200. He's Trying To Give You Life

John 8:11

I think it’s weird that Jesus tells the woman caught in adultery to go and leave her life of sin. I mean, that story is the ultimate example of the mercy and grace of Jesus, but then it ends with Him just saying, “Okay, stop sinning now.” Doesn’t that seem strange? Who in the world can simply ‘stop sinning’ just like that? If we could just ‘stop sinning’ when Jesus told us to, we wouldn’t have needed Him to come in the first place! I can’t stop on my own. I need a rescuer. The message that says, “stop being bad and be good instead” doesn’t really do me much good. That is, it doesn’t do me much good unless there’s more to it than meets the eye. You see, when I look at that story and cringe at the fact that Jesus said, “stop sinning,” I’m really just afraid. I’m afraid that He’s going to tell me the same thing. I’m afraid that I have to be perfect. I’m afraid of life without my sin. I’m afraid of Him because it feels like He’s trying to take something from me that I think I need. Here’s the deal: Jesus isn’t trying to rob us. He’s offering us something better. I bet the woman caught in adultery didn’t go on to be spotless for the rest of her life. She probably still battled those old insecurities from time to time. Jesus knew that would happen. He was the One who first showed her mercy. It was a glimpse at what life with Him could be. When He tells me to stop, it’s not a new standard I can’t meet. It’s simply an invitation into something so much better.