| Here are Sunday’s highlights:
John 8:10-11 Jesus straightenend up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” Jesus offered grace to the woman caught in adultery. He forgave her of her sin, and then He pointed her to a new kind of life; one without sin. We all love the idea that Jesus didn’t come to condemn us. We can get on board with that. But what about His invitation and challenge to “Go and sin no more?” It’s not about our past and what we have done that is true. But what is critical is what we do with the compassion, love, mercy, grace and forgiveness of God that are tied to the words, “Go and sin no more.” What is critical is the new life we can choose. It isn’t about what we have been caught doing, but it is about what Christ has done for us and what He can do for us that can free us from the trap of sin as we receive new life in Him. The decision we have to make is “Do we want the life of sin where we have to sneak around and live in fear of condemnation or do we want the life Christ offers which is power to “Go and sin no more?” It’s not an “I forgive you of your sin and by all means keep on sinning life” Jesus offers, but it is the “I forgive you of your sin, and I will help you leave your life of sin behind” that Jesus offers. If that is the life you want to choose, the life of Christ, then that life is distinctly different from the life of sin. Sin needs to become that which we turn from, run from and avoid at all costs. That life needs to be the life we put in our rear view mirror. Believers are supposed to be done with the deeds of darkness, done with pursuing the short-lived pleasures of sin and are supposed to be pursuing the righteousness of Christ. Oh, that we would be empowered by the Holy Spirit to choose and follow through with the new life, the life of “Go and sin no more.” God’s grace doesn’t just get us off the hook, but it points us to a better way. Let’s “Go and sin no more!” Pastor Melissa
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