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Good morning!
We're so glad you chose to join us today!
When we meet in person, we share our joys and concerns with each other. If you have prayer requests to share, you can add them to the comments on this post. When you are ready, use this prayer to get started.
Gracious God, we thank you for the freedom we have through Christ. We thank you for freeing us from the burden of our sin and from having to live as though everything depends on our performance.
This morning we also thank you for the church and for the body of believers to which you have joined us. We thank you for those who have yet to know you. We pray for them and for their needs, and we ask that you would help us, in our words or our actions, not to be a stumbling block to their faith. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Today's lesson is on 1 Corinthians 10:23 - 11:1.
Lesson context
The city of Corinth was one of the great centers of commerce in the Mediterranean world of the first century AD. It was located near a narrow strip of land — an isthmus — that connected two major land masses. The city had a harbor to the east and another to the west. Maritime traffic between Asia and Rome had a choice of routes: either the dangerous and longer route around the Peloponnesian Peninsula or the shortcut of a four-mile limestone trackway between Corinth’s two harbors. Merchants choosing the latter would pay to have their ships hauled in their entirety from one harbor to the other on this road. Like many seaport cities, Corinth was quite worldly and eclectic. Pagan temples and the idolatry they represented characterized the city. The contents of 1 Corinthians indicate that many in the church there had struggled to overcome practices of their former pagan lifestyles. (See 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.) Having planted the church in Corinth on his second missionary journey, Paul found it necessary to write to its members while he was in Ephesus on his third journey. Paul was headed toward Corinth at the time, but Ephesus was several days away by sea travel, and the situation couldn’t wait for a personal visit. Reports had come to Paul regarding needed correctives and clarifications in Corinth. In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul had introduced the difficult issue (for that time) of eating meat that had been offered on pagan altars to idols. Meat that was left over from a pagan sacrifice, initiated by a worshipper who had brought the sacrificial animal, was at the disposal of the officiating priests. What they couldn’t eat personally they would sell in the marketplace. Such meat would be less expensive than other meat because the pagan priests didn’t have any investment to recover. Some Christians wondered about the propriety of buying such meat. In doing so, were they participating in pagan worship and thus compromising their witness for Christ? In this regard, Paul emphasizes two points in 1 Corinthians 8. The first is the awareness that an idol is “nothing” (8:4); therefore those who are mature in knowledge on this point were free to eat such meat. Paul’s second point counterbalances the first: “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak” (8:9). This stresses the importance of demonstrating concern for those having a weak conscience. Such a person might witness a fellow believer eating meat that had been offered to idols and thereby be drawn back into idolatry. Paul had more to say on this issue, and that is today’s text.
Exercising Freedom (10:23-30)
The two statements in this half-verse — “I have the right to do anything — but not everything is beneficial” — are almost an exact repeat in the Greek of what Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:12a. “I have a right to do anything” appears to have been something of a proverb among the Corinthian believers. They might have created it to justify certain behaviors in light of their freedom in Christ. However, Paul responds by pointing out something they may not have thought of: What is legally permissible should be considered alongside the issue of what is beneficial. In the second half of this verse, Paul makes a similar point. Even though something might be permissible for us personally, it might not be constructive. Both points spring from the understanding that Christians are not to think only of themselves. We must also consider what impact our actions might have on others. Paul affirms the basic truth that Christians are, indeed, free. In the case at hand, they don’t have to have a guilty conscience about eating food sold in the market because it is all part of the earth that was created by God. That is true regardless of what happened before the meat arrived at the market. The same is true, Paul says, if an unbeliever were to invite a member of the Corinthian church to dinner. However, if someone points out that the meat had been offered in sacrifice to a pagan god, Paul advises the Christian not to eat it — not because it should matter to the Christian but because it seems to matter to the other person.
