蒙赦免，得希望
旧约圣经中神的诫命，对犯不同的罪和叛背神的人，都会施行不同的刑罚。有些人犯的是滔天大罪，就如在外邦神的坛上献小孩为祭。其他的罪，例如奸淫，是很多男男女女面对的试探。然而，神断不会容忍任何罪。
纽约州的美国参议员Patrick Moynihan曾经说过，今日的社会正盛行“降低偏离正轨的事的标准（defining deviancy down）”，意思是某些从前不为社会接纳的行为，现在宣告被接纳了。
然而耶稣的教导却不是这样，祂赦免犯奸淫的妇人，并不表示衪接纳奸淫的罪。根据律法，这妇人和与他行淫的男人都是罪有应得的，但耶稣看到妇人愿意悔改，衪便用从神而来的权柄赦免了她，又对她说：“去吧！从此不要再犯罪了。”
这是一个进退两难的困境：在律法下，我们不能生存；但若没有律法，我们也不能生存。若宣布谋杀是合法的，或说奸淫是可以的，是解决不了任何问题的。我们不能藉着“降低偏离正轨的事的标准”来保障人与人之间的关系。然而，耶稣把妇人从律法的要求中拯救出来，叫她脱离自我毁灭和毁灭别人的行为，进而建立坚固健全的人际关系。衪把希望和前程带给这妇人，这些都是她以前没有的。
耶稣啊，感谢祢，祢背负我们的刑罚，为我们开了一条赦罪之路。求祢带领我们为祢而活。奉祢的名祷告，阿们。
约翰福音 8:2-11
2清早又回到殿里。众百姓都到他那里去，他就坐下，教训他们。
3文士和法利赛人带着一个行淫时被拿的妇人来，叫她站在当中，
4就对耶稣说：“夫子，这妇人是正行淫之时被拿的。
5摩西在律法上吩咐我们把这样的妇人用石头打死。你说该把她怎么样呢？”
6他们说这话，乃试探耶稣，要得着告他的把柄。耶稣却弯着腰，用指头在地上画字。
7他们还是不住地问他，耶稣就直起腰来，对他们说：“你们中间谁是没有罪的，谁就可以先拿石头打她。”
8于是又弯着腰，用指头在地上画字。
9他们听见这话，就从老到少，一个一个地都出去了，只剩下耶稣一人，还有那妇人仍然站在当中。
10耶稣就直起腰来，对她说：“妇人，那些人在哪里呢？没有人定你的罪吗？”
11她说：“主啊，没有。”耶稣说：“我也不定你的罪。去吧，从此不要再犯罪了！”
Forgiven And Set Free
"Jesus . . . asked her, ' . . Has no one condemned you?' 'No one, sir,' she said. 'Then neither do I condemn you,' Jesus declared. 'Go now and leave your life of sin.'" - John 8:10-11
God's law in the Old Testament called for various kinds of punishment for various sins, or acts of disobedience to God. Some of those sins were horrible—for example, burning children on the altars of pagan gods. Other sins, such as adultery, were tempting for many men and women. But God did not tolerate sin of any kind.
Patrick Moynihan, a U.S. senator from New York, once said that society is in the process of "defining deviancy down," declaring certain behaviors permissible that once were not.
But that's not what Jesus taught. By forgiving the adulterous woman, he was not saying that adultery was permissible. She and the man with whom she committed adultery both deserved punishment, according to the law. But Jesus saw her repentance, and with divine authority he forgave her and said, "Go now and leave your life of sin."
It's a dilemma: we can't live with the law, and we can't live without it. We don't solve anything by making murder legal, or saying adultery is OK. We don't protect human relationships by "defining deviancy down." But Jesus rescued the woman from the law's demand, setting her free from self-destructive and other-destructive behavior, to build strong, healthy relationships. He gave her hope and a future, where before there had been none.
Thank you, Jesus, that by bearing our punishment you made a way for us to be forgiven. Lead us to live for you. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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