In His Footsteps Week 19: Woman Caught in Adultry

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What does a story of ancient judgment and mercy have to teach us today? In our latest episode, we explore John 8:1-11, where Jesus encounters a woman caught in adultery and the Pharisees' attempt to trap Him. We'll reflect on Jesus' unparalleled wisdom and compassion, His call for self-reflection before casting judgment, and His powerful disarmament of a legalistic mindset. Through the lens of this powerful narrative, we discuss the vital themes of judgment, mercy, and forgiveness, encouraging personal humility and the extension of grace to others. We invite you to join us in a heartfelt prayer for spiritual understanding and to consider how this profound story speaks to our lives today.

As we move forward, we delve into the transformative power of forgiveness and new beginnings through Jesus Christ. Reflecting on Jesus' command for the woman to "go and sin no more," we explore how this directive applies to our own spiritual journeys. Through a prayer for guidance, we seek the Holy Spirit's help in transforming our hearts and minds to live lives that glorify God. This episode underscores God's unending mercy, love, and desire for a deeper connection with each of us. Be encouraged to embrace new beginnings and live in a way that reflects the change He has made in us, knowing that He does not condemn but extends His boundless love and mercy to each of us.

Get a copy of the In His Footsteps devotional here.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, happy Sabbath.
Today is the 19th week in ourstudy in his in his footsteps.
If you want your copy, you canget it.
I'll leave a link to the shownotes.
It's a 52 week journey throughthe gospel of John.
Now, this week we're going totalk about the woman caught in
adultery, and the text is John 8, 1 through 11.

(00:25):
Let's open in prayer.
Father God, thank you for thisday, thank you for your love
toward us that you've opened upour hearts, our ears and our
eyes, spiritual understandingthat we can see your truth, that
we can read your living word,that each time we read it it's
fresh and new and alive andspeaks to us in new and

(00:46):
important ways.
Let's pray that this littledevotional today would just give
us some food for the week, forthe day for thought and moving
toward a closer relationshipwith you In Yeshua's name, amen.
So I'm going to read from theKing James.
Again, it's John 8, 1 through11.

(01:11):
But Jesus went to the Mount ofOlives and now, early in the
morning, he came again into thetemple and all the people came
to him and he sat and he taughtthem.
Then the scribes and Phariseesbrought to him a woman caught in
adultery.
When they had set her in themidst, they said to him Teacher,
this woman was caught inadultery in the very act, and

(01:33):
now Moses, in the law, commandedus that such should be stoned.
But what do you say?
And this they said, testing himthat they might have something
of which to accuse him.
But Jesus stooped down andwrote on the ground with his
finger as though he didn't hear.
And so, when they continuedasking him, he raised himself up

(01:53):
and he said who is without sinamong you?
Let him throw a stone at her.
First.
And again he stooped down andwrote on the ground.
And then those who heard it,being convicted by their
conscience, went out one by one,beginning with the oldest, even
to the last.
And Jesus was alone and thewoman standing in the midst.

(02:14):
And when he had risen himselfup and saw no one but the woman,
he said to her Woman where arethose accusers of yours?
Has no one condemned you?
And she said no one, lord.
And Jesus said to her Neitherdo I condemn you.
Go and sin no more.

(02:41):
John 8, 1-11 narrates thecompelling and compassionate
encounter between Jesus and awoman caught in adultery, set
within the context of Himteaching in the temple courts.
The passage vividly illustratesthe grace, wisdom and authority
of Jesus in dealing with thecomplexities of sin, law and
forgiveness.
Although some ancientmanuscripts do not include this

(03:04):
story, its powerful messageresonates with the core themes
of the gospel.
Their narrative begins withJesus at the temple where the
scribes and Pharisees bring awoman caught in the act of
adultery.
They attempt to trap him byasking if she should be stoned
according to the law of Moses,hoping to find grounds to accuse
him.
His response, both in word andaction, reveals the profound

