I have been asked to teach on John 8:1-11 and this morning as I studied it once again, I was caught by the beauty of God once again through His Son.
This controversial passage has been debated on whether it should be in the final canon of Scripture. One thing is certain. The character of Jesus depicted in this story is consistent with the whole counsel of God. It teaches and convicts.
It is when the religious leaders bring the adulterous woman to Jesus to be stoned. These accusers were eye-witnesses who caught her in the "act" of sexual sin.
After asking my typical questions, I was caught by the word "stooped." Upon hearing their accusation and question, Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dirt as if He didn't hear them.
A holy pause.
A humble position.
Something powerful happens in intense moments when we just add a holy pause and humble position.
It allows the emotional or intense one to hear the echo of their own words.
It allows the one receiving contempt or accusations to see the posture of the one who can condemn them.
He was bent low just like her.
When the accusers continued to press in asking questions. Jesus stood up. He met them eye to eye. Face to face. He wanted His words to be on their level. "He who is without sin may cast the first stone." Jesus faced the evil in them head on. It deserved face to face confrontation because they were not considering their own sin in this offense.
Then he "stooped" again now covering their shame as well as hers as He drew in the dirt. Allowing them to save face.
One by one from the oldest to the youngest they left. Jesus didn't watch. He just drew in the dirt feeling the effects of a crowd's noise slowly becoming silence.
Then Jesus raised himself up and asked, "Woman, is there no one to accuse you?"
She said, "No one."
Do not miss this. Jesus was the one who could accuse her. He is who they brought her to.
But she felt safe with Him.
Why?
It was His posture.
He stooped low. He didn't stand over her. He knelt down to where she sat and in his stooping he covered her shame.
He knew her sin. He told her, "to go sin no more." Yet, He didn't stand over her condemning. He knelt in the dirt with her.
Do you understand that this short story is a simple telling of what God did for mankind.
The Creator of heaven and earth stooped down to come to earth to be on our level.
And as the accuser comes to accuse us, our Creator, stands up and faces off our accuser.
Our Creator then stoops again with us until we understand that no one can accuse us because He has covered our shame.
Now go and sin no more.
It is so important to be in the Word, to be with Jesus, to be transformed.
Shalom y'all!
