HillCity Church

10/26/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1DxyJfMvhc/

10/23/2026

The story of the woman caught in adultery is one of the most breathtaking revelations of the finished work of Jesus Christ. But there is a detail in John 8 that is often overlooked. When the religious leaders brought this woman before Jesus, they were not looking for justice. They were looking for a reason to accuse Him. And in their attempt to condemn a guilty woman, they found themselves standing before the only Man who had the authority to judge her.

Think about that.

The woman had been caught in adultery. She was dragged into the temple courts and placed in the middle of a crowd. Her sin was exposed. Her reputation was destroyed. And the religious leaders were ready to use her failure as an opportunity to trap Jesus.

They reminded Him that the law of Moses commanded such women to be stoned.

Then they asked what He thought should happen to her.

But notice something extraordinary.

The law required both the man and the woman involved in adultery to be held accountable. Yet only the woman stood before Jesus.

The man was nowhere to be seen.

The accusers were not interested in righteousness.

They were interested in condemnation.

And Jesus did something completely unexpected.

He bent down and began writing on the ground with His finger.

Scripture does not tell us what He wrote. But the image is extraordinary. The religious leaders stood above the woman demanding judgment, while Jesus lowered Himself toward the ground.

They were ready to throw stones.

Jesus was writing in the dust.

And when they continued questioning Him, Jesus stood and said, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

One sentence.

And suddenly, the accusers became aware of their own guilt.

One by one, they began walking away.

The older ones first.

Then the younger ones.

Until the only people remaining were Jesus and the woman.

But here is where the story becomes breathtaking.

The only Man standing before her who was truly without sin was Jesus.

He was the only One who met the standard He had just spoken.

He was the only One who had never violated the law.

He was the only One who possessed perfect righteousness.

And He did not pick up a stone.

Instead, He asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

She answered, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

Do not miss the order.

Jesus did not tell her to stop sinning so that He could decide whether to condemn her.

He first declared that He did not condemn her.

Then He called her to leave her sin behind.

Grace came before the instruction.

Mercy came before the transformation.

And this is a beautiful picture of what Jesus would accomplish through His finished work.

At the cross, Jesus took upon Himself the judgment our sins deserved. He bore our guilt. He carried our shame. He became the perfect sacrifice that accomplished what our religious performance never could.

Romans 8:1 declares, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

No condemnation.

Not reduced condemnation.

Not delayed condemnation.

Not condemnation that returns every time you fail.

No condemnation.

Because Jesus has already borne the judgment for our sins.

And this is what so many believers have yet to understand.

They believe Jesus forgave them when they first believed, but they continue living as though every failure places them back under judgment.

They approach God with fear.

They rehearse their mistakes.

They punish themselves emotionally.

They believe that feeling guilty long enough somehow proves their sincerity.

But guilt cannot accomplish what the blood of Jesus has already accomplished.

Your tears did not purchase your forgiveness.

Your regret did not pay your debt.

Your promises to do better did not remove your sins.

Jesus did.

And perhaps the most beautiful detail in this story is that the woman never defended herself.

She offered no explanation.

She presented no evidence of her goodness.

She made no promise to earn mercy.

She stood before Jesus with nothing to offer.

And He did not condemn her.

This is the heart of the gospel.

Religion brings your failures into the center of the room and demands an explanation.

Jesus reveals a mercy greater than your failures.

Religion reminds you of everything you have done wrong.

The finished work reminds you of everything Jesus has made right.

Religion tells you that condemnation will motivate you to become holy.

The gospel reveals that grace teaches us to live differently.

And there is something deeply personal about this encounter.

Jesus did not pretend the woman’s sin was acceptable.

He told her to leave it behind.

But He did not use condemnation as the foundation for her transformation.

He gave her mercy.

Because grace does not give us permission to remain in bo***ge.

Grace reveals the freedom Jesus has made available.

And through His death and resurrection, everyone who believes in Him has received something this woman was witnessing before the cross.

Complete forgiveness.

Perfect righteousness in Christ.

Peace with God.

And freedom from condemnation.

So if you have spent years allowing your past to define you, I want you to remember this encounter.

The woman was brought before Jesus because of what she had done.

But she walked away having encountered who He was.

Her accusers wanted her story to end with stones.

Jesus sent her away with mercy.

And through His finished work, your story does not have to be defined by the sins He has already forgiven.

You are not your worst decision.

You are not your greatest failure.

You are not the accusation someone continues speaking over your life.

If you are in Christ, you are forgiven.

