5-15-2018

Good Morning All,

            John 8:11; “She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more”

    This is the ending of the story of the woman who was caught in adultery and the Scribes and the Pharisees wanted to stone.  She was a “sinner” and should be punished.  Aren’t we all?  Notice what Jesus told her.  “Neither do I condemn you.”  Isn’t that the most wonderful thing you can hear?  Jesus saying to you, “I do not condemn you.”  All of the sin that we commit is forgiven.  This is why we go to church and this is why we have a time for confession of sins.

    We go to church, not because we have to; not because we want to give something to God. We go to church because God invites us to church and that is where we get to hear these wonderful words; “Neither do I condemn you.”  That phrase should be the sweetest music that any sinner could ever hear.  “Neither do I condemn you.”  Regardless of what we have done or left undone.  Whether we showed hatred to our brother or just passed by when he was hurting.  No matter how selfish we were or arrogant or self-centered we were; Jesus looks to you and says “Neither do I condemn you.”  Why would you not want to hear that?  Why wouldn’t you clamor to hear that?  When you hear that, why don’t we shout it from the roof?  There is nothing better to hear.

     This is why we have confession of sins.  We are not telling God some secret he doesn’t know about.  Trust me on this; HE KNOWS!!!!!!!  We confess for two reasons.  First, so we recognize just how pitiful we truly are and how wondrous the gift of forgiveness is.  If God can forgive me, a poor, miserable sinner; he can and will forgive you.  Jesus came to redeem you and that is what you are.  Above and beyond anything else, you are a redeemed child of God. 

    The second reason we confess is to get rid of those sins that we refuse to let go of.  We need to let go of those sins which weigh us down and the devil uses to pull us from God.  When we fail to confess a sin or two or three, the devil keeps throwing them back at us.  He uses these sins to terrorize us.  The devil tells us that even we know that God will not forgive that sin.  Yet Jesus stands before you with his arms outstretched and he says, “Neither do I condemn you; now go and sin no more.”  In other words quit doing the things that harm you and cling to Jesus.  Stop looking at sin as “the fun stuff’ and see it for what it is; the most self-destructive thing you can do.  Sin destroys relationships.  It destroys families and friendships.  It destroys our relationship with God.  In spite of all we do to destroy this loving relationship with Jesus; in spite of doing everything we can to blow it off; Jesus says, “Neither do I condemn you.” 

 Gracious Father, we deserve only your holy wrath and judgment.  Yet you do not condemn us.  You sent your Son to bring us back.  You sent your Son to make us whole.  Give us the power to follow only you.  In Jesus precious name we pray, amen.  

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret