Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent
8
“1 while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teach them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and, making her stand before all of them, 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5 Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, sir.”And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again”John 8:1-11.
This is one of the Biblical passages or stories that speaks to why our churches need to welcome everyone to our church, especially to Sunday worship and communion. who do we think we are segregating different kids of people from our churches? We are all sinners. Soon I will celebrate my fortieth year as a pastor and if there is one thing I have come to appreciate, it is how great a sinner I am. So everyone should be welcome to our churches, and everyone should be welcomed to the table each Sunday.
Let anyone among us who is without sin be the first to stand up and tell others they are not welcome to the church. The church belongs to Jesus Christ. He instituted the church to help us build a faithful relationship with Him! The church is our port in a storm. When the winds and rains of life threaten our very existence we need the church. That goes for all of us.
There is no asterisk on the Cross that says Jesus died for only a few faithful people. No, Jesus died for everyone.
And thank God for that!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living god, have mercy on me a sinner!
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