John Series | The Situation

In the beginning of John 8, Jesus finds himself in a situation where it would seem that he would have choose between grace or truth.  We have said throughout the book of John that Jesus operated in both grace and truth, but the religious have a set up a situation where Jesus will have to choose one or the other.  But of course, Jesus being Jesus finds a way to stay in that messy middle.  
 
John 8:3-6 | CAUGHT IN SIN
The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” They said this to test him so that they might have a charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.  
 
We see here a woman caught in sin, she has literally been dragged out into the street either naked or with just a sheet covering her body.  The Old Testament was very clear the penalty for being caught in adultery was death. This is a black and white situation. So when Jesus gets the question he doesn’t respond right off the bat.  It says that he looks down at the ground and begins to write in the dirt.  In the follow verses (7-11), Jesus looks up and says:  
 
“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”  John 8:7
The crowd looks around and reflects on what Jesus has just said and John’s gospel says starting with the oldest, they dropped their stones.  Jesus looks back up asks the woman, "Where did everyone go? Is no one going to condemn you?"  Her response (I’m sure in tears) says "no."  And Jesus says "neither do I, go and sin no more."  
 
The law of moses is very clear - death to anyone who takes part in adultery. Jesus doesn’t argue the Law of Moses or whether or not she she is guilty. Jesus never says don't stone her, but let the one who is without sin throw the first stone.  Jesus didn’t doesn’t disagree with the judgement of death, but establishes that we are all sinners and we all deserve death.  Jesus taught grace.   But Jesus also didn’t just sweep her sin under the rug.  He tells her to sin no more.  Jesus doesn’t just give her grace, but gives her direction.  Jesus sought truth.
 
In John 8:31-36, Jesus establishes that he is the Truth.  Truth isn’t what feels right, what your opinion is, or what we think is fair.  Truth not only is determined by Jesus, but is Jesus.  And because we know the truth, we can be set free.  We are free from the spiritual bondage of salvation by good works, the addiction to our comfort and the striving to find satisfaction in the things of this world.   We have been released from the bondage of sin, in the truth that Jesus paid the ultimate price to give us the freedom to live.    
 
BIG IDEA: Christ is the truth, and the truth will set us free indeed.