Neither Do I Condemn You

Guest Blog by Gary Riedel

 S - SCRIPTURE: 

John 8:11 “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

O- OBSERVATION: What grace is in the heart of Jesus! This story is of a women caught in adultery, the religious leaders of the day brought her to Jesus citing the law of Moses that all

caught in adultry should be stoned. They were hoping to trap this Jesus in a tricky situation, but Jesus knew their evil thoughts and simply said that he who was without sin should cast the first 

stone, and they all left without even casting one stone. There are several lessons in this story; Jesus knows our motives, Jesus has everything under control, Jesus has grace we can’t even fathom, And when forgiven, Jesus wants us to change and sin no more.

A- APPLICATION: So what about you and I, and our sin of whatever dimensions. You see we all sin as scripture reminds us in Isaiah 64:6a. All our righteousness is as filthy rags. The lesson here is that if we repent Jesus will say, “Neither do I condemn you”. But He is also quick to add; “Go and leave your life of sin. “ Jesus is not forgiving us so that we willfully sin over and over again, but at the same time, He knows how hard it is for us, and each time we sincerely repent, He will forgive us again. His capacity for grace is like an Artesian well! I remember a story a Lutheran Mission Pastor in Kansas City told one time about a prostitute who came to Communion. Each Sunday she pledged to sin no more, each week she would sin again. He even wondered if he should continue to Commune her, but decided this was God’s grace to 

give and not his. Then one week she found a real job to support her child, and never returned to her life of prostitution. God’s immeasurable grace had won out, and it always will. Satan and his ways were defeated at the cross!

P -PRAYER: Gracious Father May we never feel too sinful to seek Your grace, May we never be a roadblock to Your grace, and May we always be messengers of Your Great Grace! In Jesus Name, Amen

Photo by Alex Shute on Unsplash