New Life values "Safety." We talked through the story of the woman caught in the act of adultery in John 8:2-11. If you haven't read it yet, or would like to reread it, simply click the link to do that.
Have you ever woken up and your first thought is along the lines of this; "Just survive the day. If I can just make it through the day." Are you the only Christian in your family and it's a high pressure life at home? Do you feel like there are kids at school who only exist to put you in survival mode? Have you ever felt like the pressure is too great and you really wish you had somewhere or someone to turn to?
I think there are 4 keys in the story of John 8 that will help you to see why it's the best choice to turn to Jesus. God has so much in store for your life and wants more for you than just survival. Here are the 4 keys we discovered.
Key #1 - Pressure should drive us to Jesus, not away from Him!
Often times when we are feeling pressure from outside influences or continually living in survival mode, it's easy to turn to things like sex, drugs, alcohol, cutting or worse, for answers. But as we see in the life of the woman caught in adultery, her pressure physically dragged her to Jesus. Don't allow the pressures of life to drive you another direction. Seek Christ! He is a safe place to land.
Key #2 - Realize that we all sin!
No one is perfect. We all sin. Teachers, parents, preachers, politicians, classmates and you. We're all in the same boat; imperfect, messed up people. When brought before Jesus and the accusers are closing in, you don't have to fear. Jesus' response is classic, "If you are perfect, you throw the first stone." You don't have to maintain some image of perfection for everyone to see. We already know you aren't. And neither am I. And Jesus understands that better than anyone else.
Key #3 - There is no condemnation in Jesus Christ!
Jesus, the One person on earth who had the right to condemn this woman for what she had been caught doing, instead chose to offer her grace. Romans 8:1 says, "Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." That begs the question, are you in Jesus? Have you chased after Him with your whole heart? Are you passionately pursuing Him and His purposes for your life? Remember, He wants better things for your life than you do. He wants you to do more than survive. Jesus is safe because He doesn't condemn us, even when we deserve it.
Key #4 - Jesus has much more than survival planned for you!
John 10:10 says, "My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." Jesus has come to give you more than you can even imagine. You can't come up with a cool enough plan for your life to match what Jesus wants for you. And that plan is far bigger than survival mode. Step out of survival mode. Run toward Jesus. He's a safe place to land. And He has big plans for you.
So there you have it. 4 Keys to Safety in Jesus from the story of a woman caught in adultery in John 8. Please comment or visit me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or my blog if you have any questions.
Grace & Peace,
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