cómo ser salvo: aprender cómo nacer de nuevo y ser cristiano hoy!

¿Cómo puedo ser un cristiano?

     Una de las partes más elementales del plan de Dios para el hombre descrito en la Biblia se encuentra en la conversión (la manera en que alguien se convierte en cristiano). Como se demuestra en el siguiente cuadro, el modelo de Dios para la conversión requiere arrepentimiento fe (creencia), (a volverse del pecado), la confesión y el bautismo (inmersión en agua) para el perdón de los pecados.

  

Bible verse	God’s command	God’s command	The blessing
Mk. 16:16:	Believe	and be baptized	Saved
Acts 2:38:	Repent	and be baptized	Remission of sins
Acts 22:16:	Arise	and be baptized	Wash away sins

Comando comando versículo bíblico de Dios de Dios La bendiciónMk. 16:16: Creer y ser bautizado GuardadoHechos 2:38: Remisión Arrepentíos, y bautícese de los pecadosHechos 22:16: Levántate y bautízate lavar los pecados

     La información contenida en Mk. 16:16 se ha comparado con un tren, así como vagones se unen entre sí con un eje de tracción, por lo que la palabra "y" une los comandos de "creencia" y "bautismo" (Jesús dijo que una persona debe creer y ser bautizado antes de él puede ser "salvado"). Desde aquellos en Hechos 2 que habían oído y creído los hechos del evangelio (Hechos 2:37), se les dijo a "arrepentirse y ser bautizados" para que pudieran recibir el "perdón de los pecados" (Hechos 2:38). La información contenida en Hechos 2 también ofrece un excelente ejemplo de arrepentimiento, una palabra que significaba "cambiar para mejor." La gente que había odiado anteriormente Jesús (Hechos 2:36) arrepentido (que comenzó a amar y seguir a Jesús). Después que las personas creen y se arrepienten, van a ser bautizados, un acto que "lava los pecados" (Hechos 22:16).
     Además de los pasajes en el gráfico anterior, la Biblia también explica el propósito del bautismo en Gal. 3:27 (Pablo dijo bautismo pone a la gente "en Cristo"). Si una persona tiene la edad suficiente para ser responsables de sus acciones, él puede ser "en Cristo" o "fuera de Cristo." Si una persona tiene la edad suficiente para ser responsable de sus actos y que está "fuera de Cristo", que tiene hay bendiciones espirituales, uno de los cuales es la salvación (2 Tim. 2:10). Los que están "en Cristo" tiene todas las bendiciones espirituales (Ef. 1:3), uno de los cuales es la salvación. De acuerdo con Gal. 3:27, una persona no entrar "en Cristo" hasta que haya recibido ritualmente el bautismo.
     Además de Jesús y Pablo dice que el bautismo es parte del proceso de salvación, está la información en 1 Ped. 3:20-21. Pedro describió cómo el agua sirve como línea divisoria para Noé y su familia (Dios usó un diluvio para separar el salvado de los perdidos, el general 6-7). El agua levantó el arca y los que en él con la seguridad y del agua causada a los inconversos a ahogar. De hecho, Pedro dijo a Noé y su familia fueron "salvadas por agua" (1 Ped. 3:20). Pedro también dijo que hay una "verdadera semejanza" para la gente de hoy y esta "semejanza verdadero" es el "bautismo" (1 Ped. 3:21). En otras palabras, al igual que el agua separada a los salvos de los perdidos en el mundo antiguo, así que el agua (bautismo) ahora divide a los salvos de los perdidos bajo la era cristiana (véase de nuevo el cuadro anterior). Peter señaló además cómo el bautismo no es para la "inmundicia de la carne" (no es un proceso para eliminar la suciedad física), 1 Pe. 3:21. El bautismo es para inmundicia espiritual-sin-como se explica en Hechos 2:38 y Hechos 22:16.
     No había ningún poder especial en las aguas que separaban a Noé de que no son salvos y no hay ningún poder especial en el agua que se usa ahora para bautizar a la gente. Nuestra justificación del pecado viene por medio de la sangre de Jesús (Pablo señaló esto en Rom. 5:9 y explicó cómo funciona este proceso en Rom. 6:1-4).
     Como lo demuestra el gráfico siguiente, que se proporciona por cortesía de We Care Ministries, pecadores acceder a los beneficios de la sangre de Jesús por volver a representar la muerte del Señor, sepultura y resurrección. Después que una persona cree, no se guarda. El creyente debe experimentar una "muerte." Esta muerte es otra descripción para el arrepentimiento (la gente tiene que dejar el pecado Comparar Col. 3:7;. Hechos 2:38; Lc 13:03; Hechos. 17:30). La gente debe "morir al pecado" (arrepentimiento) para que no se "mueren en el pecado" (perecer eternamente en el infierno).