A modern example
“What’s your verse?” my friend snarled. “Where in the Bible does it say that it’s wrong for me to sleep next to my girlfriend as long as we’re celibate?” My wife and I had asked our guests to sleep in different beds because they were unmarried. Our guest room is right next to the bedroom of our young children, who were learning what to believe about relationships and marriage. (In retrospect, I could have made my expectation clear in advance, but I did not anticipate that they intended to share a bed.) In response, I didn’t quote any Scripture to him, although we had a two-hour conversation and prayed together. It seemed to end well, but he grew angry again and left for a hotel at 1 a.m. Later as I pondered his question, “What’s your verse?”, 1 Corinthians 10:23 came to mind. Our hearts can go to great lengths to justify our actions in terms of the freedoms we enjoy in Christ. But to consider what effect our actions could have on others requires spiritual maturity. Here’s a quick self-check: When an opportunity arises to do something, go somewhere, and so on, is your primary thought about what you desire for yourself or about how your choice may influence others?
Exercising Responsibility (10:31-33 and 11:1)
Paul continues to maintain the tension between Christian freedom and restraint, but now he adds important context. Everything we do must be done for the glory of God. No matter what we do, we must honor that imperative. Scripture is filled with the understanding that the purpose of everything that has been created is to glorify God. That imperative transcends every time, place or culture. Therefore, whatever we do, it should be with the intent of giving glory to God. And if our actions cause another to stumble in his faith, that does not bring God glory. It could actually cause someone to abandon the faith or to veer from the kind of faith that God desires. In verses 32 and 33, Paul uses himself as an example. He does not do whatever he pleases. Instead, he thinks about what a Jew would need or what a Greek would need so that he can present the Christian faith to that person in the best possible way. He wants the Christian of the Corinthian church to imitate him in that regard. It might seem egotistical for Paul to point to himself as an example. That would be a concern for most of us. But in Paul’s case, it was true. This was “simply an honest, straightforward assessment of the kind of man he was,” the lesson states. In the following verse, (11:1), Paul offers another caveat. He is not the prime example. Even he is only following the example that Christ set. Jesus did not live with his own desires in mind. Instead, at every turn Jesus did and said whatever best met the needs of the other person. Even in his death on the cross, Jesus set aside his own desires in order to save as many people as possible. 
Conclusion
A certain Christian publication featured a series of tributes to a Christian leader who had gone to be with the Lord. That this man’s life and ministry had an impact on countless numbers of people was clear from the words written about him. Among the tributes included was one statement that caught my attention: “He made us better.” To make others better is part of what it means to edify others — the key word in our lesson title. Sadly, we are surrounded by influences that make us anything but better. The behavior on display in media of many kinds often features and even glorifies the worst in human conduct. These won’t make us better except possibly as cautionary tales. As followers of Jesus in a fallen world, we will not win every person with whom we share our faith in Jesus. But we can, as salt and light, seek to make the people we encounter better, or at least add some brightness to their lives, because we brought something of the spirit and character of Jesus into their lives. Paul’s primary concern in our lesson text is making the edification of others a priority within the body of Christ. The example he gives of eating meat offered to idols is not an issue for most believers today. Modern equivalents might be those places and things that observers come to associate with us when they see us — places and things that work against holiness. Do we have Christian freedom to attend movies that are rated other than “G”? Yes, indeed. But how will doing so affect the openness to receive the gospel of those who see us at such movies? This is, of course, an all-the-time challenge. It involves our lives out in the public arena, which must be lived with a sense of duty both to glorify God and as a witness to others (believers and unbelievers). It involves the kind of freedom that is anchored in personal holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16) without legalism or hypocrisy (Matthew 23:16-26). It involves foregoing our “rights,” as Paul did. (1 Corinthians 8:9; 9:15, 18) for the good of others. This of the person who introduced you to Christ. That person wasn’t perfect, and neither will you be. But that doesn’t mean the standard of Matthew 5:48 should be lowered! Resolve to be like the one above who “made us better” as if eternal destinies are at stake. As we ponder these things in our hearts, may it be said of us as Paul said of himself near the close of his life, “I endure everything for the sake of the elect that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory” (2 Timothy 2:10).
Prayer
Father, thank you for the freedom in Jesus that liberates people from slavery to sin. In this world where freedom is often misunderstood and abused, help us to represent our freedom in Jesus in a way that honors you and edifies others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Questions for discussion
Benediction
Today's benediction is from the Tree of Life Version. 
Next week, we will be starting the winter quarter, Faith That Pleases God. It will also be the first Sunday of Advent.
