1
00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,640
Speaker 1: Life Audio.

2
00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:14,320
Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to your Nightly Scripture, a calming

3
00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:18,680
Speaker 2: Scripture Center devotional podcast designed to help you end each

4
00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,880
Speaker 2: day with God's word in your mind and on your heart.

5
00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:28,080
Speaker 2: Right after this short word from our sponsors, will reflect

6
00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:42,320
Speaker 2: on tonight's scripture, John chapter eight. Tonight's Scripture reflection is

7
00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:45,920
Speaker 2: written by Robert Hampshire and read by Carrie Iigberger.

8
00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:53,199
Speaker 1: John chapter eight. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

9
00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:56,760
Speaker 2: At dawn, he appeared again in the temple courts, where

10
00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:59,840
Speaker 2: all the people gathered around him, and he sat down

11
00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:03,280
Speaker 2: teach them. The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees

12
00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:06,800
Speaker 2: brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her

13
00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:10,840
Speaker 2: stand before the group and said to Jesus, teacher, this

14
00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:11,520
Speaker 2: woman was.

15
00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:13,959
Speaker 1: Caught in the act of adultery, and the.

16
00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:16,480
Speaker 2: Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.

17
00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:18,319
Speaker 1: Now, what do you say.

18
00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:21,839
Speaker 2: They were using this question as a trap in order

19
00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:25,040
Speaker 2: to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent

20
00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:27,839
Speaker 2: down and started to write on the ground with his finger.

21
00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:30,560
Speaker 1: When they kept on questioning.

22
00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:33,479
Speaker 2: Him, he straightened up and said to them, let any

23
00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:36,319
Speaker 2: one of you who is without sin be the first

24
00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:39,520
Speaker 2: to throw a stone at her again, he stooped down

25
00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:43,000
Speaker 2: and wrote on the ground. At this those who heard

26
00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:46,400
Speaker 2: began to go away, one at a time, the older

27
00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,720
Speaker 2: ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman

28
00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:53,960
Speaker 2: still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, woman,

29
00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:58,200
Speaker 2: where are they? Has no one condemned you? No one, sir,

30
00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:03,120
Speaker 2: she said, Do I condemn you? Jesus declared, go now

31
00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:06,800
Speaker 2: and leave your life of sin. When Jesus spoke again

32
00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,240
Speaker 2: to the people, he said, I am the light of

33
00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:13,120
Speaker 2: the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,

34
00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:17,639
Speaker 2: but will have the light of life. The Pharisees challenged him,

35
00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:21,720
Speaker 2: here you are appearing as your own witness. Your testimony

36
00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:26,280
Speaker 2: is not valid. Jesus answered, even if I testify on

37
00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:29,800
Speaker 2: my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know

38
00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,600
Speaker 2: where I came from and where I am going. But

39
00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:34,720
Speaker 2: you have no idea where I come from or where

40
00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:38,440
Speaker 2: I am going. You judge by human standards. I pass

41
00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:41,760
Speaker 2: judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my

42
00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:45,440
Speaker 2: decisions are true because I am not alone. I stand

43
00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:48,639
Speaker 2: with the Father who sent me. And your own law

44
00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:51,880
Speaker 2: is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.

45
00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,919
Speaker 2: I am one who testifies for myself. My other witness

46
00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,000
Speaker 2: is the father who sent me. Then they asked him,

47
00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:00,400
Speaker 2: where is your father.

48
00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:03,880
Speaker 1: You do not know me or my father. Jesus replied,

49
00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:06,919
Speaker 1: if you knew me, you would know my father. Also.

50
00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,240
Speaker 2: He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts,

51
00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,800
Speaker 2: near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no

52
00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:17,120
Speaker 2: one seized him because his hour had not yet come.

53
00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,320
Speaker 1: Once more, Jesus said to them, I am going.

54
00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:23,880
Speaker 2: Away, and you will look for me, and you will

55
00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:27,120
Speaker 2: die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.

56
00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:32,040
Speaker 2: This maid that Jews ask, will he kill himself? Is

57
00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,400
Speaker 2: that why he says? Where I go, you cannot come?

58
00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:39,960
Speaker 2: But he continued, you are from below. I am from above.

59
00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,400
Speaker 2: You are of this world. I am not of this world.

60
00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:46,320
Speaker 2: I told you that you would die in your sins.

61
00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,440
Speaker 2: If you do not believe that I am he, you will.

62
00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:52,240
Speaker 1: Indeed die in your sins. Who are you?

63
00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:55,080
Speaker 2: They asked, just what I have been telling you from

64
00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,280
Speaker 2: the beginning? Jesus replied, I have much to say in

65
00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,520
Speaker 2: judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy,

66
00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:03,080
Speaker 2: and what I have heard.