     Después que una persona ha creído y se ha arrepentido (muerto al pecado), está dispuesto a reconocer que Jesús es el Hijo de Dios (Hechos 8:37; 1 Tim. 6:12) y luego ser "sepultados con Cristo por el bautismo" (Romanos . 6:4). Después que una persona ha recibido ritualmente el bautismo, tiene "vida nueva" (Romanos 6:4).
     Muchos creen que la "vida nueva" (la salvación, el perdón de los pecados y todas las bendiciones espirituales) viene antes del bautismo, pero la Biblia dice repetidamente que esto es incorrecto. Jesús dijo que una persona es "salvado" después de ser bautizados (Marcos 16:16). Peter dijo que una persona tiene el "perdón de sus pecados" después de ser bautizado (Hechos 2:38). Ananías dijo pecados te son "arrastrados" al ser bautizado (Hechos 22:16). Pablo dijo: "bautismo" pone a las personas en Cristo (Gál. 3:27). Una persona recibe "nueva vida" después del bautismo (Rom. 6:4). Jesús dijo que una persona debe "nacer de nuevo" (Juan 3:3) y este nuevo nacimiento requiere agua (Juan 3:5). Dios tiene un patrón específico para la salvación y esta pauta requiere que la gente tenga fe, se arrepientan de sus pecados, confesar que Jesús es el Hijo de Dios, y ser "sepultados con Cristo" para el "perdón de sus pecados."
     La descripción del bautismo como un "entierro" (Rom. 6:4 y Col. 2:12) nos dice que el bautismo bíblico requiere inmersión (no enterrar algo por aspersión o rociamiento suciedad en él). Un entierro significa que alguien o algo está cubierto y esto es lo que el bautismo del Nuevo Testamento requiere (una persona se sumerge en y por lo tanto cubiertos por agua). Cuando Juan estaba bautizando a la gente, su bautismo requiere "mucha agua" (Jn. 3:23). De hecho, este versículo dice Juan bautizó en este lugar "porque" había allí muchas aguas.
     Bautismo para el perdón de los pecados es una parte esencial del modelo de Dios para la conversión, pero esto es sólo una característica del cristianismo del Nuevo Testamento.

Proverbs 20:5

“A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water, But a man of understanding draws it out” (Proverbs 20:5 NASB). Wisdom greatly enhances our ability to deal with others. Wisdom helps us to see from another’s point of view: to see another’s perspective, thoughts, and intentions. This can never be done, however, through prejudice and assumptions; these are contrary to God’s ways (cf. Proverbs 18:17, 28:21; John 7:24; Romans 2:11). Instead, a man of understanding will use examination and communication to draw out another’s hidden thoughts. There is much knowledge to be gained by simply asking a person about their thoughts and intentions. Questions can also be used to uncover deceit and manipulation in an apparently good deal. This is not easy to do, but taking the time to converse with others and understand them is worth the effort.

--Jeremy Sprouse

Christopher Dorner

Law enforcement is a family more than it is a community. Because of my former career as a police officer, and in response to the terrible events occurring in our area, IE: the "manhunt," I received several phone calls and emails from folks across the country asking if I was OK. I think that they weren't concerned that I was physically in danger due to these events, but rather, how was I feeling in light of them - IE: The murdering crime spree of Christopher Dorner. Those events left four people dead, not including Dorner and, as I write this, the funeral service of one of the two policemen killed by the suspect is taking place. Sadly, there will be another service in a few days for the other officer. What a tragic last 10 days or so this has been.

 

I can look at what the perpetrator did in these last ten days and judge him "by his fruits" (Mt. 7:16) to be an evil-minded individual, "without natural affection" and a "despiser of those that are good." (2Tim. 3:3). As to his eternal judgment, that's not within my purview, but speaking as a police officer, I'm glad that we could arrange his meeting with The Judge.