Our lesson will be on Ruth 1:6-18, 22.
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Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!
If you haven't joined us in person, we are now meeting for Sunday School after the worship service!
When we meet in person, we take time to share our joys and concerns. Consider your past week. If you have any prayer requests, you can add them as a comment on this post. When you are ready, use the prayer below (source) to get started.
Dear Father,
Thank you for redeeming us. You took us out of deadness and gave us life. You made us alive together with Christ. You cancelled the debts that we owed you because of our sinfulness. You disarmed the powers that work against us, triumphing over them in Christ for our sake. How gracious and wonderful you are. To you we owe eternal praise. Help us to withstand anyone who might seek to disqualify us, seeking to bind us to any principle of action at all except faith in Jesus Christ, for he is the head, and he determines how the body will grow. Help us to hold fast to Christ, who is our head, in whose name I pray. Amen.
Today's lesson is on Colossians 2:16-23.
Lesson Context
Paul wrote the epistle of Colossians in the first half of the AD 60's, probably while he was under arrest in Rome. The recipients of the letter were a community of believers in Colossae, a city in modern Turkey. The letter was intended to encourage the Colossians and address false teachings that had infiltrated the church. The exact nature of the false teaching is unknown. However, based on the contents of the letter, scholars assume that both Jewish and pagan teaching threatened to lead believers astray. This syncretistic belief system was one composed of elements of different religious and philosophical traditions, probably including Judaism.
Troubling Judgment (verses 16-19)
The Law of Moses, part of our Old Testament, had a lot of regulations for the Jewish people. These included what was not allowed to be eaten, what people were not allowed to drink, and required religious celebrations. The Jewish calendar is based on the lunar cycle, so a New Moon marks a new month. First century churches in Rome and Galatia encountered conflict regarding these regulations and observances. Paul rejected such regulations because they would cause division and destruction. Believers should serve others with love, rather than chase appearances of holiness that disregard love. Out of this consideration and love for others, believers may limit their freedom to avoid causing other believers to sin. But the Law of Moses and its requirements are temporary, and cannot offer salvation. Christ is the culmination of all requirements for salvation. The things that were to come is Paul describing salvation in and through Christ. Paul commanded the Colossians to live with humility. The Colossians seem to have developed some sense of false humility. Our book suggests that this may be something like public fasting. The "worship of angels" is also a bit vague. It may mean that the Colossians were worshipping angels to intercede with God. The Colossians were in danger of being deceived and led astray by false teaching. Their deception would result in their being disqualified from receiving the reward of a life submitted to God's rule. Extreme practices of self-denial can sometimes result in a dramatic, and very unhealthy, physical response, like a hallucination. Based on the public fasting, some false teachers in Colossae were likely experiencing such denial-induced hallucinations. These would have seemed like visions and religious experiences. Instead of actually listening to God as the source of wisdom, they sought worldly wisdom that fed the idle desires of their flesh. Paul compared the church to the body of Christ. The church in Colossae was losing its connection to the head of the church, Christ.
Worldly Rules (verses 20-23)
Although the Colossian believers lived in the world, they were not to submit to its rules. This manner of living described their old life. However, they had died to that way of life. Instead, they had been raised into a new life through Christ's death and resurrection. As a result of their new life, they would reorient their hearts toward heavenly things and live as God's chosen people. Paul again talks about bad rules for the people. Rules that come from people will eventually perish and no longer apply. However, some rules can lead to growth and maturity in a person's spiritual health. Adherence to these practices does not reliably indicate the status of a person's heart toward God. True wisdom comes from knowledge of God's will rather than through misdirected worship. This misdirected worship could include worshipping the created and not the Creator, or displays of self-denial that result in harsh treatment of the body. God freely gifts knowledge of his will to his people. He wants his people to share this wisdom with others. 
