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She answered, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “I also don’t judge you guilty. You may go now, but don’t sin anymore.” John 8:11 (NCV)
When Jesus stood before the woman caught in the act of adultery, he held in his hands the power to forgive or condemn. Not based on the law, for according to the law her guilt was established. Her condemnation rested in the fact that he was God.
Still, when he asked her who condemned her, the answer was “No one, sir”. Her accusers were gone, only Jesus remained. And in his eyes the woman didn’t see condemnation, she saw forgiveness. Imagine what a relief that must have been. One moment surrounded by her accusers with death imminent, the next, alone with Jesus!
Mankind is so ready and willing to condemn us for our sin, especially those steeped in religion. There is no feeling so painful as being guilty and surrounded by those intent on reminding us of our guilt. Human forgiveness is often dependent on our ability to prove ourselves worthy; or proof of a change in our lives; or our asking forgiveness.
The adulterous woman had no opportunity to prove herself worthy of forgiveness. The law was clear. There were no second chances. There would be no waiting period on Jesus part to see if life-change occurred. His forgiveness came without a single word from the woman. No record of her remorse. No record of a single word spoken by her until Jesus asked “Who condemns you?”
I’ve heard a million sermons on what Jesus wrote in the sand that day. The words written in the sand weren’t nearly as important as what was written on the heart of the woman. Not condemned. Forgiven. Free of accusation. Clean. Valued. Loved. Those are just some of the words that come to mind.
Whatever Jesus wrote in the sand that day isn’t as important is what he writes on our hearts everyday of our lives. He didn’t come to condemn you. He didn’t come to point out your faults or remind you of your failures. He didn’t come to punish you. He came to forgive you and grant you mercy and grace.
Your past isn’t important. Your current situation has no bearing on his love and willingness to come to you to heal you. The most important words Jesus has for us are written on our hearts, and they are written in his blood. It’s time to let go. It’s time to move on. He’s engraved your freedom on your heart with his hand.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I fail so miserably and so often. I’m still haunted by the scars of my past, still reminded by the enemy and other people that I’ve failed. Thank you for the words of forgiveness engraved on my heart. Empower me to live in the freedom you have given me. Amen.
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). Matthew 1:23
A few months ago now, a friend of mine had a baby. As held that newborn I was once again amazed at the beauty of new life. The tiny little fingers. The soft, supple skin. The complete and total helplessness of this creation of God. Amazing.
My mind shot ahead. I’m a bit of a sap at times I guess. I thought of my own children and how every day became a new adventure in exploration and discovery as they grow older. Sometimes they get themselves in trouble. There are times when the ordinary and mundane to us is a complete and exciting adventure to them. And have you ever noticed how a little baby can turn even the most refined adult into a babbling idiot making all sort of gibberish to elicit a smile or a giggle?
I wonder if Mary thought about those things as she watched the events surrounding Passover the year of Jesus’ crucifixion. He was her first born. Together she had shared the wonder of new life with him. For him, a new life in a human body. For her the wonder of her very own newborn baby. The Bible says she treasured ‘all these things’ in her heart. The message of the angels; the events leading up to his birth; the visit from the strange nobility from the East; the tragic news of the slaughter of her friend’s children at the hands of a greedy, ruthless King.
Did she stand at the foot of the cross and wonder, “When did he grow up?” To a mom her first born is always her baby. Always holds a special place in her life.
There are a lot of things we don’t know about Jesus. Many events of his growing up years and his ministry that have been locked in the annals of time. Some perhaps far too mundane to even be mentioned. He was, to many after all, just a good guy, a great teacher, a friend who was closer than a brother.
Oh, but he was so much more than that! He was a king who never lost sight of the leper or the cripple. He was a gentle father who never forgot the true identity of the prodigal son or the woman caught in adultery. He was God and he came to earth to die for the undeserving and grant eternal life to the eternally hopeless. God with us. The true story of Grace. The true story of Easter.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus. In light of your miracles and deity it’s so hard to remember that you were also a baby, a child, a man. You experienced all the tragedies and victories of life as I have. Thank you for giving your life so I can live forever. Thank you for taking my sin so I can live free of guilt. In your holy name I pray, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 