July 11, 2021

This is a Trap: Part 2

This is a Trap: Part 2

John 8:6-11, New International Version

6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
  1. Traps are often tricks of the Enemy designed to distract from both the grace and purposes of GOD at work in us - as we asserted last week, do not be surprised when plots and traps present themselves to us while we are doing good for the sake of the Lord.  The Enemy cannot stop what GOD ordains, but the Enemy will certainly try to knock servants of GOD off course; the Lawyers and Pharisees are trying to take Jesus off course, yet Jesus bows to the ground while they attack.  
  2. When trappers attack, Jesus does not retaliate, instead Jesus responds with both a grace-filled and truth-filled if-then statement.  Jesus makes these Lawyers and Pharisees take the LSAT by presenting them with what we might assert is a true conditional statement with logical equivalence.    
  3. Traps traffic in deception, and because of such cannot stand up against the truth.  The truth not only continues to place Jesus’ death squarely on GOD’s timetable and not that of deceptive haters (He would be in major legal trouble for calling for someone’s execution without Roman consent and religious condemnation for supporting adultery), but the truth of the moment sets a vulnerable woman free and restored!

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OVERVIEW
Publish Date:

July 14, 2023

RESOURCES
PAST SERIES MESSAGES

Traps often appear in the midst of right-doing and ministerial focus; sadly treat the vulnerable as pawns and not as persons deserving respect; and are handled best by a steady focus of the ministerial foci of liberation, life, and light.

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Jesus is the Lifter, Provider of light and a Liberator who is the Word and the Way of liberation and freedom.

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