John 8
Woman caught in adultery verse 1- 11
Jesus went to the mount of Olives
and early in the morning HE came again into the temple
and all the people came to HIM
and HE sat down – and taught them
And the scribes and Pharisees brought to HIM
a woman taken in adultery
and when they had set her in the midst
they say to HIM
Master – this woman was taken in adultery
in the very act
now Moses in the law commanded us
that such should be stoned
BUT what say YOU?
This they said – tempting HIM – that they might have to accuse HIM
BUT Jesus stooped down
and with HIS finger wrote on the ground
as though HE heard them not
SO when they continued asking HIM
HE lifted up HIMSELF and said to them
He that is without sin among you
let him first cast a stone at her
Again HE stooped down – and wrote on the ground
and they which heard it
BEING CONVICTED by their own CONSCIENCE
went out one by one
BEGINNING at the eldest – even to the last
and Jesus was left alone
and the woman standing in the midst
WHEN Jesus had lifted up HIMSELF
and saw none but the woman
HE said to her – Woman – where are those your accusers?
Has no man condemned you?
she said – No man – Lord
And Jesus said to her – Neither do I condemn you
Go – and sin no more
Jesus knows HIS Father verse 12- 20
Then spoke Jesus again to them – saying
I am the LIGHT of the world
he that follows ME shall not walk in darkness
BUT shall have the LIGHT of LIFE
The Pharisees therefore said to HIM
YOU bear record of YOURSELF
YOUR record is not true
Jesus answered and said to them
Though I bear record of MYSELF
yet MY record is true
FOR I know whence I came – and whither I go
BUT you cannot tell whence I come
and whither I go
You judge after the flesh – I judge no man
and yet if I judge – MY judgment is true
FOR I am not alone
BUT I and the Father that sent ME
It is also written in your law
that the testimony of two men is true
I am one that bear witness of MYSELF
and the Father that sent ME
bears witness of ME
THEN said they to HIM
Where is YOUR Father?
Jesus answered
You neither know ME – nor MY Father
IF you had known ME
you should have known MY Father also
These words spoke Jesus in the treasury
as HE taught in the temple
and no man laid hands on HIM
FOR HIS hour was not yet come
Jesus tells crowd HE is going to HIS Father verse 21- 30
THEN said Jesus again to them – I go MY way
and you shall seek ME
and shall die in your sins
whither I go – you cannot come
Then said the Jews – Will HE kill HIMSELF?
BECAUSE HE said
Whither I go – you cannot come
HE said to them
You are from beneath – I am from above
you are of this world
I am not of this world
I said therefore to you
that you shall die in your sins
for IF you believe not that I am HE
you shall die in your sins
THEN said they to HIM – Who are YOU?
Jesus said to them
Even the same that I said to you
from the beginning
I have many things to say and to judge of you
BUT HE that sent ME is true
I speak to the world those things which
I have heard of HIM
They understood not that
HE spoke to them of the Father
THEN said Jesus to them
When you have lifted up the Son of man
THEN shall you know that I am HE
and that I do nothing of MYSELF
BUT as my Father has taught ME
I speak these things
And HE that sent ME is with ME
the Father has not left ME alone
FOR I do always those things that please HIM
AS HE spoke these words – MANY believed on HIM
Jewish leaders claim Abraham as father verse 31- 38
THEN said Jesus to those Jews which believed on HIM
IF you continue in MY word
THEN are you MY disciples indeed
and you shall know the truth
and the truth shall make you FREE
They answered HIM – We be Abraham’s seed
and were never in bondage to any man
how say YOU
You shall be made free?
