Bible Studies For Life
God Gave Me Grace and Forgiveness
John 8:2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. 3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him.
The scribes and Pharisees interrupted Jesus as He was teaching many people in the temple. They brought a woman that had been caught in the act of adultery. Doing so they broke the Law of Moses which required the man and woman to be stoned to death together. The crowd was stirred up and someone exposed the plot to have Jesus put to death. So, it is clear their actions with the woman are not sincere but a plan to try to trap Jesus into saying or doing something they could find fault with. Jesus lived a sinless life and did nothing to be blamed of, so the scribes and Pharisees were trying to manufacture something. Do you see people doing things like that today? Do you watch and listen and participate or do you recognize it as against God’s teachings, turn and walk away then pray for the ones that stayed? Do you think Jesus was pleased by the ones that stayed or the one that walked away?
John 8:6b But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. 7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
The example Jesus set here is why we need to ask the question “what would Jesus do” anytime we have doubts about a situation. The text of the Sunday School lesson explains that John the Baptist did not feel worthy to stoop down to undo Jesus’ sandal straps. It goes on to explain how Jesus put himself in a position that everyone could see Him bent over writing in the dust of the ground with His finger. To me this showed the humility and innocence of Jesus. He had nothing to hide! We have a great Savior. As the scribes and Pharisees kept demanding an answer from Jesus, He stood up to His full height of authority and shifted the guilt of the woman to the fact that to throw the first stone the person had to be without sin. The scribes and Pharisees decided not to debate any longer but depart starting with the eldest and finishing with the youngest. Instead of being quick to accuse our fellow brother or sister in Christ, we need to do as Jesus did, find a way to help everyone seek a closer walk with God.
John 8:10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
The lesson explains that Jesus had addressed His Mother as Woman twice and it showed He considered the woman someone to be valued and treated with dignity. Jesus loves everyone and wants everyone to be saved. That is why He died on the Cross for our sins. Jesus treated the woman with love and compassion and offered her the same Grace He offers any sinner willing to be saved. We are saved by the Grace of Jesus when we confess our sins and have faith in Him to be our Lord and Savior.
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I Will Come Again
John 13:31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. 33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
The word if in this verse does not imply doubt, in Greek the word conveys the idea “since”. Jesus has lived a sinless perfect life, so He has Glorified God and God Glorifies Jesus. God Glorifies Jesus in Himself because they are One and the Same. Jesus loved His disciples as a parent loves his children. Jesus tried to explain that He had to die on the Cross, be buried, rise again, then spend forty days appearing to witnesses before He would return to Heaven. They could not come with Him but would follow later. This new commandment Jesus gave the disciples was and is earth shattering. Loving someone as you love yourself was too hard for most people but loving each other as Jesus loved us seems impossible. The only way to do that is a close walk with God so that he is the center of your life. Then the Holy Spirit will control your thoughts and actions. This person is praying hard, studying God’s Word, and doing the work God has given them to do by the Holy Spirit.
John 13:36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.” 37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” 38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.
Peter loved Jesus very much and could not imagine life without Him. Without thinking he said he would die for Jesus. Jesus knew he would deny Him three times that night for fear of his life. Peter was very sad when he realized Jesus had been right. Peter failed Jesus that night but later repented and Jesus forgave Him. Peter went on to accomplish great things for Jesus. Have you failed Jesus? Have you been restored and now working for God? Jesus is our Lord and Savior, High Priest, and Intercessor. We need to follow the Holy Spirit and grow God’s Kingdom.
John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
If we are to be saved, we must believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God and Jesus are One. Believe in One and you believe in the other. Now Jesus makes us all a great promise, He is going to prepare us a place in Heaven so we can spend eternity with Him and His Father. Jesus also makes it plain there is only one way to get there, through Him. Be sure you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.
Isaiah 55:11