Open your Bibles with me again
back to John chapter eight. Again, these first 11 verses
will serve as our text this evening. I have five points from this
passage, each consisting of five words. Paul writing to the Corinthians,
he said this, he said, I'd rather speak five words with my understanding
that my voice I might teach others also than to speak 10,000 words in
an unknown tongue. You know, Paul had the ability
to speak, and what a gift that would have been to speak in just
different languages to go to Mexico or to some foreign country
and preach and not need an interpreter. I've never done that, but I've
heard these men that go and preach elsewhere, they say it's very
difficult because you have to stop every so often to let the
interpreter speak. But Paul could just do that with
no problem at all. He could just speak and the people
would hear. But he says this, he said, even
with that gift, think about that, even with that gift, he said,
I'd rather just speak a few words that people might understand
in a language that the congregation can hear than 10,000 words that
no one can understand. And that's our desire, every
time we stand in this place to preach, to do so in truth and
simplicity. In another place, Paul wrote
this. He said, I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled
Eve through his subtlety, through his craftiness, through trickery,
so that your minds should be corrupted from, listen, the simplicity. the simplicity, the singleness,
which is in Christ. Oh, that the Lord would enable
me to do that this evening. And again, any time we stand
here, again, not any kind of craftiness, not any kind of trickery,
but to preach Christ in simplicity, in simple and easy to understand
terms, and that the Spirit Listen, we can talk all day long, but
unless the Spirit's pleased to make that effectual to the heart,
we're just kind of just running off. So I pray that the Lord
would be present with us this evening as we look into His Word
to let us see Christ, to let us see Him. And here in John
chapter 8, we read that early in the morning, The Lord had,
he had come to the temple. And we read in verse two that
the people came to him and he sat down and he talked to them. Well, what a treat, what a treat
that had to be just to sit at the Lord's feet, to hear him.
I imagine there's, I know there's no one that could preach the
truth like our Lord could. And these folks had the opportunity
to do that, to sit and listen. And in our day, what a blessing
it is for us that He continues to preach His Word, to send forth
messengers to preach His Word. But while this was going on,
while He was teaching the people, the scribes and Pharisees, they
brought a woman right in the midst of them. And this woman,
they had caught her, Scripture says, in the act of adultery.
And they set her again right in the midst. Our Lord's teaching. And they just barge in the door
and come in and set this woman in the midst of it. Right in
the middle of the congregation for everyone to see. She's put on display for everyone. And listen, no doubt they wanted
the folks to see her, but I suspect what they truly wanted was for
the people to see them. The Pharisees were constantly
doing things to be, their efforts were to be seen of men. And they spoke to the Lord. They
said this woman was taken in adultery. She was taken in the
very act. Now look at verse five. here of chapter eight. It says here, now, Moses and the
law commanded us. Well, what did it command? And
here's my first point here, in five words, that such should
be stoned. You see that? That such should
be stoned. This woman, she'd sin. and the consequence of that sin
was death. Now the scribes and Pharisees,
they had no interest in justice. That wasn't what this was about. They sought to do one thing,
and that was discredit. They sought to discredit our
Lord, and to do so right there in the eyes of the people with
a big crowd surrounded around them. You know, had they truly
been interested in the law, had they truly been interested in
justice being served, they'd have brought two folks. They
would have brought the man and the woman involved in this. Back in Leviticus chapter 20,
we read this, verse 10. The man that committeth adultery
with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with
his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely
be put to death. But they only brought the woman. I've heard some say maybe they
knew the man that was involved in this. But according to the law, according
to God's law, she was to be stoned. That was true, to be put to death. She had broken God's law. And listen, the same is true
for every one of us, for each of us. We've sinned against God. That's what we've done. We've
sinned against Almighty God. Just as Adam did. Back to the
garden. God told Adam concerning the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He said, in the day
that you eat thereof, thou shalt surely die. Spiritual death. Adam didn't
die physically when that happened, but spiritual death. Adam disobeyed
God. He sinned against God. And again,
what was true of this woman, what's true of Adam, it's true
of all men. We've all sinned against God. Now look at verse five of our
text. This woman who had broken God's
law, the scripture says that such should be stoned, put to
death. Again, it's clear in scripture.