Jesus answered them
Verily – verily I say to you
Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin
and the servant abides not in the house forever
BUT the Son abides ever
IF the Son therefore shall make you free
you shall be free indeed
I know that you are Abraham’s seed
BUT you seek to kill ME
BECAUSE MY word has no place in you
I speak that which I have seen with MY Father
and you do that which you have seen with your father
Jesus explains who is their real father verse 39- 47
They answered and said to him – Abraham is our father
Jesus said to them
IF you were Abraham’s children
you would do the works of Abraham
BUT now you seek to kill ME
a man that has told you the truth
which I have heard of God
this did not Abraham
You do the deed of your father
THEN said they to HIM – We be not born of fornication
we have one Father – even God
Jesus said to them
IF God were your Father – you would love ME
FOR I proceeded forth and came from God
neither came I of MYSELF
BUT HE sent ME
Why do you not understand MY speech?
even BECAUSE you cannot hear MY word
You are of your father the devil
and the lusts of your father you will do
He was a murderer from the beginning
and abode not in the truth
BECAUSE there is no truth in him
WHEN he speaks a lie – he speaks of his own
FOR he is a liar
and the father of it
And BECAUSE I tell you the truth – you believe ME not
Which of you convinces ME of sin?
And if I say the truth – Why do you not believe ME?
he that is of God hears God’s words
you therefore hear them not
BECAUSE you are not of God
Jewish leaders say Jesus is possessed of devil verse 48
THEN answered the Jews – and said unto HIM
Say we not well that YOU are a Samaritan
and hast a devil?
Jesus denies their claim verse 49- 51
Jesus answered
I have not a devil – but I honor MY Father
and you do dishonor ME
And I seek not MINE OWN glory
there is one that seeks and judges
Verily – verily I say to you
IF a man keep MY saying
he shall never see death
People question Jesus regarding Abraham verse 52- 53
THEN said the Jews to HIM
Now we know that YOU have a devil
Abraham is dead – and the prophets
and YOU say
If a man keep MY saying
he shall never taste of death
Are YOU greater than our father Abraham
which is dead?
and the prophets are dead
WHOM make YOU YOURSELF?
Jesus claims Abraham knew HIM verse 54- 59
Jesus answered
IF I honor MYSELF – MY honor is nothing
it is MY Father that honors ME
of WHOM you say – that HE is your God
yet you have not known HIM – but I know HIM
and if I say – I know HIM not
I shall be liar like unto you
BUT I know HIM
and keep HIS saying
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see MY day
and he saw it – and was glad
THEN said the Jews unto HIM
YOU are not yet fifty years old
and have YOU seen Abraham?
Jesus said to them
Verily – verily I say to you
BEFORE Abraham was – I AM
THEN took they up stones to cast at HIM
BUT Jesus hid HIMSELF
and went out of the temple
going through the midst of them
and so passed by
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. (1651 “convicted” [elegcho] means bring to light, to shame by exposure, reprove, rebuke, convince, tell one’s faults, refute, to correct, to expose, or to find fault with)
DEVOTION: What’s wrong with this picture? They had a woman who was caught in the act of sinning. If she was caught in the act of sinning, there had to be another person present. Where was the other person? The punishment for the sin was death in the law of Moses. What was the problem? They had only brought one party to the stoning.
Jesus never condoned sin. In this confrontation Jesus taught as he normally taught by asking questions or making statements. Here he simply stooped down and wrote in the sand. They asked him again. He told them that whichever one was without sin should cast the first stone. Then he stooped down and wrote in the sand.
When he looked up, no one was there but the woman. Their God given conscience told them that they were sinners too. They were exposed as sinners. Some commentaries say that Jesus might have been writing down their personal sins on the ground. HE could have done that as HE knew what their sins were. However, HE could have just given time to think about what they were doing. They were only obeying part of the Law of Moses. They were holding the woman guilty while the man was set free.
Jesus told the woman to go and sin no more. HE wanted to give her forgiveness. HE did. She went her way. We don’t know if she stayed away from sin but we know that she had a chance to change her life. The LORD gives us many chances to mature in the faith. We fail many times. HE forgives many times. Praise HIS name.
Now back to these Pharisees. They were a judgmental group. They were quick to see sin in others but not in themselves. We can fall into this trap. We can see others sinning MORE than we sin.
What is our attitude and action when we catch someone we know in a sin? What do we tell them to do? How do we help them? Should our reaction be the same as Jesus? Too often we see people who live in glass houses casting the first stones at others.
