(John) the Practical Example of the Saviour — Willie Mullan

John chapter 8 and the first eleven verses. And we're starting this rather difficult portion this evening. Indeed, I must declare just now that there are many real out-and-out evangelical scholars, and I'm not just talking about teachers, there are many out-and-out evangelical scholars who do not believe that this portion is a part of the Word of God at all.

In fact, there are many translations where from verse 2 right down to verse 11 is left out. Not there at all. You will find translations where you won't get this story at all. These verses are left out.

But although there is much to be said on that side, I'm persuaded this evening from one or two facts that this is indeed a portion of the Word of God, and I believe that you can rightly go on reading John's gospel and leave it out.

I don't think it can be done. Here's what persuades me that this is the Word of God in its right place. If we reverse the story again, and every man went on to his own house, but Jesus went on to the Mount of Olives, supposing we leave the next verses out down to verse 11, and we were reading after the word, Olives, verse 12, then speak Jesus again unto them.

There is no connection whatsoever. The last we see of him is going to the Mount of Olives, and there is no continuation of the story. You would have to read then, speaking again unto them, unto whom, and where, and when, so that there is no real connection.

Then you will notice this, that in verse 45 of John chapter 7, then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man speak like this man.

Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Now, you will notice here that the Pharisees were not around our Lord Jesus. They're away in some other building of the temple, and the officers are coming to them, and they're saying to the officers, or really the soldiers of the temple, Why have ye not brought him?

Thus, when you come into John chapter 8, you will find this. It says down there, in verse, in verse 3, and describes, and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery. Supposing you were to leave that out, and you were continuing the chapter from verse 12, it would read like this, Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

The Pharisees therefore said unto him, If in John chapter 7 they are not with him, but in some other building of the temple, talking to the officers, how would he be talking to them, and they talking to him, in John chapter 8, if you don't get the connection where they came to him?

And so, I'm persuaded that this is indeed the word of God. I think, to be perfectly honest with this, the reason that some of the scholars are afraid of this very precious portion, is just because our Lord Jesus Christ said to the woman taken in adultery, neither do I condemn thee.

That's no problem, and they're afraid to face up to it. But we're not a bit afraid, we've got to take this thing, and you'll find that when we get through it, it's a very precious portion. So, we're dealing with this, I believe it to be the word of God.

I believe you can have no connection with chapter 7 running on in chronological order without these precious verses 2 to 11, and we're dealing with the story this evening. First of all, I want to touch on the practical example of the Master.

The Practical Example of Jesus in Early-Morning Ministry

You see verse 2, early in the morning, that's a practical example that is reason for all the evils. The Lord has left us an example that we might follow in a step. Well, here's one, and then we shall go on from the practical example of the Master, to look at these far-reaching enemies of the Master.

You know, this was very subtle here. They brought this woman taken in adultery, caught in the very act, and they were making her just the butt of coming against Him. Wasn't that they were really annoyed with her sin?

They wanted to put her in the center and before the crowd to try to corner the Master, because they were putting it up to him like this. The law says this woman should be stoned. What's their stout? So they thought they had them cornered here, that if he would say she's not to be stoned, then they could turn to the crowd and say, well, he has broken the law.

The very thing that he talks about coming to fulfill. He's breaking the law of those. And if he said, on the other hand, that she was to be stoned, then they could turn to the crowd and say, is this the one you talk about being the friend of publicans and sinners?

So they felt that whatever way they went, they had the Master cornered. You see, this was the pharisaical enemies of the Master. And then we could go on from that to the parabolical exercise of the Master, because I believe that in the very stupid, and in the very scribbling, and in the very silence, there's a parable that teaches many things, and I'm calling it the parabolical exercise of the Master.

We shall move on from there to the penetrating expression of the Master. And it really penetrated. In verse 7, he said to the crowd, or to the Pharisees, he that is without sin among you, let him first cast the stone at her.

And it really penetrated to the conscience. Then we should go on from there to the proving examination of the Master. He turned to the woman when they'd gone out and said, where are those thine accusers?

Where are they? Caught? No man condemns thee. And then we shall come to this last verse that has been made the foundation of many arguments and many battles, where Jesus said, neither do I condemn thee.

