John 8:1-11 "Early in the morning He (Jesus) came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and {began} to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center {of the court,} they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. "Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?" They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him {be the} first to throw a stone at her." Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they {began} to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center {of the court.} Straightening up, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more."

I've been meditating on this passage all week and it's been mess'n me up. So I would like to take a moment and fill you in on some of my meditations. Jesus is teaching in the synagogue, when the Pharisees come in dragging a woman who has committed adultery. They test Jesus, and ask him what he should do. Jesus forgives her. Said simply it doesn’t sound like that grand of a story. Not until you look at it more closely.

First point: She’s guilty. They catch her in the act of adultery. According the Law of Moses, (Leviticus 20:3 "the adulteress must be put to death.") they must stone her to death, least they be found unrighteous by disobeying the law. When the word of God says to stone an adulteress woman, if you want to be righteous, you stone her. The crowd and the Pharisees, were not wrong in their grabbing of stones to cast at her. She deserved it.

Second point: Jesus shows her mercy. Showing us a picture of how he sees us. According to my sin and yours all of us deserve to burn in Hell for all of eternity. We deserve nothing better, righteousness and justice for us is Hell, according to the law. Yet "He has not treated us as our sins deserve" (Ps. 103:10) He puts his finger under our chin, lifts up our head and says, "I no longer condemn you, go, and sin no more".

One problem still remains: someone has to pay for her sin. Jesus knowing that he came to die on the cross, takes responsibility for her sin. He pays the price for her wretched sin. Even though he was without sin, and the only one worthy the cast stones upon her. He instead chooses to pay the price for her sin so she might live. This causes my heart to rejoice. How great is this God that I serve and Love. He rescues us from himself. For we deserve for Him send us to Hell, yet he has redeemed us!!! Blessed be his name!