CHALLENGE: Don’t cast stones but encourage those who we call fellow believers to sin less by our prayers and help. We are to be ministers of reconciliation.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 29 And HE that sent ME is with ME: the Father has not left ME alone; for I do always those things that please HIM. (701 “please” [arestos] means agreeable, desirable, giving pleasure and satisfaction, proper, acceptable, or upright)
DEVOTION: We have been sent by Jesus Christ to go into all the world and preach the gospel. HE sent out HIS disciples with the understanding that they were to make disciples and send them.
The Father sent the Son into the world to be HIS representative. Jesus was sinless and represented the Father to those HE met. HE did everything during HIS time period on this earth to please the Father.
In the same way we are here to please the Father because of what the Son has done for us through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our life. Our actions should cause people to glorify the Father.
Many times we fail in our witness. Our lives are not always pleasing to the Father. We are not sinless but we can sin less as we continue to learn how to live the Christian life until we die. We will never stop sinning completely but we can try to not live in sin.
Living in sin is when our pattern of living doesn’t reflect what the Word of God teaches. There are individual sins that we confess daily to be refilled with the Holy Spirit. Living in sin is a time period when we stop confessing our sins daily and seem to not care about what God thinks of our habits.
Those who are living in sin will be chastened by the LORD if their conversion is genuine. If someone who claims to be a Christian is doing things for a long period of time without any chastening of the LORD then there might be reason to reevaluate their conversion.
God is the only one who knows those who are genuine believers but we can be fruit inspectors with an attitude of a ministry of reconciliation toward any individual who seems to be living in sin.
We need to be pleasing the LORD daily with our attitudes and actions. When we fail we need to confess and ask for the help of the Holy Spirit to live the life the LORD wants us to live.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 44 You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (5583 “liar” [pseustes] means one who breaks faith, false and faithless man, cheat, perjury or falsifier)
DEVOTION: The Pharisees thought they were obeying the LORD in their teachings and life. They added more laws to the Mosaic Law to make their appearance look better to those they were teaching. Remember that the LORD said that they made their converts twofold more a child of hell them themselves. They were false teachers.
Not Jesus connects them to the devil. HE states that they are part of the family of the devil. He is their father. He is a murderer from the beginning. He lied to Eve and because she ate the fruit and gave it to Adam who faced the judgment of God. The judgment of God for their disobedience was death. So the devil is guilty of murder. They made a choice but he influenced their decision.
Every time we tell a lie we are sinning against the LORD and honoring our former father the devil. Our new Father once we become a follower of the LORD is one who wants us to always tell the truth. Truth should be our goal each day.
One of the problems we face each day is dealing with flattery. It is sometimes called a compliment wrapped in a lie. We are to compliment people for what we see as their special ability or appearance.
Truth at all times is difficult. We are better off not saying anything at all then to flatter or tell a lie. Our mouth has to be under control at all times.
CHALLENGE: Only with the help of the Holy Spirit can we be truth tellers. We have to fight our old father with the help of the Holy Spirit in our life.
____________________________________________________
: 58 Jesus said to them, Verily, verily, I say to you, Before Abraham was, I am. (1488 “I am” [ei] means to be, exist, be, take place, be located in, to belong, or to have existence.)
DEVOTION: Jesus and the religious leaders were always at odds with one another. Jesus was always right but the religious leaders would not yield to HIM. They thought HE was just another human being. They knew HE didn’t graduate from one of their schools. They knew that they know more of the truth of the Word of God then HE did. They were wrong.
HE made a statement that Abraham saw HIM and was glad. This really confused these religious leaders. They knew that HE was under the age of fifty. They knew that Abraham had died many years before Jesus came to this earth. They had to accuse HIM of lying.
Remember that their father was the devil and he was the father of lying. Therefore they were accusing HIM of being a child of the devil. Not a very good thing to say about the Messiah. Jesus made this statement which was plain to these religious leaders.
HE claimed to be the “I AM” of the Old Testament. Abraham met with the “angel of the LORD” who was Jesus in a theophany in the Old Testament. Jesus spoke with Abraham in the form of a man.
Abraham was promised that in his seed all the nations of the world would be blessed. It only happened when Jesus came to die for the sins of the world.
CHALLENGE: Jesus is eternal. HE created the world. HE sustains the world. HE is the light of the world.