Go and sin no more. That's how we're dealing with this precious portion this evening, and now we're going to tackle it and relearn it. Let's get to verse 2. And early in the morning. I think that you can see that that follows on naturally from what we've been reading.

In the last chapter, every man went on to his own house, but Jesus went on to the Mount of Olives. He spent the night up in the mountain, the foxes it holds, the birds of the air it nests, but the Son of Man had not where to lay his head.

And then here it is, and early in the morning. You see, this is a great example. It's perfectly true that day after day he was very busy. And sometimes when the evening came, the sick old Lord around him lay.

And you can remember how he worked day after day of his father's business, right on to his father's head. Then he would slip away up the mountainside, and as the Old Testament states, his hair was wet with the dew.

But early in the morning, Lord's example. Mine came to the temple early in the morning. Surely the teaching of this, that we need to get into touch with God early in the morning. This is the example of our Lord.

My, we need to put first the kingdom of God. Yes, just like your Bible begins, each day should begin in the beginning God. How he began his day. My, you can see him coming early in the morning. You remember how the psalmist said, thou art my God, where I seek thee.

I wonder, do we say that? And I'll tell you this, if you get into the presence of the Lord early in the morning, and seek first the kingdom of God, and begin your day with God, I believe this, that very often what happened to Mary Magdalene, and you remember she came to the sepulcher early, and you remember this, that there, that morning, there was just one word spoken.

It was the word Mary. Do you remember? And I'll tell you this, that was a message for nobody in the world but her. It was a special message for the heart that had come seeking early, and it didn't have any application to anybody else in the whole world but her.

And I believe this, too, you know, if you come early, and seek first the kingdom of God, and begin the day with God, God will speak to you, and you'll have a message that day that will be all your own.

And you remember how she came early that morning to the sepulcher, you remember her eyes were filled with tears, you remember the sky was dark, she was standing in the fog, quiet stream that the whole bottom was under the bush, and just one word, right up here, this part, she got the word from God early in the morning.

And some of you are running for the bus, you know. Yeah, no credit to the Lord at all, you know. You're never early, you don't even know the meaning of it. You're no witness for the Lord. Go into your work list, what conversation have you with the Lord when you have to run for the bus?

Now, there's an example before you. He worked hard all day, and early in the morning he came to the temple. It's a very beautiful little church, it would be easy to pass it by, but I don't think we should do that.

Now, here is the example. Watch it. And early in the morning, he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him, and he sat down and got them. You know, the master could draw the clouds just because he came fresh from the presence of God, and he was teaching him nothing else but the word of God.

And I have found that it still pays to expound the word of God. We have nothing in this bible class but the word of God. This is the attraction here, not the man, the message. The man's nothing to look at.

Sometimes I fool about with you, talking about being good-looking, but you know, I can see in the glass, I know what I look like all right. Nay, my friend, God messenger, the message. The master was drawing clouds by expounding the word of God.

They crushed upon him at a certain place, it says, to hear the word of God. So, here he was. That would do for the example. Now, what's this? I'm described, and prophecies brought unto him, a woman taken in adultery, and when they have set her in the midst, they say unto him, Master, that this woman was taken in adultery in the very act.

Religious Opposition and the Misuse of Scripture

Now, I want you to notice something right at the beginning here. You know, these prophecies professing to love God, professing to be zealous for the word of God. Let us get the hold of this. They disturbed the teaching of the word of God.

He was preaching the cloud, the word of God. The people had gathered round him, and the master was expounding the word. He was teaching the people, and these prophecies, the teaching of the word. That's a very serious affliction, Harold.

I've learned two things in life. I think two outstanding things, and they are these. You remember when we were preaching from the book of Daniel? You remember on one occasion we found Daniel down on his knees, praying without ceasing, without giving in, for twenty-one days.

Do you remember that? Eighty-six years of age, the old prophet got the hold of God's throne, and he prayed for twenty-one days for more light on the prophetic scriptures. He was looking for light. And do you remember what we discovered?