67
00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:04,320
Speaker 1: From him, I tell the world.

68
00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:07,400
Speaker 2: They did not understand what he was telling them about

69
00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:11,440
Speaker 2: his father. So Jesus said, when you have lifted up

70
00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:14,240
Speaker 2: the son of Man, then you will know that I

71
00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:16,960
Speaker 2: am he, and that I do nothing on my own

72
00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:20,039
Speaker 2: but speak just what the Father has taught me. The

73
00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:22,840
Speaker 2: one who sent me is with me. He has not

74
00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:26,360
Speaker 2: left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.

75
00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:30,520
Speaker 2: Even as he spoke many believed in him. To the

76
00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:34,200
Speaker 2: Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, if you hold

77
00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,760
Speaker 2: to my teaching, you are really my disciples, then you

78
00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:40,599
Speaker 2: will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

79
00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:45,440
Speaker 2: They answered him, we are Abraham's descendants and have never

80
00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:48,680
Speaker 2: been slaves of anyone. How can you say that.

81
00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:49,960
Speaker 1: We shall be set free?

82
00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:55,359
Speaker 2: Jesus replied, very truly, I tell you, everyone who sins

83
00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:58,599
Speaker 2: is a slave to sin. Now, a slave has no

84
00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:02,000
Speaker 2: permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to

85
00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:05,840
Speaker 2: it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you

86
00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:09,839
Speaker 2: will be free. Indeed, I know that you are Abraham's descendants,

87
00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:12,080
Speaker 2: yet you are looking for a way to kill me,

88
00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:15,240
Speaker 2: because you have no room for my work. I am

89
00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:17,880
Speaker 2: telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence,

90
00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:20,680
Speaker 2: and you are doing what you have heard from your father.

91
00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:23,520
Speaker 1: Abraham is our father, they answered.

92
00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:27,680
Speaker 2: If you were Abraham's children, said Jesus, then you would

93
00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:31,000
Speaker 2: do what Abraham did. As it is, you are looking

94
00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,440
Speaker 2: for a way to kill me, a man who has

95
00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:37,240
Speaker 2: told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham

96
00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:40,400
Speaker 2: did not do such things. You are doing the works

97
00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:44,480
Speaker 2: of your own father. We are not illegitimate children, they protested.

98
00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,839
Speaker 2: The only father we have is God himself. Jesus said

99
00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:52,159
Speaker 2: to them, if God were your father, you would love me.

100
00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:55,640
Speaker 2: For I have come here from God. I have not

101
00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:59,200
Speaker 2: come on my own. God sent me. Why is my

102
00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:02,839
Speaker 2: language not to you because you are unable to hear

103
00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:05,719
Speaker 2: what I say. You belong to your father, the devil,

104
00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:09,320
Speaker 2: and you want to carry out your father's desires. He

105
00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:12,400
Speaker 2: was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth,

106
00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:15,800
Speaker 2: for there is no truth in him. When he lies,

107
00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:19,000
Speaker 2: he speaks his native language, for he is a liar

108
00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:20,520
Speaker 2: and the father of lies.

109
00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:24,240
Speaker 1: Yet, because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

110
00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:28,000
Speaker 2: Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If

111
00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,719
Speaker 2: I am telling the truth? Why don't you believe me?

112
00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:35,440
Speaker 2: Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason

113
00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:37,880
Speaker 2: you do not hear is that you do not belong

114
00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:42,240
Speaker 2: to God. The Jews answered him, Are we right in

115
00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:46,320
Speaker 2: saying that you are a Samaritan and demon possessed? I

116
00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,400
Speaker 2: am not possessed by a demon, said Jesus. But I

117
00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:53,120
Speaker 2: honor my father, and you dishonor me. I am not

118
00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:56,360
Speaker 2: seeking glory for myself, but there is no one who

119
00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:59,720
Speaker 2: seeks it, and he is the judge. Very truly, I

120
00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:03,640
Speaker 2: tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.

121
00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:07,960
Speaker 2: At this, they exclaimed, now we know that you are

122
00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:12,520
Speaker 2: demon possessed. Abraham died and so did the prophets. Yet

123
00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:16,120
Speaker 2: you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death.

124
00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:20,400
Speaker 2: Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died and

125
00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:23,000
Speaker 2: so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?

126
00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:28,720
Speaker 2: Jesus replied, If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing.

127
00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:32,520
Speaker 2: My father, whom you claim as your God, is the

128
00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,800
Speaker 2: one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him,

129
00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:38,800
Speaker 2: I know him. If I said I did not, I

130
00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,400
Speaker 2: would be a liar like you. But I do know

131
00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:45,400
Speaker 2: him and obey his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced at

132
00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:48,120
Speaker 2: the thought of seeing my day. He saw it and

133
00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:51,680
Speaker 2: was clad you are not yet fifty years old, they

134
00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:55,880
Speaker 2: said to him, And you have seen Abraham very truly,

135
00:07:55,920 --> 00:08:00,440
Speaker 2: I tell you, Jesus answered, before Abraham was born, I

136
00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:04,280
Speaker 2: am at this. They picked up stones to stone him,

137
00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:07,080
Speaker 2: but Jesus hid himself, slipping.

