The law, grace and truth (4)

Father, we thank you for another moment in Your Word, may You amaze us and may we never lose the wonder of Your Word in the name of Jesus, Amen. Thank you LORD.

Today's Word is based on Jesus' Words found in John 4:23-24 NKJV

23. "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.

24. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

    
    

AMEN, thank you LORD.

This is an excerpt from a conversation Jesus is having with a non-Jewish Samaritan woman who previously had five husbands and was currently living with another man who was not her husband (John 4:18). However, in the conversation between Jesus and her, we see she felt safe around him most likely because Jesus never expressed any judgment towards her. What I find most interesting about this story is a Gentile woman deeply desired to worship God. How do I know that was her deepest desire? - The minute she perceived Jesus was a prophet, her next question was not if the man she was staying with would marry her, no. Her greatest desire was to know where she could possibly worship God (John 4:19-20) to which Jesus gave her a comforting response that is, God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24) and we see her calling out on people in the city and telling them about her encounter with Jesus (John 4:28-30). In her encounter with Jesus, I believe the Samaritan woman finally found what she was looking for all her life.

One of the of the ways to worship God is through His Word. This is confirmed in John 6:63 when Jesus says, "...The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." Jesus continues to say, "...if anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." (John 7:37-38).

In the next chapter of John, we see another woman. She was brought to Jesus after she was caught in the act of adultery and according to the law, she ought to have been stoned to death but Jesus after a moment of observing silence asked the scribes and Pharisees who had brought her to him, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." (John 8:7 NKJV). The Bible says, all these men were convicted by their conscience and they left one by one until it was just Jesus and the woman (John 8:8-9). He asked her, ..."Woman where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you? She said, "No one Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more." (John 10-11).

Jesus later tells the Jewish religious leaders and the disciples who believed in His Word that when they know the truth by abiding in His Word, the truth shall set them free (John 8:31-32). Some of them were confused because again they were descendants of Abraham and had never been in bondage to anyone. And we see that Jesus did not dispute their statements.

Rather, He was demonstrating to them a new way of being made right with God which is, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin."(John 8:34). So we see that when one is born again by receiving Jesus into their lives as Lord and Saviour, sin can no longer hold them in bondage. For this reason Jesus says, "Therefore, if the son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." (John 8:36). Christ is the Son that makes us free indeed, amen. Glory to God.

The above stories of the Samaritan woman and the woman caught in adultery tell us that encountering the knowledge of Jesus' truth, is the way to experiencing true freedom. These stories also remind us that we do not have to be perfect to come to God. God's arms are always open to receive us as we are. When these two women met Him, Jesus by His power took away all the burden of their weariness, guilt, shame, condemnation and replaced it with His love and forgave their sins as well. Thank God for God's love that restores and makes whole. In conclusion, without the forgiveness of sin, a person cannot walk in true liberty.

I'll end with this Word found in Romans 8:2 (NKJV)

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."

Amen, thank you LORD.

HAPPY RESURRECTION SUNDAY!

Invitation to salvation: Today, God's free gift of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ is extended to you. It is not something you have to earn because God has freely given it to you through Jesus. So if you feel a stirring in your heart to know more and draw closer to God's heart, please say these words:

"I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that; Jesus Christ, the Son of God came in a human body to die for my sins so that I could have a new life where I am dead to sin and alive to God. I repent of my past sins and enter the Kingdom of light where I choose relationship with Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour and with God as my loving Father today and forever. Thank you Father that because the Son has made me free, I am now free indeed." AMEN.

YOU ARE NOW A NEW CREATION & CHILD OF GOD - PRAISE GOD! Please find a church, become a member and get water baptized!