TURNING COMPLAINTS INTO PRAISE

TURNING COMPLAINTS INTO PRAISE! (HABAKKUK 1-3)

Introduction: In the past several weeks, we have been overwhelmed by the devastation caused by COVID-19. It looks like overnight, the landscape and trajectory of Churches changed. Many of us are trying to navigate how to be an “Online Church.” And what it is to be a “Virtual disciple of Christ.” We are growing comfortable attending church from our homes.

            But let’s not get too comfortable lest we forget our primary purpose of being a disciple of Christ in this crisis-ridden world of COVID-19. Social distancing doesn’t mean social isolation. Essential workers are being called upon to do their duty regardless.  We are to continue to pray for the doctors, nurses, health care workers, first responders, and other volunteers who are putting their lives at risk so that we can remain safe.

            When we watch and hear the troubling news all around us, we can go crazy or continue to remain calm and cautious. I am not a politician to give you political advice. I am not a doctor to provide you with a medical recommendation; neither am I an economist to provide you with financial information. As your pastor, I seek to help you through a biblical lens.

            When there are trouble and injustice all around us, we can either complain and grumble or turn them into points of praise and prayer. We can either let fear paralyze us or faith motivate us. This morning I will share with us a few thoughts from Habakkuk, a 6^th century B.C. prophet who turned his grumbling and complaining into prayer and praise to God. Habakkuk 1-3.

            What do we know about this rather obscure prophet?  Habakkuk lived during the Babylonian invasion of Judah and wrote this book just before the battle of Carchemish in 605B.C His main problem was theodicy or divine justice. Internally, he saw violence, lawbreaking, and injustice go unpunished, so he questioned and complained to God about it. God’s answer only troubled him more. Though it was a small book, it was one of the gems of the O.T.

I. HABAKKUK’S FIRST COMPLAINT 1:1-4

            Vs. 1-4, “How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence is everywhere!” I cry, but you do not come to save. Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous so that justice has become perverted.”

            Habakkuk lodged his first complaint to God. He questioned God, how long the evildoers in Judah get away with their evil acts without being punished by God. He wanted to know when God would punish the wicked and save the righteous. He wanted to know why such injustice was unchecked and why wasn’t God acting swiftly.

            Let me bring this into our context. In our times, the wicked seem to have a good time while the righteous go through difficulties. We are surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. There appears to be no justice in our nation. These days, there is another kind of evil lurking at us; it is called the Corona Virus.  This past Friday, we fasted and cried out to God, saying, how long we must endure this onslaught, and when will you deliver us from this evil?

II. GOD’S ANSWER:

            Vs. 5-6, “The Lord replied, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day. Something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.” I am raising up the Babylonians, a cruel and violent people. They will march across the world and conquer other lands.” God answered that he was on the verge of responding by raising up that violent nation, the Babylonians. This answer was appalling to Habakkuk.

            He just couldn’t understand how could a holy God, send a more wicked nation than they to punish the people in the land of Judah? Would they not destroy both the evil and righteous indiscriminately?

            God told him, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day. Something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.” Let’s look at our so-called great nations in the west and around the world and see what God is doing. Who would have believed a year ago if they were told that the whole world would be under a literal shut down and thousands would die due to the Corona Virus?

            What is happening in our times is something that never happened in the last 75 years. The whole world is shaken up and does not know how to fight this cruel and unseen enemy. So, it is legitimate for us to complain to God and ask the Lord How long, and when will you deliver us?

III HABAKKUK’S SECOND COMPLAINT 1:12-17

            Chapter 1:12-17, talking about Habakkuk’s second complaint. Let me summarize it. His charge had to do with the cruel treatment of the Babylonians, and how could the loving God let it happen to His people. After these two complaints, he positioned himself as a guard on his watchtower to see what God would say to him. God’s reply to Habakkuk had two implications.            One was the imminent end of the Babylonian empire, and the other one was pointing to how God would deal with the proud and the arrogant people and the nations towards the end times. This is what the future might look like to the rebellious and how God’s glory will fill the earth. Let me summarize Chapter 2:4-20.

            God was and is in the process of purging His people and dealing with the wicked. According to Habakkuk, this is how God will deal with wickedness in the land.  He will humble the proud, make fun of the arrogant, and the rich and shake the confidence and the security of people. He will deal with all those who make idols and worship them sternly.