You are righteous.

You are accepted.

You are loved.

And there is no condemnation remaining against you.

The religious leaders brought her to Jesus expecting Him to condemn her.

But they brought her to the very One who would soon bear the condemnation of sinners upon Himself.

They came holding stones.

He came carrying mercy.

They wanted to expose her sin.

He revealed His grace.

And the only sinless Man in the room refused to condemn her.

The woman stood before Jesus with a past she could not change.

And Jesus gave her a future that was not defined by it.

That is the beauty of the gospel.

That is the heart of the Father.

And that is the finished work of Jesus Christ.

10/23/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14sifWHd7Nk/

SAVED BY GRACE ALONE

I brought nothing but my brokenness. Jesus gave everything — His life, His love, His forgiveness. My sin was great, but His grace is greater. I don't deserve it, but I receive it. Saved by grace alone. 🤍🤍🤍

10/20/2026

10/16/2026

Have you thought about getting back to church but just haven't done it? Are you afraid you won't be accepted or know what to do? Maybe you just aren't sure where to go. We would love to have you join us this Sunday!!
Here at HillCity Church in Oneonta, NY, our banner is "Let grace reign"! You'll find people who love Jesus and each other even though we are broken and hurting. You'll experience the love of Jesus as we share our lives together, the good and the bad. And you'll know what it means to be covered with the grace of God as it reigns in our fellowship. Take a chance- come on out- we have a seat waiting just for you!
We meet at 10:30 AM and our address is:
County Hwy 48
Oneonta, NY 13820

Hope to see you soon!

07/29/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/195vhyHzxN/
This is the reality for each and every one of us, friends! Jesus has set us free COMPLETELY! It doesn’t matter what your sin was, what matters is Who took it and then gave you His life!

The day I met Jesus, everything changed. People often ask me how many days I have been sober, and I understand why they ask. That is how many of us have learned to measure freedom. We count days because we are hoping tomorrow looks better than yesterday. But when I met Jesus, I realized He gave me something far greater than another day. He gave me a brand new life.

For years, I lived as someone trying to escape addiction. Every day felt like another battle to survive. I knew what it was like to promise myself I would never go back, only to find myself trapped again. Then I encountered Jesus, and I discovered that He did not simply offer me better habits. He offered me Himself.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. That verse stopped being an encouraging thought and became my reality. Jesus did not renovate the old me. He made me new. My past no longer had the final word because His finished work did.

I used to think freedom was something I had to protect every single day. Now I know freedom is a Person who lives within me. Jesus did not rescue me so I could spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder. He rescued me so I could look forward with confidence. My future is not built on my ability to stay free. It is built on His ability to keep me.

When people ask how many sober days I have, I usually smile because I honestly do not know anymore. I stopped counting. Not because freedom became less important, but because Jesus became more important. My attention shifted from tracking my past to enjoying the One who gave me a future.

Paul reminded believers, “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2. Notice that he did not describe freedom as something fragile. He described it as something that has already happened because of Christ. Jesus did not place me on probation. He placed me in His life.

When I counted days, I was always aware of what I had escaped. Now I spend my days aware of who I belong to. That change has brought more peace than I ever found in keeping a calendar. My identity is no longer recovering. My identity is redeemed.

I love the story of the man who had been unable to walk for many years. After Jesus healed him, He did not tell him to keep returning to the mat that had defined his life. He told him, “Rise, take up your bed, and walk.” John 5:8. The thing that once represented his weakness became something he carried behind him instead of something that carried him. That is what Jesus has done for me.

The cross did more than forgive my sins. It broke the lie that addiction was my identity. Jesus did not give me a better label. He gave me His righteousness. I no longer introduce myself by the chains He already removed. I introduce myself as someone loved, accepted, and forever secure in Christ.

If you are still counting every day because it gives you hope, I am thankful you are moving forward. But I also want you to know there is an even deeper rest available. Jesus did not come merely to help us survive another twenty four hours. He came so we could know Him as our life. The more I have looked at Him, the less I have looked at my past.

I still remember the night my life changed forever. I met Jesus, and what years of striving could never accomplish, His grace accomplished in a moment. I have never wanted to go back because I am not trying to become someone different anymore. In Christ, I already am.

So today I do not celebrate a number on a calendar. I celebrate the Savior who gave me a new heart, a new identity, and a new future. My testimony is not that I have stayed sober for a certain number of days. My testimony is that Jesus Christ set me free, and He has been faithful every single day since.