Conclusion
It can be tempting to believe that we don't add anything extra to our faith. Yet, the reality is that we often do. Sometimes, we set explicit or implicit rules on ourselves and, by extension, on other believers. Our observance of these rules or guidelines does not mean that our hearts are automatically more or less holy. But issues arise if we raise these rules to the same level as God's Word. We or other believers may be spiritually harmed. We should carefully examine our behavior regarding such regulations. Ensure that you first maintain a relationship with Christ, the head of the church. What, after all, can be added to the gospel of salvation through Christ? What more do we need? Only when we accept that Christ's work has accomplished what we needed for reconciliation can we be filled with his wisdom. Ask for the Spirit's guidance to discern whether you are following the world's wisdom or God's wisdom. At the Spirit's leading, we will be free to engage in practices that lead to the glory of God and the edification of other believers. Seek the Head! And heed the Spirit.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we want wisdom that only you can give. Soften our hearts so we can be attentive to the work of your Spirit. Guide us to follow your will. May we, as the body, always remain attached to Christ. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Questions for Discussion
Benediction
This week's benediction is from the New Living Translation. 
Next week's lesson will be on 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1.
Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!
This is our first week meeting after the early worship service. If you haven't joined us for Sunday School before, we would really enjoy having you!
When we meet together in person, we take some time to share our joys and concerns. If you have any prayer requests, you can add them as a comment to this post. When you are ready, use the prayer below (source) to get started.
Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the source of life and the fountain-spring of love. Help me to carry out Your will for my life, and may I love as Christ loves. I pray that I would do no wrong, in thought, word, or deed, to my family, friends, or neighbors. And help me to show the love of Christ to all with whom I come in contact today. This I ask in Jesus' precious name and for His greater glory. AMEN.
Today's lesson is on Romans 13:8-10 and 1 Corinthians 13:8-13.
The actions and attitudes of Christian love improve our spiritual view in critical areas. First as we express that love, we begin to see more and more opportunities to express it. Second, this improved spiritual vision will cause us to see that to minister to others in love is to serve God. “Whoever loves God is known by God.” In Corinthians, Paul says “Let all that you do be done in love." In 1 John, chapter 4, we read, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. We love because he first loved us." Proverbs says, “A friend loves at all times.” In the last verse of today’s text, Paul says, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Chris Tiegreen, writer and editor of a devotional magazine, says “Faith lasts only until it becomes sight, and hope lasts only until it’s fulfilled, but love lasts forever." 
Prayer
Father, we live in a time where love is perhaps more desperately sought after than ever before. Forgive us when we become callous to the needs around us. Help us to follow the example of Jesus and to see others as he sees them. In his name we pray. Amen.
Questions for Discussion
Benediction
Today's benediction is from the Revised Standard Version. 
Next week's lesson will be on Colossians 2:16-23.
Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!
Starting next week, our in person Sunday School class will be after the worship service.
Worship will start at 9:45 am. Sunday School will start at 11 am.
When we meet in person, we share our joys and concerns. Take some time to consider the past week, and any prayer requests you might have. When you are ready, use the prayer below to get started.
Loving God, Creator of dignity and all that lives. Help us be bridges. We must have your grace to endure and your wisdom to bring harmony where there is strife, transform us to peacemakers and bridgemakers. We are all God's children. Amen.
This week's lesson is on Acts 15:1-11.
Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!
When we meet in person, we share our joys and concerns with each other. If you have prayer requests to share, you can add them to the comments on this post. When you are ready, use this prayer to get started.
Heavenly Father, Abba, we are thankful that through Christ we have been adopted as your children. We are grateful to know that our salvation is not a matter of our performance but of your grace. And yet, you want us to live loving, grace-filled lives.
Help us this morning to grow a bit more into the image of Jesus. Help us as we learn. Help us as we think and as we work and as we reach out to others. Help us as we pray. In your name. Amen.
Today's lesson is on Galatians 3:23-4:7.
Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!
When we meet in person, we take some time to share our joys and concerns. Consider your last week. If you have any prayer requests, please add them to the comments below. When you are ready, use the prayer below (source) to get started.
Dear Father,
Thank you for giving us your Spirit, not through works of law but through faith in our hearts. Even Abraham was saved by faith, for he believed you, and you counted it to him as righteousness. Thank you that Christ actually became the curse so that he could redeem us from its power, that the blessing of Abraham might come upon all nations, Jews and non-Jews, and that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Make us ever aware of the responsibilities as well as the rights which this relationship affords us. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
This week's lesson is on Galatians 3:1-14.
Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!