The wages of sin is death. The soul that sinned, it shall
surely die. We're guilty and deserving of
death. And you know, I don't read anywhere
in this passage of scripture where this woman ever defended
herself. She never spoke up and tried
to say something in defense of her actions. You know, when we're truly shut
up to the law, That's what we are. We're shut up to the law.
When we're guilty of something, sometimes we'll try to make excuses
or say, I didn't do that. But listen, when the goods are
really on us, there's nothing to say. When our Lord, when He
went to the cross, it says as a lamb, He was dumb for his ears,
so open he not his mouth. He was guilty of our sin. He
took our sin upon him. There's no defense here. This
woman offers no defense for herself because she's guilty. Now let's read on here, verse
5. Here we see what they're up to. They asked the Lord, what
sayest thou? The law says she should be stoned.
What sayest thou? And they said this, tempting
him. They said this that they might
accuse him. Now, if he said stoner, well,
the people would have immediately turned against him. Where's the
mercy? Where's the grace? Or if he would
have said, let her go, then they would have said he's violating
the law, he's not honoring the law. But he said, and this is
probably a good lesson for all of us, he said nothing. Every
time you wish you could go back and have said nothing, our Lord
didn't say anything. But instead, he stooped down
on the ground, and he stooped down all right, didn't
he? We could spend probably the rest of the evening just on that
verse. He stooped down. Think about that. Think about
who we're talking about. The Lord Jesus Christ stooped down. He came down, didn't he? Think
about that. He's God robed in human flesh. And he came down to this earth. He took on himself the form of
a servant. Almighty God, He came down. He was made flesh. Scripture
said He was made flesh and dwelt among us. And He stooped down,
and with His finger, He began to write on the ground. His finger. That's not just any finger. We read about that same finger
throughout Scripture. Back there in the Old Testament,
when they, that's the same figure that wrote on those tables of
stone, wrote the law on those tables of stone that were given
to Moses. Turn to Romans, hold your place
there in John, but turn back to Romans, Romans chapter three. Romans chapter three, verse 19. This law that he wrote, we know that what thing soever the law
saith, it saith to them who are under the law
for this purpose, that every mouth may be stopped and all
the world become guilty before God. The finger of God wrote that
law, that same law that she stands guilty to right now. You know,
in Daniel 5, that finger wrote on that wall to King Belshazzar,
said this. He said, King Belshazzar, you've
been weighed in the balance and found wanting. Now, it's not recorded here what
he wrote. He writes again here. It's not
recorded what he wrote in John chapter 8. Some of the old writers
say he may have jotted down a few names. Our pastor mentioned this
in a message just a few weeks ago. Maybe he wrote down some
names. Maybe he wrote down some things
that those men had done, just some things to jog their memory. Again, we don't know what he
wrote, but they continued asking him. Look at verse seven. So when they continued asking
him, he lifted up himself and he said unto them, here's five
more words. He said, he that is without sin. He that is without sin. Now, we've established, there's
no question in our mind or anyone that was there that this woman
was a sinner. That was pretty well established,
wasn't it? But is that only true of her?
Was she the only sinner there? You know, outward sin is often
easy to see. But our Lord says this, he that
is without sin, he that doesn't have any sin among you, let him
cast the first stone. Now he said this, and these are
scribes and Pharisees, these are the religious authority at
the time, and he says, he that's without, and they put on a persona
that they had no sin. Is there any? Is there any that
is without sin? Anyone there that day that was
without sin? Anyone in this room that is without sin? In Matthew
23, our Lord spoke to a group of scribes and Pharisees, and
he said this. He said, woe unto you, scribes,
Pharisees, hypocrites. He said, you're like undewided
sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward. You know,
you go to the cemetery and these headstones are just beautiful
and they keep them all cleaned up and flowers on them. Even the vaults and everything else
that go with them. They're clean and white, but
what's inside of them? Dead man's bones. He said, they're beautiful outward,
but are within full of dead man's bones and of all uncleanness. Even so, outwardly, you scribes
and Pharisees, outwardly you appear righteous, but within
you're full of hypocrisy, and iniquity, all of iniquity. Just like that leper we read
of in scriptures that was full of leprosy. We've transgressed
God's law. We've broken God's law. We're
guilty. These scribes and Pharisees were
not without sin. In Romans 3, verse 23, we read,
all, A-L-L, all have sinned. and come short of the glory of
God. Our Lord in Matthew 12, he referred
to the Pharisees as an evil and adulterous generation. Yet, they're ready to condemn
