Salt of the Sound sings, ‘O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus’.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus

Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free

Rolling as a mighty ocean

In its fullness over me

Underneath me, all around me

Is the current of thy love

Leading onward, leading homeward

To thy glorious rest above

O the deep, deep love of Jesus

Spread his praise from shore to shore

How he loves us, ever loves us

Changes never, nevermore

How he watches o'er his loved ones

Died to call them all his own

How for them he's interceding

Watching o'er them from the throne

O the deep, deep love of Jesus

'Tis a heav'n of heav'ns to me

And it lifts me up to glory

For it lifts me up to thee

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John.

John 8:1-11

Early in the morning [Jesus] came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’ They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, sir.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.’

Imagine the scene described in this passage. Observe who is gathered there...

Notice what you can see and hear...

What is the atmosphere like as the woman is brought before Jesus?

Who do you identify most closely with in this passage? Why might that be?

Watch now as Jesus writes on the ground. What do you think he is writing?

As you listen to the passage again, pay special attention to the ending.

John 8:1-11

Early in the morning [Jesus] came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’ They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, sir.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.’

Now hear Jesus say, ‘I do not condemn you’. Perhaps he is saying this to you...

What might Jesus be asking you to change in your life as he invites you to be free of sin?

In these closing moments of prayer, give thanks to Jesus who sets you free and invites you into new life.

You have given all to me

To you, Lord, I return it

Everything is Yours

Do with it what You will

Give me only Your love and Your grace

That is enough for me

Amen