When we meet in person, we take some time to share joys and concerns. Consider your past week. If you have any prayer requests, you can add them as a comment to this post. When you are ready, use the prayer below (source) to get started.
Lord Jesus, Thank you for the grace and mercy you extend to us. Our sinful nature tells us to sit in our shame and to hide from your light. But you came to this earth and lived the perfect life so that we no longer need to be shackled by our sins. True freedom is found when we lay down our weakness to you.
Thank you for walking through this sinful world. You understand how we are tempted because you were tempted as well, yet never sinned. Your empathy allows us to bring every worry, every fear, and every fault to your feet because we know that you understand. Help us to approach your throne with confidence because it is a throne of mercy. When we try to hide our sin and shame, remind us of your boundless grace. I pray that we would draw nearer to you no matter what we're going through. Your Word promises that you will give us gracious help in our time of need – help us to believe that today. In Jesus Name, Amen
Today's lesson is on Romans 7:1-12.
Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!
When we meet in person, we share our joys and concerns with each other. If you have prayer requests to share, you can add them to the comments on this post. When you are ready, use this prayer to get started.
Gracious God, it is so easy to become proud of our dedication to the church and to its ministries. It is so easy to hear and enjoy the praise of men and women and even to think it equates to God’s approval as well. But you know us in the depths of our being. You know us as we really are. You see us when we are at our worse, when we fall short, when our motives are not pure and our devotion wanes.
Lord, we want to be true followers of Christ in our hearts and not just people who go through the motions. Help us to be authentic Christians. And when we fail, help us to rely on Christ and the forgiveness we have through him. We pray this in his name. Amen.
This week's lesson is on Romans 2:12-24, 28-29.
Introduction and context
In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he expresses his full vision of the new community that God has created through Jesus Christ. It is not a community that breaks from the tradition of the Old Testament and the Law. Instead, it is a community that gets to the heart of why the Law was given to Moses in the first place. It is a community in which everyone is united by a common devotion to God, shown not just by their adherence to the Law of Moses but by a deep commitment to live in a way that pleases God. By the time Paul wrote this letter, the Jewish people had been practicing circumcision for 2,000 years. It was a sign of the covenant that God made with Abraham and that continued through all of his descendants. Neither the Greeks nor the Romans practiced it — the Greeks seeing it as mutilation of the ideal body. But for the Jews, it was extremely important. It served as a physical reminder to the Jewish men and to others that they were set apart and that they belonged to the people of the covenant. The church in Rome was made up of people who had come from both Jewish and pagan backgrounds. It seems likely that Christians who came out of Judaism would think themselves superior to those who formerly were pagans. This would have created a division in the church.
Just judgment (verses 12-16)
In Paul’s time, people often expressed the distinction between Jews and Gentiles by saying that Jews were “under the law” while Gentiles were “apart from the law.” The Law, of course, is the law that God gave the nation of Israel through Moses, embodied especially in the first five books of the Bible. The Jews had studied the law of Moses for centuries. They knew it well, and it served as the basis for their faith. Yet throughout their history they also knowingly broke the law and suffered for it. They could not avoid being judged for their violations. On the other hand, Gentiles had not been given the law. Still, in the first chapter of this letter, Paul points out that they could not avoid God’s judgment by claiming ignorance. Even those outside the law, he argues, have a law written on their minds and their conscience. They will be judged for violating that law as well. So both Jews and Gentiles are under God’s judgment. Paul points out, therefore, that there is no reason for a person to think more highly of himself simply because he is among the people to whom God gave the law. What matters is obeying the law. That is something that Gentiles sometimes do, even though they don’t have the law to instruct them. The example of righteous Gentiles reveal that the law is not a matter of following rules on a page but of following the precepts God has written on every human heart, although sin has obscured our ability to see and follow them. A day will come when God will judge everyone for who they truly are — not for their lineage or for the public face they put on for others. Lack of evidence might fool human judges and juries, but God knows who we really are. And none of us is without sin.
