Date: SUN 11:30 AM 11th May 2025
Preacher: Rev. David McLaughlin
Bible Reference: John 8:9
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
Sermon Summary: The Christian and Understanding One’s Conscience
Scripture Reference: John 8:1–11, with a focus on verse 9: “And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.”
Sermon Title: The Christian and Understanding One’s Conscience
Overview: The sermon, delivered on a Sunday morning, explores the concept of conscience through the lens of the biblical account in John 8:1–11, where Jesus confronts the scribes and Pharisees who bring a woman caught in adultery before Him. The preacher uses this passage to discuss the nature, function, and significance of conscience in the life of a Christian, emphasizing its role as God’s internal monitor that convicts individuals of sin and points them toward repentance and the cross of Christ. The sermon is structured around four key points: the acknowledgment, awakening, accusation, and acquittal of one’s conscience.
1. Context of the Passage
- Setting: The sermon begins with the scene in John 8, where Jesus is teaching in the temple early in the morning. The scribes and Pharisees interrupt His teaching by bringing a woman accused of adultery, caught “in the very act” (v. 4).
- Their Motive: The religious leaders are not seeking justice but are attempting to trap Jesus in a moral and legal dilemma. They cite the Mosaic Law, which commands stoning for such a sin (Leviticus 20:10, Deuteronomy 22:22), and ask Jesus for His judgment, hoping to accuse Him of either disregarding the Law or usurping Roman authority (v. 6).
- Jesus’ Response: Jesus initially stoops down and writes in the ground, ignoring their demands. When pressed, He delivers a profound challenge: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her” (v. 7). He then writes in the ground again, possibly the Seventh Commandment (“Thou shalt not commit adultery,” Exodus 20:14), though the exact content is not specified.
- Outcome: The accusers, convicted by their own consciences, leave one by one, starting with the eldest, until only Jesus and the woman remain. Jesus does not condemn her but instructs her to “go, and sin no more” (v. 11).
2. Central Theme: The Conscience
The preacher introduces the concept of conscience, which appears 30 times in the New Testament, with John 8:9 being the first mention and 1 Peter 3:21 the last. The Greek word for conscience, syneidesis, means “shared knowledge” or “co-knowledge,” referring to an innate faculty given by God to discern right from wrong.
- Definition and Role of Conscience:
- Conscience is described as “God’s internal monitor” or “the monitor of God in the soul,” acting as a moral compass that judges the morality of one’s actions.
- It alerts individuals when they violate God’s law, awakening them to guilt, accountability, and their moral obligation to God, the “moral governor of the universe.”
- The preacher likens conscience to a heart monitor in a hospital, which tracks the condition of the heart. Similarly, conscience monitors the soul, accusing or acquitting based on one’s actions.
- Biblical Support:
- Romans 2:14–15: Even Gentiles, who do not have the written Law, have the Law written in their hearts, with their conscience bearing witness, accusing or excusing them.
- 1 Peter 3:16: A good conscience allows believers to withstand false accusations, reflecting a life aligned with God’s standards.
- Cultural Observation:
- The preacher laments that modern society, particularly in the United Kingdom and Ulster, is “culturally adrift” regarding absolute moral standards. Many reject the authority of Scripture (Matthew 4:4) and reverse moral categories, calling “good bad and bad good.”
- He illustrates this with a hypothetical scenario of a Brinks armored truck crash in Miami, where people rationalize stealing money rather than helping the injured, revealing a failure of conscience to uphold God’s command against theft (Exodus 20:15).
3. Four Key Points About Conscience
A. The Acknowledgment of One’s Conscience
- Universal Nature: Every person, created in God’s image, possesses a conscience, an inherent faculty that distinguishes right from wrong. It is part of human DNA, bestowed at creation, and acts as “God’s policeman” or “judge” within the soul.
- Function: Conscience convicts individuals of sin, exposing guilt and the need for accountability. It serves as a reliable but not infallible guide, as it must be shaped by the Word of God to align with divine standards.
- Caution Against Sole Reliance: The common saying “Let conscience be your guide” is partially correct but insufficient. Without the guidance of Scripture, conscience can be misled, as it is not an absolute or infallible authority.