            The outcome of His dealings would be the awareness of God’s glory, filling the whole earth as the waters cover the sea. Isn’t that what we see happening during this Corona Crisis?

IV MOVING FROM COMPLAINING TO PRAYER AND PRAISE: Chapter 3: 1-19

            Vs. 2, “I have heard all about you, Lord. I am filled with awe by your amazing works.

In this time of our deep need, help us again as you did in years gone by. And in your anger, remember your mercy.” This is a beautiful prayer that can be prayed over the prevailing Corona Virus situation. We say Oh Lord, in our time of grave need, help us again as you have done it in the past. Please, Lord, even in your anger, please remember mercy.

            We hope and believe that God would answer this prayer and deliver us from this evil. But if he won’t deliver us, at least not as quickly as we want him to? What if more and more people including, the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the sinner and the saint die? What if our economy will never recover? What if we can never have a regular Hope Church service?

            Could God still be trusted and worshipped? How should we respond to unprecedented situations in our lives? Our God has promised to deliver His people, at times He may delay his deliverance. It doesn’t mean that He is indifferent to our needs and do not care even if we perish.           Habakkuk teaches us how to praise God even during adverse situations and remain optimistic and positive. Vs., 17-19, “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty,  yet I will rejoice in the Lord!

            I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.” Dear friends, don’t fret and don’t be afraid. Are you anxious about your uncertain future? Are you complaining and grumbling at your prevailing situation? Stop complaining and grumbling. Turn your concerns into prayer and praise to God when you do that you will notice a remarkable change of attitude and perspective. So “Look Up! Trust God and Smile!” Amen!

Moving from Fear to Faith

MOVING FROM FEAR TO FAITH

Introduction:  For the past several weeks, the world has been shaken up by the life-threatening danger posed by the unseen powerful force of the Coronavirus. It has brought the world literally to a standstill. Public health officials have quarantined many people, and others have been self-quarantined out of precaution. If you go shopping, empty grocery shelves glare at you. Empty sports arenas, theaters, shopping complexes, restaurants, Airplanes, church buildings are only exposing the emptiness in our hearts. Fear and anxiety are looming large.

            It is not the first time that we faced this kind of worldwide calamity, seventy-five years ago, during World War II, the atomic bomb threat was real. Here is the advice of C.S Lewis on how to respond to such times of fear, “The first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together. If we are going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb, when it comes, find us doing sensible and human things -- praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts -- not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs.”

             I think it is excellent advice even for our time. Due to Coronavirus though we are prohibited from social interactions and community gatherings, we can still find ourselves doing sensible human things, such as praying, listening to God’s word, etc. We can even pull together and encourage one another by participating in the Sunday service through live streaming and praying for each other through Mid-Week Video Prayer Meeting, call, e-mail, or text each other. 

            Where there is a will, there is away. I encourage you as your pastor; please do not neglect to assemble virtually and build one another up.  At times like these, when there is no public Church worship service, we can become passive in our faith and be in real danger of backsliding from following our Lord.  How do we stay focused and move from fear to faith?

            Let me take you back to an uncertain period, which can be called Israel’s “Dark Ages.” The two great leaders Moses and Joshua were dead and gone. The Israelites were in the promised land surrounded by powerful enemies. In the absence of a strong leader, they repeatedly fell into idolatry, enemy domination, intermarriage with pagans, and other major sins.

            A key verse to be noted in the book of Judges is that “In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” (Judges 17:6) Over and over, they forgot who the true God was. Every time they did evil, God would hand them over to their enemies, and when they cried out to God, He would raise a “hero or heroine” to deliver them from the hands of their enemies. From here, we will pick our story up. In Judges 6:1-6.

            “The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. So, the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would come in hordes, stayed until the land was stripped bare. So, Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites.

            Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.” To summarize, the Israelites sinned against God, and God handed them over to their enemies. Their enemies oppressed them severely by plundering their crops. Out of the fear of their enemies, they were hiding in their dens, caves, and strongholds in the mountains. The once-mighty people of God now were brought very low because of their enemies. They cried out to the Lord for help.

            Let me bring some parallels.  Our times are somewhat like the times of Israel’s dark history. As we see around the world, many people have turned their backs against the true and living God. In the absence of reliable and God-fearing leaders, people go about doing whatever they think is right in their own eyes. As a result, evil thrives, and righteousness suffers.

