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Slaves of Sin

Posted on by korgrocker

“Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”
John 8:34-36 NLT

The old Bob Dylan song lyrically exposed the dilemma for mankind:
“You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the Devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody”.

The same dilemma accompanies sinful man – we are either slaves of sin or we are slaves of righteousness, there is no grey area or other option.  Of course, this applies spiritually, and our default state is as a sinner. No-one is ever born a righteous person. Romans 5:12, “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned”. So Jesus makes a truthful statement in that sinners are slaves to the sins they commit. Mankind has to face the reality that, without some action, they will remain slaves to sin for all their lives, until there comes that point when it is too late to implement a remedy. To the Pharisees in the crowd, there wasn’t a problem, because they were ancestors of Abraham, and had never been slaves of anyone. But as we know, Jesus was talking about a spiritual principle. Paul, an ex-Pharisee, got it, and put it very well in Romans 5:18-19, “Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous”.

So how does the Son set us free from our slavery? The answer came in John 3:3. In His conversation with Nicodemus, “Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God””. If a natural birth results in a sinful existence, then we have to experience a second spiritual birth, into the righteousness of the Kingdom of God. John 3:5, “Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit””. There are two births for every child of God, and Jesus told the crowd around him that they were all enslaved in their lives of sin. However, there was a remedy – by believing in Him they would be released from their slavery.

These were timeless words from Jesus. They applied when He first made them as He was surrounded by a hostile crowd, resistant to any form of change or correction or alternative to what they believed. But His words have hung in the air ever since, fruit to be plucked by a sinful soul desperate for freedom. That was us pilgrims one day, but we must never forget those truthful words of Jesus, in case we look back and see the sinful world beckoning. The devil won’t give up, ever. 

Father God. Thank You for Your escape plan for sinful man. It’s all about You, Jesus. Amen.

Descendants of Abraham

Posted on by korgrocker

“Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”“
John 8:31-33 NLT

Up until now, Jesus had been speaking to a mixed group of people. Some of them believed in Him, some were wondering about what they should do, and the remainder thought He was deluded or some kind of imposter, and didn’t believe in Him at all. In fact this last group wanted Him arrested. But Jesus carried on regardless, in the knowledge that He was getting a mixed, even hostile, reception. He started by telling them who He was, who His Father was and why He was preaching a message given to Him by His Father in Heaven. John 8:26, “I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won’t. For I say only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he is completely truthful”. This was enough to convince many in the crowd, “Then many who heard him say these things believed in him” (John 8:30). It was to this last group, those who believed in Him, that Jesus had some words to say.

Jesus started off with a rule applicable to disciples everywhere. The Master teaches and true disciples will follow Him, and will try and implement what He says. But the unruly group before Jesus in the Temple were not in the right state of mind. They were still unable to understand the spiritual meaning of what Jesus was teaching. Instead they confused their pedigree with their salvation. John the Baptist had some harsh words for the Pharisees, and we can read the account in Matthew 3. At one point he said, “Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones” (Matthew 3:9). There was this misconception amongst Jewish society that, because they were “descendants of Abraham”, then they were assured of their salvation and a future with God in Heaven. However, the robust way in which the crowd stated who their ancestor was perhaps indicates a strong Pharisaical presence or influence in the crowd. 

Neither we, or the Pharisees in Jesus’ day, can depend on our ancestors or parents for our salvation. In Ephesians 2:8, Paul explained how we are saved, ”God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God“. Three words stand out for me – “grace”, “believed”, and “gift”. As Jesus repeatedly said in His John 8 discourse, the first step is to believe in Him, with God then gifting us, through His grace, our salvation. The Pharisees and the rest of the crowd around Jesus that day long ago in the temple were deluded, in thinking that God would one day say that He would accept them just because of their pedigree, and regardless of their sins. Similarly, there are those today who claim that God would never reject anyone because He is a God of love. But to both the Pharisees and to the modern adherents of salvation for everyone, there is a higher requirement at work. God merges His love for mankind with His Holy nature. Nothing can penetrate Heaven if it involves or includes any kind of impurity. God will sadly say to both the Pharisees and the Universalists today – “Sorry but I never knew you”.

Father God, there is only one way into Your presence and that is through Your Son, Jesus. Thank You for Your gift of salvation. We don’t deserve it but through Jesus we can stand righteous in Your sight. Thank You. Amen.