 

Well let's see, can we take these tragic events and perhaps gain a spiritual lesson from them? I think that we can and to do so, my thoughts will center around something I started this editorial with - law enforcement being a "family." I'm going to try and relate that "family" to our Christian "family."

 

In law enforcement, it doesn't matter what color of uniform you wear, what shape or design the badge and shoulder patches are. In doing the job we all have a common goal - protecting and serving the public. We spend our careers dealing with the worst of humanity in doing our best to protect the good from the bad and picking up the pieces of broken lives. The vast majority of our citizens never see this and truly have no understanding of it. Only another cop does.

 

When the career ends and the uniform, badge and armor comes off, police officers are left with their memories. As to those memories, when we retired cops get together, the war stories abound and, with the passage of time, the events back then were more dangerous and we were more courageous. Funny how that works.

 

But, within our own minds, we ask ourselves questions that no one except ourselves can answer. Did I do OK? Did I make a difference? Was I a good cop?

 

Cops understand the nature of the business. They understand that, like our earthly families, we might not always agree on things, we might have personality conflicts, but none of that matters when help is needed. As we've so vividly seen this past week, police officers are willing to die to help their fellow officers and the citizens they've sworn to protect.

 

And, sad to say, that ultimate service happens all to often anymore. Let me share another bit of "cop information" with you and it's another thing that's sad to say but unfortunately true - if a cop needs help, the only person they can count on for that help is another cop. Does that help you to understand why law enforcement is a "family?"

 

Well, how does the brotherhood, the "family" of law enforcement, parallel or compare with our Christian "family?" Here's how I see the parable.

 

It doesn't matter what our individual secular properties are, whether we're the boss or the employee, what our bank account reads or, (relative to the color of the uniforms) what nationality we are. We are all tasked with the same goal, simply stated - get our souls to heaven ("make our calling and election sure" 2Pet. 1:10) and take as many souls with us as we can. (Mark 16:15-16)

 

In a sense, Christians are in the "protection" business too. We put on the "armor of God" along with the "sword of the Spirit" and go out into a world of unbelievers and do our best to protect their souls from Satan. We do that by convincing them to follow Christ and His Gospel.

 

As law enforcement agencies have a "Chief" - so do Christians. Christ is the "head" - the "Chief," of our "family" and it's His orders that we follow and operate by. He knows that if His Word is faithfully delivered by Christians, it will "pick up the pieces of those broken" as He said in Luke 4:19: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor, He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised."

 

The Bible says that Christians are soldiers in the Lord's army. Parabolically speaking, we're officers in Christ's police force and our "beat" is our part of the world where we reside or find ourselves. And, many of the Lord's "officers" are doing their duties in places of danger to their physical lives. On too many occasions it has cost them that very thing and we need to never forget their sacrifice for the cause of Christ. In relation to that thought, please take the time to read what the apostle John says he witnessed in heaven in Rev. 7:9-14.

 

Many of us today are serving in the final stages of our careers in Christ's service. But, in truth, as we've so tragically witnessed this past few days, our careers can end at any time. As we consider this, keep one thing in mind as to a difference between our law enforcement "family" and our Christian "family" - we don't retire from Christ's force. Death is the end of our career.

 

Another point of consistence to note in the comparison of our "families" is that the Gospel has been left in our hands (2Cor. 4:6-7) and, like the "unfortunate truth" I mentioned, the only one who Christ's "family" can count on to "help" in His service is - other Christians. Other "family" members.

 

In considering the end of our Christian career, perhaps we should at least think like a retired cop and ask ourselves - Did I do OK? Did I make a difference? Was I a good and faithful Christian? Hopefully, based on the Gospel, the Law of Christ, we can answer those questions in the affirmative.

 

If there exists any doubt in answering any of these questions, we'd better do some serious studying and reconciling ourselves back to where we can answer them with full faith and hope that our "Chief" will say - "Well done, good and faithful servant....enter into the joy of thy Lord." (Mt. 25:23)

 

Allow me just one last Bible-related thought on our recently ended "manhunt." The news media is reporting that Dorner has many sympathizers who are voicing support for his actions. Their misguided cheering caused me to recall something the Prophet Isaiah said that I feel fits them to the proverbial " T."

