Imagine being dragged before a crowd of people, mainly haters and having all your personal business put before them. Take your most embarrassing moment, and picture it being aired on CNN. Get the point? Well, the Woman caught in adultery had her BNN (Bible News Network) moment when she was drug before Jesus, and likely hurled at his feet for her behavior. The obvious sentence for a woman so disgraced was to be stoned to death.
So? What you have done if you happened by? Would you have joined the crowd? Would you have shook your head in disgust and murmured to yourself, "She's getting what she deserves for being with someone else's man," or would you have covered her, and faced possible death along with her?
Here's what Jesus did:
1-2 Jesus went across to Mount Olives, but he was soon back in the Temple again. Swarms of people came to him. He sat down and taught them. 3-6The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said, "Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?" They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him.
6-8Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, "The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone." Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt.
9-10Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. "Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?"
11"No one, Master."
"Neither do I," said Jesus. "Go on your way. From now on, don't sin."
Jesus forgave her IN PLAIN SIGHT. If they were outrageous enough to bring the accused in the middle of Bible Study, Jesus was outrageous enough to silence her accusers out in the open. You see, Jesus doesn't hide his love or forgiveness for us. He doesn't promise us behind closed doors a love he is ashamed of in light of our sins. Religion exposed her. Religion brought her to Christ, expecting judgement. Jesus, full of Grace and Truth spoke, and His Love covered her. When we are caught red-handed in the wretchedness of sin, Jesus clears us with his red-hand. No one is sure what Jesus was writing. Maybe he was writing the Pharisees many acts of internal sin. Maybe he was writing the names of her lovers who may have been the very ones casting her down. In the end, Jesus, the sinless one who could accuse her, wiped the slate clean. His Outrageous Love is still wiping the slate clean today.
Don't let the crowd, the religious, the whisperers, the jeers stop you from recieving and walking in His Outrageous Love. Many are not walking in their full potential because perfect love has not cast out fear. Fear of dislike, fear of ridicule, fear of rejection, fear of not meeting an unrealistic expectation. I dare you to get toe to toe with Jesus, who knelt down with you, and stood up for you. Accept his clean slate! How can you show your gratitude? When guilt tries to assail you and label you "caught red handed", just remind the devil, there was another red hand that reached out; the loving sacrifice that Jesus made cleared you of the charge!
Want to have Outrageous Church? Just remind yourself of God's Outrageous Love!
Blessings!