The Cross Of Understanding

Posted on by korgrocker

“But they still didn’t understand that he was talking about his Father. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I Am he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.” Then many who heard him say these things believed in him.”
John 8:27-30 NLT

The crowd of people were still hanging around Jesus, listening to what He was saying. In modern times, if someone was talking about Himself as Jesus was, there would probably not have been a crowd. As soon as something religious or spiritual is mentioned today, people move away and carry on with their business. But the crowd around Jesus were staying the course, probably thinking that this Man had something they needed to hear, or hoping that He had a miracle waiting in the wings that they would then observe. They found that the teaching they were hearing was nothing like anything they had heard before, and to trump it all, this Man claimed to be the Son of God Himself. Jesus made the claim that His Father was God Himself, and all His teachings had come from His Father. Jesus then told them that His Father was there right with Him and what He did was pleasing to God. We then read that many of those in the crowd believed in Him.

But what did they make of what Jesus said about the Cross? The people of His day would have known about the cruel way in which capital punishment was dispensed by the Roman occupiers, so Jesus was prophesying about the death He would encounter in just a year of two. Such an announcement would have had an impact on the people, particularly as Jesus said it would bring understanding and confirm His claims about Himself. Previously. Jesus had told Nicodemus much the same thing, as we read in John 3:14-15, “And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life”. 

John wrote that many people believed in Him, but I wonder how many of these same people were still believing in Jesus when He was crucified. Before Pilate, were they there in the crowd calling out for Jesus to be crucified? Or were they standing to one side, grieving deeply about what was happening? I’m sure there were some in both groups. I suppose we could ask ourselves which group we would have been in, if we bothered to be there at all. But such a question is purely academic because it was the sins of mankind that nailed Jesus to that Cross, not the crowds in the street. If there was no sin, then there wouldn’t have been a need for God to send His Son to die in that way. A sobering thought? But aren’t we glad that God had a plan for the salvation of sinners like us? What love and grace!

Dear God. We thank You for Your plan for the salvation of mankind. In fact, we will never stop expressing our gratitude, and love, for the One who died in our place at Calvary. Amen.

Who Are You?

Posted on by korgrocker

“That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.” “Who are you?” they demanded. Jesus replied, “The one I have always claimed to be. I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won’t. For I say only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he is completely truthful.” But they still didn’t understand that he was talking about his Father.”
John 8:24-27 NLT

We know from the previous chapter in John that Jesus clearly stated who He was and why He had come. The people were divided in their opinions and some thought He was indeed the Messiah but most were unconvinced. We read in John 7:43-44, “So the crowd was divided about him. Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him”. To be around Jesus was a disturbing experience because He never pandered to people’s egos. He was totally transparent and taught the truth wherever He went. Here in the Temple, He seemed to be surrounded by a people who seemed to lack understanding, refused to believe what He said, and they even appeared quite hostile to Him. But we know why. The Apostle Paul summed it up in 2 Corinthians 4:4, “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God”. Perhaps the commission God gave Isaiah still applied, “And he said, “Yes, go, and say to this people, ‘Listen carefully, but do not understand. Watch closely, but learn nothing.’ Harden the hearts of these people. Plug their ears and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, nor understand with their hearts and turn to me for healing”” (Isaiah 6:9-10). But whatever the reason, most people didn’t believe in Jesus and demanded that He gave them an explanation about who He was that fitted into their world view. Here was a Man, who claimed to be God’s Son, saying that they won’t get into Heaven unless they believed in Him, something totally at variance with what they had been taught by their religious teachers, that salvation came from following the Law of Moses.

Of course, we pilgrims have asked the question of Jesus and believed in His response, that he is indeed God’s Son and salvation comes through none other than Him. We read in Acts 4 the account of Peter and John being arrested and brought before the Jewish authorities to explain how they had healed the lame man at the Temple gate. Acts 4:7, “They brought in the two disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?”” Peter’s defence was robust and truthful. He replied, “Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:10-12). In spite of the miracle that had been committed in Jesus’ name, the Jewish leaders refused to believe in Jesus. Rather, they wanted to close the two Apostles down, so that their “propaganda” (Acts 4:17) would not spread any further.

But how would we respond if someone came to us and asked the question, “Who are you?” We would, of course, start with our name, and perhaps say a few words about ourselves. Things like where we are from, what we do for a living, where we live and so on. But Jesus only had one answer – I Am – a reply that ultimately led to His death. Perhaps, when we pilgrims have an opportunity to say who we are, we should grab the initiative and point to Jesus, as Stephen did – Acts 7:56, “And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honour at God’s right hand!”” Such an answer that points to Jesus may not endear us to our listeners, but I can just see a smile on Jesus’ face as we speak.

