Sunday 2:21:10

Pointing UP The Greatest Gift John 8:1-6 The teachers of the law and Pharisees – condemning. The trap: put Jesus in a place where he can’t win. If he lets the woman off the hook, he’ll be denying the validity of the law. But if he allows her to be stoned, he might be accused of being unmerciful – or even of being an enemy of the Roman government, which was the only group allowed to carry out capital punishment. John 8:7-9 Jesus’ reaction wrecks the Pharisee’s whole day. They had no reply. Of all the people gathered there, the one who had every right to condemn her was Jesus. He was the one and only perfectly righteous person there. He would be right to judge her sin. She was left with the one who could judge her without being a hypocrite. John 8:10-11 But he did not condemn her. He said, “Neither do I condemn you.” Amazing words from a perfect, righteous, holy God. This woman went from being thrust into public embarrassment with her great shame announced publicly to everyone around. She had feared for her life. She knew she was wrong. It was her own sin that put her there. And the holy, righteous, perfect Jesus Christ said, “Neither do I condemn you.” Have you been there? Have you been at the place where your own sins stare you in the face. It’s embarrassing and shameful. You want to hide – especially from the holy God. But when He finds you, you found not judgment, but forgiveness and grace. Do you remember learning that God meets sinners not with judgment and punishment, but with patience and grace? In Romans, there is a startling statement about God. It says that while we were still in the throes of sin that Christ left heaven and stepped across time and space to rescue us. Romans 5:8 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus took a decided step toward the ungodly, not away from them. Instead of being repelled or disgusted or judgmental about our sin, he embraces us with acceptance, love, and forgiveness. Jesus came to redeem our failures and sins, not to punish. Have you found God’s grace, forgiveness and redemption? Psalm 32:1-2 1 Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. If you have found God’s grace, you’ve found perhaps the greatest gift of this life. Is the God you know full of grace and mercy and compassion? Does He inspire you with His ideas about how your life can really count? Is the God that you know worth knowing? Would other people love the relationship with God that you have? From Bill Hybels’ Just Walk Across the Room. You’re going to give your life to something. All people do. They give their lives to pleasure or possessions or comfort or popularity or to work or to the attainment of more power. But always to something. If you really believe in the redeeming and transforming power of God’s presence in a person’s life, then the single greatest thing you can do with your life to is to tell someone how to be rightly connected to God. There are people around you – in your work place, your neighborhood, apartment complex, classroom whose lives are in shambles. They are far from God, but they view him as distant and judging. You can be the one to accept them. Draw near to them – and one day tell them how God found you. Live as though you actually believe that your parent, your coworker, and your neighbor would be better off if they knew your Father. Be people who are willing to seize every opportunity that the Lord puts in your life. The God of the universe has equipped you to bestow the greatest gift in this life on another human being, choose today to lead a life of impact – eternal impact. Take a moment. Take a risk. See what He might do.