Spare a thought for the man not caught in adultery. It’s certainly a horrendous suggestion. It is natural in our day and age to consider the lack of gender justice in the famous story in John 8 where Jesus saves the life, both the body and the soul, of the a woman who was caught in adultery and brought to him to judge. But I think we need to start thinking about what is happening for the man.
The Pharisees tried to set Jesus up. He couldn’t overlook the sin and still be just. He couldn’t overlook the life of the woman and still be loving. Instead, full of compassion and wisdom, Jesus offered those in the crowd a choice. “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Those who were ready to condemn and stone the woman walked away and the woman was forgiven, given a new life by Jesus.
Many of us have wondered and commented on why the woman was brought to be condemned but the man wasn’t. It certainly reflects the culture at the time, and possibly reflects a little better on our time that we actually consider the question. The man was not brought to be publicly shamed, condemned and possibly stoned to death. The man was left – to live – but in shame, secret and darkness.
At the end of that particular day we know that the woman had met Jesus. She had been shown incredible and personal compassion by God Himself. She had been saved and literally given a new life. The man, his sin covered up by other men, whose life was not in danger that day, was still in this old life of secret sin and shame. He was bound to continue in a life of selfish cravings and temporal pleasures – empty of joy; full of bitterness.
What the Pharisees meant for evil, Jesus turned to good. The woman was saved. The Pharisees, nodding to the man’s indiscretion, ironically left him in condemnation.
The hundreds of thousands of those forced into a life of prostitution are much closer to God’s Kingdom than the men who force themselves on them. Globally, thanks to the courageous work of activists, law makers and communicators, the tide is slowly turning and many women and children are being rescued out of or protected from prostitution. But what about the men? What about the men who will sneak away in darkness only to return again?
These men, of course, do not deserve compassion, mercy, freedom or salvation. They are routinely doing something that they know must be wrong. And there is another group, like the Pharisees in the story, who reinforce the sin if the men and perpetually bring women and children to be stoned to death, as they are slowly killed in their brothels from disease and pain. It’s hard to imagine any grace for them.
The Man not caught in adultery is still caught in a life of sexual sin. His life is caught in a cycle where he has given himself over to lust and he keeps returning to commit violence on the weak. In a different way to the prostitute, this man is also a slave to sex. He is bound in his guilt. His mind and his body are instruments of darkness. As a paying client, his privilege is protected but indeed he is also being used. His soul, kept in the darkness, is beyond redemption.
Who can save such a man? Who could forgive his sin? Who would have the compassion? Who would have such grace? Who would have the wisdom?
Jesus. Just the same way He saves us. We didn’t deserve it either.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
What’s so special about June 12?
We have just enjoyed and celebrated Easter – honouring Jesus; His sacrifice in death and His power in resurrection. I have been thinking this year about celebrating a special day for the Holy Spirit, Pentecost Sunday, which falls on June 12 this year.
While some churches do focus on the Holy Spirit on that day it seems that Pentecost Sunday doesn’t seem to have a large profile. I think it would be a good thing to honour the Holy Spirit by considering how we can celebrate Him and what He does for us on that day. I also think that it would do us good.
What do you think?
What could you / we do to honour the Holy Spirit at Pentecost?
While some churches do focus on the Holy Spirit on that day it seems that Pentecost Sunday doesn’t seem to have a large profile. I think it would be a good thing to honour the Holy Spirit by considering how we can celebrate Him and what He does for us on that day. I also think that it would do us good.
What do you think?
What could you / we do to honour the Holy Spirit at Pentecost?
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Devotion beyond devotions
Tozer is messing with me. His devotion for God was amazing. He was so determined not to be satisfied and so carried away with desire for God and His presence.
I read (and reread) part of a chapter from "The Pursuit of God" (Chapter 5). ( also online at http://www.worldinvisible.com/library/tozer/5f00.0888/5f00.0888.05.htm ).
Devotional routines are helpful but are limited when it comes to pursuing God with our whole hearts.
“A generation of Christians reared among push buttons and automatic machines is impatient of slower and less direct methods of reaching their goals. We have been trying to apply machine age methods to our relations with God. We read our :' chapter, have our short devotions and rush away, hoping to make up for our deep inward bankruptcy by attending another gospel meeting or listening to another thrilling story told by a religious adventurer lately returned from afar.”
Are we satisfied to splash about in the shallows?
“The tragic results of this spirit are all about us. Shallow lives, hollow religious philosophies, the preponderance of the element of fun in gospel meetings, the glorification of men, trust in religious externalities, quasi-religious fellowships, salesmanship methods, the mistaking of dynamic personality for the power of the Spirit: these and such as these are the symptoms of an evil disease, a deep and serious malady of the soul.”
Who is our model?
“For this great sickness that is upon us no one person is responsible, and no Christian is wholly free from blame. We have all contributed, directly or indirectly, to this sad state of affairs. We have been too blind to see, or too timid to speak out, or too self-satisfied to desire anything better than the poor average diet with which others appear satisfied. To put it differently, we have accepted one another's notions, copied one another's lives and made one another's experiences the model for our own. And for a generation the trend has been downward. Now we have reached a low place of sand and burnt wire grass and, worst of all, we have made the Word of Truth conform to our experience and accepted this low plane as the very pasture of the blessed.”