            Every time sin and evil increased in the past, God dealt with people who were living in the land by either withholding rain, sending locusts to devour their crops, or sending plagues to destroy people. In Ezekiel 28:23, we read, “I will send a plague against you, and blood will be spilled in your streets. The attack will come from every direction, and your people will lie slaughtered within your walls. Then everyone will know that I am the Lord.”

            When I look at the scare and the devastation happening around the world due to COVID-19, I cannot help but think, could this be an act of God to draw people’s attention back to Him? How are our leaders and the scientists and medical personal responding to this potent and invisible enemy of humanity? What are they doing to contain its influence and keep us safe?        How are people responding to this crisis? Out of the fear of their enemies, the Israelites hid in dens, caves, and strongholds in the mountains. Out of the fear of the virus, we are hiding behind our modern-day shelters such as TVs, Computers, and Cellphones as we are ordered to stay indoors, for how long nobody knows. People are getting restless and developing cabin fever.

            Unless God intervenes, and the COVID-19 may be here for a while and could only get worse. Out of desperation, the Israelites cried out to God for help. I wonder how many of our leaders and people are crying to God for His help? When people cried out to God for help in our story, God intervened by sending an angel. Vs11-14, Gideon was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites.

            The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the LORD is with you! Just like many of us, Gideon responded and said, if God is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? It is interesting to note God did not answer his questions. Instead, He wanted Gideon to obey His orders.

            The Lord said to him and said, “Go with the strength you have and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you.” Like Gideon, we may be hiding in our homes due to the fear of our enemy, the COVID-19. We may be wondering where is God in all this, why these things are happening to us, has he abandoned us, why is he not doing anything by His power? And so on!

            We are indeed living in unprecedented, uncertain, and fear-filled times. During such circumstances, when we cry out to God for help, he will come to rescue us and give us a purpose to live for during these difficult times. God will come right to where you are and address you saying, “Mighty hero, I am with you.” Go with the strength you have and rescue my people.”

             The call to Gideon is the same call to us today. If you are a child of God, your real purpose in life is not to live for yourself but to be part of God’s rescue mission, which is to lead people to Christ. Even during these difficult times, God gives us the strength to introduce people to Christ so that they, too, will find peace, hope, and eternal salvation as we have received. How can we do that in a locked-down situation?

            First of all, let’s get our lives together by asking God to forgive us for allowing fear and unbelief cloud our focus. Fear and unbelief are sins. Having anxiety is like putting our faith in the devil. Moving in disbelief is doubting God’s character. For that reason, God comes to his people and commands them not to be afraid and rebukes them for their unbelief.

            Once we received His forgiveness, then we will ask Him to fill us with faith, and courage to take any steps of action, he might show us in leading people to Christ. Lock-down situations present great opportunities to share our faith with others. Without leaving our homes, we can invite people to watch our Sunday services live stream. We can call text, e-mail, Facebook, Instagram, our friends, and let them know we are praying for them. Are you afraid of the virus? Fear not. God is with you. He will save you. He will move you from fear to faith. Amen!

             

.

            .

           

God is Our Abundant Helper

GOD IS OUR ABUNDANT HELPER

Introduction: Who would have thought when waking up in the morning, a short 30-minute visit to the PCP’s office, would end up in the E.R. for 30 hours? My Monday started regularly with a quick workout at the Gym. I went to see my PCP for a regular health check-up. During that time, my PCP noticed that I was having Atrial Fibrillation and called for an ambulance to rush me to the Emergency Room. At first, I was surprised, shocked, and afraid by the sudden turn of events. Could this be my last moment! Would I ever see my wife and children again? And so on, my thoughts went. For the first time, I felt death was glaring at me, and my time had come.

            From the Ambulance, I cried out to the Lord to protect me and give me another chance to live. Amazingly, I sensed the presence of God assuring me I would be OK. As I reached the E.R., I sensed as if everyone was ready to play with my heart to find out what was going on. Series of blood tests and EKGs were performed to confirm the baseline of my heart’s rhythm.

            The next day they put me through a nuclear stress test and echocardiogram to ascertain if there was any damage done to my heart during the whole process. After a thirty-hour uncertain and frightening encounter with death, my cardiologist said everything was normal, and I could go home and resume my normal activities. Those were the sweetest words of assurance.