 

"Woe unto them that call evil good and good evil; that put darkness for light and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." (Isa. 5:20)

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Ron Covey

 

Carnival cruise ship Triumph

"Triumph at Last"

The Carnival cruise ship Triumph finally docked last night in Mobile, AL, after 5 days at sea without power due to an engine room fire. Passengers cheered as they got off the ship, completing a cruise that was designed to be both fun and relaxing but instead was marked by overflowing toilets, food shortages and foul odors.

The cruise began last Thursday from Galveston, Texas. It was scheduled to last until Monday, February 11, after sailing four days with stops at various vacation spots in the Gulf of Mexico. But on Sunday, February 10, a fire erupted in the engine room causing the ship to be stalled some 150 miles off Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. Towboats pulled the ship through the Gulf to Mobile. When the ship was brought to Mobile Bay, it still took six grueling hours and at least four towboats to navigate the 900 ft. vessel through the 30-odd-mile ship channel to dock.

"It was horrible, just horrible" said Maria Hernandez, 28, of Angleton, Texas, tears welling in her eyes as she talked about waking up to smoke in her lower-level room Sunday and the days of heat and stench to follow. She went on the cruise for a "girls trip" with friends. She said the group hauled mattresses to upper-level decks to escape the heat. "I just can't wait to be home," she said.

That reminds us: the cruise ship was not built to be "home" for anyone. It was designed to carry passengers on a temporary trip - hopefully, a pleasurable trip! Even though this trip turned out to be a disaster, passengers and crew could find - and are now enjoying - relief from the fact that the cruise ship was never intended to be their "home."

The same can be said of the world in which we live. God created the world to be inhabited, but not forever....

He designed it to sustain our lives for a period of time, but neither the world nor our physical bodies were made to last forever. He didn't create this world to be our eternal "home." He has something far better - eternal and "heavenly" - in mind (see John 14:1-6; Revelation 21).

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:15-17).

One day "both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up" (2 Peter 3:10).

But God "so loved the world [i.e., the people in it], that He gave His only Son [Jesus], that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

Our sin condemns us to a fate much worse than "a bad ride on a cruise ship" (see Matthew 7:13-14). But thanks be to God that because of Jesus we can be forgiven of our sins and receive the gift of eternal life to be enjoyed in our heavenly home!

God will forgive and give eternal life to those who: will place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will continue to "cleanse" and make ready for Heaven, those who continue to follow His Word as a way of life (1 John 1:7).

Around 4,200 passengers and crew members are relieved that the Triumph finally made it back to shore.

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory" - the real TRIUMPH over sin and death - "through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Won't YOU submit your life to Jesus so that you can share in His triumphant victory?

David Sargent

When did Valentine's Day begin?

 

At the risk of prompting heart palpitations among forgetful male readers, I'll make an announcement: Today is Valentine's Day. I'll pause for a moment as some may need to place a call to the florist.

 

Valentine's Day, as most of us know, is a day to think about love. There is probably some historical basis for the day, but much of it is lost in traditions and embellished lore. One of the most popular accounts points to a man named Valentinus who lived in Rome in the third century, A.D. Though it was illegal for Christian marriage ceremonies to be performed at that time, Valentinus risked his life to join young men and women who were in love. He was supposedly martyred in 269.

 

Customs that we enjoy for this holiday have deep roots in the past. According to Wikipedia.com, "By the 15th century, it had evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as 'valentines')." Six centuries have passed, and we're still presenting flowers, boxed candy and Valentine's cards.

 

Valentine's Day was a big day when I was in elementary school. Shoe boxes were decorated and a large slot was cut in the top; into these each student dropped cards they had prepared for their classmates. It was an exciting time to open one's box to see how many cards had been deposited.

 

Today I'll observe the occasion by doing special things to communicate my love for my wife, my beloved companion for many years. Do I have to do these special things? She always says, "No", but I'm smart enough to know better. One's love should be communicated regularly.

 

There was One, however, whose communication of love surpasses all others. We're speaking, of course, of God. He went to great lengths to show us His love, even when there was good reason for Him not to love us.

