Naked and Guilty
What should I do?
There is pain shooting through my arms from being pushed to the ground for the…I can’t even remember how many times…and now my clothes are being torn from my body. I am naked and guilty before my accusers; I have no defense to offer. I was found in the very act of committing the crime for which I am accused. I am being lifted up and pushed along towards the judges that will pass sentence on me for my crime. I know the sentence for my crime is death; my only hope is to cry for mercy. I am still being pushed down; I fall many times. I am cut and bruised as I try to cover my nakedness to keep what little remains of my dignity and now I arrive before my judges as my accusers report my crime. I sink to the ground and cover myself the best I can as I await the inevitable outcome of my trial: death by stoning. Again I am being pulled to my feet and pushed along to another place where they say I am to meet my judge and pay for my crime. I see a crowd gathered ahead of me and they are forcing me to the center of them where I come face to face with my final judge. “What is her crime?” I hear the man ask my accusers. “She is guilty of adultery caught in the very act and the law requires her death by stoning.” I then hear one of the Priests say, “What do you say Rabbi?” I know now that I am going to die as I hide my face from this man. I am afraid to look Him in the eye yet somehow He is very different and I don’t know why. “Let the one without sin cast the first stone.” I wait fearfully with my eyes closed praying for God to show me mercy on judgment day. Suddenly I hear the man say to me, “Woman where are your accusers?” I look around and see only my judge standing before me. “They are gone.” I say. “And I will not condemn you; leave and sin no more.” I see a clean white garment lying beside me to cover my nakedness and I pick it up, quickly putting it on. Then I truly look into the eyes of my judge and see LOVE like I have never seen before. As I turn and walk away I wonder, “Who could He be?” The next day, while still feeling clean, joyful and most of all grateful, I seek to find the man who forgave me. I am told He is Jesus; the One called Christ by His followers of which I am now one.
Most of us recognize this story from the book of John, chapter eight and marvel at how Jesus disperses the crowd and saves the woman. We are all that woman brought before a sinless God naked and guilty and it is by His compassion and kindness that we are not condemned, for all of us have sinned. When the Spirit of God drags us before the cross we can choose to accept His payment for our sins or face Him as our Righteous Judge.
Rom 3:23 Because all people have sinned, they have fallen short of God's glory.
Rom 3:24 They receive God's approval freely by an act of his kindness through the price Christ Jesus paid to set us free from sin.
Eph 2:8 God saved you through faith as an act of kindness. You had nothing to do with it. Being saved is a gift from God.
Rom 8:1 So those who are believers in Christ Jesus can no longer be condemned.
Rom 8:2 The standards of the Spirit, who gives life through Christ Jesus, have set you free from the standards of sin and death.
If you are willing to accept this free gift then please do so now because you are not promised another chance or another day. This is your day of salvation; there are no “tomorrows”, only the here and now.
Act 2:37 When the people heard this, they were deeply upset. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?"
Act 2:38 Peter answered them, "All of you must turn to God and change the way you think and act, and each of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift.
If you have decided to accept your free gift of salvation in Jesus Christ, please leave a comment or send us an email so that we may rejoice with you.
May our Lord Jesus Christ bless and keep you, Amen.
There is pain shooting through my arms from being pushed to the ground for the…I can’t even remember how many times…and now my clothes are being torn from my body. I am naked and guilty before my accusers; I have no defense to offer. I was found in the very act of committing the crime for which I am accused. I am being lifted up and pushed along towards the judges that will pass sentence on me for my crime. I know the sentence for my crime is death; my only hope is to cry for mercy. I am still being pushed down; I fall many times. I am cut and bruised as I try to cover my nakedness to keep what little remains of my dignity and now I arrive before my judges as my accusers report my crime. I sink to the ground and cover myself the best I can as I await the inevitable outcome of my trial: death by stoning. Again I am being pulled to my feet and pushed along to another place where they say I am to meet my judge and pay for my crime. I see a crowd gathered ahead of me and they are forcing me to the center of them where I come face to face with my final judge. “What is her crime?” I hear the man ask my accusers. “She is guilty of adultery caught in the very act and the law requires her death by stoning.” I then hear one of the Priests say, “What do you say Rabbi?” I know now that I am going to die as I hide my face from this man. I am afraid to look Him in the eye yet somehow He is very different and I don’t know why. “Let the one without sin cast the first stone.” I wait fearfully with my eyes closed praying for God to show me mercy on judgment day. Suddenly I hear the man say to me, “Woman where are your accusers?” I look around and see only my judge standing before me. “They are gone.” I say. “And I will not condemn you; leave and sin no more.” I see a clean white garment lying beside me to cover my nakedness and I pick it up, quickly putting it on. Then I truly look into the eyes of my judge and see LOVE like I have never seen before. As I turn and walk away I wonder, “Who could He be?” The next day, while still feeling clean, joyful and most of all grateful, I seek to find the man who forgave me. I am told He is Jesus; the One called Christ by His followers of which I am now one.
Most of us recognize this story from the book of John, chapter eight and marvel at how Jesus disperses the crowd and saves the woman. We are all that woman brought before a sinless God naked and guilty and it is by His compassion and kindness that we are not condemned, for all of us have sinned. When the Spirit of God drags us before the cross we can choose to accept His payment for our sins or face Him as our Righteous Judge.
Rom 3:23 Because all people have sinned, they have fallen short of God's glory.
Rom 3:24 They receive God's approval freely by an act of his kindness through the price Christ Jesus paid to set us free from sin.
Eph 2:8 God saved you through faith as an act of kindness. You had nothing to do with it. Being saved is a gift from God.
Rom 8:1 So those who are believers in Christ Jesus can no longer be condemned.
Rom 8:2 The standards of the Spirit, who gives life through Christ Jesus, have set you free from the standards of sin and death.
If you are willing to accept this free gift then please do so now because you are not promised another chance or another day. This is your day of salvation; there are no “tomorrows”, only the here and now.
Act 2:37 When the people heard this, they were deeply upset. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?"
Act 2:38 Peter answered them, "All of you must turn to God and change the way you think and act, and each of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift.
If you have decided to accept your free gift of salvation in Jesus Christ, please leave a comment or send us an email so that we may rejoice with you.
May our Lord Jesus Christ bless and keep you, Amen.
posted by Church of the Living Word at 1:02 PM
2 comments