this woman. Here's the point. All have sinned. Not just some, all. all have
sinned. We've all transgressed God's
holy law. We're all deserving of death
and condemnation. You know, knowing that, you would
think that maybe at times we'd have a little, and I say this
to myself, a little kinder spirit, maybe a little better attitude
toward others. maybe even be a little more forgiving. In Galatians 6, verse 1, we read,
Brethren, Paul's writing to believers, he said, Brethren, if a man be
overtaken in a fall, ye which are spiritual, restore such a
one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou
also be tempted. but let's not forget the pit
that we have been dug out of ourselves. Ephesians 4.32, be
ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as
God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you. Well, let's move on here,
back to our text. John 8, listen, five words, that
such should be stoned. Scripture declares that the wages
of sin is death. He that is without sin, all,
all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. He that
is without sin, let him cast the first stone at her. Verse
eight, again, he stooped down and he wrote on the ground, verse
nine, and they which heard it, they which heard 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. And when Jesus had lifted up
himself, and saw none but the woman." There's two people here,
two people, the Savior and the sinner. And we read here, he
saw none but the woman. His eyes were fixed on her. You know, back in Ezekiel 16, There was that child, that little
infant cast out into the open field. Y'all remember that account? And the Lord said this. He said,
when I passed by and I saw thee, I saw thee. He saw that infant. He said his love, his affection
upon her. When I saw thee, polluted in
thy blood, He saw her. And then what'd he
say? He said, live. He spoke life to her. You know,
it's awful. And there's no excuses for what
this woman had done. No excuse for what these Pharisees
had done. And our Lord, he didn't justify
her sin. He didn't say, this is okay. He didn't deny justice. He didn't
deny the law in condemning her. You think, what a horrible event. She's being drugged to this assembly. Things had to go through her
head. Why is this happening to me? Taken in the very act of adultery.
drug into the temple, brought before the Lord Jesus Christ.
What good? You ever wonder what good? I
mean, if we didn't know the rest of the story here, we might say,
what good could possibly come from this? Think about what Joseph endured.
All those things that the Lord had brought him through, what
good could come from that? Remember what Joseph ultimately
said to his brothers? He said, he said, you, you meant
this for evil. God meant it for good. How many
people, how many people were delivered as a result of Joseph
being down there in Egypt? God meant it. And we see here
in John 8 verse 10, he saw none but the woman, and listen to
what he says to her. Five words, where are those thine accusers? Is there no one to take up a
stone and cast at you? Is there no one here free from
sin? Is there no man to execute this
sentence? You know, the law required at
least two witnesses to be present before anything like that could
be executed. In fact, in Deuteronomy 17, the witnesses themselves
would assist in carrying out the law. They would have assisted
with this stoning. but there wasn't a single witness
left when our Lord asked that question. This woman hadn't, again, she
hadn't said a word to defend herself. And again, we read a
little bit ago, the law that every mouth might be stopped
and the whole world guilty before God. And he asked, Where are
thine accusers? Where are those that would accuse
you? Hath no man condemned thee? Verse 11, she said, no man, Lord. There's none to condemn me. You
know, those Pharisees, they called him master. And you know, they
gritted their teeth when they said that. She calls him Lord. Same thing that that publican
called Lord. Lord, be merciful to me, the
sinner. The thief on the cross, he called
him Lord. He said, Lord, remember me. That
leper, that leper that was full of leprosy, he said, Lord, if
you will, you can make me whole. That's his name. He's the Lord
Jesus Christ. He is Lord. And she calls on
the name of the Lord. Scripture says this, whosoever
shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Read on here in verse 11. Here's
five more words. Look at verse 10. the only one who could condemn
her, the only one who was without sin. Look what he says. Neither
do I condemn death. This sinful woman, worthy of
death, standing before the judge of all the earth. Hebrews 4.13 says, neither is
there any creature that's not manifest in his sight. All things. All things are naked and open
under the eyes of whom we have to do. He's all knowing, he's all seeing,
and he says, the Lord Jesus Christ says, neither do I condemn thee. How's that possible? How is that
possible? John 3, verse 17, turn there
with me, just back a few pages. John 3, verse 17. This is why he came into the
world. John 3, 17, for God sent not his son into the world to
condemn the world. but that the world through him
might be saved. How is it? How is it that he
