This morning, we explored the deep connection between ourselves and the cross of Christ, focusing on the doctrine of atonement—how Jesus’ sacrifice covers and removes our sins. We began by recognizing our total dependence on God every moment of every day, and how easily we drift into self-dependence when we lose sight of that. The story from John 7 and 8, particularly the woman caught in adultery, reveals not just a lesson in mercy, but a living illustration of atonement. The Pharisees, intent on upholding the law, brought the woman before Jesus to trap Him, but Jesus’ response exposed both the hypocrisy of the accusers and the heart of God’s redemptive plan. Jesus, by writing in the dirt and challenging anyone without sin to cast the first stone, upheld the law’s standard while simultaneously revealing that none are qualified to judge except Himself. He did not dismiss the seriousness of sin, but neither did He condemn the woman. Instead, He removed her penalty and called her to a new life: “Go and sin no more.” This is the costly love of Christ—He accepts the code, but He takes the penalty upon Himself. The story is not just about the woman; it’s about all of us. We are all like sheep who have gone astray, deserving of judgment, but Jesus steps in as both our judge and justifier. The cross is not a distant event; it is a personal connection. Jesus’ atonement is not just a theological concept, but a lived reality for every believer. He sets us free from the law of sin and death, not so we can continue in our old ways, but so we can walk in the freedom and victory He has purchased for us. The call is not just to receive forgiveness, but to live differently—to “stop it,” to rebuke the old patterns, and to honor the price that was paid. We are not condemned; we are free, and that freedom is meant to be lived out daily, in gratitude and obedience.