Dear Lord Jesus. Thank You that You are with us day by day, through the power of the Holy Spirit within us. At every opportunity we will tell of How wonderful You are. Amen.

Sin Dead

Posted on by korgrocker

“Later Jesus said to them again, “I am going away. You will search for me but will die in your sin. You cannot come where I am going.” The people asked, “Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, ‘You cannot come where I am going’?” Jesus continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.””
John 8:21-24 NLT

At the start of these verses today, what Jesus said seems to be a bit of a contradiction. After all the Prophet Jeremiah wrote, ”If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me” (Jeremiah 29:13) and the people would have known that. But Jesus went on to describe what He meant. Very clearly, He established the link between sin and death, and there was only one remedy – believing that He was who He claimed to be, the “I Am”. 

The Jewish people were puzzled by Jesus’ statement, “You cannot come where I am going”, even asking if He was going to commit suicide. But Jesus explained that they belonged to the world, while He had come down from Heaven. He implied that it was possible to transition from the world to Heaven, from a worldly life to spiritual life, by believing in Him. But until they did believe in Him, they would “die in [their] sins”. Of course, He was referring to spiritual death, the consequences of which would be separation from God for all eternity. 

In the people’s favour, at least they took the time to listen to Jesus, although most of them rejected Him. But there were a few people who did believe in Him, and they swelled the ranks of the early disciples. Today, not many people take the time to listen to the words of Jesus, as street preachers find. His gracious words are foreign to most, too busy going about their business, and neglecting their souls. But there will come a day when they do hear the words of Jesus, as they stand before His throne, words they will not want to hear. Far better to stop and listen and believe in the great “I AM” while there is still time.

Dear Father God. The clock is ticking, and the day when Your grace will cease will soon be with us. We pray for more opportunities to share Your love with those around us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

“Where Is Your Father”

Posted on by korgrocker

“Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact. I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other.” “Where is your father?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.” Jesus made these statements while he was teaching in the section of the Temple known as the Treasury. But he was not arrested, because his time had not yet come.”
John 8:17-20 NLT

From these four verses we learn something significant about Jesus’ Father. Firstly, He had sent Jesus on His mission of salvation to Planet Earth, and secondly, Jesus’ Father would be instantly recognisable to anyone who knew Jesus. Of course, in our Western minds, we immediately think of two separate and individual people – a Father and a Son – but their relationship was more than that. They were, and still are, two members of the Trinity, and we know that the third person would soon be coming to the lives of those early believers and disciples, because Jesus said so. Regarding His relationship with His Father, Jesus later said in John 10:30, “The Father and I are one”. Regarding the third member of the Trinity, Jesus said in John 14:16-17, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognise him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you”. We pilgrims worship a triune God, and in the Old Testament we can find references to all three members of the Trinity, who appeared at various times.

This unique relationship between the three Persons of the Trinity is even more amazing when we understand that the third Person, the Holy Spirit, lives within us. He is a Gift sent by God. Peter preached, “ … Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God” (Acts 2:38-39). The Holy Spirit within us brings us right into God’s domain, allowing us access to His thoughts – 1 Corinthians 2:10-12, “But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us”. We know from John 10 that the Holy Spirit will never leave us and will lead us into all the truth we need about God and His Kingdom. The Holy Spirit will also point to Jesus – John 16:14-15, “He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me’”. 

The relationship between the three Persons of the Trinity is much closer than we might think. The old hymn ends with this line, “God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity”. Jesus often referred to His Father While He was here on earth. Many times He went away into the hills, especially early in the morning, to spend time with Him. Throughout His ministry, the Holy Spirit was in Jesus, empowering and supporting Him regardless of His circumstances. And to think that we pilgrims have the same opportunity is mind boggling.

When people look at us, do they see what God sees? A child of God, righteous and blessed, who has been saved through Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary? Would other people get a glimpse of Father God in us? Nevertheless, we shine as beacons of hope in our world, bringing God’s message to those around us. Perhaps our friends and family will see something of Father God as we witness to all we have seen and heard. Jesus had a simple message to those people around Him. “Believe in Me and you will live forever”. Too good to be true? Too good not to be.

Dear Lord Jesus, we once again declare our love for You, acknowledging all You have done for us. We worship You today. Amen.

