How big did you go today?

Hansen Wednlandt writes, “I wish I could join the people, who are two spiny, massive ridgelines away, speeding in snowshoes and crampons to beat a June snowstorm on 14,235 foot Longs Peak. Driving up the mountain this morning, I passed the signs of so many other Saturday warriors: the dirt-faced smiles of casual mountain bikers, an oversized crash pad lying beneath a popular overhung boulder, empty whitewater kayak racks atop green Subarus. Somewhere down the canyon in Boulder, they are training some of the world’s fastest road and mountain bike racers, marathoners and 100 mile runners, adventure racers and Everest climbers. This is where I live, a land where “extreme” is not a yes or a no question, but a matter of How big did you go?"

How big did you go today? Did you risk it all, everything? What were the consequences of failure? What were the consequences of not even trying?

Jesus stuck his neck out for a woman caught in the very act of adultery. An awkward situation to say the least. There was no doubt that a transgression had been committed. After all, she had been caught in the very act. There was no getting around it. Jesus’ grace went big for her!

Jesus’ hypocrisy meter probably also hit a new all-time high for those that brought her to him. They knew he had preached about this forgiveness. They may have even heard that him talk about how the tax collectors and the prostitutes would enter the kingdom of God before some “good, honest, God-fearin’” folks. Well, what would he do when his grace ran contrary to what the law of Moses commanded as the punishment for this sin?! Just how big would this Jesus go?

His compassion went further, bigger than anyone else’s had ever gone before! His condemnation was close behind!

He might as well have said, You self-righteous, hateful, people. You love to put the requirements of the law on everyone else. Let’s see if any of you have kept the law. The one of you who is perfect will be allowed to throw the first stone at her!

Jesus, himself, was the only one there who met the criteria. Even today, he would rather throw God’s grace at you instead of rocks. How about you? Which are you throwing?

Pastor Craig