Pastor's Sunday Message, October 18, 2026

A Life-Changing Verse
Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) This is a life-changing verse if we truly understand what Jesus is saying.

Jesus made this declaration during the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths. The people of Israel celebrated this feast to remember how God had led them through the wilderness after they left Egypt. In ancient Jerusalem, the celebration included a magnificent ceremony of light. Giant lamps illuminated the temple courtyard. Their light could be seen throughout the city. People sang and danced with great joy. According to the Mishnah, whoever had not witnessed this celebration had never truly seen joy! The people celebrated God’s faithfulness. They praised God throughout the night for providing for them and forgiving their sins. Then morning came. And that morning, something unexpected happened.

The Accusers
John 8:2 says: “Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them.” This was no ordinary morning. The people had spent the night celebrating God’s goodness and forgiveness. But now, the religious leaders brought a woman caught in adultery before Jesus. They said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” Jesus answered, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” What happened next? One by one, the accusers walked away, beginning with the oldest.

Why? Jesus had exposed the darkness in their own hearts. They had just celebrated God’s forgiveness, but now they were ready to condemn someone else. What a contradiction! They sang about God’s mercy, but they were unwilling to show mercy. And here Jesus declares, “I am the light of the world.” His light exposes the darkness not only in the woman’s life, but also in the hearts of her accusers.

And we need that same light today. We can attend church, read the Bible, and sing praises to God, yet still fail to show God’s grace to others. We can celebrate God’s blessings while refusing to share them. When we forget how much grace we have received, we become quick to judge others and slow to show mercy.

The Accused
Now, what about the woman? She is facing death. She has been exposed, humiliated, and abandoned. She has nowhere to turn. Then Jesus asks her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She answers, “No one, sir.” Jesus declares: “Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.” What extraordinary grace!

Jesus does not say that her sin does not matter. He offers her mercy and calls her to a new life. Notice the order. Jesus does not say, “Put yourself together first, and then I will love you.” He offers her grace first. Then he calls her to change. Grace comes first. A changed life follows. She is not called to leave her life of sin simply because she fears punishment. She is invited to live differently because she has encountered the grace of God.

She was guilty, but Jesus did not condemn her. How is that possible? The law is God’s word, so Jesus does not simply dismiss it. Then, how can he say, “Neither do I condemn you?” Because Jesus came to bear our condemnation. It is as if he says to her: “Sister, you are not being stoned today because I will be. I will take the stones, I will take the nails, I will take the crown of thorns. I will take what you deserve, so you can receive what I deserve.” On the cross, Jesus paid the price for our sin. He upheld God’s justice and truth. And on the cross, he extended God’s mercy and love. At the cross of Christ, perfect justice and mercy meet, so that we can live freely and love boldly.

Think of God’s grace as a safety net. When the Golden Gate Bridge was under construction, the work was dangerous. Workers labored hundreds of feet above the water, facing strong winds and thick fog. Finally, chief engineer Joseph Strauss installed a safety net beneath the bridge. The net gave the workers greater confidence. They could focus on their work without being paralyzed by fear. The net eventually saved nineteen workers who fell from the bridge. They became known as the “Halfway-to-Hell Club.” God’s grace is like that safety net. When we try to live a good life only out of fear or religious obligation, we can become exhausted or judgmental. But when we experience God’s forgiveness and love, we find the freedom to change. Grace does not give us permission to sin. Grace gives us the freedom and strength to leave our life of sin.

Walking in the Light
Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.” The accusers need the light of truth. The accused woman needs the light of grace. And we all need the light of Christ. 1 John 1:7 says: “If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” Walking in the light means allowing God’s truth and love to transform our lives.

Let me share one more story. During the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, Corrie ten Boom helped hide Jewish people in her home. She was arrested and sent to a concentration camp where her sister Betsie died. After the war, Corrie traveled to Germany to share the message of God’s forgiveness. One day, after a service, a man approached her. She immediately recognized him. He had been a guard at the concentration camp where she had suffered. He extended his hand and thanked her for her message about God’s forgiveness. But Corrie remembered the terrible things he had done. She could not bring herself to take his hand. She knew she needed to forgive him, but she could not do it in her own strength. So she prayed silently: “Lord, help! I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling.” She reached out her hand. And then she experienced God’s love in a powerful way. Tears filled her eyes, and she cried out, “I forgive you, brother, with all my heart!” Later, she wrote, “I had never known God’s love so intensely, as I did then.” How could she forgive someone who had caused her so much pain? She had received God’s forgiveness, and through God’s grace, she was able to extend forgiveness to another person.

That is the power of God’s grace. We forgive because we have been forgiven. We love because we have been loved. We give because we have been given. We cannot overcome sin simply by trying harder. We need the light of Christ. The good news is that the true light has already come!

Honor God with Your Life
Let me close with a pesronal story about my daughter Esther. Esther has always wanted to learn the flute. On her school orientation day, she discovered that flute lessons were available at school. She was so excited! But then she learned that there was a monthly rental fee for the instrument, and it was quite expensive. Joyce and I told her, “Esther, we would be more than happy to make this happen for you.” Her face lit up with a big smile. And she said something I will never forget: “I will make it worth!” Since then, she has been practicing the flute almost every day. And every time I hear Esther play, it makes me smile.

We don’t know what happened to the woman Jesus forgave. I wonder. Perhaps she went on to share with others the mercy she had received. Perhaps her life became a testimony to the transforming power of God’s grace. We know this: Jesus Christ took our condemnation upon himself so that we might receive new life. May we forgive because we have been forgiven. May we love because we have been loved. May we give because we have been given so much.

So let us come to Jesus and believe this good news: Jesus Christ is the light of the world. Whoever follows him will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. Amen.