Reputation is huge. We spend our lives building up some sort of repuation for ourselves that will gain us approval or put us in some sort of class with others around us. I'm not talking about identity...Identity is something much deeper...of course Identity is connected to our repuation, but what makes these two different is that our repuation is surface-level...its how people view us...and we care (or worry) alot about that.
So it makes sense that in a culture such as our...that loves the idea of love and relationships, that much of a person's reputation can stem from their familiararity with this topic. Here is what I mean:
- There are those of us who's repuation when it comes to this topic of dating and relationships, isn't all that great...people know us for our mistakes in this area of our lives
- Or there are those of us who want to be known for being loved and execpted by someone...but since we've never dated, we feel unloved and unwanted...and we think everyone else around us sees us in the same way...
- Then there are those of us who want the repuation that we are against the whole topic of dating and relationships. We want people to know that we aren't falling into that "trap"...that we're staying pure...which is great, as long as it is for God's glory in your life and not a way to build up your motivation to tear down other "unpure" people...(ouch).
But what if what the Gospel wants us to see and get when it comes to this idea of dating and relationships, is that Jesus' love shown on the cross was meant to blow away any good and bad reputation you have gained? What if it isn't about surface-level reputations, but rather heart-saturated love that screams out that I have been rescued by Jesus!
In the Gospel of John, we see a story about a woman with a bad reputation and a group of people with good reputations. The good reputation people were calling to surface the bad reputation woman and her past life of relational choices.
The picture seems to fit our culture so perfectly...a bunch of people running around showing off or trying to hide their reputations...until Jesus shows up and changed everything!
Use these questions about John 7:53-8:11 as you continue to wrestle through the idea of what Godly wisdom says about dating and relationships.
1. Take a moment and jot down some words or thoughts about what your reputation is...how others see (or how you think they) see you.
2. Why do you think this idea of relationship/who is dating who...is such a big deal in our culture today?
- Just look at magazines, movies, music (the 10 ten most popular songs are covered with relationship lyrics!
3. Read John 7:53-John 8:11.
- What reputations do you find present in this story?
- What is Jesus' reaction to the different reputations?
- How do the people react to Jesus' reaction?
4. In your mind, what is the signifigance of Jesus drawing a line in the sand?
5. Do you see youirself as more of the woman with the bad (past) reputation...the type of reputation that brings guilt and shame and it follows you?
OR
Are you more like the the group of scribes and Pharisees who have "good" reputations with others?
6. According to Jesus, who is better off...the woman or the group of strone-throwers?
7. Read verse 11...Jesus doesn't condemn her but He also doesn't send her away without hope for a new reputation and identity...how key is it that Jesus doesn't just help her with her reputation but rather shows deep concern for her heart...her identity and hope?
Join us Thursday night at Matt & Amanda's at 7pm as we go deeper into this topic and study together as a group!
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