What do you think?
How can we get beyond this?
I read (and reread) part of a chapter from "The Pursuit of God" (Chapter 5). ( also online at http://www.worldinvisible.com/library/tozer/5f00.0888/5f00.0888.05.htm ).
Devotional routines are helpful but are limited when it comes to pursuing God with our whole hearts.
“A generation of Christians reared among push buttons and automatic machines is impatient of slower and less direct methods of reaching their goals. We have been trying to apply machine age methods to our relations with God. We read our :' chapter, have our short devotions and rush away, hoping to make up for our deep inward bankruptcy by attending another gospel meeting or listening to another thrilling story told by a religious adventurer lately returned from afar.”
Are we satisfied to splash about in the shallows?
“The tragic results of this spirit are all about us. Shallow lives, hollow religious philosophies, the preponderance of the element of fun in gospel meetings, the glorification of men, trust in religious externalities, quasi-religious fellowships, salesmanship methods, the mistaking of dynamic personality for the power of the Spirit: these and such as these are the symptoms of an evil disease, a deep and serious malady of the soul.”
Who is our model?
“For this great sickness that is upon us no one person is responsible, and no Christian is wholly free from blame. We have all contributed, directly or indirectly, to this sad state of affairs. We have been too blind to see, or too timid to speak out, or too self-satisfied to desire anything better than the poor average diet with which others appear satisfied. To put it differently, we have accepted one another's notions, copied one another's lives and made one another's experiences the model for our own. And for a generation the trend has been downward. Now we have reached a low place of sand and burnt wire grass and, worst of all, we have made the Word of Truth conform to our experience and accepted this low plane as the very pasture of the blessed.”
What do you think?
How can we get beyond this?
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Gift
Imagine being given a wonderful gift but never using it. Imagine being given something so precious but living as if you never received it.
I can easily imagine it. It's what I do so often with the gift of speaking in tongues.
From God
I like when my kids enjoy a gift that I’ve given them and I love to remind then that it was from me, “Zoe, who gave you that pretty dress from India?”
It means a lot to me to remember that the gift of tongues is from God, prophesied and recommended by Jesus and delivered by the Holy Spirit. I should use it thankfully and frequently. Not like wearing that awful knitted jumper because I remember that I might see the relative that gave it to me.
Builds up
Can you imagine suffering from the cold and flu all winter while never opening the vitamins you've kept in the cupboard?
Praying in tongues is a gift that builds my faith. I can spend so much time worrying when I could at least spend a few minutes praying in tongues instead.
Tunes in
I could sit in a room with a radio switched off and wonder what’s going on in the world or I could tune in.
Praying in tongues is gift that helps me to tune in to God and the things of His Spirit. Even when I don’t know what to pray I don’t have to wait for inspiration or warm fuzzies. I can let God’s Spirit lead me.
Effective prayer
I could dig a hole with my hands. My yard is full of hard clay so it would be very difficult but I could do it. What would make it daft is that I have a shovel in the shed.
God’s gift of a prayer language can prop up my prayer life and add His power to it. Unfortunately, I need all the help I can get, and knowing that His power is at work makes it exciting.
I am writing to myself. I want to be a person who appreciates and uses this gift that God has given me. Even though it didn’t seem to come easily 18 years ago, today I could go a day or a week without using it.
For those like me, I challenge you keep the dust off that gift.
For those who are curious, I encourage you to keep pursuing it.
“I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.”1 Corinthians 14:18
I can easily imagine it. It's what I do so often with the gift of speaking in tongues.
From God
I like when my kids enjoy a gift that I’ve given them and I love to remind then that it was from me, “Zoe, who gave you that pretty dress from India?”
It means a lot to me to remember that the gift of tongues is from God, prophesied and recommended by Jesus and delivered by the Holy Spirit. I should use it thankfully and frequently. Not like wearing that awful knitted jumper because I remember that I might see the relative that gave it to me.
Builds up
Can you imagine suffering from the cold and flu all winter while never opening the vitamins you've kept in the cupboard?
Praying in tongues is a gift that builds my faith. I can spend so much time worrying when I could at least spend a few minutes praying in tongues instead.
Tunes in
I could sit in a room with a radio switched off and wonder what’s going on in the world or I could tune in.
Praying in tongues is gift that helps me to tune in to God and the things of His Spirit. Even when I don’t know what to pray I don’t have to wait for inspiration or warm fuzzies. I can let God’s Spirit lead me.
Effective prayer
I could dig a hole with my hands. My yard is full of hard clay so it would be very difficult but I could do it. What would make it daft is that I have a shovel in the shed.
God’s gift of a prayer language can prop up my prayer life and add His power to it. Unfortunately, I need all the help I can get, and knowing that His power is at work makes it exciting.
I am writing to myself. I want to be a person who appreciates and uses this gift that God has given me. Even though it didn’t seem to come easily 18 years ago, today I could go a day or a week without using it.
For those like me, I challenge you keep the dust off that gift.
For those who are curious, I encourage you to keep pursuing it.
“I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.”1 Corinthians 14:18
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