Friday, March 19

Psalm 51:12
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.

Thank God for the beauty of his forgiveness and the joy of his salvation!

John 1:1-11
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where people gathered all around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you.” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

We began by identifying the three characters (The Pharisees; the sinful woman; Jesus) and the three acts (The challenge presented to Jesus; The challenge Jesus presents to the Pharisees; The encounter between Jesus and the woman) of this dramatic story.

A great story has a way of drawing us into one or more of the characters. God’s word is the same way! As we read this story we have no alternative but to locate ourselves in the story – for in a very real sense – we ARE the story!

Take a few moments and reflect honestly and carefully on the following questions:

• Is there any way in which I am like the woman caught in adultery- ashamed, exposed, and unworthy?
• Is there any way in which I am like the Pharisees – self-righteous, hypocritical, and judgmental?
• What do I most need to hear from Jesus today – truth, grace, or both?

Thank God for spending this precious time with you this week!

Brian Coffey