_____________________________________________________________________
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Temple verse 2, 20, 59
Treasury verse 20 __________________________________________________________________
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Moses verse 5
Law verse 5
It is written verse 17
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Father verse 16, 18, 19, 27, 28, 29, 38, 41, 42
Father sent Son verse 16, 18, 26, 42
Father is true verse 26
Father taught Son verse 28
Father with the Son verse 28
Father shows Son verse 38
Father called God verse 42, 54
Father honored by Jesus verse 49
Father honors Son verse 54
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Jesus verse 1, 6, 9- 12, 14, 19- 21, 25, 28, 31,34, 39, 42, 49, 54, 58, 59
Taught verse 2
Master verse 4
Dealing with Pharisees verse 3- 11
Lord verse 11
I AM the light of the world verse 12
Judge verse 16
From above verse 23
Crucified verse 28
Son of man verse 28
I AM verse 28, 58
Pleases Father verse 29
Son verse 35, 36
Speaks what HE has seen verse 38
Tells truth verse 45
Samaritan verse 48
Honors Father verse 49
Keeps Father’s sayings verse 55
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
God verse 40- 42, 47, 54
God’s words verse 47
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Devil – evil angel verse 44, 48, 49, 52
Devil father of those who are not following God verse 44
Murderer verse 44
Devil a liar verse 44
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Samaritan verse 48
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Adultery verse 3, 4
Testing Jesus verse 6
Accuse Jesus verse 6
Sin verse 7, 11, 21, 24, 34, 46
Condemn verse 10, 11
Kill verse 22, 37, 40
From beneath verse 23
Believe not verse 24, 45, 46
Servant of sin verse 34
Fornication verse 41
No understanding verse 43
Not hearing Jesus verse 43, 47
Murderer verse 44
No truth verse 44
Lie verse 44, 55
Lusts verse 44
Dishonor Christ verse 49
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Taught verse 2, 20
Convicted verse 9
Conscience verse 9
Follow Jesus verse 12
Light of life verse 12
Sent verse 18
Please the Father verse 29
Believed verse 30, 31
Continue in the Word verse 31
Disciples verse 31
Truth verse 32, 40, 44- 46
Free verse 32, 36
Love verse 42
Hear verse 43, 47
Honor the Father verse 49
Honor the Son verse 54
Rejoice verse 56
Glad verse 56
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Mount of Olives verse 1
Scribes verse 3
Pharisees verse 3, 13
Moses verse 5
Jews verse 22, 31, 48, 52, 57
Abraham verse 33, 37, 39, 40, 52, 53, 56- 58
Prophets verse 52, 53
Church (New Testament people of God)
Disciples verse 31
Last Things (Future Events)
Death verse 51- 53
___________________________________________________________________
DONATIONS:
Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org. Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.
_________________________________________________________________
QUOTES regarding passage
9 The accusers “began to go away one at a time, the older ones first.” The older ones either had more sins for which they were answerable or else had more sense than to make an impossible profession of righteousness. Finally the woman Was left alone. (Tenney, M. C. (1981). John. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: John and Acts (Vol. 9, pp. 90–91). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
_______________________________________________________________
8:9. What followed was the withdrawal of the sinners, one at a time, the older ones first. Did the older ones leave first because they had more time to accumulate sins of their own? Was it their maturity and sense of impending judgment that made them fleet of foot to escape this embarrassing predicament? Did they recognize that perhaps their sin was greater than the woman’s and Jesus knew that full well? Again, the text does not tell us. But conscience must have played some role in this scene as the accusers left Jesus alone with the woman.
