Praise the Lord for
this day. Tomorrow is the Ash Wednesday. Last Sunday was Transfiguration
Sunday. The Transfiguration event is recorded in Matthew, Mark and Luke.
Jesus took Peter, James and John up to very High Mountain. While He prayed
there, suddenly, He was transfigured before Peter, John, and James. The three
disciples had been asleep prior to the amazing spectacle of our Lord's
Transfiguration. As the disciple opened their eyes they saw Jesus conferring
with Moses and Elijah. The disciples were afraid.
One of the interesting things is that at the Transfiguration, although God affirmed Jesus as his Son whom he loves, and with whom he is very pleased, and said that we are to listen to him, he said nothing to or about Moses or Elijah. Peter, James, and John were overcome with fear. They did not know what to do or say, but Peter impulsively blurted out: “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters — one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” Matthew 17:4 Then he was interrupted by the voice from the cloud of glory saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” Matthew 17:5
Peter was impetuous and did not realize what he is saying. Jesus was not among equals (as important as Moses and Elijah are). Three tents would not have been appropriate, because Jesus was not merely on par with Moses as another law-giver, and neither was he one of the prophets like Elijah. He was different — completely different - and far above Moses and Elijah. He is the Son of God. He is without equal.
Interestingly, Matthew recounted that when the disciples looked up after falling to the ground and cowering in fear, “they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.” Moses was gone, and Elijah was gone, and Jesus stood alone. No one is like him. No one can compare with him. He is one of a kind. He alone is the unique and universal Savior of the world. The transfiguration answers the question: “Who is Jesus?”. The law and the prophets had served their purpose, and Jesus came to fulfill all that they had said.
One of the interesting things is that at the Transfiguration, although God affirmed Jesus as his Son whom he loves, and with whom he is very pleased, and said that we are to listen to him, he said nothing to or about Moses or Elijah. Peter, James, and John were overcome with fear. They did not know what to do or say, but Peter impulsively blurted out: “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters — one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” Matthew 17:4 Then he was interrupted by the voice from the cloud of glory saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” Matthew 17:5
Peter was impetuous and did not realize what he is saying. Jesus was not among equals (as important as Moses and Elijah are). Three tents would not have been appropriate, because Jesus was not merely on par with Moses as another law-giver, and neither was he one of the prophets like Elijah. He was different — completely different - and far above Moses and Elijah. He is the Son of God. He is without equal.
Interestingly, Matthew recounted that when the disciples looked up after falling to the ground and cowering in fear, “they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.” Moses was gone, and Elijah was gone, and Jesus stood alone. No one is like him. No one can compare with him. He is one of a kind. He alone is the unique and universal Savior of the world. The transfiguration answers the question: “Who is Jesus?”. The law and the prophets had served their purpose, and Jesus came to fulfill all that they had said.
In the
event of Transfiguration we have the glimpse of Jesus Christ, the Living and the
Holy God. He gave a foretaste of His divine nature and power. We have a
glimpse of the Kingdom of God present in the person and the ministry of Jesus
Christ our Lord. He is in with us now.
Dallas Willard has shared, “The Gospel is not about getting into heaven when we die, it is getting into heaven before we die.” We get to participate in the life of God and take on his image and character before we die.
Peter, James, and John had their eyes opened to see that the Kingdom was not a future event, but a present reality. We are daily surrounded by the Kingdom of God. Whether we see it or feel it is irrelevant – it is there. Our part is to be aware of it, to live in that reality, and to actively participate in the life of God as it surrounds us and is within us.
“The Christian faith is not just about looking forward to an eternity in heaven, it is about living a Jesus-led life that brings a bit of heaven on earth.” -- Jamie Gump
David Yarborough has told the story from one of Max Lucado’s books of a lady who had a small house on the seashore of Ireland at the turn of the century. She was quite wealthy but also quite frugal. The people were surprised, then, when she decided to be among the first to have electricity in her home. Several weeks after the installation, a meter reader appeared at her door. He asked if her electricity was working well, and she assured him it was. “I’m wondering if you can explain something to me,” he said. “Your meter shows scarcely any usage. Are you using your power?” “Certainly,” she answered. “Each evening when the sun sets, I turn on my lights just long enough to light my candles; then I turn them off.”
Dallas Willard has shared, “The Gospel is not about getting into heaven when we die, it is getting into heaven before we die.” We get to participate in the life of God and take on his image and character before we die.
Peter, James, and John had their eyes opened to see that the Kingdom was not a future event, but a present reality. We are daily surrounded by the Kingdom of God. Whether we see it or feel it is irrelevant – it is there. Our part is to be aware of it, to live in that reality, and to actively participate in the life of God as it surrounds us and is within us.
“The Christian faith is not just about looking forward to an eternity in heaven, it is about living a Jesus-led life that brings a bit of heaven on earth.” -- Jamie Gump
David Yarborough has told the story from one of Max Lucado’s books of a lady who had a small house on the seashore of Ireland at the turn of the century. She was quite wealthy but also quite frugal. The people were surprised, then, when she decided to be among the first to have electricity in her home. Several weeks after the installation, a meter reader appeared at her door. He asked if her electricity was working well, and she assured him it was. “I’m wondering if you can explain something to me,” he said. “Your meter shows scarcely any usage. Are you using your power?” “Certainly,” she answered. “Each evening when the sun sets, I turn on my lights just long enough to light my candles; then I turn them off.”
Yarborough
went on to say, “She tapped into the power but did not use it. Her house is
connected, but not altered. Don’t we make the same mistake? We, too — with our
souls saved but our hearts unchanged — are connected but not altered. Trusting
Christ for salvation but resisting transformation. We occasionally flip the
switch, but most of the time we settle for shadows.”
In Christ,
In Christ,
Brown
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