Forgive the length--I have counseled many, using these Scriptures and I wanted to share its power of healing. If you want to listen to music that will bring you to tears while reading the lesson, I have several moving links at http://chaplynne.wordpress.com

Meditation
The Fourteenth Day of Lent continues the concept of hope. Of course, the Psalmist celebrates the blessings for those who do what pleases God. The prophet Ezekiel faces the ugly reality that people fail to do what pleases God. “You have dishonored my name among the nations.” Ezekiel 36:23 and he ends with “you should be ashamed.” The hopeful moment comes when God says, “I will save you for my sake.” The entire lesson enumerates the many ways that God will bring good things to his people, for his name sake.
The New Testament lesson truly deals with hope. The lesson tells the story of the woman taken in adultery.

Now the earliest texts we have do not include this story, but many believe the situation was accurately reported. As early as 125 A.D. and later in the 300 A.D. writings of various Church Fathers refer to the adulterous woman with Jesus in Latin and Greek texts.

There are several significant points in the lesson. First, the Jewish leaders brought a woman to Jesus that they claimed had sinned, since as she was caught in the act of adultery. My immediate thought is ‘Where is the man in this adulterous act, since adultery cannot occur by oneself?” Yet, they don’t bring the man to punish him, only the woman.

Second, John says the leaders hoped to trick Jesus—by asking him something that he would answer in a way that would go against the Law of Moses, since they preface their questioning of Jesus with “Master, Moses says…and so what do you say? They don’t really care about the woman or, for that matter, what she did. They are trying to trap Jesus by catching him saying something they could arrest him for. Their whole goal is a mean spirited one, and yet they are the religious leaders of the day. The woman is their tool to be malicious to Jesus. They use the term ‘Master’ but their disrespect is palpable, which suggests a sarcastic form of address.

Third, they knew in advance of bringing her to Jesus that he would be against stoning her or treating her in the way they believed she should be treated, else why would they think they had any reason to trap him? So, Jesus had already established a pattern of behavior that they knew would be contrary to their interpretations of the Law of Moses.

Fourth, Jesus doesn’t respond immediately, but delays answering by stooping and drawing on the sand, but waits until they hound him enough that he stands up and says, “Anyone here who has never sinned can throw the first stone at her.” (John 8: 7) So, he faces them directly. I can imagine he met every one of them eye to eye before he stooped again wrote in the sand. The classic—ask a question and then be quiet—putting the ball in their court. I wonder what he wrote. Did he write a list of sins that each of them would have committed? Lying. Cheating. Dishonoring parents. Etc. Did he write the Ten Commandments—a reminder of the Law, in case they weren’t sure. Did he write names, along with something that let the individuals know he knew their secret sins? Whatever he wrote was not as important as the fifth item.

Fifth, when the religious leaders heard Jesus’ statement, they began to leave—the older ones left first and the youngest left last. They all knew they were out of his league and could not be a true judge of her.

Sixth, Jesus waited until all had gone except himself and the woman, before looking up at her and addressing her, “Where are your accusers?” to which she replies, “No man, Lord.”

Seventh, and perhaps, most extraordinary, Jesus answers “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” Why is this unusual? The word, condemn. Jesus says he does not condemn her. He doesn’t say, “I forgive you.” He says, “I don’t condemn you.” In other words, he says he does not hold her accountable for a sin in this situation. But she was taken in adultery. Wasn’t that a sin? The leaders said they caught her in the act of having sex with a man, who was not her husband. That is supposed to be a sin. Why doesn’t he condemn her for this sin? I submit that he didn’t hold her accountable for being caught in the act, because she was being raped. She was being abused. She was being used by the man and the religious leaders who yanked her in the most humiliating manner they could conspire to do. Jesus recognized that she was the victim there. Jesus doesn’t hold victims accountable for actions done to them that would normally be considered a sin. Even though many people judge the victim—rape victims often were accused of luring men. Across the world, there are places where women are punished for being victims. In Dubai, a Norwegian woman reported a rape and was jailed for 16 months. Google it. Many countries punish women victims. But Jesus didn’t. “Neither do I condemn you.”

Now, he wants her to know that it doesn’t mean she should go and have sex with just anyone. I have counseled many rape victims, who have lost value for themselves so much that they accept sex as a means of being loved and feeling worthy. Jesus was going to change that. He elevated her, essentially saying, “You don’t have to devalue yourself. You can see yourself as you were before. You have the same value as a woman who has not been raped. Therefore, I hold you to the same behavior as I do others. Don’t go out and denigrate yourself. See yourself as precious and don’t fall into sin. Lift yourself up and don’t sin. Be thankful that you didn’t get stoned by the malicious leaders, and show yourself by not sinning.”

I have read this Scripture to many victims of rape—both men and women. The healing power of Jesus’ words “Neither do I condemn you…” worked better than anything else I ever said. As always, Jesus respectful treatment of women separates him from all other religious leaders.

As Christians, we should be emulating Jesus’ example, and seeking ways to help victims find the healing power by being non-judging. Judgment is for Christ, not us, and he says he doesn’t condemn.

Thanks be to God.

All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.




Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen







Season of Lent Bible Readings
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm 128;Ezekiel 36:22-32;John 7:53—8:11&version=KJV;ERV;GNT;NCV;NIV (multiple versions)

Fourteenth Day of Lent
Psalm 128
Ezekiel 36:22-32
John 7:53-8:11

Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
The “Traveler’s Psalm” is worth memorizing in its whole, but at least verses 1 & 2.

Psalm 121
King James Version (KJV)
121 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.









Single Bible Study chapter to study


John 7:53-8:11
King James Version (KJV)
53 And every man went unto his own house.
8 Jesus went unto the Mount of Olives.

2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,

4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 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.

7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
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.

10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

OBSERVE:

Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.

2.

3.

INTERPRETATION:

What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?




APPLY:

Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.


Prayer of Encouragement

Dear God, The lessons today teach us that you work in our lives to make things better for us, for your name sake. You understand when we are responsible and when we are not accountable. Your judgment is true. Help us to not judge people, especially when we can make such grave mistakes as the religious leaders in the story of the woman taken in adultery did. Help us to be a part of the healing in society, instead of the hurtful. In Jesus name. Amen.









Conclusion
The Fourteenth Day of Lent addresses the bad things that we do and brings hope to us all. First, because God provides resources to do better for his sake and second, because Jesus—our judge—can assess the situation and doesn’t hold us accountable for things that aren’t our fault. God provides for our needs, elevates us to do the right thing and when we are victimized, doesn’t hold us responsible. We can raise our heads high and do better tomorrow. We don’t have to spiral down because of mistakes, sins and being a victim. We can celebrate the hope for our future. We are covered by God’s plans. God doesn’t want our sins to give him a bad name, despite the fact that religious leaders past and present seem to do just that.
I am appalled at the ways Christians have given the church a bad name. The list is lengthy, but we don’t have to be like that. Jesus is our example. We can be non-judging and empowering.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. God bless you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.