Imagine a stage play as you watch in silence—no dialogue, no music. The confident and critical Pharisees, moments ago pointing their fingers at the woman and at Jesus, now silently exit stage right or stage left without another word. Christians are not perfect—just forgiven. And because of the extent of God’s forgiveness to us, we ought to be the least judgmental people in the world. (Gangel, K. O. (2000). John (Vol. 4, pp. 159–160). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
______________________________________________________________
The problem presented to Christ by His enemies was no mere local one. So far as human reason can perceive it was the profoundest moral problem which ever could or can confront God Himself. That problem was how justice and mercy could be harmonized. The law of righteousness imperatively demands the punishment of its transgressor. To set aside that demand would be to introduce a reign of anarchy. Moreover, God is holy as well as righteous; and holiness burns against evil, and cannot allow that which is defiled to enter His presence. What, then, is to become of the poor sinner? A transgressor of the law he certainly is; and equally manifest is his moral pollution. His only hope lies in mercy; his salvation is possible only by grace. But how can mercy be exercised when the sword of justice bars her way? How can grace flow forth except by slighting holiness? Ah, human wisdom could never have found an answer to such questions. It is evident that these scribes and Pharisees thought of none. And we are fully assured that at the beginning Satan himself could see no solution to this mighty problem. But blessed be His name, God has “found a way” whereby His banished ones may be restored (2 Sam. 14:13, 14). What this is we shall see hinted at in the remainder of our passage.
Let us observe how each of the essential elements in this problem of all problems is presented in the passage before us. We may summarize them thus: First, we have there the person of that blessed One who had come to seek and to save that which was lost. Second, we have a sinner, a guilty sinner, one who could by no means clear herself. Third, the law was against her: the law she had broken, and the declared penalty of it was death. Fourth, the guilty sinner was brought before the Savior Himself, and was indicted by His enemies. Such, then, was the problem now presented to Christ. Would grace stand helpless before law? If not, wherein lay the solution? Let us attend carefully to what follows.
“But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground” (John 8:6). This was the first thing that He here did. That there was a symbolical significance to His action goes without saying, and what this is we are not left to guess. Scripture is its own interpreter. This was not the first time that the Lord had written “with his finger.” In Exodus 31:18 we read, “And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.” When, then, our Lord wrote on the ground (from the ground must the “tables of stone” have been taken), it was as though He had said, You remind Me of the law! Why, it was My finger which wrote that law! Thus did He show these Pharisees that He had come here, not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. His writing on the ground, then, was (symbolically) a ratification of God’s righteous law. But so blind were His would-be accusers they discerned not the significance of His act.
“So when they continued asking him” (John 8:7). It is evident that our Lord’s enemies mistook His silence for embarrassment. They no more grasped the force of His action of writing on the ground, than did Belshazzar understand the writing of that same Hand on the walls of his palace. Emboldened by His silence, and satisfied that they had Him cornered, they continued to press their question upon Him. O the persistency of evil-doers! How often they put to shame our lack of perseverance and importunity. (Pink, A. W. (1923–1945). Exposition of the Gospel of John (pp. 421–422). Swengel, PA: Bible Truth Depot.)
______________________________________________________________
He lifted up Himself and faced that little group of hypocritical leaders of the people, who had never had to do with God about their sins in all their lives, but were trying to hide their own wickedness by zeal in condemning others. Looking them in the eyes, first one and then another, He said very quietly, but very decisively, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” He did not say, “Do not carry out the law of Moses.” He did not say, “I have come to repeal the law of Moses,” but He put it up to them to carry out that law, if they dared. “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” They were utterly discomfited. He turned away, and again He wrote upon the ground. I wonder if that second writing might have suggested to them that verse in Psalm 22, “Thou hast brought Me into the dust of death.” In a little while, He was going down to the dust of death, when all the trangressions and iniquity of sinners such as this woman would be charged against Him as He offered Himself a sacrifice for a world’s redemption.
So He stooped down again and wrote on the ground, and while He was writing there was a movement going on among the accusers. They looked one at another, and then at Him and at the sinful woman, and before the oldest man there arose the memory of the sins which he had been trying to forget for years. Finally, he dropped his stone and went out, saying, “I don’t dare cast a stone at her.” And then the next, and the next, and finally the youngest of them all had slunk away. They had all gone; every one alike guilty before God. “There is none righteous, no, not one.” We read, “They went out, being convicted by their own consciences, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last.”