False faithfulness (verses 17-24)
Paul uses a series of propositions to remove the Jewish Christians’ feelings of superiority. If you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law; if you know God’s will; if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, he says, then what are you teachers teaching yourselves? Jews in general, and Jewish religious leaders in particular, saw themselves as guides for those who did not know the law and teachers of the foolish. However, it seems that not all of them lived up to the standards they proclaimed. Paul must know of the general hypocrisy of some Jewish teachers. Even if he does not know of any specific circumstances, he must know that many of the teachers’ examples do not live up to their own teaching. And, as we said earlier, it is not having the law that is important. It is obeying the law. He asks if those who teach against stealing might be stealing themselves. He asks if people who teach against adultery are committing that sin themselves. People who teach the right thing but live their lives contrary to their own teaching are hypocrites. Instead of leading people to deeper faith, such teachers push people away. By shedding light on what is really going on, Paul is removing the Jewish Christians’ reason to see themselves as superior to their formerly pagan brothers and sisters. He is also pointing out that all Christians, regardless of their background, stand condemned for their sinful ways.
True identity (verses 28-29)
Next Paul redefines what it means to be a Jew — at least in the ideal sense. He says it is not about going through the rite of circumcision. Nor is it about publicly following meticulous rules for purity. Those are simply physical matters, but God wants us to go deeper. True Jews, he says, are the ones who follow God in the depth of their being. True Jews are those who have been circumcised by the Spirit in their hearts, so to speak. Paul is lifting the discussion from the human and physical level to the divine and spiritual. This is where God has always wanted God’s people to focus. In other words, God has always wanted a people whose hearts were circumcised, not just their bodies. Truly following God, whether we are Jews or Christians, has always been a matter of seeking God with our whole hearts, not seeking the attention and praise of people. Many places in the Bible remind us that God sees the heart and that God knows who we are deep inside. (See, for example, Psalm 44:21.) Ultimately, whether or not a person is circumcised physically or not does not matter. The thing that matters is spiritual circumcision that accompanies faith in Christ. 
Conclusion
The idea of a circumcised heart was powerful for Mose and Paul, and it must be for us today. Can we humble ourselves and leave behind our tendencies to be stiff-necked? Can we trust fully in Christ for our salvation, not our own good works? Paul’s exposition for the rest of the book of Romans required both Jews and Gentiles to realize their need for God’s salvation because all are under the power of sin (Romans 3:9). For both groups, hope comes not from keeping the law, whether it be the law of the conscience or the Law of Moses. It comes from faith in Christ. Prayer Heavenly Father, may our hearts turn away from pride and sin and toward you in faith and hope. May our trust be only in your Son, Jesus. We pray in his name. Amen.
Questions for discussion
Benediction
This week's benediction is from the Message. 
Next week's lesson is on Romans 7:1-12.
Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!
When we meet in person, we take time to share our joys and concerns. Take some time to consider the last week. If you have any prayer requests, you can add them as comments on this post. When you are ready, use the prayer below (source) to get started.
God Almighty, shine the light of Jesus into my life and help me make my way through this world of darkness without stumbling. Guide me away from any false light, and help me to find and follow Jesus' light. Use me to share that light with others so they can find their way home to you. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Today's lesson is on John 8:1-11, 56-59.
Lesson Context
The first part of today's lesson occurred while Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Festival of Tabernacles. This festival celebrated the olive and fruit harvests. It was also a time to remember deliverance from slavery in Egypt. As part of the festival, many people would live in tents outside the city to reenact the 40 years the Israelites had lived in tents while wandering in the wilderness. The second part of today's lesson occurs while Jesus responded to questions from a crowd of both laypeople and Pharisees.
A Woman's Cause to Rejoice
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives, probably as a way to be in his Father's presence. The next day, he went to the temple very early in the morning. The people gathering around him implies that they were primed to hear Jesus' teaching. Our book points out that there is no information about how the woman was found in adultery, but not her partner. It also states that there many have been some double standards about the judgment of women and the judgment of men in this situation. The Pharisees call Jesus "Teacher." This may have been done in a sarcastic manner, since they largely did not consider Jesus to have any authority to teach. It also may have put listeners on alert -- would Jesus answer as a learned teacher ought to , or would he reveal himself as a fraud? Jesus responded with what the Old Testament law stated. Both men and women were subject to being stoned. But then Jesus asked the Pharisees what they said about the situation. As they questioned Jesus further, he began to write on the ground. We are never told what he writes. Eventually, Jesus tells them that any of them without sin should cast the first stone. As much as the Pharisees tried to follow every letter of the law, they had all still sinned. At first the older teachers walked away, and then the younger, until none of them was left. They realized that they were all guilty of breaking one law or another. Now, there are no witnesses to condemn the woman. Jesus sends her to leave her life of sin. No further information is given regarding the woman's repentance.