(03:25):
insights into judgment, mercyand the nature of true
righteousness.
Here's some key themes judgmentand mercy.
Jesus confronts the accuser'sself-righteousness and the
crowd's thirst for judgment witha call for self-reflection and
the crowd's thirst for judgmentwith a call for self-reflection,
emphasizing that mercy triumphsover judgment.
His statement Let any of youwho is without sin be first to

(03:48):
throw a stone at her shifts thefocus from the woman's sin to
the universal need forforgiveness, the Wisdom of Jesus
.
He navigates the Pharisees'trap with divine wisdom,
disarming their accusationswithout dismissing the
seriousness of the sin.
His approach dismantles theirlegalistic mindset, highlighting

(04:09):
the higher law of love andredemption, forgiveness and New
Beginnings.
His interaction with the womanunderscores the possibility of
forgiveness and new life.
Interaction with the womanunderscores the possibility of
forgiveness and new life.
His words neither do I condemnyou, paired with the
admonishment to go and leaveyour life of sin, offers both

(04:34):
pardon and call totransformation, illustrating the
restorative heart of the gospel.
Before casting judgment onothers, we're called to examine
our own lives, recognizing ourneed for mercy.
He teaches us that weunderstand our own sinfulness,
that it should lead us to extendgrace to others, just as we
have received grace from God.
Now.
He distinguishes himself fromthe accusers by offering
compassion and a chance forredemption rather than

(04:57):
condemnation.
The response highlights theheart of the gospel.
He came to seek and save thelost, offering forgiveness to
those who repent.
His parting words to the womango now and leave your life of
sin.
Sin no more encapsulates thegospel's call to repentance and
transformation.

(05:17):
Forgiveness is not merely aboutescaping punishment.
It's an invitation to a newlife grounded in obedience to
him.
Reflect on this approach, on hisapproach to the situation.
How does his response challengeconventional attitudes towards
sin and judgment?
Well, I mean, what areconventional attitudes towards

(05:38):
sin and judgment?
Condemnation, right?
I mean you screwed up.
You know you should get thefull penalty of the law.
You know, whatever it is, youknow we don't necessarily do
stone him anymore, but that wasa thing in the day, you know,
and this is the day of Jesus,and those streets of Nazareth
are the streets of Jerusalem.
You know, those people wouldstone you, and they would follow

(06:01):
the law of Moses.
And so that his attitude,though, was to extend mercy, and
that should be ours as well.
Consider the call totransformation, the extent he
extends to the woman.
What does it say about hisdesire for each person's life,

(06:22):
his?
The same thing can be said tous neither do I condemn you go
and sin no more.
Those are the main thrust ofwhat he's telling us here, this
whole lesson neither do Icondemn you go and sin no more.
Here's a prayer for humilityand mercy that you have

(07:04):
generously poured out on me,knowing that we all stand in
need of your forgiveness.
Amen.
Compassion and Understanding,lord Jesus, in a world quick to
condemn, fill my heart with yourcompassion and understanding.
Help me to see others throughyour eyes, recognizing their
worth and dignity as individualsyou love deeply.

(07:27):
Give me the wisdom to offerwords of life and hope,
mirroring your response to thewoman caught in adultery,
offering forgiveness, callingfor change and pointing the way
to true life in you.
Personal Transformation.
Holy Spirit, thank you for theforgiveness and new beginnings

(07:48):
you offer through Jesus Christ.
I ask for your power to trulyleave behind my life of sin,
just as Jesus commanded thewoman to go and sin no more.
Guide me in your ways,transforming my heart and mind
that I might live a life thatglorifies you and reflects the
change you've made in me.

(08:08):
Amen.
I hope this lesson's been ablessing to you and it's my
prayer that you'll go forwardand take some of these words and
the thought to go and sin nomore, and that he does not
condemn you.
He loves you and extends hismercy to you.
He wants to connect with you ona deeper level.
Have a good day, have a goodweek.

(08:31):
I'll see you next time.