B. The Awakening of One’s Conscience
- Textual Example: In John 8:9, the scribes and Pharisees are convicted by their conscience after Jesus’ words expose their hypocrisy. Their departure from the temple reflects an awakened awareness of their own sinfulness, possibly including adultery, as some commentators suggest Jesus wrote the Seventh Commandment.
- Biblical Illustration: The preacher draws a parallel with Joseph’s brothers in Genesis 42. For 22 years, they suppressed their guilt over selling Joseph into slavery, rationalizing their sin. However, God used circumstances—a famine, Joseph’s rough treatment, and imprisonment—to awaken their conscience, leading them to confess their guilt (Genesis 42:21–22).
- Application: The preacher challenges the congregation to consider whether their conscience has been awakened to their sin. He distinguishes between a “largely silent” conscience, which can be suppressed for years, and a “seared” conscience (1 Timothy 4:2), which is dead and feels no conviction.
C. The Accusation of One’s Conscience
- Cause of Awakening: The awakening of the scribes’ and Pharisees’ consciences is attributed to three factors:
- The Presence of Christ: Jesus, who searches the heart (Jeremiah 17:9–10), confronts their hypocrisy directly, exposing their guilt.
- The Preaching of Christ: Jesus’ words, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her,” act as the living Word of God, piercing their hearts (Hebrews 4:12).
- The Power of Christ: The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8), amplifying the effect of Jesus’ words.
- Historical Examples:
- In Acts 2:37, Peter’s Spirit-filled preaching on Pentecost pricks the hearts of his listeners, leading them to cry out, “What shall we do?” and repent.
- During the 1859 revival in Ulster, people, including children, were overwhelmed by conviction of sin, crying out for forgiveness due to the Spirit’s work.
- Literary Reference: The preacher cites Lady Macbeth from Shakespeare’s Macbeth, whose guilt over King Duncan’s murder manifests in her compulsive hand-washing, illustrating the torment of an accusing conscience.
D. The Acquittal of One’s Conscience
- Question Posed: If the scribes and Pharisees had asked how a guilty conscience could find peace, the answer would be through the cross of Christ.
- Means of Acquittal:
- The Preaching of the Cross: The preacher references 1 Corinthians 1:21, emphasizing that God saves through the “foolishness of preaching.” He quotes William Gladstone, who criticized clergy for not preaching with enough conviction to probe the conscience and call for repentance.
- The Pardon of the Cross: Colossians 1:20 highlights that peace is made through the blood of Christ’s cross, reconciling sinners to God. The preacher stresses that the blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin (1 John 1:7), offering pardon to even the vilest offender who repents.
- Illustration: The sermon concludes with the story of Anne Parr, a 1960s student protestor involved in a bank robbery that resulted in a policeman’s murder. After 23 years of living under a false identity, her conscience tormented her, leading her to confess to the police in 1993. At her trial, she expressed a desire for relief from her guilt, which she ultimately found through the preaching of the cross and the cleansing power of Christ’s blood.
4. Application and Conclusion
- Call to Repentance: The preacher urges the congregation to heed their conscience if it is accusing them of sin. Rather than suppressing or rationalizing guilt, they should repent and turn to Christ, who alone can provide peace and acquittal.
- Power of the Cross: The sermon emphasizes that no sin is too great for Christ’s forgiveness. By confessing sin and trusting in Jesus’ atoning work, believers can find a clear conscience and reconciliation with God.
- Final Exhortation: The preacher encourages the congregation not to hide or cover up sin, as conscience will eventually surface. Instead, they should “kneel at the cross” to receive God’s mercy and forgiveness.
Key Takeaways
- Conscience as God’s Gift: Conscience is a universal, God-given faculty that monitors the soul, convicting of sin and pointing to accountability.
- Need for Scripture: While conscience is a reliable guide, it must be informed by the Word of God to align with divine standards.
- Conviction and Repentance: The presence, preaching, and power of Christ awaken the conscience, leading to conviction and the opportunity for repentance.
- Peace Through Christ: True acquittal of a guilty conscience is found only through the blood of Christ’s cross, which cleanses from all sin.
The sermon is a call to self-examination, repentance, and faith in Christ, using the narrative of John 8:1–11 to illustrate the transformative power of God’s Word and Spirit in addressing human guilt and offering redemption.
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