We discovered that at the very moment he bowed and gripped the throne, God answered. But there were diabolical forces that kept the answer back for twenty-one days, and we saw them to be the rulers of the darkness of this world.

You see, hovering over this meeting tonight, maybe I'm known to you, but I'm very conscious of it. There are forces against me. There are diabolical forces, spiritual wickedness in high places, the rulers of the darkness of this world.

They don't want light to come through. And I found this out, that no matter where I find a man preaching the old-fashioned gospel, I pray for him. And no matter where I find a woman preaching the old-fashioned gospel, I shall pray for her.

There's some of you that know, that couldn't do it. No, I'm not going to take you to the hells of Donegal now. And you would find two wee lasses from the faith mission, away on the top of the hills into heaven, and tonight they'll have about ten of a congregation, ten that will never hear the gospel, only through these lasses.

Could you not pray for them? I'll always be praying for the folk that's bringing light. And I shall never let this tongue of mine wobble to despair. I don't let before it is. My some of us pretend to be so zealous, so wonderfully out for God, that you would help the devil to keep the light from those that are in darkness, and you would disturb the very preaching of the book.

Oh, that we could find our hearts in this meeting. That Pharisee, so enemies, that I want you to notice this. They didn't only disturb the teaching of the words of the cross, but they say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery in the very act of Moses.

Then the law commanded us that such should be done. You know, they're quoting the scriptures now. You know, friends, we need to be very careful when we quote God's words, because if we are going to put our zeal and strength and energy into something, and we quote God's word to support it, then all the time the whole thing is only to cover a diabolical motive.

Then you're no better than a Pharisee. Not one bitterly, whether you quote the book or not. Oh, the Pharisees quoted God's word, don't you mistake that. And I'll tell you this, they quoted it correctly, too.

For that's exactly what the law said. But they weren't worried about the law, and they weren't worried about the sinful state of the nation. They were only using this affair to corner the master. There's a verse in the book, you know, that really brings this out.

Have a look at John 18, and we mustn't steal much from it, because we'll get there by and by. John chapter 18, and it's verse 28. Now, watch it carefully, because it's one of the most powerful verses in the book.

John 18, 28,. Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment. And it was early, and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the parcel.

I want you to get that scene. You can see these scribes and Pharisees bringing our Lord Jesus from the house of Caiaphas. And they're coming down the dusty road, and all these pious-looking Pharisees are walking beside him.

His hands are tied. He's now numbered with a transgressor, and they're bringing him from Caiaphas. And they're taking him to the judgment hall, the room of judgment hall. They're taking him to pious. It's early in the morning.

You see, they have been trying him in the middle of the night, which was against Jewish law. They didn't mind breaking it if it suited their purposes. But they're bringing him now early in the morning, and they're bringing him down to the room in judgment hall.

And when they got there, that was a Gentile hall, you see. They themselves went not into the hall, lest they should be defiled, that they might eat the parcel of the hypocrite. But they used to get worried about being defiled, when your very innermost being is crying out for the blood of God's Son.

They used to get worried about being defiled. That's hypocrisy. That's diabolical wickedness. That's only unfaithful, sinful, pretentious. Boy, there are a lot of Pharisees too, you know. You would need to almost dissect them to get them to see their own heart.

Here they come, so piously along the road, and then they shiver at this hall. Oh, they wouldn't go in there, lest they should be defiled, that they might eat the parcel. And all the time, they're planning to murder God's Son.

It was just the same in John 8. They brought the woman, they quoted the scripture, they talked about what Moses said. They were not worried about God's law, nor the morals of the nation. They only wanted to use this key to corner the Christ of God, that they might righteously, as they thought, condemn Him.

So, you can see this diabolical wickedness. Now, what's this? Verse 4, they say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery in the very act. Now, Moses in the law commanded us that such should be done, but what sayest thou?

Now, the Holy Ghost put this bit in. This they said, tempting Him, that they might have to accuse Him. You see, the Holy Ghost knew their hearts all right. You see, I want you to get the hold of this.

My friend, you can disturb meeting, pretending that your voice were God's, and you can really stop the teaching of the world, and you can cover it all up by quoting scripture, and pretending to be out and out for God, when all the time there's a secret thing in your heart that being designed.