says, neither do I condemn thee? Because he's a just God and a
savior. Neither do I condemn thee. Turn with me to Romans chapter
eight. Romans chapter eight. verse one. Romans eight, verse one. There is therefore now no condemnation
to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the spirit. The Lord Jesus Christ bore the
penalty. He bore the judgment. He bore
the condemnation of not just this woman's sin, but the sins
of all his people. Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law being made a curse for us. Scripture says he was wounded
for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace
was upon him and by his stripes we're healed. We're made whole. Neither do I condemn thee. In Romans 8 verse 33, who shall
lay anything to the charge of God's leg? There's nothing to
accuse him of. That sin has been put away. We're justified. Delivered from
the curse of the law. How? Because he was made a curse
for us as our substitute. He bore those sins. He bore our
sins in his body on the tree. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It's God that justified. Who
is he that condemneth? It's Christ that died, yea, rather
that is risen again, who is even seated at the right hand of God. And he sits there and he makes
intercession. He continually makes intercession for his people. Listen, the Lord Jesus Christ,
he came into the world to do this. to save sinners, neither
do I condemn thee." Now, quickly, back to our text here in John
8. Five more words. He says, go and sin no more. Now, listen. The way some people
read that, no, that is not possible. The idea that a man will never
sin again is foolishness. I promise you, we've been sitting
down here for 30, 40 minutes, and we've not managed to do that
in that time frame, sitting listening to God's word being preached
and read. But consider this woman's way of
life. what she had been taken away
from, the situation she'd been taken
out of, those old friends and those old companions, the tenor
of life. Don't go back to that. Romans
6 verse 1 says, shall we continue in sin? that grace may abound. And the answer to that was, God
forbid. What a foolish statement. How shall we that are dead to
sin live any longer therein? You know, Abby used to work for
a surgeon, an orthopedic surgeon. I guess one of the advantages
of working for him, having worked for him forever, is if we ever
had a problem, all we had to do was call him. Isaac had a
spot come up on his knee one time, and it scared us to death.
And we called him, and he said, we're going to go to the emergency
room. He said, no, don't do that. He said, meet me at the back
door. He said, I'll walk you in. And he would tend to us and
care for us. And that was a great benefit. But you know what? We didn't
go out and try to break bones just to take advantage of that
service. You think about this here. Just
because the Lord's merciful, just because He's gracious, and
just because He's forgiving of sin, that's not an excuse to
go out and live a more sinful life just so we can come back
and say, Forgive me. No, that's not the desire of
a believer. If Christ be in us, we're dead to sin. But the Spirit
of righteousness, Christ dwells in us, dead to sin. If I'm regenerated,
if I'm sanctified, if I'm justified, listen, I'm dead to the guilt
of sin, The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from sin. We're dead
to the dominion of sin. Think about Lot's wife. Lot's family, wicked Lot, had
been delivered from Sodom. There weren't even ten righteous
people in that place. But what happened when they were
leaving? She didn't want to leave, did she? She looked back and
she was turned into a pillar of salt. That's where her heart was. I
don't think she was just curious about what was happening. God
told her what was going to happen. Those of you whom the Lord has
delivered, Those of us whom he's been pleased with, would we go
back? Would we go back? Were we not
kept? Yes, we drink iniquity like water,
but why would we ever return to that? Go, he says, go and
sin no more. Well, listen, I'd rather speak
five words Five words with the voice of my understanding that
I might teach others. Do you still have John 8? Here's
five words. Look at verse 5. That such should be stoned. The wages of sin is death. Verse 7, here's five more words.
He that is without sin. What's Scripture say? All have
sin. Look on down, believe it's verse
10, five words. Where are those thine accusers? Can Satan accuse you? No, he's
been conquered. Can the law accuse us? Christ, he's fulfilled the law.
Can judgment? No. Christ has been judged already. God's justice has been satisfied. Verse 11, neither do I condemn thee. Could there be any sweeter words
spoken, especially to someone who's guilty
and knows they're guilty and it's been revealed to them they're
too guilty? Neither, and who has the power to condemn me,
neither do I condemn thee. A sinner deserving of death and
condemnation, neither do I condemn thee. And then those five last
words, go and sin no more. Scripture says this, these things
I write unto you that you sin not. Well, pray the Lord let us see five
words. Five words that reveal his mercy
to a sinner. A sinner deserving of death and
condemnation. All right. Isaac, come lead us
in.