A Sermon on Second Chances
John 8
1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 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.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
1. The Accusation
3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group
4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”
2. The Silence
6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
Nie mój cyrk, nie moje małpy
3. The Condition
7 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.”
Matt 5:27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks … lustfully has already committed adultery … in his heart.
Jer 12:5 “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses?
4. The Escape
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.
5. The Verdict
10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
What is "to condemn"?
Condemn is to declare a person guilty and worthy of punishment.
John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
a. Because we are condemned already.
Romans 5:16 The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.
Romans 5:12 … sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death
John 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
New blood joins this earth, And quickly he's subdued. Through constant pained disgrace The young boy learns their rules. With time the child draws in. This whipping boy done wrong. Deprived of all his thoughts The young man struggles on and on he's known A vow unto his own, That never from this day His will they'll take away. They dedicate their lives To running all of his. He tries to please them all –This bitter man he is. Throughout his life the same – He's battled constantly. This fight he cannot win – A tired man they see no longer cares. The old man then prepares To die regretfully – That old man here is me.
Never free. Never me. So I dub thee unforgiven.
The Unforgiven, Metallica, The Black Album, 1991
b. A way out was not provided yet.
Romans 3: 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished.
Matthew 26:62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent.
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter…
Photo by Vaikrant Pandav on Unsplash
