BIBLE STUDY: BIG
A. BACKGROUND: Our theme, FORGIVENESS, has struck a chord. It may be the most universal theme, or need, right up there next to love. We count on forgiveness when we mess up spiritually, personally, maritally, socially, criminally, every which way. When others wrong us, most often we want to find a path to forgive. When those closest to us mess up we may find it easy to forgive and we hope others involved will also. And the centerpiece of Christianity is God’s love through Christ winning forgiveness for us. Yes, it’s big.
B. TODAY, two classic Jesus stories: The Woman Caught in Adultery (John 8:3-11) and The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).
C. SUMMARY: “The woman caught in adultery” was literally “caught in the act” by witnesses, and a group of religious leaders drag her before Jesus. To either trick or test Jesus, they ask him if they should follow Judaism’s laws and stone the woman. Jesus takes no time answering, kneeling and writing in the dirt. Then Jesus challenges the men to search their own lives, actions, and conscience, adding “let those without sin cast the first stone.” Stunned into reflection, each man walks away. Jesus tells the woman, “Sin no more.”
Jesus tells the Parable of the Prodigal Son in a series of three parables focused on God’s undying love for us. A young man demands his inheritance from his still alive parents. He goes off, wastes it all, ends up literally in a pigsty. He decides to return home, hoping for a job. Instead, his father greets him with limitless forgiveness, welcoming him home. The brother is not too happy, but the father explains his love. Check out the Rolling Stone’s song, “Prodigal Son.”
D. KEY POINTS
1. HUMILITY. Self-awareness. Be honest with yourself. Look in the mirror. When Jesus challenges the men who wanted to murder the adulterous woman, they seem to take to heart his reproach, “let those without sin cast the first stone.” My mother used to say that anytime you point a finger at someone three of your fingers are pointing back at you. The humility of self-awareness can restrain our worst impulses of self-righteous condemnation. Being honest with ourselves may smooth the path to forgiveness.
2. To forgive doesn’t mean letting someone off the hook. The Bible reports that the woman was “caught”. Not rumor or gossip. Caught. So, Jesus’ final statement to her is “go, and sin no more.” In other words: stop it! Learn from this. Don’t repeat your mistakes. Take advantage of your new lease on life.
3. Takes TWO to TANGO, I thought! The woman gets caught in the act; the woman gets dragged before Jesus; the woman is about to be killed. Where’s the guy? Why no accountability, rage, or stones for the guy? The old “double standard,” isn’t it. The event that leads to a need for forgiveness often focuses on the most vulnerable, the easiest target, guided by our prejudice or assumption. Or not wanting to deal with power.
4. MOM?? Where is the mother in the Prodigal Son story?! If you have my book, Water Into Wine, look at my short story, “The Prodigal’s Mother.” There I tell her perspective. Truth is, in every messy situation where hurt is done, and forgiveness needed, there are people “off-stage” who must not be forgotten. Overlooked, forgotten, innocent bystanders – yet they are hurt, too. In every forgiveness opportunity or event, look beyond the obvious (the perpetrator and victim) to see the collateral damage. They, too, need to find the healing of forgiveness.
5. UNCONDITIONAL Love! Unconditional forgiveness? We hope so for ourselves and our loved ones. Giving it is hard. Yet in Jesus’ Parable of the Prodigal Son the father is clearly the stand-in for God. God/Father welcomes Son/us long before any apology, confession, etc. God wants the son back. God wants good relations back. Trust, at-one-ment (atonement), reconciliation, normalcy back. God takes the first step. A big step. Forgiveness. Such love is a high standard. But it is our standard. Not easy. But the goal.