And Jesus was left alone (that is, the throng was still there), but Jesus was left alone in the midst of His disciples and those whom He had been teaching. There was the woman down on her knees, bowed in shame, doubtless her scalding tears falling down to the earth. Jesus turned to her. Oh, I should like to have heard Him speak that day. I am sure there was a tenderness, compassion and pity such as that poor woman had never heard in the voice of any man with whom she had held conversation. Jesus said, “Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?” And she looked up and said, “No man, Lord.” Notice how she addresses Him. She recognized something so superior about Jesus, something so different from any man she, poor, hunted creature, had ever met—Jesus, the Holy One of God. “No man, Lord, has ventured to stone me.” Then Jesus answered and said unto her, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” This is doubtless why some of the older scribes kept this passage out of the Bible. They said, “What! Jesus, the Holy One! Does He not condemn a sin like that? Does not He anathematize adultery?” Oh, yes, He has spoken out very strongly against adultery. But He knew that poor woman recognized her sinfulness. She realized her uncleanness and pollution. He knew all that was going on in her heart of hearts, and He spoke to her heart and conscience as He said, “Neither do I condemn thee.” And then He added, “Go, and sin no more.” (Ironside, H. A. (1942). Addresses on the Gospel of John (pp. 345–347). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
_________________________________________________________
Ver. 9. And they which heard it, &c.] Not all, not the disciples of Christ, nor the multitude, but the Scribes and Pharisees: being convicted by their own conscience; that they were not without sin, nor free from this; they had a beam in their own eye, who were so forward to observe the mote in another’s; and oftentimes so it is, that those who are most forward to reprove, and bear hardest on others for their sins, are as culpable in another way, if not in the same; when sin lies at the door, and conscience is awakened and open, it is as good as a thousand witnesses; and lets in, and owns the sin which lies heavy, and makes sad work; and fills with anguish, confusion, and shame. as it did these men: who went out one by one; from the temple, in as private a manner, and as unobserved as they could: beginning at the eldest; who might have been most culpable, or however soonest took the hint, being more wise and sagacious: unto the last: this is wanting in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Persic versions, and in two of Beza’s copies, and the Basil edition: and Jesus was left alone; not by his disciples, nor the multitude, but his antagonists, who came to tempt and ensnare him: for it follows, and the woman standing in the midst; that is, of the company as before. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 841–842). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
_______________________________________________________________
FROM MY READING:
Old Testament WORDS for Today by Warren W. Wiersbe
Malachi’s message to the people was not an easy one to deliver, because the people had grown careless and indifferent in their worship of the Lord. To them it was all dull routine, a job to be done. The priests were supposed to serve as the messengers of God (Mal. 2: 7), but they had become bored with the temple ministry and were not giving God their best. It didn’t upset them that the people brought blind, lame, and sick animals for sacrifices (1: 6-8), instead of giving God their finest animals. Some of the people were even bringing animals they had stolen (v. 13)! They had forgotten the words of King David, who would not offer burnt offerings to the Lord of that which had cost him nothing (2 Sam. 24: 24). Cheap sacrifices are not sacrifices at all. Have we ever been guilty of this sin? (p. 200)
___________________________________________________________
Hebrews 11
A parade of heroic figures from the Old Testament depicts what it means to live by faith.
INSIGHT
Faith is the operative ingredient in the Christian life. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (v. 6). Faith is important because without it we cannot even begin to approach God. Simply put, faith is believing God and acting accordingly. All that is accomplished in the world to further the work of God is accomplished by faith. This list of exemplary faithful people shows that when God spoke, His people listened, believed, and acted accordingly. The words of an old hymn sum it all up: “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” (Quiet Walk)
________________________________________________________
|
TEN TESTS: TESTS 1-3
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16
I shall suggest to you ten tests that you can apply to yourself to know for certain that you know the love of God to you.
Here is the first. It is a loss and absence of the sense that God is against us. The natural man always feels that God is against him. He would be very glad if he could wake up and read that some bishop or other had proved that God never existed; he would be ready to believe that. The newspapers give publicity to anything that denies the faith; they know the public palate. That is why the natural man is at enmity against God; he feels God is against him. That is why when anything goes wrong he says, “Why does God allow this?” And when men and women are in a state of being antagonistic toward God, then, of course, they cannot love God. So one of the first tests, and I am starting with the lowest, is that we have lost that feeling that God is against us.