Abraham's Cause to Rejoice
Before this passage, Jesus asserted that the crowd's actions showed them to be children of the devil. Calling Abraham their father implies that, if they were really his children, they would react as Abraham did from God's promise that his own family would bless the whole world. The crowd had a bad reaction to what Jesus had to say. Then, Jesus says, "before Abraham was born, I am!" We might recognize the "I am" as God's formula for self-identification in the Old Testament. In the gospel of John, we notice Jesus making frequent statements about himself that involve God's sacred name, I Am. When using this name directly for himself, Jesus is stressing his complete union with the Father. The crowd then tried to stone Jesus. Leviticus 24:16 states that anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord must be put to death by stoning. The crowd understood what Jesus was saying. They were unable to stone Jesus because his time had not yet come. 
Conclusion
Jesus was completely within his rights to condemn the adulterous woman, but he chose to offer mercy with his call to repentance. Jesus could have refrained from revealing himself as I am, but he chose instead to make himself known. We certainly benefit from Jesus' self-revelation and his merciful call to turn to him. Considering who Christ is and who he calls you to be, what repentance is necessary in your life? What "stonings" will you divert because of your love for Jesus? What rejoicing will you spread? Prayer Lord, we all have sinned and fallen short of your ways. Lay our hearts bare so that we might repent and sin no more. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Questions for Discussion
Benediction
This week's benediction is from the New International Version. 
Next week's lesson will be on Romans 2:12-23, 28-29.
Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us today!
When we meet together on Sunday mornings, we take time to share any joys or concerns we have. If you have a prayer request, please add it to the comments on this post. When you are ready, use the prayer below (source) to get started.
Heavenly Father, I praise and thank You for the Word of truth and for opening Scripture to my understanding. Thank You that Jesus came to earth and was prepared to suffer the sneering taunts and shocking accusations from His own family members and His own nation, to die on the Cross so that by grace through faith I might believe on His name and be saved. Thank You that despite being rejected and crucified, Jesus is coming back to set up His eternal kingdom on earth. Give me a greater understanding of Your plans and purposes for mankind, and may I live and work for Your greater praise and glory. This I ask in Jesus' name, AMEN.
This week's lesson is on John 7:14-24.
What does it mean to glorify God?
To glorify God is to honor Him with praise or worship. God is glorious, great and magnificent—He is grand in His nature and deeds. “Full of splendor and majesty is his work” (Psalm 111:3). Glorifying God means to acknowledge His greatness and splendor and praise Him for it. Revelation 14:7 tells us to direct our praise, adoration, thanksgiving, and worship to Him who alone is worthy. A great example of this is King David installing Asaph as Chief Minister. David’s instructions are:
In Asaph’s time, the offerings were in accordance with the Law of Moses; today, we are “to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. According to Romans 12:1, this is true and proper worship”. In 1 Corinthians 10:31 Paul teaches: By virtue of who God is, we have an obligation to glorify God at all times. We are to extol His attributes, praise His works, trust His name, and obey His Word. He is holy, faithful, merciful, gracious, loving, majestic, sovereign, powerful, and omniscient. His works are wonderful, wise, marvelous, and fearfully complex. His Word is “perfect . . . trustworthy . . . right . . . radiant . . . pure . . . firm . . . precious” (Psalm 19:7–10). His salvation is astonishing, timely, and near. No matter how loudly or widely we proclaim the glory of God, He is worthy of more. 
Prayer
Lord, teach us to glorify you in all that we do. Diminish our desires to make a name or a fortune for ourselves and increase our desire to bring glory to your Name. May we rely on the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts, words, and actions. Thank you for the example we have in Christ. It is in his name we pray. Amen Thought to Remember Choose: your glory or his?
Benediction
Today's benediction is from the New King James Version. 
Next week's lesson will be on John 8:1-11, 56-59.
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