Personal Testimony

Posted on by korgrocker

“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” The Pharisees replied, “You are making those claims about yourself! Such testimony is not valid.” Jesus told them, “These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don’t know this about me. You judge me by human standards, but I do not judge anyone. And if I did, my judgment would be correct in every respect because I am not alone. The Father who sent me is with me. Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact. I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other.””
John 8:12-18 NLT

The Pharisees seem to have been abandoned by the other Jewish religious leaders because John stopped mentioning them. But regardless, the Pharisaical attacks on Jesus continued, and they now start another approach. The Pharisees decided that Jesus was making claims about Himself that could not be substantiated by independent witnesses, so how could they be proven? Where was the testimony of others? Without it, the Pharisees said, Jesus had no right to make the claims He did. Claims like we read in John 6:35, “Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty”. And in our verses today we read another claim that Jesus made – “I am the light of the world”. Of course, to the Jews, the use of the two words “I am” was highly contentious because they were the name of God and many Jews wouldn’t even mention it. Exodus 3:14, “God replied to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you””. 

Jesus told the Pharisees that what He said about Himself was valid, because there were two witnesses – Himself and His Father in Heaven. Jesus said His claims were true because He knew where He had come from and where He was going. His mandate couldn’t have been any higher. He was on a mission ordained by His Father. Effectively, He was saying to the Pharisees that He was the Son of God, able to make valid claims about Himself, so get over it!

Jesus also pointed out that the Pharisees were using human values to judge Him, something that did not apply in His situation. There was no higher authority than God and His Son, so human jurisdiction did not apply. Jesus then said that He didn’t judge anyone. We remember that He had previously mentioned this in His conversation with Nicodemus, recorded in John 3:17, “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him”. At the time of His first coming, Jesus was not going to judge anyone – that occasion was still to come, as we read in Revelation 20. 

So, what do we pilgrims think of Jesus and His claims? They are all recorded in the Gospels and elsewhere in the New Testament. The people of His day were divided in their opinions of Him. Many believed in Him because of the miraculous signs that he did, and because of His teaching. But still more, including the Pharisees and the other religious leaders, did not. However, two thousand years on, we are followers of Jesus, disciples of the Son of God, believers in the God-Man who had the words of eternal life. The Messiah who was the bread of life, sustaining those who believed in Him. We don’t stumble around in the darkness of a sinful world, but we have the light of Jesus illuminating our every step. We worship a loving Saviour, who gave His life that we might live.

Dear Lord Jesus. We believe in you, and will follow You all the days of our lives. In Your precious name. Amen.

Jesus the Light

Posted on by korgrocker

“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.””
John 8:12 NLT

In a spiritual sense, light refers to holiness, righteousness and purity, while darkness refers to sin, evil and wickedness. Jesus said that He is the ultimate Light, the Light that came into this world and imparted “the light that leads to life”. We know that in a physical sense light is necessary so that all the organisms of this world can survive. Plants cannot survive without light. Our human eyes are incredible organs that can detect light with amazing clarity and with all of its constituent colours. Right back in Genesis 1:3-5 we read the act of God’s creation on the first day, “Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day“. So physical light is fundamental to God’s creation. 

But spiritually, there is only one source of light and that is Jesus Himself. There is no other way to illuminate our spirits, though many attempt it with a variety of methods, all of which ultimately fail. We find Yoga classes, and mindfulness and so on, all of which make spiritual claims, but which all fall far short of the light that Jesus was referring to. Only by believing in Jesus will we find the light that illuminates our very souls. As we pilgrims journey through life we find our way illuminated by the Word of God. “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105). The words of illumination come from none other than Jesus Himself. John 1:1, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God”.

Jesus has delegated to His followers the responsibility of sharing His light with the world around us. Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father“.

It is a tremendous invitation from Jesus. If we believe in Him, we will never have to suffer the consequences of sin, and be beholden to the dark world in which we live.

Dear Lord Jesus. You are the Word that illuminates our ways through a dark and dismal world. Those around us may be stumbling through the darkness of sin but You promised to be our light that leads to life. Thanks Lord. Amen.

Adultery (2)

Posted on by korgrocker

“Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.””
John 8:1-11 NLT

Imagine the scene. The crowd of people around Jesus moved back to allow a group of religious leaders – we don’t know how many – to enter the space in front of Jesus and publicly display a woman who they accused of being “caught in the act of adultery”. Hands full of stones, they dragged the poor woman into Jesus’ presence, right while He was teaching the crowd. They were trying to trap Jesus and draw Him into their legalistic and unloving world, a world where laws and rules were the only arbiter of human behaviour. A world where more and more rules were invented to attempt to cover all eventualities. We pilgrims can only look on through the lens of time and feel sorry for the woman. The public humiliation. The fear gripping her heart. Surrounded by cruel and brutal men. Knowing that she had committed a forbidden act. No opportunity to present a mitigating defence. No mercy available.