Second, there is a loss of the fear of God, while a sense of awe remains. Let us approach Him “with reverence and godly fear,” writes the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews (12:28). John is going to elaborate on that; that is the rest of the fourth chapter of 1 John.We lose that craven fear of God, but oh, what a reverence remains.
Third, there is a feeling and a sense that God is for us and that God loves us. Now I put it like that quite deliberately because it is so very true to experience. I have lost the sense that God is against me, and I begin to have a feeling and sense that God is for me, that God is kind to me, that He is concerned about me, and that He truly loves me.
A Thought to Ponder: I have lost the sense that God is against me, and I begin to have a feeling and sense that God is for me.
(From The Love of God, pp. 150-151, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
____________________________________________________________
Being Thankful for Grace
“Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” (Romans 5:20)
This is the day that Americans set aside to reflect on the blessings of God that have been showered on us in the previous year. All other holidays, even Christmas and Easter, can be skewed into a non-Christian meaning, but not Thanksgiving. Historically, it was a time to give thanks to God for the bountiful harvest, and experientially, while there are those to whom we should give thanks for particular favors, there is only one to whom we can give thanks for the blessings of life. Nothing else makes sense.
Christians, of course, have much more for which to give thanks than the non-believer, or at least they have the eyes with which to see and the heart with which to recognize God’s blessings. Indeed, Paul instructs us that “in every thing [we should] give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18); the tense of the verb implying a habitual, continual thanksgiving.
But specifically, we should be thankful for His grace, which, as explained in our text, completely overwhelmed our sin and instead brought salvation and freedom from guilt. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).
Note that in our text the word “abound” appears three times. Both the offense and sin exist in abundance. But the abundance of grace comes from a different Greek word that means literally “to exist in superabundance.” But there is more. It is further modified by the prefix “much more,” implying a grace that is beyond superabundance.
On this special day of thanksgiving, let us not fail to include in those things for which we are thankful the overwhelmingly superabundant grace of God.
(JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
_____________________________________________________________
Dr. David Turner writes: As you probably guessed, Mark has nothing to say about turkey and all the trimmings (the traditional Thanksgiving holiday meal in the USA). In fact, although Mark directly mentions giving thanks only a few times, his story of Jesus gives us a profound reason for gratitude . God uses deeply flawed people such as Peter as cruciform agents for his Kingdom. God does not give up on flawed followers of Jesus, and neither should we. Let’s thank God for this truth and serve him all the more faithfully in light of it.
_____________________________________________________________
Daily Hope
Today’s Scripture
Psalm 143
Life is a series of events that challenge us and our beliefs. From the small acts to the monumental decisions, our lives are filled with choices and actions that make us search for guidance and deliverance. From the moment our feet hit the ground to when our head nestles into the pillow, choices and decisions are made that impact us and those who surround us.
David once again is the author and cries out to the Lord as he laments over the difficulties he is facing in his life. The God David served and followed was a big God and had proven repeatedly that He accomplished miracles as David petitioned Him. In spite of his own sin (v.2), David sought for the wisdom and guidance of his Sovereign God. In the darkness of the crisis, David reflects and acknowledges how God had worked in the past and asks for deliverance, instruction and revival.
The enemy appeared strong and had forced David to scramble for his life as he became defensive in his positions. Yet, David knew and sought for the alliance of God. Perhaps early in the morning as the darkness of night was still hovering over the world, David sought the Lord and the wisdom needed to conquer his enemies in the daytime scrimmages and battles. “Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust” (v. 8).
Even today, the enemy strategically attempts to harass and pin opponents into seemingly unwinnable conditions. In stinging defeat, it is easy to be overwhelmed and ready to succumb to the enemy’s lies. Instead of surrendering to the enemy’s strategies, remember David’s method for seeking the Lord. He humbly approached the Lord with repentance in acknowledgement of his physical and spiritual condition. He then meditated upon the Lord’s past works (vv. 5-7) and submitted to the Lord.
It appears that the tone of the psalm changes after verse seven and a new attitude of anticipation and expectancy arises. A proclamation of renewed strength and preparation for new adventure is evident in verses 10 and 12! The Lord is faithful and His mercies are new every morning, so begin your day with Him!
With an Expectant hope, Pastor Miller
_______________________________________________________________
We now have a Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.