October 15, 2023 - Good News for the Sinners & the Shamed (John 7-8)

In a brief but poignant encounter, Jesus is put to the test by religious leaders, regarding the right response to an anonymous woman caught in adultery. Rather than condemn the woman for her sin, Jesus shows her grace  and offers forgiveness. But he concurrently invites the religious crowd to consider their own sin, and the forgiveness they had received from God. Everyone — in that crowd and across history — is in the same position as the adulterous woman: all sin; all feel shame. Like Jesus did with this woman, across history he meets people in our sin and enters into our shame. He shows grace and offers forgiveness to those far from him, and calls to account those who claim to know him. And this theme is echoed by God’s people through the rest of the Bible! Jesus was the only sinless, shameless man to ever walk the earth – but at the cross he took the punishment we all deserve for sin, and covered our brokenness and shame with his perfect grace.