Be careful about it. I've seen people ask questions in Bible classes to show off, and if that's all they do, it's a pity. They love to come along and air their knowledge so they think, and when they open their mouths, you can see their ignorance taken out.

Friend, always be very careful with that heart of yours, for God looketh not on the outward appearance. The Lord was watching the heart. He knew what was going on. They were only using this occasion to tempt the Savior that they might accuse Him.

The Pharisees’ Hypocrisy and the Heart of the Law

Now, we'll move on from the pharisaical enemies of the Master, to this parabolical exercise of the Master. As soon as they came and dragged this poor woman into the midst, who was taken in adultery in the very act, and quoted Moses, our Lord Jesus Christ stooped down.

Thus, Jesus stooped down, and with his finger root on the ground. I want you to notice the seating. I want you to notice the stooping, and I want you to notice the scribbling. I'll put it like that for you to get it, and I want you to notice the silence.

We believe that here, of course, we have a parable being enacted, not preached this time. It's a parable being enacted to try to teach these poor, self-deluded Pharisees. But, at that moment, they didn't see it.

You see, as soon as they came, and said this woman was taken in adultery in the very act, the Lord stooped down, and he wrote something on the ground with his finger. Now, there has been a lot of contemplation about what he wrote, and some people have come out into the open, and declared as if they knew, and I honestly can't see how they know.

Some of our bishops did the name deal with the woman. You see, when they quoted the Lord Moses, they didn't quote at all, because if the woman was taken in the very act, of course, they got the man, didn't they?

What did they do with him? Some people, you know, could condemn the poor prostitute in the street, but, you know, they're rotten inside with covetousness. You know, could condemn the poor prostitute in the street, but, you know, they're rotten inside with covetousness, which is really idolatry.

For the basis of all the wickedness that in this world tonight knows, is this passive sense of covetousness. It's the tenth commandment. The last commandment is, thou shalt not covet. And the one before the last is the ninth, and it is, thou shalt not bear false witness.

And it works like this, if people can't get what they want by coveting, they tell lies to get what they covet. And the one before that is the eighth, thou shalt not steal. And if people can't get what they want by coveting, and they can't get what they want by telling lies, then they go and take it.

And if you've got a little bit proven it is, thou shalt not kill. And that's what's wrong with this cursed, damnable communism. They want something. They can't get it by lying. I tried to take it one of these days.

If I took it, and went into the depths of something that's horrible, of course they would turn their nose up at the prostitute. You know, very often I've got to say this. It's not easy preaching this evening.

I've got to say this, that sometimes a poor, innocent, uncultured, from the country, is deceived by some subtle, wicked man, who leaves her on the shelf with a baby, and walks out, and she's got to take the rest.

And the world looks at you. But God knows you now. If you were young laughers, maybe your father would prefer to talk to you like that. You'll have to remember there are wicked men in the world to let you down, dear.

You know what the old judge said one day, when a prostitute stood in the dock, and the jury was about to leave to find the verdict? He looked at the jury and he said, when you men consider in that room what this girl has done, remember there's a man to blame, and that man might be your son.

And when you're in that jury room, just consider then that for every fallen woman there's a hundred. But the Lord knew you now. He knew who the man was, whether he wrote the name or not, and he knew all the stories, whether the last would deceive them all, whether some wretch had blocked her, had brought her cancer, and he just stood down.

I believe you know there's more to it than this. I believe this, that this poor wretch that was standing now in his presence, with her head down, and every eye upon her, and she can hear the law condemning her.

She's condemned. She's a strong sinner as she stands in the midst of the crowd that day. But the first thing the Son of God did for this sinner was this. He stood. He did four. Not that she didn't know that that man was doing something for her, but he was doing something for her.

He stood. And the next thing is this, that he put his hand down into the dust to be asked, who we are. Dear friends, for every scarlet rebel, undone sinner in this place, the mighty stooge, from the heights of the Lord.

Let's get the hold of this. We'll get into this deeper as we get on. Let's just look at this penetrating expression of the Master for a moment. They fixed this, they said, centering him, that they might have to accuse him.

