Jesus’ last words on the cross were, “It is finished.” What was finished? His sacrifice was payment for our sins so He could extend mercy to us instead of justice. Justice is getting what we deserve. The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 6:23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.[1]
B. Barton explains:
Because eternal life is a gift, we cannot earn or purchase it. It would be foolish for someone to offer to pay for a gift given out of love. To be a gift, it must be given and received freely. A more appropriate response to a loved one who offers a gift is grateful acceptance. Our salvation is a gift of God, not something of our own doing (Ephesians 2:8–9). He saved us because of His mercy, not because of any righteous acts on our part (Titus 3:5). How much more we should accept with thanksgiving the gift that God has freely given to us.[2]
In our story, the woman caught in adultery was dragged in front of the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. She was expecting to be stoned. She was expecting to pay the price for her sin. She was expecting justice. Instead, Jesus extended her the hand of mercy. She went from hopelessness to being filled with hope. This is the hope we all have in Jesus as our Savior.
John 8:4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I.[3]
The same hand of mercy that Jesus extended to this woman is the same hand of mercy He extends to us. Every one of us could make long lists of the mercies God has given us. But the greatest example of God’s mercy is Jesus paying our debt on the cross. When we are truly repentant, God shows us mercy and welcomes us with open arms. Mercy is an act of God’s love for us. Even when we stray, God loves us and yearns for us to repent so He can extend mercy.
God gives mercy lovingly and He wants us to do the same. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:7God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.[4] Who can you give hope to by showing them mercy?
To hear more about the woman caught in adultery, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/hope-in-my-sin
[1,3,4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[2] Barton, B. B., Veerman, D., & Wilson, N. S. (1992). Romans (p. 129). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.