138
00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:08,480
Speaker 1: Away from the temple grounds.

139
00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:15,480
Speaker 2: One of the most profound aspects of the creation story

140
00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:19,400
Speaker 2: in Genesis is that God brought light into existence by

141
00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:23,680
Speaker 2: speaking it into existence, and when he did, God called

142
00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:27,520
Speaker 2: this light good and then separated it from the darkness.

143
00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:32,240
Speaker 2: Think about that God not only created something out of nothing,

144
00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:37,520
Speaker 2: but what he created was literally light itself. This means

145
00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:41,720
Speaker 2: at least two things. First, it means that in order

146
00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:45,280
Speaker 2: for God to produce light, he must consist of it.

147
00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:51,840
Speaker 2: Darkness has never produced light. Secondly, this means that before

148
00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:55,560
Speaker 2: God turned on the switch, the earth was completely dark.

149
00:08:56,000 --> 00:09:00,679
Speaker 2: This second truth also applies to our souls. Until our

150
00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:04,520
Speaker 2: hearts are illuminated with the truth and love of Jesus Christ,

151
00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,000
Speaker 2: we sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

152
00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:12,720
Speaker 2: As Zacharius stated, quoting the prophet Isaiah and Luke one

153
00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:17,960
Speaker 2: verse seventy nine, light and darkness cannot occupy the same space,

154
00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:21,440
Speaker 2: which is good news for us who have the light

155
00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:25,560
Speaker 2: of Christ. The darkness of sin is obvious and prevalent

156
00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:28,960
Speaker 2: in the lost world in which we live. The only

157
00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:33,400
Speaker 2: cure for this darkness is the same cure for darkness

158
00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:35,679
Speaker 2: before God created light in Genesis One.

159
00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:38,320
Speaker 1: Light, but not only that.

160
00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:42,079
Speaker 2: Darkness can even be seen in the lives of Christians

161
00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:45,640
Speaker 2: when we try to live our days without seeking God's

162
00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:50,640
Speaker 2: will and without following God's word. So, as Jesus, the

163
00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:54,760
Speaker 2: true light of the world, declared in John twelve, if

164
00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:58,760
Speaker 2: we follow him, we will not walk in darkness, but

165
00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:06,600
Speaker 2: have the light of life. Heavenly Father, thank you for

166
00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:10,200
Speaker 2: providing the light in the darkest places of this world,

167
00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:13,840
Speaker 2: and for lighting up the darkness that once was in

168
00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:14,400
Speaker 2: my soul.

169
00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:16,920
Speaker 1: If not for you, I.

170
00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:21,720
Speaker 2: Would be hopeless and helpless. Apart from your miraculous grace

171
00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:25,120
Speaker 2: applied to my life, I would be lost and blind.

172
00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:28,760
Speaker 2: And since the day you saved me, you have been

173
00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:31,520
Speaker 2: lighting the path in front of me and keeping my

174
00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:35,080
Speaker 2: feet from stumbling as I read your word. Thank you

175
00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:37,600
Speaker 2: for caring so much for me that you did not

176
00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:40,840
Speaker 2: leave me in my darkness. Help me to open up

177
00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:43,240
Speaker 2: any areas in my life that have been.

178
00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:44,359
Speaker 1: Kept in the shadows.

179
00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:48,040
Speaker 2: So truth and love can shine in and help me

180
00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:51,480
Speaker 2: to reflect your light to the people around me so

181
00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:55,920
Speaker 2: they can see the way, the truth and the life too.

182
00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:58,400
Speaker 2: And Jesus name Amen.

183
00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:01,839
Speaker 1: How did tonight scripture speak to you?

184
00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:05,520
Speaker 2: Share your thoughts in the Your Nightly Scripture Forum discussion.

185
00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:19,600
Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture

186
00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:24,240
Speaker 3: was read from the New International Version by Biblica. All

187
00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:31,040
Speaker 3: rights reserved. If Tonight's episode blessed you, be sure to

188
00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:35,960
Speaker 3: follow the show on Apple Podcasts so your next Nightly

189
00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:41,760
Speaker 3: Scripture is ready when you are. Your Nightly Scripture is

190
00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:47,320
Speaker 3: a production of Life Audio and Salem Media. Thank you

191
00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:50,080
Speaker 3: and we'll see you tomorrow.

192
00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:59,400
Speaker 2: Night