9-28-18 The First 15

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The Weekly Overview Throughout Scripture we see countless examples of God meeting with man and countless lives being transformed as the result. These examples are in Scripture to stir our faith and fill us with a desire to meet with our Creator. When we read about the life of David, we should be filled with a longing to live as he did, centered around meeting with our heavenly Father. When we read about Gideon or Moses, we should long to know our God as they did. When we read about Jesus coming down to us or his heart for the woman caught in adultery, we should respond by pursuing encounters with our Savior. And when we read of Pentecost and Jesus’ second coming, we should seek out the fullness of God’s presence available to us on this earth in preparation for the age that is to come. May your heart be filled with a wholehearted desire to pursue meeting with God this week. The Scripture “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” -  John 8:7 The Worship Experience Artist: Audrey Assad Song: When I See You The Devotional The story of the woman caught in adultery is one the most powerful depictions of God’s heart to meet man in the midst of sin and show grace. Scripture says, Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” John 8:2-11 When I find myself in the midst of sin, my first instinct is to run away from God. For some reason we seem to hold this belief that God is like us: that he loves us like we love ourselves. I assume he’s even more ashamed of me than I am of myself. I assume he’s distanced himself from me in my sin. I assume that he can’t be near to me or that his grace surely isn’t strong enough for my sin this time. But Jesus’ actions when presented with the woman caught in adultery completely obliterate my worldly perceptions of his grace. Imagine the fear this woman feels. Imagine the horrific embarrassment and shame she feels being caught in the act of terrible sin and dragged before Jesus, God incarnate. Put yourself in her position. Feel the piercing glares of onlookers. Try and hear the terrible judgements being hurled your way by these religious leaders. Now imagine Jesus standing before you, drawing in the sand as he did that day. Imagine what he would say to you in your sin. He doesn’t seem surprised. He doesn’t seem worried. He doesn’t even cast judgment on you. Instead, he shows you the fullness of grace for your sin. God longs to cast away all the lies the accuser would speak to you. He longs to cause all the judgments you speak over yourself and that others have spoken over you to flee in light of his powerful grace. Jesus stands before you today with nail-pierced hands having fully paid the price for each one of your sins. He’s ready to empower you to “Go, and from now on sin no more” by his love and grace. Receive his love today. Allow him to meet you in the midst of your sin. Run into his arms instead of away from him. And live empowered to experience the fullness of his presence and total freedom from sin. The Prayer 1. Meditate on God’s heart to meet us in our sin as displayed through the woman caught in adultery. “Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?’ This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, ‘Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.’ And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.'” John 8:2-11 2. Where are you closing off your heart to God as the result of your sin? Where do you feel unloveable? Where have lies and accusations caused you to withdraw yourself from God rather than run to him? “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 3. Take time to receive the grace, forgiveness, and love of your heavenly Father. Confess your sin to him and rest in his loving presence. Be filled with the power of his grace that you might walk in freedom today. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 May 1 John 2:1-2 fill you with faith to run to Jesus with your sin rather than away from him in shame or judgment: My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. Extended Reading: Romans 8 CRAIG DENISON is the author and founder of First15, a daily devotional guiding tens of thousands of believers into a fresh experience with God's presence every day. He writes, speaks, and he and his wife, Rachel lead worship to help believers establish a more tangible, meaningful connection with God.