John 8:1-59
Who was Jesus? That is the question that seems to dictate the content of this chapter. The people repeatedly ask the question and Jesus seems desperate to reveal the answer, but no matter how often or how clearly He tells them who He is, they reject His answer. They turn from the truth because they did not like it. Because most of them rejected the truth about the identity of Jesus they are eternally lost. So let us look at this text and try to answer that same question. Who is Jesus?
JESUS IS MERCY: There are several things that don't add up in the story of the woman caught in adultery. The most obvious of which is that if she was caught in the very act of adultery, than so was the man who does not appear to be present. It all looks like a "set up" Jesus does not take the bait. He tells them to go ahead and stone her if they are without sin. I don't have any idea what the was writing on the ground, but I do know that His words convicted the men of their sin and they walked away. Jesus, who could have, within the sinless standards He set set, stoned her; instead extended mercy. She did deserve to die as do you and I, but Jesus is full of mercy and does not give us what we deserve. Thank you Jesus for your infinite mercy!
JESUS IS LIGHT: This is a very dark world. Men grope about in the darkness with no direction or purpose. They do not know why they are hear nor where they are going. They cannot tell the difference between what is right and what is wrong and so they stumble around in their sin without hope. Such would be the condition of every one of us without Jesus. But Jesus shines as a beacon of light in this blackness of this world and provides direction, purpose, hope, knowledge and most importantly illuminates the way to the Father. He shows us the way that man can be rightly related to God. Without Jesus we would forever be separated from God who is the source of light that will glow for all of eternity. Thank you Jesus for your iridescent light!
JESUS IS FORGIVENESS: The biggest problem that any of us have is sin. This sin that infects every fiber of our being is the plague of humanity and the blight that destroys our hearts and our hopes. Since sin is our biggest problem than forgiveness is or greatest need. The list of human "needs" stretches on endlessly; food, drink, shelter, air, love, meaning, money, comfort, fun, significance... the list could go on and on. The truth is that none of these so called "needs" compare to our need of forgiveness. For without forgiveness we will die in our sin. This is eternal death and separation from God. But if we believe in Jesus, He provides everlasting and complete forgiveness. He meets our greatest need. Thank you Jesus for your incredible forgiveness.
JESUS IS FREEDOM: The world with its relativistic manner of life as mistakenly viewed its rejection of moral absolutes as freedom. The reality is that it is slavery. Sin and Satan are cruel taskmaster that enslave this world to destruction, deceit and ultimately death. When they declare themselves to be free from the fetters of morality they don't realize that the reality of their life is that they are chain to the tyrant of sin. Sin promises pleasure but it delivers pain. Sin promises freedom but it delivers slavery. Christ came to break the bonds of sin that shackle us to death and set us free from the penalty and power of sin that we might enjoy the blessings of peace and obedience. In Christ we are free to obey God, live for His glory and experience the true joy of loving and living for God. Thank you Jesus for your invigorating freedom.
JESUS IS TRUTH: Satan is the father of lies and would have all of us believe him instead of Christ and His Word. There is a clear choice that every man must make. Every man must decide what is his standard for truth. Satan would have man believe that there is no truth for in so doing, he can deny the existence of God because God is truth. A denial of truth is a denial of God. Christ came to reveal the truth to men. He has inspired the Word of God by His Spirit that we might know Him, know the truth and be free from Satan and his lies. Many who walked with Jesus would not believe so they were condemned to live a lie. Those who turn from and reject Christ, turn from truth. We are so fortunate to know Jesus and to know the truth. It is a blessing that so many have never had. Thank you Jesus for your illuminating truth.
JESUS IS LIFE: The path of sin and lies is the path of death. Christ came to forgive sin and reveal the truth that we might have life. A life that is full of joy, purpose and a life that is without end. This abundant and everlasting life is only available through faith in Christ. Without Jesus death is the inevitable destiny of all mankind. Not just physical death, but spiritual and eternal death that condemns men to an eternity separated from the presence of God. Those who believe on Christ will never experience this separation. He indwells the believer through the Spirit and will introduce the believer to the very presence of God for all of eternity. That, by definition, is life. Thank you Jesus for your interminable life.
