Merriam Webster defines to stoop as to bend one's body forward and downward.
We praise our God because he Stoops!
John Chapter 8:2-11
Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?" 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus stooped (bent down) and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."
Do you think Jesus was surprised by these men bringing this woman to him?
Was he thrown off-guard by their approaching him?
Let's take a look at what happened.
Jesus stooped down lower than anyone else. By doing so, he humbled himself lower than all the rest. He bent down and wrote on the ground to draw the attention from the lady. I am sure the Pharisees and Scribes were glaring with a murderous stare at the woman whom they had dragged to the temple. By doing so, Jesus drew their attention to him. We do not know what he was writing in the dirt, the only sermon that Christ ever wrote, but after a while the Pharisees and Scribes drew impatient. They asked again.
Jesus stood up and said:
"Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."
Once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. Then one by one they walked away.
Do you see the beauty of this scripture?
Jesus was able through his actions to get all of them, including the Pharisees and the Scribes, to admit they were sinners.
He knew they were coming to try to trick him and he outsmarted them.
He took their attention off the woman and put it back on themselves. They knew they were sinners and he got them to admit that.
Humility was the catalyst for Grace.
Jesus said: "I came to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance".
Jesus came to save sinners, so he brought this woman to him by using the Pharisees and Scribes. He saved her by using them.
This is the beauty of what happened-he brought them all to him so that they would stand naked before him in their sin.
This is a picture of Grace in action. This is the aggressive forgiveness we call Grace.
Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."
*The only one qualified to throw a stone chose not to. He forgave!
Jesus stood in between this woman and her accusers. He took their attention off of her and put in on himself.
He intervened for her. He forgave her. He will do the same for you.
1 John Chapter 2:1
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
He is always there for us.
Hebrews 7:25, NLT
"Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him.
Our God will stoop for you, he stooped to be born in a stable in a manger, he stooped to wash the Disciples feet, he stooped to carry his cross, He will stand in the gap for your, He will forgive you.
Our past, present, and future sins are forgiven. Christ continuous presence in Heaven assures us that our sins have been paid for and are forgiven.
Give your Heart to Jesus! He will forgive you and grant you peace and everlasting life!