But Jesus stooped, and with his finger rooted in the ground as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and he's going to speak to them. You know, the Lord did some surprising things to you.

I think that when they dragged this woman into the midst, and made this charge against the Christian in the very act, why they thought they had the Lord so cornered that this was the end of him. But you know, he surprised them first of all.

He stooped. He willingly stooped. And then he did something they thought he would never do. He scribbled on the sand. And then when he rose again, they never thought that that would happen, you know. They thought, well, he speaks for himself, or else he speaks to her.

But he never speaks. But it was to them he spoke. Why, he had nothing to say as far as he was concerned, but he had something to say to them. And listen what it was. It was a powerful, penetrating expression.

Jesus’ Convicting Question and the Departure of the Accusers

He just looked at the crowd and said, He that is without sin among you. You know, he was penetrating down into the very conscience. You know, our friend on the notes here, he dared them. He dared them to cast a stone.

And he could well afford to dare them when he was standing upright, keeping into their eyes with all the wonderful faith he could think of. It was a penetrating expression. He just paused. Why, they went out from you.

I believe that the power of the Lord was upon the preached word at that moment, and that the conscience was so smitten by the Spirit of God through the word of God, that the poor, undone sinner went out thinking that he was worse than the woman.

So he was. But look at this. Let's get the hold of this. As soon as he dared them, and defeated them, and dispelled them, and they which had it being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last.

And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. That alone only applies to him and to Pharisees. The crowd that he was teaching was still there, and the woman was standing in the midst of the crowd.

And Jesus had lifted up himself and saw none, but the woman. He said unto her, Woman, where are thine accusers? I think that you could get a great lot out of taking your concordance sometime, and going through this book, and marking all the pairs.

Beautiful thing. The first question God asked man was this, Where are thy accusers? Did he not know where they were? God never asks questions to the taught. God always asks questions to teach. He wasn't asking Adam where art thou, because God had lost him.

He was trying to get Adam to be conscious of where he really was. He was wanting the conscience to be aroused, to know exactly where he was. And you know, God might well speak into this meeting and say, Where art thou?

You know, there may be a man on the meeting, still in the meeting tonight. And dear sir, you're just on the very edge of the pit of hell, isn't it? And the last few ponds, few piles of sand, of time, are just slipping away from your feet.

And maybe tomorrow, God, that I could make you conscious of where you are. Where art thou? That's the first question that God asked man. I'll tell you what the second one was. Do you know it? Well, you remember the two brothers.

And you remember how Cain killed Abel. And you remember how God came to them and said, Where is thy brother? And if the first where applies to sinners, the second one applies to you, saying, Where's your brother?

Or maybe you've wound up to where you were. Oh yes, I was lost. I was undone, unclean, unsafe. I believe you've come out into the open and confessed it all and looked safe. Well, here's the next question.

Where's your brother? Did it ever strike you? Say it here. Where's your brother? Did it ever strike you? You're not saying hallelujahs with somebody going to hell, are you? Did you ever get excited about it?

And then you're unconscious of this. That in the town where God has placed me, why, there are several men out in the streets, men that I love, who are unsafe, according to the flesh, all this. The Lord didn't say to this woman, Where art thou?

Or Where is your brother? He said to this woman, Where are thine accusers? That's a lovely little word. And if you take the word where and go through the book, you'll get about two dozen more of them, and they're all beautiful.

You can weave them into a message. But what's this? Where are thine accusers? Friend, what did we accuse of? I often remember the day when I looked at fool and I knew that those car locks were mine. And if they were written on the wall tonight, I'd clear out of the face of them.

Now, were you here? I'll never be abused for it unless they did it over for me. Ours again, bless his name, they're gone. Buried in the deepest sea, yes, that's good enough for me. Satan was an accuser of mine.

Satan could draw an eye to me once upon a time and point that accusing finger right into my face and say, You're a solid rebel, undone guilty sinner. I'm your winner, Harry Coote. But he can't do it now, you know.

You remember what Martin Luther said, that he dreamed one night that the devil brought a great white screw, and he began to write the sins that Martin Luther had been guilty of down to life. And he said, as I saw the sheet getting full, I trembled.

