Sleuth for the Truth

Jesus’ amazingly patient mercy worked a new attitude within her. She was not a haughty hussie any longer, nor a bold and brazen party girl, nor a defiant rebellious little home -wrecker. She stood before the Judge of the Universe; she listened, trusted and obeyed. Jesus did not sentence the adulterous woman to death; Jesus did not say her sin was no longer a sin; Jesus openly revealed her sin. (Jesus told her to, "Go, and sin no more.") 1 Unchanging truth: Based on God’s Word, this woman had committed a sin that required the death sentence.. 2 Unchanging truth: Jesus, the God-man had authority to forgive this woman's sin. Jesus did. 3 Unchanging truth: The death sentence could be commuted only if a person without sin willingly took her place, paid the requirements of the Law. 4 Unchanging truth: Jesus, the sinless God-man, willing took her death sentence and died in her place on the cross totally fulfilling the requirements of the Law: holiness (He forgave her) and penalty (He died for her). 5 Unchanging truth: Jesus, the sinless God-man wanted her to be absolutely certain and at peace in His forgiveness so on the third day, just as He had promised, He rose from the dead. 6: Unchanging truth: The adulterous woman's sin was forgiven by Almighty God. Her adultery and dishonor of marriage is never brought up to shame her. As God says, “Their wickedness I will remember no more.” Complete forgiveness and eternal life with Him). What a wonderful plan and Savior! Jesus not only died for the sins of this woman. The Holy Spirit has always been a plain Talker. Remember what He had recorded in Ephesians 5? “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or course joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.” 7: Unchanging truth: Jesus died not just for her, but for me…..and also for that other person I know of in my life that needs God’s forgiveness and mine.

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Evangelical Lutheran Ch urch an d S chool

10611 Hwy 13 South, Wisconsin Rapids, WI, USA WWW.1 GOODSHEPHERD.ORG

Observe….. 1 K EEP IT TOGETHER . 2 . T AKE IT IN . 3. C HEW ON IT . 4. D O N ’ T P U T WORDS IN

GOD’S MOUTH. 5. A S K , “W H Y F O R ME?” Last week John 3-4 Gave LIFE John 5 gave legs to paralyzed man. Today we see how Jesus gave Freedom to a spiritual

Sleuth for the Truth

slave!

With someone who is sitting at least 2 pews away from you, here is the scenario: A red check engine light flashes. What do you, Mr. Sherlock, think? and how do you act? W HY do you think and act that way? Guilt is like a RED ENGINE LIGHT light for the soul. Guilt flashes its blinding glare all over the dashboard of your soul. If this is you, it is time to stop and ask yourself “Did I ever really get things right with God over something that happened many years ago?” Is it something that keeps popping up in your mind? If it does, perhaps it’s because you have never really repented and forsaken a particular sin. But all the time, be aware that there is also such a thing as false guilt. The enemy specializes in shining the false flashing red guilt on souls. Satan accuses us of something that we have brought to our heavenly Father, apologized to Him and forsaken for His sake. So, I need to know when the red GUILTY light is flashing on my soul’s dashboard, is God dealing with me, or is it the enemy? The clue to who is reminding you as to your sin is to ask: when I feel guilty do my guilty thoughts drive me to Christ or away from Christ? If the enemy is at work, Satan always tries to get me to back away from my faith, back away from fellow Christians, be by myself not with Jesus. When the Holy Spirit flips on the GUILT, don’t ignore it! It serves to slow down quickly and safely off the road I am on. The Holy Spirit is all about pointing me to the sacrifice of Christ for my sins, once for all, on one specific Friday, in one geographic place on the planet. God restores and repairs the relationship with Himself that my sin breaks.

John 8: [Message]

Jesus went across to Mount Olives, but he was soon back in the Temple again. Swarms of people came to him. He sat down and taught them. The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone. They said, “Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him.

What is Jesus doing? Where and when is He doing it? What is the result?

What thoughts may have gone through the mind and heart of the woman as she heard those words of this perfect trap being laid for her death?

FYI A Picture Review of what we have looked at briefly so far John 1-3

John 8 (cont.)

Is the woman guilty? Is the Law correct? Is the motive of the accusers correct?

Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: The scribes and Pharisees Throw the stone.” Bending down again, were not looking for justice. They He wrote some more in the dirt. were seeking to ensnare Jesus, tempt JeHere God writes with His finger two times. The only other time God wrote with His finger was one time, on stone, on Mt. Sinai, the copy of the Ten Commandments He gave to Moses. Here God has kept hidden what He wrote in the dust...two times.

Jesus’ enemies must have thought they had a good trap set for Jesus.

sus. * If Jesus had said, “Stone her,” he would have been in violation of the Roman edict that had removed from the Jews the right to levy the death penalty. John 18:31, T h e n s a i d P i l a t e u n t o them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: * If Jesus had said, “Don’t stone her,” He would have been seen to be in violation of the law of Moses.

Hearing that [“The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.”], they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. “Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?” “No one, Master.” “Neither do I,” said Jesus. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.” Jesus once again addressed the people: “I AM the world’s Light. No one who follows Me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.”

John 4

Compassion rather than condemnation. Cords of love, rather than strings of threats. Saved her rather than stoned her. Exposed her yet covered her in His blood-bought forgiveness. Light and life instead of darkness and death. Jesus did not, does not, will not condone adultery. Jesus did not condone the sin this woman did to her husband, to the other man’s wife and family, to the extended family and neighbors. Jesus does not condone sin. Instead Jesus forgave this woman. He publicly recognized that this woman owed a debt to God (her life) and a debt to society (her life). Jesus publicly set her free with the same compassionate warning He gives to His apostles and to each Christian until the end of time.

John 5