Advent- December 9
Listen:
For Family:
There is no sin in Jesus. He is the light of the world. There is nothing faster than darkness fleeing when light is present. The light chases away the darkness.
Jesus came as the light of the world and then placed His light inside us so that we would be the light in darkness.
For Adults:
(Written by Laura Thevaos)
John chapter eight begins with the woman caught in the “act of adultery.” This event is initiated by religious leaders who wanted to trick Jesus. As the Law of Moses commanded, they dragged an adulterous woman to Jesus and asked whether they should stone her.
Why did the religious leaders want to trap Jesus?
They were upholders of the law. Because the law was their standard for righteousness, anyone who contradicted it was a heretic. Or, perhaps it was because accusing others was the easiest way for them to justify themselves.
The law was like a mirror that exposed man's guilt.
If Jesus said to stone her, he would be culpable in condoning this woman's death. If he didn’t, he would look like a heretic who supported breaking the law of Moses.
What about the woman?
All we know is, she was caught having sex with a man who was not her husband. She had been exposed, which meant she was guilty of death. Not only that but she was dragged into an assembly of men. They were her accusers, cursing, spitting, and despising her. She was nothing in their eyes.
Jesus was writing in the dust when she was brought to him. The word dust is significant here. It takes us back to the garden where man and woman were created.
“Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).
The dust represents the origin of man, the flesh, and the weakness of humanity. It was the serpent’s food, the curse God put on him.
Scholars differ in their ideas of what Jesus may have been writing. Although no one knows, various scriptures give us insight into what it could have been.
Some scholars say Jesus was writing the law in the dust. A verse that supports this is Exodus 31:18, “When the LORD finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.” It says the finger of God wrote the law.
These leaders did not know they were testing the very One who had written the law. What they also did not realize was that Jesus was the fulfillment of the law. Not only was Jesus the fulfillment of the law, but he was also the sacrifice for its judgment.
Jesus asked the woman who her accusers were, and she responded that they had all gone. Jesus then told her he did not condemn her and to “go and sin no more.” He declared that she could now live sinless because she had been relieved of her guilt.
Men cannot condemn us because they are not worthy of passing judgment; all have sinned and are guilty; therefore, there is no judgment worthy among men. (Matthew 7:1-2)
We cannot condemn ourselves, for the Bible is clear that we are not qualified to. (1 Corinthians 4:3)
God no longer does not condemn us, for “there is, therefore, no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
Because of the revelation of our liberation, we are also free from sin. In the same way as this woman, It is only when we realize our innocence that we can live out righteousness.
(* note: The power to “sin no more.” is in the “Therefore I do not condemn you.” - Anna)
For another reason, the detail of Jesus writing in the dust becomes profound. Not only did God prophecy that the law would be fulfilled in Jesus Christ, but he also prophesied that because of Christ, the law would be written in human hearts.
“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33)
God can write his law in the hearts of men. This is a different law: it is the law of life and love. We have been cleared of our guilt because of Christ, and God has also written His law in our hearts through His Spirit. What is this new law?
In this chapter, Jesus says, “I AM the light of the world and that those who follow after him will not walk in darkness.” in the context of the story of the woman caught in adultery. In the same way, he had given light to this woman; he could give light to any who come to him. While some might read this thinking that the darkness means sin, Jesus is specifically talking to the religious leaders and Jews. More than just sin, Jesus speaks about spiritual darkness: an inability to love and truly “see.”
Jesus states who He is, where He came from, and where He is going. Jesus is confident in who He is and what He has to offer. By saying he is the light of the world, he simultaneously says: “I am the answer, the truth, the source, the only way to see truly.” He is the new law written on hearts of flesh.
Jesus says “I am” seven times in this section:
1. “I am the light of the world.”
2. “I am the one who bears witness about myself.”
3. “I am going away.”
4. “I am from above.”
5. “I am not of this world.”
6. “I am he.”
7. “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, you will know that I am he.”
The Son of Man is in reference to the prophecy in Daniel 7:13-24:
“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven. There came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”
Jesus claims to be the Messiah by saying he is the Son of Man. Jesus starts by saying who he is, who he knows, what he is going to do, and where he is from, and then he closes off by restating who he is (as the Son of Man). In all of this, Jesus knows who he is and his destiny.
The Pharisees are offended by this: only God could be able to make such a claim. They ask him, “Who is verifying this statement?”
Jesus replies that his Father verifies it, alluding to his Father being God. After hearing all this, some Jews come to believe in him.
In response to their faith, Jesus tells them that they can truly be his disciples by abiding in His Word (himself- He is the Word). If they know the truth, the truth will set them free. “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” By saying “Son,” Jesus refers to his earlier claim to being the “Son of Man.”
An important distinction here is that the “truth” is not what is right or good (they are Jews; they already know the law). He is saying to know THE truth is to know Jesus, who is the Truth. If they know him, then he will set them free.
In response to this, the new believers have an interesting reaction. They become defensive and confrontational instead of showing excitement and joy at Jesus’ invitation. They respond by saying they are children of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. This is funny because it is a complete lie: the Israelites had been slaves to Egyptians for 400 years and were held captive by outside nations for centuries. Jesus has touched a soft spot in their belief system. Jesus upset them even further by saying they could not bear to hear his words because they acted like their Father, the devil. Jesus acknowledges their spiritual state: they do not know or love him because they do not know God.
Jesus gives one more “I am.” This one upsets them the most, “Before Abraham was, I am.”
They try to kill him after this statement.
They could receive him as their Messiah but not as God. Jesus wanted to free them, but they had to acknowledge their spiritual state before he could. Because they did not, they rejected and did not receive Him.- Excerpt from a Study of the Gospel of John.