her guilt was undeniable, He chose not to condemn her. Instead, He extended mercy.

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Neither do I condemn you. And yet, His grace came with a command, with a directive.

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Go and sin no more. In these words, we witness the completeness of Jesus' purpose.

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To redeem sinners, not to leave them in their sin. Grace does not dismiss sin.

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Grace conquers sin. Jesus' pardon is transformative, summoning the sinner to repentance and purity.

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This moment underscores that mercy and accountability are not at odds with one another. The gospel urges us to extend forgiveness as we have received it, while also urging one another to walk in obedience to Christ.

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Jesus' response to both the accusers and the woman reveals a perfect harmony of mercy and justice.

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He neither annulled the law nor compromised His compassion. As Christ -followers, we are called to reflect this balance.

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We confront sin with humility, offer forgiveness with kindness, and continually direct others to the life -changing power of the gospel.

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May we follow Jesus' example, striving to be a people marked by mercy and truth, who bear witness to His grace in all of our relationships.

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As we conclude today, let us marvel at this perfect harmony of mercy and truth in Jesus Christ's example.

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He exposed hypocrisy without harshness and extended forgiveness without dismissing sin.

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This account reminds us that no one is beyond His grace. No one. Christ calls us to repentance, empowering us to walk with the

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Spirit in newness of life. Be encouraged by this.

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His mercy is greater than your failures. His mercy is greater.

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His truth sets you free, sets you free from the bondage of sin.

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This happens when you first acknowledge your sin and then turn away from it, when you turn to God in seeking forgiveness and believe in the promise of the gospel, the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life, confessing

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Jesus as Lord and believing in your heart that God raised Him from the dead. Let us go forth forgiven, transformed to live in holiness and appoint others to His redeeming love.

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I was watching an online clip recently, and there's this person that I don't really follow, but he pops up.

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He's in my algorithm now. And he said something. He's a Christian. And he had kind of a sorrowful face, and he said, the first thing

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I'm going to ask Jesus when he gets to see Him after He dies, the question is, did we get everybody?

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Did everybody get out? And, you know, Jesus is the one doing the saving, but this guy's living his life to try to share the gospel.

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There was a heart of wanting people to know the truth. And so this idea of, like, did we save everybody?

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Did we get everybody? The truth is that some people won't be saved. The dangers on getting condemnation versus judgment is very serious.

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The dangers on getting condemnation versus judgment wrong diminishes the power of the saving message of the gospel.

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If you're going into evangelism or trying to witness and share the gospel with someone, and you're not addressing sin, there's no challenge of sin, you have diluted the gospel.

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No, we need to seek after Christ. We need to follow Christ's example. Christ's example of forgiveness is an example of how to share the gospel, truth and grace.

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This passage calls us to marvel at the beauty of Christ's mercy and truth. In Jesus, we see a

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Savior who confronts sin, but never crushes the sinner. Like the

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Pharisees, we must first examine our own hearts, laying down stones of judgment to embrace humility.

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And like the woman, we are reminded that Christ's forgiveness is not a license to continue in sin, but an invitation, a command to live in holiness.

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So be encouraged. His mercy is wide enough to cover your failures, and His grace is powerful enough to transform your life.

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Let us leave here today humbled by this truth, emboldened by His mercy, the example of Christ's forgiveness.

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May we be committed to reflecting His love, His mercy, His truth, His compassion in every relationship.

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In Christ, there is no condemnation for the repentant sinner, only the call to walk in freedom, the freedom of obedience and the joy of grace.