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53 Then each of them went home, 8 1 while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teach them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and, making her stand before all of them, 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5 Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”

 

A few days ago, the daily reading included John 3:17: ““Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.” Today, we see these words that Jesus shared with Nicodemus in action. By every word of the Law, this woman was bound for death. Jesus by His own words would have been worthy enough to cast the first stone at the woman. But instead, Jesus chooses not to condemn this woman and simply imparts she continue her life and to sin no more. He granted the one thing she needed more than anything – forgiveness.

 

Forgiveness is the hallmark of Christ’s life. Through His words and more so his actions, Jesus shows us how powerful a life grounded in forgiveness truly is. Whether directly forgiving people or simply moving past affronts to Him, Jesus shows us the power of grace. People are drawn to this rabbi who speaks and acts from this center of forgiveness and love. They cannot help themselves because it is so foreign, but it is also the one thing they desperately desire. No matter how well we hide it, we know we are broken. Day in and day out we struggle with our sins and failures, public and private. We need something to lift those burdens from our weary shoulders. Grace is that thing. Grace takes every ounce of that weight, fear, sadness and pain and washes it away so we can once more lift our heads with dignity and peace.

 

Architect of Creation, grant us your life-giving grace so that we can serve you and live as the people you made us to be. Amen

 

Chad Ryberg

Cryberg@livinglord.org

 

Prayer Concern: Students