![\"EPC18](\"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/sitenews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/images_news-2018_EPC18-Rhamie-scaled.jpg\" "\\"Pastor")
At the end of his 35 minute delivery, spontaneous applause from the audience came across as an affirmation of a message relevant for our congregations to REACH EUROPE, the central theme for the EPC.<\/p>\n31 August 2018 | Belgrade, Serbia [Sam O Davies]<\/p>\n
If one of the aims of the European Pastors\u2019 Council (EPC) is to inspire, then there was ample evidence from the audience that it was accomplished. Enthralled by the remarkable illumination on the well-known story of the woman caught in adultery, Gifford Rhamie (Lecturer and Director of Field Education at Newbold College of Higher Education) appealed to mind and emotion during the early morning devotional on the Thursday\u2019s theme of \u201cInspire.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the end of his 35 minute delivery, spontaneous applause from the audience came across as an affirmation of a message relevant for our congregations to REACH EUROPE, the central theme for the EPC.<\/p>\n
Sakari Vehkavuori, a pastor from Finland, could not help but to share with me that \u201cGifford was able to depict a picture of a true church that is able to welcome people.\u201d He added, \u201cI think this has been the biggest struggle for the church, we don\u2019t truly know how to welcome everybody.\u201d Sakari said, “As a church, we appear to be further away from the real world, but this message is calling us back to where the people are, where Christ was.” He also added, \u201cso far, this is the most moving message for me at this conference, and I plan to share the link of this sermon with my church members.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rhamie portrayed the familiar New Testament story taken from John 8:3-11 through the eyes of a 21st<\/sup> century person. He used imageries such as videotaping the woman and posting it on YouTube and other social media to prove to Jesus, whom they called Rabbi, and for all to see that she was caught in the very act. She was made guilty before trial.<\/p>\n As this woman was brought before Jesus, he was left to be the sole judge. Standing before Jesus, she was shaking like a leaf. Referring to her agony of standing before the Rabbi Jesus and knowing that she was guilty, Rhamie said, he would rather stand before Jesus, than before his parents, or the church board and other bosses. Because in Jesus, there is compassion, there is forgiveness, there is a second chance.<\/p>\n Those who brought her knew that according to Moses\u2019 law, such a crime is punishable by death. They asked Jesus, what do you say Rabbi? From here, Rhamie\u2019s sermon took a turning to probe into the interactions, first between the accusers of the woman and Jesus and then between the woman and Jesus.<\/p>\n Rhamie shared three scholarly interpretations on what Jesus, wrote on the ground. First, those who suggest that Jesus was writing down their accusations and then wrote the verdict and as they read it, they drop their stones one by one. Another commentator, he said, has it that Jesus was writing down their sins which caused them to leave the scene. A third commentator has it that he was writing down the ten commandments. When they read, thou shall not steal, a few stones fell. When they read, thou shall not kill; still, a few more stones fell. When they read, thou shall not commit adultery, a whole load of stones dropped. Eventually, Jesus was left alone with the woman.<\/p>\n