May 4, 2024 – The Dollar Spot Devotions: Star Wars Erasers – May The Fourth Be………

“Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and talked to them. As he was speaking, the Jewish leaders and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery and placed her out in front of the staring crowd.  “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the very act of adultery.  Moses’ law says to kill her. What about it?” They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger.  They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, hurl the stones at her until she dies. But only he who never sinned may throw the first!”  Then he stooped down again and wrote some more in the dust.  And the Jewish leaders slipped away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until only Jesus was left in front of the crowd with the woman.  Then Jesus stood up again and said to her, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”  “No, sir,” she said.  And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” John 8:1-11

Sometimes I get tired of the “Star Wars” everything – it was interesting in the 70’s when the first movie was released – but come on. And yet, there in my dollar spot area are these “Star Wars” erasers – one shaped like “Darth Vader”, another like “R2 D2”, etc. Now, everyone needs an eraser occasionally, but these seem like they might just be a little difficult to use due to their size and shape. 

Do you know what shape the “Christian Eraser” comes in? You should. It is the cross. And here is the “beautiful thing” – it never runs out.  It will never fail you. The cross of Jesus does exactly what Jesus does for the woman caught in the act of adultery – it erases our sin. Jesus says to her,  “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”  “No, sir,” she said.  And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”  This lack of condemnation is also confirmed in scripture with John 3:16-17 – particularly in verse 17 which says “G-d did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world would be saved through Him.”  It may have been the first time in her life where someone told this woman that she was worthy, that she was loved, and that she had dignity. 

This is exactly the message of the cross – that we are forgiven of our past, present and future sins – that they are erased – that we have dignity, worth and love simply because we exist as children of G-d – and because we are loved. And that, my friends, is reason enough to try to live the sinless life. Remember, I said try. We will not achieve it, but we have the encouragement to stay in relationship with Jesus – where we die daily to sin, but rise to new life.

Pastor Dave