HOPE TRIUMPHS
SHE WAS CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF ADULTERY
Image credit: SLIM EMCEE on Unsplash.
By REVEREND TONY ZEKVELD
This title may catch your attention. Immediately you may be asking questions: What about the man? Why is the attention only on the woman? How about the people who found out – where they being judgmental? Is there any way of forgiveness?
Jesus met such a woman. While Jesus was teaching, some strict Jewish religious leaders, the scribes and Pharisees, came to Jesus. They brought to Him a woman caught in adultery, having had sex with one not her own husband. And they set her in the middle of everyone. Imagine the shame as everyone stared at her. Singled out!
And then the gall of the religious leaders as they name her sin in public! “Teacher,” they say to Jesus, “this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.” They continue, “Moses commanded in his law that such people should be stoned. But what do You say?”
What’s worse is that these religious leaders were not so upset about this woman and what she did. They were exploiting this woman in order to undermine Jesus and accuse Him for showing mercy to sinners!
They kept after Jesus, asking Him. Finally, Jesus said, “He who is without sin, among you, let him throw a stone at her first”. No one got up to pick up a stone and throw it at her. Not a single person! Not one was without sin!
The room was quiet. Eventually, they went out of the room one by one, being convicted in their conscience. Who were left in the room? Only Jesus and the woman. He uses this occasion to speak with the woman. “Where are those accusers of yours?” he asks. “Has no one condemned you?” And she answered, “No one, Lord.”
Then Jesus says to her, “Neither do I condemn you.” The Bible says, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved.” Christ bore the condemnation for the sins of all who trust on Him for salvation. Because Christ bore God’s judgment, there is mercy! This woman, no doubt, turned to Jesus, trusting Him for salvation. She repented of her sin. Jesus forgave her sins. Her life was changed. And his final words were, “Go and sin no more.” No longer continue in it. She was washed and justified!
Where was the man? He missed out on meeting with Jesus and, therefore, missed out on forgiveness.
If you want to talk more, feel free to phone or text Reverend Tony Zekveld (“call me Pastor Tony”) at Hope Centre at 416-740-0543. His email is hopecentre@primus.ca and website: www.hopecentrebrampton.com.