Read John 8:1-11
So, I have given a proposition a few or few dozen times
That’s normally how that works. Remember, this is a Tom Deal not a hard and
fast biblical rule or doctrine. Here it is again.
The Law was given for our own good to mitigate the evil in
our hearts. It didn’t cure anything. It reduced the effect of evil within us,
at least that is what I have proffered to you.
Jesus wants a wholesale exchange of our sinful hearts for a
divine one. It’s not quite a plug-and-play deal, but you surely do not want to
be unplugged from it.
Where are we in this unique gospel? Jesus has performed miracles. Some believed.
Some didn’t. Some started thinking about killing him.
Is he the Christ? How can he do these things? Some believed.
Some doubted. Some continued to plot to kill him.
Through this time, Jesus continued to teach. So we come to a
day on the Mount of Olives and the Temple Courts and Jesus is ready to begin
his teaching when he is greeted by a crowd once again.
Among his enemies who were about to make their grand entrance,
someone thought they had the perfect scenario to trap Jesus. I cannot believe
that the gospel author did not insert “lol” somewhere in the text. Let’s see how it plays out. It’s likely familiar to you.
Jesus was ready to teach and the Teachers of the Law were
ready to entrap him. Enter the woman
accused of adultery. She had been caught red-handed. That part might make you scratch your head. This
should be a no-brainer. Jesus has to say
“Stone Her!”
C'mon, it's an open-and-shut case.
So, the woman is dragged in. I’m thinking this stop was not
on her to-do list for the day. She might get a quick roll in the hall with the guy
next door, hit the market for some sales, and maybe grab some drinks with the
girls later.
So much for her plans. The religious hierarchy had the woman
placed in front of the people. They
probably didn’t even know her name.
They had come for Jesus. The woman was a sideshow, a
distraction, while the self-righteous maneuvered for the kill. She was the
supporting attack and her death would just be collateral damage. These high and
mighty leaders were after Jesus.
Jesus was the one in their sights. The woman was small
potatoes, but necessary for this maneuver.
The religious leaders and their closest followers turned
their attention to this man called Jesus.
OBTW—they were all packing rocks.
This was the boys day out for sure. There would be blood!
C’mon, you can’t just decide to kill a woman because you
want to—really, what’s the deal here?
And this was no surprise to Jesus. Jesus could have taken
the role of attorney and been the best lawyer ever. Jesus could have dismissed
on the spot. Send these knuckleheads
away. They don’t have a case!
What?
They were short some evidence. It wasn’t lost in the
evidence room. It wasn’t skimmed off by some corrupt cop. It wasn’t blown
away by the Oklahoma wind.
The yahoos in charge of this show just brought the girl. So,
what did they forget?
The guy. Yes, even two millennia ago, it took two to
tango.
If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both
the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from
Israel.
Jesus could have just said that a Two to Tango offense
and I only see one person accused. He
could have just sent these self-righteous yahoo’s home. Jesus took another path. He went along with
the scheme to kill the woman and make him look hard-hearted after preaching so
much love.
He had one condition.
Jesus was not confrontational. He was not combative. He wasn't there to debater or argue. He could have been. The Teachers
of the Law left themselves open to be obliterated by the law. Jesus would not
engage in conversation. He wrote on the ground.
When he spoke, his words cut to the heart of why he chose
what he did.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground
with his finger. When they kept on
questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who
is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground
Jesus wasn’t going to teach the finer points of the law. He
came to fulfill the law and he did. But crossing the T and dotting the I were not
part of his mission.
This next part is a little speculative, but within the realm of probability.
Realize that there was probably a guy in the crowd with a
rock or two or two dozen who was glad he wasn’t standing with the accused. He
would make his throws count. He was going to need another side chick but at
least he wasn’t about to get stoned.
And we come to a very basic question. What do we want in our
relationship with God?
A vending machine? Problem in. Answer out. On to the next
thing.
A friend when I need one? Who wouldn’t want that?
Someone to tell you what to do? I’m talking to the single guys now. The rest
don’t have to worry about that anymore.
Seriously, do we want someone who is Lord? We like the Jesus
is our friend part. How about Jesus is Lord.
Do you want someone to take the pain in your back or neck or
leg away? I’m sure that I missed a few spots.
You want to be able to make this month’s rent or car payment
or tattoo payment. Any financial help is appreciated.
But are we ready to accept Jesus as Lord?
Every man there was armed. Young and old had gathered. Some
would throw with passion. Some would move to the back of the line when it
formed. Let the extra passion of youth do its work.
But they all brought stones.
So, let’s enforce the Law of my Father that was given
through Moses. Go ahead. Whoever has never sinned get this party started.
Who would be the first? Unless a stranger was just passing
through at the moment, I’m sure that anyone who stepped forward might have a
skeptic or two or two hundred. This statement was universally
disqualifying.
The law has some attraction for people. They can satisfy
their own human heart—yes the one tainted by evil—and do it in the name of God.
Do you think that those men who brought this woman to Jesus
were concerned in doing what was right in God’s eyes? Really?
·
There were those with an agenda. This Jesus
character has been disrupting our stage. Time for him to exit stage left.
·
There were those who were just interested in
what would happen. Like him or hate him, there was never a dull moment with
Jesus.
·
And some didn’t know what to do
with the day. My golf game stinks. Let’s see if there is a stoning going on
anywhere.
There was another group. The people. The people who were
interested. The people who were listening so they could do what God wanted them
to do. Yes, there was a group of people ready to hear what the Lord had to say.
There was one more person interested in what Jesus had to
say. Yes, the woman who had been brought before him. He had just said, go ahead
and stone her, knowing that it would never happen. The woman might have been a
little in the dark on the last part.
So it went something like this.
Where did everyone go?
I don’t know.
Then who is left to condemn you?
No one, sir.
Then neither do I. I
came to save not to condemn. Now leave your sinful ways and
live to the glory of God.
Today, most of us fit into the same category. We
have sinned and we have been saved by the blood of Jesus. Now, go and sin
no more.
More about that later.
Amen.
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