            My wife and I praised God for giving me a fresh lease of life. While I was going through this whole ordeal, God spoke to me through Psalm 118: 16-17, “The strong right arm of the Lord is raised in triumph. The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things. I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the Lord has done.”

            Today I am here alive to testify what God has done for me. We have an amazing God who loves us dearly and cares for us deeply. He will not leave us and abandon us even when you are in the Ambulance or the E.R. In the passage that was read today; we will find out how we are to respond in times of crisis and uncertain times, such as we are facing these days.

            In the past several weeks during our Mid-Week Connect groups, we had an enriching time of studying several Psalms. According to Walter Brueggemann, we humans find ourselves in one of these three states - orientation, disorientation, or new orientation. 1. A state of orientation, in which everything makes sense in our lives.

            2. A state of disorientation, in which we feel we have sunk into the pit or feel we don’t know where and why we are in the state we are in. And we don’t know how to pull ourselves out of this state. 3. A state of new orientation, in which we realize that God has lifted us out of the pit, and we are in a new place full of gratitude and awareness about our lives and our God.

            The Psalms give a voice to our feelings and thoughts. The critical point of the Psalms is that we have a loving God who is watching over us and knows what is going on, and the responsibility is on us to remember Him, call out to Him and wait on Him.

            The Last five Psalms are known as Praise Psalms. Psalm 146 is considered a Psalm of New Orientation because it acknowledges that all is not right with the world, and it emphasizes the on-going activity of God in rescuing the oppressed and those who have no social context in which to find security. With that background information, let’s explore the Psalm.

I. GOD INHABITS OUR PRAISES

            There is nothing that delights God more than the praises of His people as He inhabits them. When God’s people, either corporately or privately, Praise Him, He shows up in their midst. Praising God was a crucial part of worship in the O.T. David places the Ark of the Lord, in a special tent and appoints “Levites to lead the people in worship before the Ark of the Lord to invoke his blessings, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel.” I Chr 16:4.

            For David from a very young age, singing praises to God was an essential part of his life. He didn’t forget it even after becoming the King of Israel.

            At one point, he said, Psalm 71:6, “Yes, you have been with me from birth; from my mother’s womb, you have cared for me. No wonder I am always praising you.” In Psalm 146:1-2, we read David’s resolve to Praise God, “Praise the Lord! Let all that I am praise the Lord. I will praise the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.”

            David praised God from the time he was born, he continued to praise God throughout his life, and he even resolved to Praise Him with his dying breath. How praising is God part of your life? What is praise, and how do we understand the Biblical concept of praising God?

            The first mention of the word in the Bible is found in Genesis 29:35, “Leah, after giving birth to another son she named Judah, for she said, “Now I will praise the LORD.” The first mention of the word praise in the New Testament was when Mary sang Praises to God upon hearing the news that she was going to be the mother of the savior of the world.

            To sum up, praise means giving glory to God for who He is and for all His mighty acts. Only God is worthy of our praise as He has created us; therefore, it fits for us to praise Him. To emphasize that fact, David exposes the frailty and brevity of men, including powerful men.

II. TRUSTING IN GOD

            Vs. 3-4, “Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them.” Instead of him being one of the most powerful kings of Israel and in that region, he downplayed his powerful position and instead showed humility.

            On our currency, it says in God we trust, but do we? We have an unhealthy fascination and admiration for powerful people. We put our confidence in our politicians, but they are no different than anyone of us; they too are mere mortals, and they also will die one day. What happens then to all their boasting and plans? They, too, will die with them. That is reality!

            It doesn’t mean we don’t respect and listen to those who are in authority or follow their advice, but it only means that we recognize they are just humans and can only do so much. The current COVID-19 is affecting people everywhere on all continents. World leaders are being shaken up. People are worried about how to survive, groceries, disinfectants, and other supplies are running out. It is a test for our president and his cabinet to tackle this issue.

            We must keep praying for the leaders of our world so that they would seek God and find His counsel regarding what to do in this situation. As if God is trying to remind us! Hello, I am up here still, look up! I am still in charge here! If we cannot rely upon powerful people, on who should we count? Who can help us? Who can get us through this crisis?

