Daily Readings - Sun Apr 06 2025
Isaiah
16Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;17Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.18Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.19Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.20The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.21This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.
Philippians
8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,9And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:10That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.12Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
John
1Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.2And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.3And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,4They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.5Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?6This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.7So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.8And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.9And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.10When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?11She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful themes of God's mercy, faith, and the invitation to move beyond our past mistakes. The first reading from Isaiah speaks of a God who creates new pathways in the desert, offering hope and renewal to His people. This passage, written during a time of exile, reminds us that even in our darkest moments, God is always doing something new, bringing life to barren places. The second reading from Philippians finds Paul emphasizing the superiority of knowing Christ over any earthly achievement or legalistic observance. He strips away all else to focus on the pursuit of a deeper relationship with Jesus, acknowledging that true righteousness comes through faith. Finally, the Gospel presents Jesus' encounter with the woman caught in adultery, where He challenges the hypocrisy of her accusers and offers her mercy and a new beginning.
These readings are woven together by the thread of God's grace and the call to live in the present, unencumbered by past failures or rigid legalism. Isaiah's promise of new life, Paul's single-minded pursuit of Christ, and Jesus' act of mercy all point to the transformative power of God's love. Each reading invites us to let go of what holds us back and to trust in God's plan, which is always oriented toward life and freedom.
As we reflect on these readings, we are challenged to examine our own lives. Where are we holding onto past sins or failures? Where are we prioritizing rules over relationships or settling for superficial righteousness? The good news is that God's mercy is always available, inviting us to start anew. Let us, like Paul, press on toward the goal of knowing Christ more deeply, and like the woman in the Gospel, walk away from our sins with gratitude and resolve to live differently. May we embrace the new thing God is doing in our lives, trusting in His promise to bring light and life even in the most unexpected places.