 

"For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:6-8). Can there be greater proof of one's love than a willingness to die for another?

 

Second only to His death on the cross, Jesus' act of washing His disciples' feet amazes us. What would lead such a famous Rabbi to do such a lowly thing? John tells us the reason: "Now before the Feast of Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end" (John 13:1).

 

Love is like that. When we truly love another, there is no task too lowly or too great. "I'll give you the moon," people are prone to say to those they love. God went even farther than that. "I'll give you My Son," He said. And He did.

 

On this day on which we show our love for others, let's not forget to honor the One who loves us best. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

 

Timothy D. Hall

Best Valentines Day gifts

This week I had to let go of a tool I had held onto for about 10 years. It
was cracked and chipped and I had glued it together and repaired it about 10
times. I guess it was time! I placed it into the trash bag and my thoughts
have gone to it several times the last couple of days.. Maybe I could glue
it together one more time. But yesterday I bought a replacement and life
will go on, it was only a little thing, but it's not the same, but that's
OK, sometimes we need to change.

How many things in your life are there of which you just need to let go?
There is probably something, but hopefully nothing too serious.

I saw a movie recently in which a lady been married for a number of years,
however she couldn't let go of a special relationship she had with someone
else other than the man she married. She lived in the "what if" world. What
if she had married the other man? What if she had made different decisions
in her life? Would she be happier? Would she be more secure in life? She
spent all of her time holding onto something which should have been
discarded long ago rather than change and accept the present. Aren't we like
that far too often, living the life of "what if"?

A few years ago my wife had to throw away a treasure. She had kept the first
roses I had ever given her for Valentines Day for over 25 years. Somehow the
box with the roses in it had gotten packed and shipped to Africa with the
rest of our things. One day she happened to open the box to relive the
memory once again and she found them molded. Even though they had been dried
for many years, the humidity there worked its magic and destroyed the
treasure and it had to be discarded.

Memories are good, treasured keepsakes are good, but is there a time to let
go and discard those things? I would say, perhaps yes, there may be. Each
must be measured by itself, but sometimes, even the most treasured things
have to be let go from our lives. Why? Because those things often keep us
from living in and treasuring our present life. Sometimes they keep us from
treasuring new things, making new memories and building new relationships.
Sometimes they can keep us from cherishing the relationship we have with our
spouse or other loved ones.

Let me paraphrase 1 Corinthians 13:4: "Love is patient and kind. If you love
someone you are understanding and are careful how you speak and act towards
them. Kindness is the motive for all we say and do. Love is not jealous; it
rejoices when the one you love does well and readily gives them
encouragement because of their accomplishments. Love is not boastful or
proud; those things cause us to look down on others who might not be as good
as we are. They may cause us to say or do hurtful things that we will regret
later. (Verse 7) Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful,
and endures through every circumstance."

The key to loving is to know what things to throw out and what things to
keep.

Russ Lawson

THE GOSPEL OF MARY

Lesson:  "The Pharisee's Pawn"

Texts:  John 8:1-11;  3:16-18

Aim:  to understand the attitude we should have when someone we care about is caught up in sin.

 

ICEBREAKER QUESTION:  When you were young, did you ever skip stones on the water?  And if so, where were you when you threw the stones, and what is the most skips you could get?       

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:   1.  Is skipping stones a "guy thing" or did any of our ladies skip stones as a child also?        2.  Kids naturally love to throw stones, but sometimes the consequences are disastrous.  Did anyone in our group ever have a stone-throwing accident when they were young? 

 

In today's lesson we will learn of a time when we should definitely NOT throw stones!

 

Please turn to the gospel of John (it is the fourth book of the New Testament), Chapter 8.   READ Verses 1-4    DISCUSSION QUESTION:  In your mind's eye, how do you picture this scene?  For example, what tone of voice did the Pharisees use?    How do you think this woman appeared when she was dragged before the Lord?    And what about Jesus – what expression do you imagine him having?  In your imagination, what do you SEE when you read these verses?

 

DISCUSSION QUESTION:  There is a lot we DON'T know about the story of this woman caught in the act of adultery.  In fact, what is one thing you WISH that you knew, and why?

 

Background Note:  The Law of Moses (Leviticus 20:10, Deuteronomy 22:22)  DOES prescribe the death penalty for adulterers, but it says both the man AND the woman must be punished.