III GOD IS OUR ABUNDANT HELP

            Vs. 5-6 “But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God. He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever.” The God of Israel here is the Lord God Almighty, the Lord Jehovah. He is also known as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

            The heathen nations, the people, and the kings of those nations knew who the God of Israel was. They saw firsthand how the God of the armies of Israel fought their battles and brought them victories. Those who put their hope in the God of Israel and come to Him for help are joyful. But those who trust in the earthly leaders will be disappointed.

            What assurance do we have that when we come to God, we are indeed helped? Here are a few reasons. Firstly, God is the creator of the whole universe, and He also created you and me. Secondly, God is our abundant helper in times of need. Thirdly, God keeps His promises forever.           He has a reliable track record of keeping his promises. Fourthly, He is involved in the affairs of mankind throughout the earth. This is how He shows His involvement. Vs. 7-9. He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. He sets the prisoners free. He heals the blind. He lifts those who are weighed down. He loves the godly. The Lord loves the godly. He protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked. Now tell me who else can do all these and much more?

            This God reigns forever, and He wants to be our God, but the questions we need to answer are: Do we want Him as our God? Do we come to Him for help? Do we seek Him and give Him praise?  Do we rely upon Him, or do we rely upon our strength?  During this global crisis, we need people of faith; we need those who can confidently lead people with strength and wisdom given by our Lord God. Who is your hope today?

            My advice to all of us during this COVID-19 crisis is this. Let’s not be afraid, and let’s not worry. We, as Hope Church believers, can be the voice of reason and hope in our communities where people are living with fear. We can share with them the good news of the Gospel as we prayerfully and confidently echo these words of David, Psalm 118:6-9, “The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?

            Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.” Let’s give Him all the Praise and Glory.! Amen!

Sin No More!

SIN NO MORE!

Introduction: One more season of lent began on Ash Wednesday according to the Catholic Church tradition. Though we don’t strictly observe Lent at Hope Church, those of us who came from other denominational backgrounds may take this season seriously. Some would abstain from certain things to identify with the suffering and the passion of Christ during these forty days leading up to Palm Sunday. Whether you are in the habit of giving up or not during lent, Jesus wants all of us to give up one thing. Let’s find out what that is in John 8:1-11.

            In the story we read, we will see how Jesus reached out to a woman caught in adultery. Before we explore this passage, here are a few things we need to know. As you read it at first, this story appears to be an unnecessary interruption of what Jesus was doing.

            In the Bible, as noted in the bracketed NIV text, this passage is missing in most of the oldest manuscripts. In some documents, it was attached after Luke 21:38. Because the story fits the character of Jesus, however, many consider it an authentic account of Him. It is worth studying it to find out principles of a new way of living. Let me unpack this story.

            At this point, Jesus was traveling around Galilee, avoiding Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. But that did not stop him from celebrating SUKKOT, a Jewish festival of Shelters. We will pick our story up from here.

I. WHERE IS THE GUY?

            Vs. 1-3, “Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning, he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.”

            Just imagine you were in the temple courts listening to Jesus’ teaching. A group of religious leaders caught a woman in the act of adultery and brought her before Jesus. They accused her, saying, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The Law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” What did the law say about those who were caught in adultery?

            Lev 20:10, “If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death.” Duet 22:22, “If a man is discovered committing adultery, both he and the woman must die.”

            The law clearly says both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death. Here they say they found the woman in the act of adultery, but how about the man? Was he not also equally guilty? Why didn’t they catch him and bring him before the crowds?

            Did they strictly follow the law or only when it was convenient for them? We see this type of malpractice and misinterpretation of rules happening all the time in our time. When it is comfortable, we go by one explanation, and when it is not, we will change it to meet our selfish agenda. The Pharisees bent the rules and let the man get away so that they can trap Jesus.

II JESUS STOOPED DOWN

            Vs. 6 “They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger.” Let’s observe Jesus’ posture of stooping down.” Max Lucado, in his book “Grace,” gives a beautiful explanation, “Someone would stoop for her. Jesus descended lower than anyone else so that the woman’s accusers had to look down even farther. He’s prone to stoop. He stooped to wash feet, to embrace children.

