Grace is a little taste of heaven

Good morning, everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Be gracious, even when others aren’t”

Our Bible verse for today: “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Grace is a little taste of heaven”

The Pharisees were hyper-legalists. They were also cold, hard, and mean. In John 8:1-11 we read of a time they caught a woman in the act of committing adultery. Knowing Jesus’ tendency to be kind and compassionate and wanting to trap Him in a violation of their law, they brought the woman to Him. They asked Him to pass judgment on her for her adultery (which was unquestionably a sin and for which the Law of the Pharisees allowed execution by public stoning).

The Pharisees challenged Jesus to pronounce judgment on her but instead, He pronounced judgment on them for being so totally lacking in grace and compassion. He said that if there was one among them without sin, they should be the one to throw the first stone. And of course, since they all had plenty of sin of their own, there was no one who would dare to step forward to pick up that first stone. So, they all quietly slipped away. Jesus then forgave the woman and sent her on her way.

This story is like one Philip Yancey tells in his book “What’s So Amazing about Grace?” In that case there was a drug addicted prostitute who sometimes sold her four-year-old daughter to be used by men for kinky sex. She made more money from that in an hour than she made selling herself multiple times throughout the night. She was wracked with guilt for doing it and yet her addiction drove her to continue selling her daughter. Finally in desperation she went to see a counselor for help. The counselor suggested she go to church. The prostitute looked at the counselor with confusion and shock. Then she said, “Go to church? Why would I do that? I already feel bad enough about myself!” In other words, she was sure the people of the church would only judge her, condemn her, and make her feel worse than she already did.

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia (a strong Christian) was once giving a speech about law and justice. In it he explained the difference between legalism and grace. “In heaven there will be no law because there will be no need for it. The lion will lie down with the lamb. In hell there will be nothing but law, and it will be rigorously enforced without mercy. Grace gives us a little taste of heaven. Legalism gives us a little taste of hell.”

When we are gracious with people we give them a little taste of heaven. When we are judgmental and hard we give them a little taste of hell. I encourage you to give people a little taste of heaven today. Be gracious.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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