JESUS IS MERCY: There are several things that don't add up in the story of the woman caught in adultery. The most obvious of which is that if she was caught in the very act of adultery, than so was the man who does not appear to be present. It all looks like a "set up" Jesus does not take the bait. He tells them to go ahead and stone her if they are without sin. I don't have any idea what the was writing on the ground, but I do know that His words convicted the men of their sin and they walked away. Jesus, who could have, within the sinless standards He set set, stoned her; instead extended mercy. She did deserve to die as do you and I, but Jesus is full of mercy and does not give us what we deserve. Thank you Jesus for your infinite mercy!
JESUS IS LIGHT: This is a very dark world. Men grope about in the darkness with no direction or purpose. They do not know why they are hear nor where they are going. They cannot tell the difference between what is right and what is wrong and so they stumble around in their sin without hope. Such would be the condition of every one of us without Jesus. But Jesus shines as a beacon of light in this blackness of this world and provides direction, purpose, hope, knowledge and most importantly illuminates the way to the Father. He shows us the way that man can be rightly related to God. Without Jesus we would forever be separated from God who is the source of light that will glow for all of eternity. Thank you Jesus for your iridescent light!
JESUS IS FORGIVENESS: The biggest problem that any of us have is sin. This sin that infects every fiber of our being is the plague of humanity and the blight that destroys our hearts and our hopes. Since sin is our biggest problem than forgiveness is or greatest need. The list of human "needs" stretches on endlessly; food, drink, shelter, air, love, meaning, money, comfort, fun, significance... the list could go on and on. The truth is that none of these so called "needs" compare to our need of forgiveness. For without forgiveness we will die in our sin. This is eternal death and separation from God. But if we believe in Jesus, He provides everlasting and complete forgiveness. He meets our greatest need. Thank you Jesus for your incredible forgiveness.
JESUS IS FREEDOM: The world with its relativistic manner of life as mistakenly viewed its rejection of moral absolutes as freedom. The reality is that it is slavery. Sin and Satan are cruel taskmaster that enslave this world to destruction, deceit and ultimately death. When they declare themselves to be free from the fetters of morality they don't realize that the reality of their life is that they are chain to the tyrant of sin. Sin promises pleasure but it delivers pain. Sin promises freedom but it delivers slavery. Christ came to break the bonds of sin that shackle us to death and set us free from the penalty and power of sin that we might enjoy the blessings of peace and obedience. In Christ we are free to obey God, live for His glory and experience the true joy of loving and living for God. Thank you Jesus for your invigorating freedom.
JESUS IS TRUTH: Satan is the father of lies and would have all of us believe him instead of Christ and His Word. There is a clear choice that every man must make. Every man must decide what is his standard for truth. Satan would have man believe that there is no truth for in so doing, he can deny the existence of God because God is truth. A denial of truth is a denial of God. Christ came to reveal the truth to men. He has inspired the Word of God by His Spirit that we might know Him, know the truth and be free from Satan and his lies. Many who walked with Jesus would not believe so they were condemned to live a lie. Those who turn from and reject Christ, turn from truth. We are so fortunate to know Jesus and to know the truth. It is a blessing that so many have never had. Thank you Jesus for your illuminating truth.
JESUS IS LIFE: The path of sin and lies is the path of death. Christ came to forgive sin and reveal the truth that we might have life. A life that is full of joy, purpose and a life that is without end. This abundant and everlasting life is only available through faith in Christ. Without Jesus death is the inevitable destiny of all mankind. Not just physical death, but spiritual and eternal death that condemns men to an eternity separated from the presence of God. Those who believe on Christ will never experience this separation. He indwells the believer through the Spirit and will introduce the believer to the very presence of God for all of eternity. That, by definition, is life. Thank you Jesus for your interminable life.
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