I had to bow my head and close my eyes. I knew it was true. And then he said, my own trembling hand, I took the pen from sitting and I added a few more that seemed to be left out. And then with one bold slip, I struck across it.

The blood of Jesus Christ! And you know, the law accused me. Didn't the law accuse this woman? And the handwriting that was against her, Jesus went to Calvary. He broke it out, that thing that was against her, and he got out of the way by the cross.

By he fulfilled the law for us. Friend, your accusers are gone. He looked into her eyes and said, Where are thine accusers? And then he looked again and he said, Ah, no man condemned him? Look, friend, I'm just a poor, simple preacher that the Lord wonderfully saved 27 years ago.

And before that, I was a dark, rebel, hell-deserving sinner. But because I came to the Savior who stooped and died and rose again, and my trust is fully in Him, I can say this tonight. Reach Savior fast to sin.

Prove He bears one part of sin. Then tell me, I want reason. You see, there is no nation for them that no man can condemn, because it's Christ that justifies it. I'm justified by the Savior who took my sins and made them His very own, and bore that burden on Calvary, suffered and bled alone.

Friend, what a wonderful thing. But let's get down into the depth of this. Look at it. Verse 10, When Jesus had lifted up himself and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers?

Hath no man condemned thee? Now, I want you to get the hold of this. He's speaking for this guilty sinner. But I want you to see the whole story, because if you don't, you'll have as big a problem as some of the fellows are afraid of.

You see, friends, let's get the hold of this. This woman was really taken in the act of adultery, she was. Yes, she was a solid sinner, and we mustn't do anything else but say that. And this woman is brought into the midst of the cloud, and there she's thrown down in the sand, and she hears the voice beckoning her, saying, Moses said she should be thrown.

What fears God? And at that moment, her very accusers are turning her eyes upon the only one on whom she has any hope. If there's anybody can save her, it's this man. Because the Pharisees are waiting, and it seems the whole law is waiting.

Eyes were on the Savior, and the Savior is looking at her now, and he's saying, has no man condemned me? And he's listening for her voice, and here's what she said, no man. Lord, don't forget that wee bit, when you're going down there.

Wonderful scene. This poor wretch, lying condemned and scarlet and guilty, with arms down and arms free, before the eyes of all, and her eyes turned upon the Savior, and in that moment, she trusted him.

She called him Lord. That's what proved the soul of Cassius had got gloriously saved. He said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? That's what proved that the man on this cross had got a change of heart.

He said, Lord, when thou comest into thy kingdom, remember me, my dear friend. It's with the heart that man believeth, and it is with the mouth that confesseth thou this. My dear friend, no wonder he can look at her now, and he can say this, yes, you were brought in guilty before me, but I did certain things for you, and I'm alive, standing here now, looking at you, and you're trusting me.

You're calling me Lord, condemned. It isn't any problem to me. It doesn't give me any concern to expound on. Friend, look at it, the old problem that man was never able to solve, isn't it? My God is a holy God, and his law is an inflexible law, and the holiness of God, and the justness of God, and the righteousness of God, condemns faith.

How is the poor sinner ever going to get saved? He'll only get saved by the mercy, and love of God, and grace of God. Peace of harmony, hope to be harmonized by the wisdom of God. How do you think? God was so wise, he found a means, and the means was that his son stood to be his servant, and his servant went down into the dust of death at Calvary to be the sacrifice for sin, and rose again, and whosoever believes in him is not condemned.

That's what the book says. I would like to know how anybody could condemn me, when God's Son became my substitute, and went to Calvary, and bore my sin, and blotted out my guilt, and cured my debt, and fought my battle, and rose again, a real, living, triumphant Savior.

My dear friends, listen to this. I've only touched the hem of the garment. I want you to get this. Never mind about anything else. Get the garment after me. Now, watch it. Will it work? Prove. Now, look.

Salvation Through Substitution and the Savior’s Stooping

Early came, came into the temple, didn't he? He came out what? Quick. He came out of the serpents of God. Came out of the serpents, didn't they? Yes. Now, I want you to notice this, that he stooped. Verse 6.