Jesus Shows Us The Way Out

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, “Let any one of you who is without sin 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.” (John 8:3-11)

Jesus not only showed compassion to this vulnerable woman by protecting her from being killed. He also demonstrated tremendous grace after she had suffered under the terrible shame of such a public act of condemnation. But he also showed her love by telling her to leave her life of sin. Jesus not only met her in her existing trouble he also called her out of that trouble into new life.

Jesus shows us compassion in our trouble, but how is he also providing us a way out of our trouble? If we’re stuck in grief about things in our life that happened or haven’t happened, have we come to depend on that grief? If he provides us a way out through relationships, service, or other life changes, do we have the courage to follow him into new life? He meets us and shows us compassion in our anger, but how is he leading us out of that anger by asking us to walk through the process of forgiveness and reconciliation? He meets us and shows us compassion in our fear, but do we have the courage, faith, and humility to receive help from others so Jesus can lead us out of slavery to fear?

Join us tomorrow as we explore the ways Jesus met his followers in their grief, fear, doubt, and shame following his crucifixion and resurrection, and also showed them how to walk out of it. We will also celebrate Father's Day!