            He stooped to pull Peter out of the sea, to pray in the Garden. He stooped before the Roman whipping post.  Stooped to carry the cross.  Grace is a God who stoops.”[1] Coming back to our story, the Pharisees were standing tall in their accusations against the woman, whereas Jesus stooped down to the ground level. By doing so, he identified with the woman in her lowly state of sin, guilt, and public humiliation. This kind act was in contrast to the arrogant attitudes of the Pharisees, who thought they were the custodians of the law of Moses.

            For Jesus’ stooping down was a sign of humility, as he often displayed it both in private and public encounters with people. But the proud Pharisees kept pestering him with questions. This time Jesus stood up to the bullying leaders to protect the woman, so he said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone! “Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.” What was Jesus writing on the ground?

            Speculations about what Jesus wrote abound: Before announcing sentences, Roman judges would write them down. For example, a text such as Ex 20:17 (“You shall not covet … your neighbor’s wife”) might have drawn attention to their sin. Perhaps he wrote what he also said, or maybe he was conspicuously ignoring them.

            What did he mean by, “who has never sinned throw the first stone? Did that involve only the perfect people have the right to throw the first stone? Here Jesus was not referring to perfection as the criteria, but whether or not they were sinless of that very sin of adultery.

            In other words, He was saying, “anyone who has never committed adultery can throw the first stone. Hearing that one by one, they slipped away, beginning with the oldest. What can we learn from what Jesus said? When we accuse someone of some wrongdoing, we better check ourselves and see whether we are not guilty of doing the same.

            Romans 2:1, “You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.”

            Matthew 7: 3-5, “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First, get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”

            These scriptures indicate that we all are prone to sin; at times, what we do may be more harmful to us and others. If God has to expose our sins, who can stand against Him? Therefore, let us hold off our judgments and be gracious towards people. Let’s see how Jesus was kind.

III WHERE ARE YOUR ACCUSERS?

            Vs. 9-11, “only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

            Now the scene has changed. The angry Pharisees and all those who came along with them to humiliate the woman had walked away.  Only Jesus and the woman were left in the middle of the crowd. We could only imagine what this woman might have gone through. What would this Jewish Rabbi do to me? Would he take advantage of me like the other men? Is he going to rebuke me for what I have done? And so on!

            On the contrary to what she might have been thinking, Jesus did something beautiful. He stood up again and said to the woman, “where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you? The woman could barely get these words out; she said, “No, Lord.”

            After that, she may have expected a harsh rebuke from Jesus for what she had done. Instead, she heard some of the most graceful words of her life, “Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” What powerful words of grace and forgiveness of sin? In saying, “Go and sin no more,” Jesus was not speaking of sinless perfection; he was warning against a return to a sinful lifestyle.

            His words both extended mercy and demanded holiness. Jesus was always the perfect balance of “grace and truth” (John 1:14). If you were in the crowd watching the whole drama with whom would you identify yourselves? How would you see Jesus? The Pharisees saw Jesus only as a good teacher, whereas this woman saw Him as her Lord. Hence, she received forgiveness and a second chance to live a life that would be pleasing to God.

            What can we take away from this story? Just like the woman caught in adultery, we have our accusers.  Our accusers could be those who either directly or indirectly responsible for our downfall. Or perhaps we become our own accusers. Our greatest accuser is the devil. He tempts us to sin, and when we do sin, he accuses us before God of that sin and condemns us.

             When the devil accuses you before God, Jesus would stand up for you and silences the accuser saying, Father, I have paid for his or her sins by my precious blood. They are free from all accusations and condemnations. In me, they are forgiven and become a new creation.

            Upon hearing those words, the accuser of our souls will have to flee at least for the time being.  Then Jesus walks up to us and says to us, “I love you; I don’t condemn you, go on your way, you are free but one thing, “SIN NO MORE.” That is God’s grace at its peak.

            These days people don’t want to talk much about SIN, let alone give it up. Susan Wesley has a definition of sin. “Whatever weakens your reasoning, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes away your relish for spiritual things is sin.”

            When we are given this challenge to Sin No More, we are called to give up everything that would weaken our reasoning and harden our conscience and blurs our vision of God and others. My prayer is that during this lent; we will resolve to sin no more and to live a life that would be Christ-honoring.  We will learn to be gracious and merciful to others, as God has been forgiving and merciful to us. May God help all of us to become more Christ-like. Amen!

---

[1] https://www.crownofcompassion.org/2014/05/04/jesus-stoops-to-conquer/