The religious leaders demanded an answer from Jesus, but He was doodling something in the dust on the Temple floor. They were persistent, probably thinking we’ve got Him now, but Jesus stood up and, in a few words, put His finger on the real issue. He acknowledged what was written in the Law, but He then went on to expose the leaders’ hypocrisy. How many of them had been involved in a similar situation to the adulterous man, conspicuous by his absence from the scene? How many of them had sins committed in the past that were still hanging heavily on their consciences? Jesus said, “let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone“. Perhaps the religious leaders realised that they too deserved punishment for the sins that they had committed.

We read about what happened next. Jesus had returned to doodling in the dust. The crowd was quiet, mesmerised by the scene before them. Those at the back straining to see what was going on. Perhaps in the quiet the woman’s sobbing would have been heard by all. But then a series of thuds were heard, the sounds made by rocks being dropped on to the Temple floor. Footsteps then shuffled off into the distance. Jesus looked up and saw that only the woman remained. Her accusers, those brutal and harsh leaders, had disappeared. “Where have your accusers gone”, Jesus asked the woman. “Are there any left who condemn you?” What follows shows the incredible love that Jesus had, and still has, for sinners. He showed His love to the woman by the word “Go”, and then told her to stop sinning. She was free to return to wherever she had come from. I wonder what was going on inside of her? Relief must have flooded over her. The tears that had previously been running down her face started to dry. The crowd parted to let her go about her business.

We pilgrims know that God loves sinners but hates the sin, and He provides the opportunity for everyone to be reconciled to Him by believing in His Son, Jesus. Jesus refused to condemn the woman, instead giving her an opportunity to embrace His grace and love.But do we pilgrims sometimes look on at another sinner and adopt a holier-than-though attitude? Do we forget that we too are sinners? It is no good thinking that our sins are not as bad as someone else’s. Paul wrote in Romans 3:23, ”For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard“. But with grateful hearts we echo what Paul wrote next, “Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins” (Romans 3:24). Thanks to Jesus, we can stand before God with confidence that He died for us in our place, as a punishment for our sins.

Father God. On our knees in worship before You we express our gratitude for Your grace and mercy. Amen.

Adultery (1)

Posted on by korgrocker

“Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.””
John 8:1-11 NLT

Jesus returned to His accommodation on the Mount of Olives after His eventful last day at the Feast of Tabernacles. A day in which He had declared an invitation, “ … Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart’” (John 7:37b-38). A day during which He had nearly been arrested for blasphemy. A day when many in the crowd in the Temple started to declare that He was the Messiah. But John recorded that He was soon back in the Temple the next day and a crowd gathered around Him. In accordance with the Rabbinic custom of His day, Jesus then sat down and started to teach them. But the religious leaders had a disruptive plan, hoping to trap Jesus into committing an error that would give them another reason to arrest Him. How they managed it we don’t know, but somehow they found a woman “who had been caught in the act of adultery”, and they displayed her publicly right there in the Temple in front of Jesus.

As an aside, one person was conspicuously absent from the Pharisees’ plans – the man. The act of adultery takes two people, a man and a woman, to be accomplished, so where was the man? The Pharisees and the other religious leaders present quoted the Law of Moses from Deuteronomy 22:22, “If a man is discovered committing adultery, both he and the woman must die. In this way, you will purge Israel of such evil”. There is another verse in Leviticus 20:10, “If a man commits adultery with his neighbour’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death”. The misogyny of the religious leaders was symptomatic of an age when women were considered little better than the farm animals in a man’s stable.

The religious leaders were trying to catch Jesus out, by putting Him in a no-win position. If He recommended that the woman was released, then He could have been accused once again of treating the Law of Moses with contempt. On the other hand, if He agreed with the leaders that the woman should be stoned then the Roman authorities, who exclusively had the mandate to administer a death sentence, might be upset and arrest Him. But what followed was a moment of reality to the accusers. They realised that they were all sinners, and had no mandate to judge another sinner. So when Jesus said to them that only the sinless had the authority to stone a sinner, they dropped their stones and walked away. Something powerful happened that day, even in the lives of the religious leaders who liked to display their personal righteousness before the people. Because of their public humiliation they now hated Jesus even more. But they had encountered the Son of God Himself, and perhaps received a glimpse into God’s heart of love and grace, contrasting their rigid and legalistic faith. Jesus said that His Kingdom was close at hand, and sadly the religious leaders possibly missed an opportunity to enter it.

Father God. We pray that Your Kingdom will come to this devil-ruled world. And soon. In Jesus’ name. Amen.