The truth will make you free.

Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.” As he was saying these things, many believed in him. Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” -John 8:28-32 NRSV

There is an interesting turn of the conversation in this passage. Up to now the discourse has been between Jesus and the religious leaders. Then, as faith seems to arise as people begin to actually hear him, Jesus turns his attention to believers speaking to them about continuing to believe in the things that he is teaching.

I love the way that he talks about truth. He could have waxed religious but chose to speak to a truth that makes people free. And in the verses following this passage he teaches them, and us, that truth releases us from the bondage of sin.

In my own life the truth that I am forgiven and adopted by God has turned my life inside out. The truth that God loves me affects my life in a way that causes me to act like his child. This is the freeing truth that Jesus speaks about. This divine love is "the light of life" that Jesus spoke about earlier. Love make us free and love keeps us free.

Thank you Lord for the truth that makes me free. May I ever live in that knowledge.

... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.
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Why do I speak to you at all?

Then they said to him, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” ... He said to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. ... They said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Why do I speak to you at all? ... They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. -John 8:19,23,25,27 NRSV

I liken this exchange to one that I would have with a rocket scientist. I might understand (most of) the words that they are speaking to me but everything I hear is like a foreign language because I am unfamiliar with the scientific concepts. So it is with Jesus and his listeners. They understood the words that he spoke but not the concepts.

Yet unlike my problem understanding rocket science the Jews obstacle was one of the heart and not the head. Their hearts were inclined to the Law and not the Lawgiver. They had a zeal but not for God - a fundamental mistake that many make even today. It is why we must filter everything in scripture through the life, teachings and ministry of Christ.

Teach me Lord to read the scriptures with your eyes and your heart.

... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.
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You judge by human standards; I judge no one.

You judge by human standards; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid. I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf.” -John 8:15-18 NRSV

It is a sobering to think that God came to us in human form and our response was to judge him. What is it about humanity that causes us to want to judge another human being? Do we not understand the folly of such activity? Each of understands, at some level, the superficiality of our judgment yet we continue to act as if we know another's heart.

And even worse, we find a way to use the bible (Jesus called it "your law") to support our bad behavior. Isn't it interesting how, time after time, Jesus refused to judge the adulterer, the drunkard and the prostitute but seemed to judge the hypocrisy of religious people at every turn? It speaks to me of the hypocrisy of my judging another person.

Forgive my hypocrisy Lord. Help me to love and not judge anyone.

... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.
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Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness ...

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Then the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid.” Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. -John 8:12-14 NRSV

Many think that Jesus was just a man. A good man for sure. A great teacher. Some think him to be a prophet. His words in this passage indicate that he was much more. You would think a person was insane if they described themselves as the light of the world. These words demand that we embrace Jesus as something more than a man.

The gospels make it clear that Jewish religious leaders had it wrong about Jesus' earthly origins - they were not aware that he was born in Bethlehem. They were even more clueless about his heavenly origins. They walked in darkness.

In contrast Jesus tells us that his followers "will never walk in darkness". He teaches us that these "will have the light of life". In saying this he alludes to the wonder of the new birth and the powerful light of the Holy Spirit living in his followers. These no longer walk in darkness but are filled with divine light. These have had the eyes of their hearts opened.

We follow you so imperfectly Lord. Open our eyes today that we might be led by your divine light within us.

... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.
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Neither do I condemn you.

And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.” -John 8:8-11 NRSV

Act three of this moving biblical drama begins when the first stone hits the ground. All of the stone throwers have left. The adulteress is now alone with Jesus. I wonder what emotions were flooding her mind? Just a few minutes ago she feared an imminent and painful death. In her wildest dreams she never imagined an ending such as this.

Do you find it interesting that this woman did not ask to be forgiven? I wonder if she prayed as she was being dragged to Jesus? What did she think Jesus would say? Could she have ever imagined that Jesus would look past every one of her condemning thoughts? This passage speaks so deeply to me about how I am forgiven and freed from condemnation.

Thank you Lord for the forgiving love that you show me and the condemnation that you have delivered me from.

... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.
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He Straightened Up

Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. -John 8:6-9 NRSV

Part two of this three act passage. The prosecution thought they had Jesus dead to rights. They had divine law on their side. How could Jesus refute Moses. This adulterous woman was certainly guilty and deserving of stoning. Jesus did not have a proverbial leg to stand on. Yet in a beautiful moment Jesus stood and everything changed.

This passage shames everyone who is thirsty for judgment. Jesus exposes each of us who would judge another human being. With the words "without sin" he tells each of us that the log in our own eye is the sin that disqualifies us from passing judgment. Christ removes all excuses and causes us to drop our judgmental stones.

Forgive me Lord. I have judged the ones that you love. Help me to offer mercy when tempted to judge.

... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.
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Moses commanded us to stone such women.

The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. -John 8:3-6 NRSV

This is part one of a three part story. I call this part "The Accusation". Interesting how often people use religious rules and laws to accuse another. More interesting in this case that only the woman was accused. Mosaic law commanded that the man should also be stoned. Hard to believe that religious people would act with such self-righteous cruelty.

I often hear the phrase: "Love the sinner but hate the sin". My response is: "Hate your own sin". Do you see how this applies to these religious leaders? Would that they sincerely loved this hurting woman and hated their own self-righteousness. Perhaps they would have, in humility, brought this woman to Jesus for healing instead of condemnation?

Dear Father, bring us to a place of examination where we are able to take the logs out of our own eyes.

... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.
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