Small Group Lesson February 11th: John 7 and 8

John 7/8

Last week we covered the first part of John 7 and discussed Jesus’ visit to the Feast of Booths and how he started to stir things up with his teachings. Mostly he was critical of the religious rulers who saw Jesus as a threat to the obedience of the Jewish people they ruled over. This week we’re looking at the rest of chapters 7 and all of chapter 8, zooming out a little bit to take a look at how Jesus engaged the Israelites. We’ll zoom back in to touch on the trap that the Pharisees try to set for Jesus.  But first, let’s look at what’s going on in chapters 7 and 8 compared to the first few chapters of John. 

The first few chapters of John we see a Jesus who heals, brings hope, and takes young fishermen and calls them into partnership and leadership with him. His healings attracted crowds, Jews and Gentiles. His popularity also attracted heat from the religious rulers who didn’t want to share authority, especially since they couldn’t match his power. The tone of things at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry was akin to the makings of a feel good movie. You can almost hear the music swelling as Jesus fed the 5000 and healed the invalid. And as the chapters in John progress we see a Jesus who continues to show kindness and compassion to those who are broken, needy, and demonstrated faith. But, we also see a different side of Jesus that’s more confrontational to the prideful, arrogant, and seemingly powerful. He begins to push back against those who doubt his truth and attempt to poke holes in his story. 

Read: 7:36, 8:14, 8:19-20, 8:34, 8:42-47, 8:55

But Jesus also continues to offer truth and an invitation to follow him, to trust that he was from the Father, and that belief in him would lead to eternal life. 

Read: 7:37-38, 8:12, 8:31, 8:52, 

The conversations in these two chapters between the Jewish people, the Pharisees, and Jesus culminates with the people picking up rocks with the intention of killing Jesus to silence him. 

So what? Why should we care? The Jewish people of that time wanted a savior. They wanted the scriptures to be fulfilled and for their lives to be changed. But they couldn’t get over the hurdles in order to lay down their lives and trust in the gospel truth that Jesus was presenting. The Pharisees couldn’t give up power and earnestly seek to know and understand if Jesus really was the fulfillment of the Prophets and the one their fathers had hoped and prayed for. Who are we more like? Are you and I more like the disciples who put down their nets, left all they knew, and followed Jesus? Maybe we believe there’s a higher power, something bigger out there than us, but the gospel message presented in the Bible is just a leap too far. Or maybe you and I find that we want to believe but aren’t willing to surrender our hearts and lives to the point that it’s transformed by Jesus and for Jesus. Let’s be perfectly clear - what Jesus is asking for is complete surrender. He doesn’t want lip service or a few hours of our time on Sunday morning. But why he’s asking for everything is the important part. Let’s loop back to the trap the Pharisees tried to spring on Jesus to learn more.

John 7:53-8:11

The Pharisees had just learned that the officers sent to arrest Jesus had failed. So they decide instead to trap him with scripture by throwing before him a woman, a sinful woman. A woman who, according to the scripture, should be executed. Jesus’ question to the Pharisees is so powerful. He asks for those who are blameless to execute judgement, and when the oldest in the group realize their gig is up, they begin to leave, followed by the rest of the group. Then Jesus, who is the only one blameless who could have executed judgement on this woman, forgives her and sends her off to live her life differently, transformed by grace, and free from shame. He didn’t ask her to explain herself or lecture her. Instead he asked where her accusers are? How powerful this scene is for this woman and for us! Where are our accusers? Where is our judgement? Jesus, the one who could stand in judgement over us, instead offered up his life for us so that we can be free from sin and the consequence of our sin that we rightly deserve. Notice that Jesus tells the woman to go and sin no more. Do you think that he actually expected her to never sin again? Does he expect that of you and I? I suggest that he is demonstrating the transformational power that he possesses. He sets this woman free from the bondage of sin so that she lives transformed, reflecting the grace and hope that she has received from him. 

What does this mean for us? 

Think about the contrast between how he engaged the Jewish people and religious rulers versus the adulterous woman. Why is this contrast so important?

How does this story impact our lives?

Is there a space in your heart, something that you’re holding onto, that you need to turn over to Jesus?

How can we pray for each other to lean more and more into the transformed life that Jesus has given us?