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Jesus Alone!


Death was written all over it.  Not just death, but stoned, the 1st century kind.  The kind with rocks being thrown at you until you die!

The woman had been caught in the act of adultery and the religious leaders were bringing her before Jesus to see what He would do.  According to the Law, she was to be stoned.  But the religious leaders weren’t really that interested in carrying out the law.  They wanted to catch Jesus in a trap.  They wanted him to say or do something in direct violation of the Law.  Then He couldn’t be who He claimed to be.

But Jesus, knowing their intent, confronted them with the issue of their own sin.  “If any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her”.  Ouch!  If any of them picked up a stone, they would immediately show themselves to be hypocrites.  None, even the most religious, was without sin. 

No one dared to pick up a stone.  The oldest leader, and presumably the wisest, left first.  Then one by one they all left and the woman was there with Jesus alone.  She was guilty but Jesus showed her mercy and grace.  He told her to go and sin no more.

Life was written all over it.  If the best of life could be described as a mountain top experience, this was the Mount Everest of mountain top experiences.

Three of Jesus’ disciples went up to a mountain with Jesus where He was transfigured before them.  His clothes became as white as white could be.  Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared with Jesus.  Moses represented the law and Elijah represented the prophets with both representing how God engaged with people in the past.

Then they heard the voice of God:  “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.”  The three disciples fell on their faces in fear.  Then Jesus came and touched them and they saw no one except Jesus alone.

Two accounts, polls apart.  One about the reality of sin and death.  The other about the reality of life.  To deal with sin and death, we need Jesus alone.  To deal with life itself, we need Jesus alone.

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