THE WORD 4 ev 1

Today’s reading is John 8 (click here for link).

The Pharisees and enemies of Jesus really must have been desperate to get rid of Jesus for them to resort to this… drag a half naked woman to temple and present her to Jesus. They could have judged her themselves, although even in this account they fudge the law a little bit (Deuteronomy 22:23-24 specifically prescribes stoning as a means of execution for betrothed virgins, however adultery too was punishable by death and also included the man involved in the act and not just the woman).

But they thought they would bring someone who was a "real" sinner. No more of this highfalutin theological talk about sin. Sure everyone is sinful in “that” way… We know that “all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God" (Romans 3:23), but what about “real” sin? How frequently do we try this ruse on the Lord? We try to distinguish between real sin and theoretical sin. For example, We might occasionally fall into gossip, but we aren’t "real" gossips like so and so. Or do we ever find ourselves listening to a sermon thinking "Boy, he/she really needs to hear this"?

But Jesus cuts to the quick… it’s not about sin, it is about forgiveness. “Stop looking at other's sin and judging them. You have no right to judge at all,” He says to us sinners. Yesterday he reminded us that “If anyone is thirsty, let him come and drink of me… and rivers of living water will flow out of him.” What is flowing out of us as believers? Stony judgment or forgiveness? If only we could forgive others as liberally as we judge them, the world would be a much less “stony” place to live. Better yet, the Church would be a more inviting place as well.

Of course, I am not saying that we are to live in a sinful world and not see it as sinful. It is sinful! But Jesus calls in another place in the gospels to be as innocent as doves and as shrewd as serpents. We are called to see sin and refrain from it. But at the very same time, Christ calls us to see hope. Even the worst of sinners has hope of forgiveness in Christ. If that wasn’t the case then you and me should be stoned as well.

Don’t ever throw the stone. Forgive… and forgive… even if it is the hardest thing you have ever done… forgive!

Pastor Aaron