 

READ Verses 5-6   DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:  1.  John tells us that the Pharisees were using this question as a "trap."   In your opinion, how was this situation a trap for Jesus, and who were they trying to get Jesus in trouble with?             2.  Why do you suppose Jesus doesn't answer the Pharisees right away?  Why might he deliberately make them wait for an answer?            3.  How do you think this woman felt while everyone around her was waiting for a reply from Jesus? 

DISCUSSION QUESTION:  One of the tantalizing things about this story is that we know Jesus was writing something in the dust with his finger, but we don't know what he wrote!   If you were to speculate, what would YOU say Jesus was writing?

 

LEADER'S INSIGHT:  Some commentators have suggested that Jesus was writing down the sins of the woman's accusers!

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:   1.  Do you think it strange that the Pharisees never use this woman's name?  Why, or why not?             2.  If you had to guess, what would you say was these Pharisees' view of women in general, and why?                

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:   1.  There has never been a shortage of adulterers, either in the first century or the twenty-first, but when infidelity occurs, do you believe it is still true that women are more likely to be blamed for the problem than men?  Why, or why not?                      2. Adultery is obviously a serious sin – after all, "You shall not commit adultery" is one of the Ten Commandments – but do you think the dangers of adultery are taken as seriously today as they should be?  Why, or why not?

 

READ Verses 7-8   Let's take a moment to consider the wisdom of the response Jesus makes. 

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:  1.  How does the reply of Jesus enable him to escape the trap of the Pharisees?          2.  In addition to avoiding their trap, could Jesus have a deeper motivation in giving this particular response?  If so, what might he have been trying to accomplish when he says "If any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her"?

 

READ Verse 9    This verse tells us four separate things:  the men in the crowd left;  they left gradually, one at a time;   the older ones left first;   and the woman didn't leave.  Let's reflect on each of those facts.     DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:  1.  First, why do you think the men gradually began to drift away?  What made them leave?               2.  Second, they left "one at a time."  Why do you suppose they came as a crowd, but slipped away as individuals?                  

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:   1.  Third, when the crowd begins to trickle away, it is the OLDER men who leave first.  How would you explain why the older ones are the first to leave, and the younger ones are the last to linger?                    2.  Once the crowd had left, the woman was free to escape.  Why do you suppose she remains behind with Jesus?

 

READ Verses 10-11    DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:  1. What do you think Jesus means when he says, "Neither do I condemn you"?   Does that statement mean Jesus didn't believe adultery was wrong?             2.  What do you learn from this story about how we should react when we discover that someone we care about has gotten caught up in a sinful situation? 

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:  1. Suppose you were a newspaper reporter for the Jerusalem Journal, and some time later you interviewed the woman about this episode.  How do you feel she would answer the question,  "What do you think of this Jesus:   what is your opinion of him?"   What do you believe she would say?  What would Jesus look like through her eyes?                 2.  This is another instance in which we wish we knew "the rest of the story."  Since we don't, let's try to imagine how this woman might have responded.  Do you feel she was likely to go back into a life of sin?  Why, or why not?

 

 

[OPTIONAL – IF TIME PERMITS]    DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:  1.  Suppose you had a Christian friend, and you became aware that his life was heading in the wrong direction.  Since none of us can say we are "without sin," does the statement of Jesus mean you cannot speak to your friend?  Why or why not?            2.  What would you say is the difference between "stone throwing" and expressing concern?                 3.  Suppose you DO express your concern to your friend about the spiritually unhealthy decisions he is making in his life, and he angrily replies, "You have no right to talk like that to me, because Jesus said it's wrong to judge others, and you're judging me.  Besides, none of us is without sin."  How would you respond to that statement?

 

 

TURN BACK to Chapter 3 of the gospel of John.  READ Verses 16-18.    SUMMARY STATEMENT:  It is important to remember that Jesus did not come to CONDEMN sinners, and he did not come to CONDONE sin.  His treatment of the woman in our story today reminds us that Jesus came to SAVE sinners, and to give us a second chance in life.   Once we have experienced his saving grace, we will want to leave our old life behind, and we can be more gracious to others who are still caught up in sin!

 

 

 

© Dan Williams