Look at the Sinner!

Just when you thought 2020 was something, the first full week of 2021 brought things we have never seen before and never want to see again. The reaction has been very strong outrage.

What the authors of The Coddling of the American Mind call the polarization spiral is spinning faster and winding tighter. Liberals are screaming at conservatives for whatever evils they attribute to President Trump. Conservatives are screaming that the election was stolen. Sadly it isn't any better in the church, among Jesus' followers in America. Just read Twitter. The demands for apologies and acknowledging being wrong for voting for President Trump are everywhere. The "other side" cannot believe a Christ follower would vote for anyone who backs abortion, etc.

Instead of looking for who to blame for ________, Christians in America -- ALL who call on the name of Jesus -- need to repent. (The people who breached the US Capitol January 6 need to be identified and held to account through the judicial system. I am not suggesting anything different.) I am reminded of when the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus as recounted in John 8. 

At dawn he went to the temple again, and all the people were coming to him. He sat down and began to teach them. Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center. “Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him. 

Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center. When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, Lord,” she answered. 

“Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” 

Note a few things that the scribes and Pharisees did:

1. Caught the woman in adultery. They were watching her and waiting to catch her in that sin. 
2. Interrupted Jesus' teaching to bring this "sinner" in front of him. (Of course Jesus taught them with his response.)
3. Made the woman stand in the center so everyone could see her. Look at the sinner!  

Jesus stopped them in their tracks with silence then telling them that the one among them who was without sin should be the first to throw a stone at her. Their response upon hearing that from Jesus was to leave one by one. No longer were they focused on the woman and her sin. No longer were they trying to trap Jesus. A few words from Jesus and every one of them walked away silently. 

Instead of our outrage at others' sin -- at least it is sin as we see it -- we need to go to Jesus. We need to acknowledge our sin. We need to pray. 

We need to pray like Nehemiah in chapter 1:

LORD, the God of the heavens, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your eyes be open and your ears be attentive to hear your servant's prayer that I now pray to you day and night for your servants ... I confess the sins we have committed against you. Both I and my father have sinned. We have acted corruptly toward you and have not kept the commands ... you gave (1:5-7)

We need to pray like Ezra in chapters 9 & 10: 

My God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face toward you, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads and our guilt is as high as the heavens. Our guilt has been terrible from the days of our fathers until the present. (9:6-7) 

We need to pray like Daniel in chapter 9: 

Ah, Lord -- the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commands -- we have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from your commands and ordinances. We have not listened ...

Lord, righteousness belongs to you, but this day public shame belongs to us ... (9:4-7)

All Israel has broken your law and turned away, refusing to obey you. (9:11)

... we have sinned, we have acted wickedly (9:15). 

Church we need to pray. 

Oh, Lord, the awe-inspiring God, your church has sinned. Your people have sinned. Christians in America have sinned. We have refused to obey. We have rebelled. I have sinned greatly. I have refused to obey. Please forgive me, God. Forgive us, O, great God. Lead us back. Purify your church. I bow before you again, in my rightful place. I lift my eyes to you, the maker of heaven & earth. You are my help. You are our help. How we need you! In the powerful name of our Lord, our Savior, our friend and soon coming King, Jesus Christ. Amen.

NOTE: If you read this post and think it is aimed at other Christians, i.e., the ones who support ____ or don't support ____, you've missed the point. Go back to John 8.