Today, I want to take you back to the beginning of John chapter 8…
Let’s review John 8:1-11 NIV. Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
This passage helps us to understand who Jesus is. He went to the people. He got up early. He sat, positioning himself at the same level as those who showed up to listen. Jesus spoke with confidence and purpose. But the most impressive quality of Jesus is that he is not condemning. He is also encouraging without shaming.
A little while later we learn that Jesus spoke again. And when he did, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
This is very fitting after the story we just read, isn’t it. The adulterous woman, making the choice to turn from her sin and accept Jesus as her Saviour, will never have to walk in darkness.
Jesus offers that same invitation to you today!
Won’t you accept Christ as your personal savior and step out of the darkness?
Dear God, We thank You for the gift of mercy. We realize we are all sinners and have fallen short in following Your commands. We ask that You bring these things into the light, so that they can be examined by You. Search our hearts, Lord, and create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us. Help us to be like Jesus, not the world. Help us to cast out the works of the darkness and put on the whole armor of light according to Your righteousness. All this we ask, in Jesus Name, Amen
