THE RESURRECTED LIFE -- Day 17

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Day 17:  The Woman Caught in Adultery (John 8: 1-11)

Early one morning Jesus was walking by the temple and entered.  He sat down and began to teach those who had already gathered there for the morning teaching.  Commotion filled the air outside, and the sounds of a struggle could clearly be heard.  The voice of a woman crying caught Jesus’ attention over the angry, loud words of the men with her.

“Rabbi, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the VERY act!” the Jewish leaders cried.  Filthy, humiliated, and ashamed, the woman stood in the center of the entire gathering.  The eyes of the crowd burned holes in her heart.  Anger welled up inside of her as she considered the injustice of this law.  “Where is the man who was with me?” her thoughts screamed out. “Isn’t he just as sinful as I am?  Have I been set up?  How did the religious leaders know?  They didn’t just “happen” by that early in the morning, did they?”

Her thoughts were interrupted by, “Our law says such a woman must be stoned!”  It was then that all attention turned toward the Teacher.  It was the first time the woman had taken notice of Him.  It seemed like hours passed while He wrote in the dirt.  She wondered if He would condemn her.  Her eyes dropped to the ground as she realized she had no hope of forgiveness. 

Jesus answered the Pharisees who had brought the accusation against the woman.  “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Her eyes still cast downward, she heard the murmurs, then the shuffling of feet, and when she dared to look up, she met the eyes of her Savior.  Turning to where her accusers stood she discovered that not one of them remained in the street.

Do you run in to be the first to accuse, judge, and condemn when someone has been caught in a sin?  Or maybe you are the “adulteress”—caught and in need of repentance.  Either way, we must know who we are……SINNERS, all of us!  Jesus told the woman, “From now on, sin no more.”   It applied to both the woman and the Pharisees in this story.  It applies to us as well.  Which sin do you relate to?  Stop sinning now, if you are.   Or begin now to be the first to love and restore the sinner.

No Other "gods"

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When Israel demanded a golden calf when they thought Moses would not return, he came down the mountain and burned and crushed their man-made idol. He put the dust of it in their water and made them drink it. When we create "gods" in our lives, THE God will not only crush it to pieces, but we often have to drink of its bitter consequences. "You shall have NO other gods before Me. I am your all in all!"

I was surprised to learn as I studied this review of the 10 Commandments that "before Me" literally means "in God's sight" or "to His face."  It does not mean that you as long as you have God in 1st place in your life you can have your little gods, too.  

When we create a god in our lives, whether it is a particular sin that we default to or a pervasive sinful attitude, we have actually put our god right in God's face!  This is not permissible.  We cannot claim that God is our 1st love while having other "loves" on the side!  If God is truly our first love and priority, the One we default to, then there is no room for other gods.  With God as our only God, and if we truly love Him, then we are living our lives "to keep the commandments of God".  If gods are present in your heart, you cannot fully follow Him.

What is inside your heart?  What is it that you constantly try to keep hidden from others? What is it that you have written off to "your personality" or "inherited behaviors?"  God wants your heart to be circumcised, with the flesh cut away from it, leaving only the Spirit who dwells there within you.  What does this then require of you?  Check out Deuteronomy 10: 12, 13, and 16.  God clearly states what He expects of us:

Fear Him (reverence and honor Him as the only God.)

Walk in His ways (as Christ walked, where He tells you to walk)


Love Him by intentionally setting your affections on Him

Serve Him with every bit of your heart and soul (no room for other gods)

Keep (DO!) God's commandments, all that His word tells us.




This is how you circumcise your heart; this is how you stop "stiffening your neck".  God wants your whole heart, all of you, not just the parts you choose to give Him.