This week at Calvary Chapel Sydney the Sunday message was focused on the interaction with Jesus and the woman brought to Him who was caught in adultery. The Pharisees brought the woman before Jesus to find an opportunity to accuse Jesus of wrongdoing, but Jesus unexpectedly shifted the focus to the conscience of the accusers: suddenly they were the ones on trial. They wanted to know if Jesus agreed with Moses that the woman should be stoned to death, yet Jesus told them the one without sin should be the first to throw a stone. One by one the accusers departed and the woman was left alone with Jesus.
John 8:10-11 says, "When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" 11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." The woman who was under condemnation of the Law and self-righteous men stood without condemnation before Jesus Christ whom she called "Lord" or master, supreme in authority. Jesus had every right to pick up a stone being sinless, yet He could see her heart. It was by no means a good heart, being naturally wicked and sinful like all other people. This woman was provided by God's grace an opportunity to repent and place her trust in Jesus, and in doing so would not only receive salvation and forgiveness by faith, but power to walk righteously.
I do not believe the words of Jesus had the harsh or threatening tone some read into them coupled with a scowl: "Don't you dare do that again - or else!" He said, "Go and sin no more." The good observation was made in the message delivered this morning that this was not merely a command. At face value it is a command, but it was also empowering because it was the very word of God. Having placed her faith in Jesus Christ as LORD, through the power of the Holy Spirit the woman was divinely enabled to obey the divine mandate joyfully - despite being harshly judged or made a social outcast. She had love and acceptance in Jesus she had sought in an adulterous relationship, and Jesus gave her the real thing which transcended sex or earthly relationships.
The Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. The Law could only condemn, having no power to save, but Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He brought a way to righteousness apart from Law through faith in Him. Romans 8:1-4 teaches us, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." Jesus wasn't "soft on sin" or allowed the woman off easy, but granted her an opportunity by God's grace to cease walking according to the flesh and instead live according to the Holy Spirit. Like the woman in adultery all of us are condemned already because of our sin, but Jesus does not condemn us: He offers life and new beginnings to those who trust in Him.
John 8:10-11 says, "When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" 11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." The woman who was under condemnation of the Law and self-righteous men stood without condemnation before Jesus Christ whom she called "Lord" or master, supreme in authority. Jesus had every right to pick up a stone being sinless, yet He could see her heart. It was by no means a good heart, being naturally wicked and sinful like all other people. This woman was provided by God's grace an opportunity to repent and place her trust in Jesus, and in doing so would not only receive salvation and forgiveness by faith, but power to walk righteously.
I do not believe the words of Jesus had the harsh or threatening tone some read into them coupled with a scowl: "Don't you dare do that again - or else!" He said, "Go and sin no more." The good observation was made in the message delivered this morning that this was not merely a command. At face value it is a command, but it was also empowering because it was the very word of God. Having placed her faith in Jesus Christ as LORD, through the power of the Holy Spirit the woman was divinely enabled to obey the divine mandate joyfully - despite being harshly judged or made a social outcast. She had love and acceptance in Jesus she had sought in an adulterous relationship, and Jesus gave her the real thing which transcended sex or earthly relationships.
The Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. The Law could only condemn, having no power to save, but Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He brought a way to righteousness apart from Law through faith in Him. Romans 8:1-4 teaches us, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." Jesus wasn't "soft on sin" or allowed the woman off easy, but granted her an opportunity by God's grace to cease walking according to the flesh and instead live according to the Holy Spirit. Like the woman in adultery all of us are condemned already because of our sin, but Jesus does not condemn us: He offers life and new beginnings to those who trust in Him.
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