T.Beyer
UKC Forum Member
Registered: Jan 2005
Location: Crystal Michigan
Posts: 4483 |
Just wanted to share one of the articles I wrote on our youth group page. They are sort of mini-lessons/devotionals.
I cannot wait to meet Jesus face to face.
John 8:4-11 CEV Then they said, “Teacher, this woman was caught sleeping with a man who isn’t her husband. 5 The Law of Moses teaches that a woman like this should be stoned to death! What do you say?” 6 They asked Jesus this question, because they wanted to test him and bring some charge against him. But Jesus simply bent over and started writing on the ground with his finger. 7 They kept on asking Jesus about the woman. Finally, he stood up and said, “If any of you have never sinned, then go ahead and throw the first stone at her!” 8 Once again he bent over and began writing on the ground. 9 The people left one by one, beginning with the oldest. Finally, Jesus and the woman were there alone. 10 Jesus stood up and asked her, “Where is everyone? Isn’t there anyone left to accuse you?” 11 “No sir,” the woman answered. Then Jesus told her, “I am not going to accuse you either. You may go now, but don’t sin anymore.”
Though this woman was deserving of death, at least in the eyes of the Mosaic law, (she was only part of the equation, where was the man whom she had sinned with, without a conspirator, how could she have been caught in adultery?) She was brought up on charges immediately, in the hopes that this would move Jesus to some sort of action that would lead to his breaking the law himself, instead, he simply bowed down and began sort of writing in the dirt, nobody knows what he wrote, but he spoke as he wrote. Maybe he was writing the law so that they could see it, maybe he was simply doodling, who knows! In the meantime, the Messiah, had come to the aid of someone who did not know him, and showed something that this person probably had been devoid of certainly in her adult life, LOVE, not physical love, but agape love. This is the kind of love that we all say that we have for others, but really cannot show.
Agape love is defined as such; The Greek word agape is often translated “love” in the New Testament. How is “agape love” different from other types of love? The essence of agape love is self-sacrifice. Unlike our English word “love,” agape is not used in the Bible to refer to romantic or sexual love. Nor does it refer to close friendship or brotherly love, for which the Greek word philia is used. Nor does agape mean charity, a term which the King James translators carried over from the Latin. Agape love is unique and is distinguished by its nature and character.
Though Jesus had yet to make that physical sacrifice, it very well could have happened there. You see, these men were ready to start throwing the stones (stones are a type of judgment). It very well could have been that some of those same men had been secretly meeting with this person, and committing the same sin that they had just caught her in. They may have been under the impression that by letting her go, they could some day be in the same predicament. no matter why they were so ready to kill her, the important thing is this, Jesus stood in the gap between her and her accusers, just as he does for us.
Satan has been called the accuser of the brethren, and yet, we have a defense.Just as this woman had a defense against her accusers. Jesus is that face of love, that person whom we are to emulate as Christians, those who are attempting to be Christ-like. The last coupleof verses of that piece of scripture are very telling.
10 Jesus stood up and asked her, “Where is everyone? Isn’t there anyone left to accuse you?” 11 “No sir,” the woman answered. Then Jesus told her, “I am not going to accuse you either. You may go now, but don’t sin anymore.”
You see Jesus very well could have accused her and he would have been right to do so, but, instead, he showed Mercy, he was the face of Love. Just as a mother or father might chastise a child, Jesus said, go on now, but, don’t do it again. Very Simple. Walk it out.
Daily we are tempted with the opportunity to sin against God, and we have two choices obviously. We can do as our flesh wants, have our fun, or we can do those things that are pleasing to God. When we sin, it is imperative that we seek God, repent, and then go and sin no more.
She met the Savior face to face and came away changed because of it!
For more, visit http://btmrts.com
__________________
Rip Acorn Creek Black Swamp Jester
In Honor of Jim Sizemore, " This ain't no benchshow!"
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
12-31-2009 04:38 PM
