Jesus meets sinners with grace and truth, and so should we
FOCUS TEXT: Exodus 20:14; John 8:1–12
This Sunday at Anchor Church, we continued in our series TEN COMMANDMENTS: Law that Leads to Life with our fourth message on the seventh commandment: “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). Over the past three weeks we’ve seen God’s good design for marriage, the distortion of sin, and the transforming power of the gospel.
This week we asked: What kind of church does this commandment create? Our primary text was John 8, where the scribes and Pharisees drag a woman caught in adultery before Jesus. Their goal was not justice but to trap Him. But Jesus stooped, wrote in the dust, and said, “Let him who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.” One by one, the accusers left. Then He turned to her and said: “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” Here we see the heart of Jesus—grace and truth held together. He neither excused sin nor crushed the sinner. He exposed hypocrisy, restored dignity, and opened a new way forward. And then He declared, “I am the Light of the world” (John 8:12). Light both exposes and guides. That is what His church is called to embody.
Truth #1: Jesus Exposes the Trap, and Our Stones — The Pharisees used this woman as a pawn. They quoted the law without integrity, ignoring the man involved and weaponizing Scripture for their agenda. Jesus slowed the frenzy, confronted hypocrisy, and leveled the ground with one sentence: “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” Church, we face the same temptation. In a sexually broken culture, it’s easy to wield verses like stones—quicker to condemn than to care. Jesus calls us to humility: slow our reactions, see people as image-bearers, and speak truth with tears. Stones fall when we remember our own rescue.
Truth #2: Jesus Gives No Condemnation, and a New Direction — Face to face with Jesus, the woman hears two sentences we all need: “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” Grace comes first—no condemnation. But grace always leads to transformation—sin no more. The gospel order matters: pardon before purity, mercy before mandate. Our church must learn this cadence. Cheap grace leaves people in chains; harsh truth leaves them crushed. But grace and truth together set people free. Parents, practice this with your kids. Friends, practice it in confession and accountability. The cadence of Jesus creates a culture of holiness and healing.
Truth #3: The Light of the World Forms a People of Compassionate Clarity — Jesus did not dim the law; He brought sin into the light so it could be healed. His church must reflect that light. That means leading with dignity—seeing people before labels. It means speaking truth plainly, without sneer or compromise. It means building wise guardrails, offering clear pathways into the light, and discipling the next generation with hope, not panic. A church shaped by John 8 is not a museum of the put-together but a hospital for sinners and a household of holiness. We welcome with compassion and we walk in clarity—both at once.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
Do I reach for stones more quickly than I reach for the Savior?
Where do I need to hear Jesus’ words of grace: “Neither do I condemn you”?
Where do I need to obey His command: “Go and sin no more”?
How can I help Anchor Church embody compassionate clarity in a culture of confusion?
PRAYER OF RESPONSE: Jesus, Light of the world, we drop our stones. Forgive our pride and hardness of heart. Thank You that in You there is no condemnation. Cleanse what is stained, heal what is broken, and lead us in Your light. Make our church a people of grace and truth, welcoming the broken and walking in holiness together. Amen.
MEMORY VERSE: “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” – John 8:12 (ESV)
