TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” John 8:4-5
Read: John 8:1-6
Listen: John 8
TODAY’S MESSAGE
The Pharisees are angry at Jesus. He dares to claim to be the Messiah and he exposed their poor leadership. They really want to get rid of him. The Feast of Tabernacles has just ended and the setting is perfect for a trap. If they can expose Jesus breaking laws in front of a crowd in Jerusalem, they’ve got him. So they throw an adulterous woman at Jesus saying, “the law says to stone her, what do you say?”
If Jesus says not to stone her, he breaks Jewish law. If he says she should be stoned, they will report him to the Romans who have laws against non-Romans carrying out executions. There is no easy answer. But Jesus knows the particulars of this situation and handles it in an unexpected way. The accusers depart and the lives of Jesus and the woman are spared.
We can also trust Jesus with the seemingly impossible situations in our lives—a health problem that requires a difficult choice, a spouse who wants a divorce, or a business partner who appears to be crooked. Jesus knows the particulars of our situation and we can trust him to guide us to the right place. Jesus’s guidance may not look like the solution we initially wanted, but we can trust him.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
With open heart and hands pray, “God I’m in a situation that seems hopeless and impossible. I lay it all at your feet and ask you to guide me according to your Word to make good decisions. Even though it seems hopeless, I will trust you with the outcome. Amen.”
2023 SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
Join us all of 2023 developing a different spiritual practice each month. SPIRITUAL PRACTICES are intentional regular activities to deepen our relationship with God and mold us to be more like Jesus.
May is SECRECY. Keep track of our spiritual practices at beyondtheweekend.org/spiritualpractices.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
