Neither do I

This is probably my favorite teaching in the gospels.  This is my Jesus, who freely gives mercy and grace.  This is the Jesus I love and am so eternally grateful that He offered me grace, when He had every right to condemn me.  It's a kind of grace that wipes your tears,  

John 8:3 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.

First off – can you just imagine the humility, shame, feeling of degradation that this woman has to be feeling?  We don’t really know how she looks or is dressed, but we know that they bring her in “caught” – manhandled – and stand her in front of the crowd of people and Jesus.  She’s terrified.  She knows that she is facing a stoning death.  

While we know the religious leaders were offering no pity, no compassion, no empathy – I would imagine that the crowd people are looking at “this woman” and offering the same, only condemnation. Some may have even thought something along the line of “I may have lied or gossiped the other day, but at least I never did that!!!”

These leaders are pressing Jesus to judge her. And they think they have him in the perfect trap.  If Jesus says she is guilty and deserves stoning, then He comes across as hard hearted and he becomes guilty of enforcing a capital punishment that was only reserved for Roman officials.  If He says she is not guilty, then they can say Jesus does not support or follow God’s Law

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.

Finally, Jesus straightened up, facing them - undaunted – in perfect control. Jesus knows the hearts of these men.  He knows their motives.  He sees them.  And He sees the woman, her heart.  This child of God needs mercy.  She needs Grace.  She needs Compassion.  

Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw the stone.  He did not deny her guilt – and he did not ignore the law.  Any one of those men could have carried out her sentence – if they were without sin themselves.  Jesus’s words actually condemned them instead of the woman.

Why is our first inclination to cast judgement, when we were spared? Why do we withhold mercy and grace, when our God lavishly covered our shame with His grace?

No one - including you and me - is any different than this adulteress. Sin is sin, and not a one of us is without sin.

Realize that had we been standing there, in judgement, when Jesus said that we would have walked away as well. If you are without sin, you can condemn her. Sinner, walk away. 

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.”

Without a word in defense, they went away one at a time. Shamed by the knowledge of personal sin, they had nothing to say in response.

And now Jesus looks to the woman.  She is still just standing there.  I picture her looking very small, bent, facing down with her tears leaving a trail down her dusty face - unwilling to look Jesus in His eyes, not knowing what he is going to say to her, but knowing what she deserves.  

Asking where they were, he already knew the answer, but He wanted the woman to recognize no one was left to condemn her. She answered “no one.”

No one. None of us. The ONLY person in a position to condemn this lady stands there without condemning her. Y'all - this same truth applies to every sinner that walks this earth. None. Of. Us. Not a one of us is in a position to condemn another sinner.  Sinner, walk away.

Can you picture the love in His eyes and the embrace that his words offer her?  “Then neither do I condemn you”.  I think I would have crumbled to the ground right there. Jesus lavishly poured out His grace.  Tears - where they were once in shame, are now cleansing, and full of joy. 

Do you realize this is you right here?  This is me??  Do you recognize this grace?  You may need to hear these words today.  Maybe you need to hear Jesus saying "Neither do I condemn you" because we know the people in the world probably do. Lift your face and see the love that Jesus is extending.  

John 3:17 tells us God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 

Jesus did not want the woman condemned.  He wanted her forgiven; He did not want her hanging her head in shame - but lifting her eyes to her Lord and Saviour. 

His next words – Go now and leave your life of sin, or another translation – Go and sin no more. 

Jesus doesn’t excuse her sin.  He acknowledged she was a sinner – and while she was forgiven – He still called on her to change her life,  to step away from that lifestyle, and to remove herself from the situations that made her susceptible to sin. 

12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

Jesus’ sinless life offers us light.  Imagine - never having to walk in darkness again. 

Are you a gracious person? Can you picture anyone saying “that _(insert your name)___, she is the most kind, compassionate person – just so very gracious . . . “.   If we had a scale – weighted on each side for times you offered compassion and grace and then times you were critical and condemning – what would your scale look like? 

If Jesus didn't condemn, what would give us the right? We have no right.

What draws a person to Christ?  Taking a Neither Do I approach to condemnation, but instead sharing that He loved me when I was not very lovable. This adulterous woman walked away from that encounter changed because He offered her grace when she deserved condemnation. 

Let your grace be what leads a person to Christ. Be a "Neither do I" kind of person.