"ANTICIPATED GLORY"
(Second in a Series entitled:
"Journeying With Jesus Towards Jerusalem")
"Leaving this view (above photo) was one of the most difficult decisions in
our move to Texas. Mt. Baldy is 9,000 feet above sea level. When we wanted
to get away from traffic and people, we would drive into the
San Gabriel Mountains. Many of our retreats were in those mountains.
The "Spiritual High" of being in the mountains made it difficult driving back
into the valley.
If you have ever gone on a retreat or spent time in the mountains, you
likely tried capturing that experience hoping never to forget it. I am sure the
three disciples: Peter, James and John, who witnessed this glorious event in
Jesus' life, didn't want to return to the reality of normal life.
(Read Matthew 17:1-9)
Six days earlier, Jesus stunned his disciples by asking: (Matthew 16:13-15)
Who do people say that I am? They responded:
Some say, John the Baptist, other Elijah, others one of the Prophets.
Jesus asked a follow-up question: But who do You say I am?
Peter responded: You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
After nearly three years of listening to Jesus' teaching and witnessing
his power over demons and creation; starting in the Capernaum Synagogue,
moving to Peter's house and many neighbors, traveling to other cities, seeing
him heal even lepers, non-Jews and calm a storm...(jump to 2 1/2 years later)
The disciples were beginning to comprehend who Jesus was.
Then Jesus stunned them again when he said:
The Son of Man (Jesus' term for himself) must suffer many things and be
rejected by the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law, and must be
killed and on the third day be raised to life. (Matthew 16:21)
Impetuous Peter Took Jesus aside and began rebuking him. (Matthew 16:22)
No Lord, this can't happen to you. Jesus sternly responded: (Matthew 16:23)
Get behind me Satan! Those are not God's thoughts, but those of men.
Nearly one-week later Jesus took the same Peter and two other disciples
up to Mt. Hermon. on the border between today's Israel and Lebanon,
about 12 miles from Caesarea Philippi, where Jesus had asked the question:
Who do you say that I am?
Jesus climbed the mountain to spend time in prayer before heading
for Jerusalem to face what he had told his disciples was going to happen.
If there was a moment when Jesus was glorified it was the one recorded
in Matthew 17:2-8, Transfiguration of our Lord.
Yet I have entitled this blog Anticipated Glory. Why?
Hopefully by the end of this blog you will be able to answer that question.
Let's look carefully at the significance of this event in Jesus' life and see
what difference it makes in our lives.
The Transfiguration Has A Triple Significance.
1. It was great encouragement for Jesus.
Jesus knew his time on Earth was coming to an end.
He had told his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, even though he
he was a wanted man. He would face a trial resulting in his death.
Yet, Jesus, the human, may have questioned his decision.
Later Jesus would pray: (Matthew 26:39)
Abba, Father, everything is possible for you.
Take this cup from me. Yet not my will, but what you will.
To be absolutely sure, Jesus, taking his three disciples with him,
climbed the 9,232-foot mountain, high above the mundane concerns,
of life. to pray.
The exhausted and altitude affected disciples (in Luke 9:32) were
overpowered with sleep. Awakening, they witnessed an amazing scene.
Jesus' countenance had completely changed, transfigured.
(Metamorphosis) His clothes were glistening white. Whitter than any
earthly bleach could make. Glistening like burnished brass or gold,
polished steel or golden glare of sunlight. Same word was used in
describing Moses' countenance after being in God's presence.
His face was so brilliant that he wore a veil. (Exodus 34:29-35).
Great men were present to affirm Jesus.
Standing on either side of Jesus were Moses and Elijah.
It must have been something seeing the Giver of the Law, Moses and
the First and some say the Greatest Prophet, Elijah, talking with
their Master.
Why were these great men present? To affirm Jesus. Likely they were
saying: Go on Jesus! Your death and resurrection will consummate
the message we proclaimed to God's people. (Duet. 18:15-19, Mal. 4:15-19)
The way of the cross is the right way. Once and for all, humanity will
have a way of being right with God. Jesus would be the bridge between
God and humanity. Jesus would be the ultimate sacrifice.
Jesus received the approval of God the Father.
Jesus went to the mountain to pray: What would you have me do? (Luke 9:28)
All my plans and intentions are before you Father.
God the Father responded: (Matthew 17:5)
You are acting as my Son. Go On.
You have chosen the right road.
The cross is not only inventible,
it is essential in completing my plan.
The mountain top experience encouraged Jesus and supported him
for the difficult task ahead of him. It affirmed that all that the Law and
the Prophets had addressed would be completed in Jesus' act of obedience.
God the Father's audible voice affirmed that what Jesus began three years
earlier would be consummated on the cross. The Greek word is:
sxisthous (Ripped open...).
The transformation was not only significant for Jesus...
2. It was a great encouragement for the Disciples.
They had left everything: belongings occupations, and families to follow
the one they believed was the Messiah promised by the Prophets.
Yet their Dream of a victorious kingdom was shattered by Jesus telling
them that he was going to Jerusalem to die. The disciples tried ignoring
the statement and even attempted to convince Jesus not to go.
They were baffled by what Jesus had said and wondered if they had
been mistaken in thing Jesus was the Messiah.
This experience was to give the disciples something to hold on to
when faced with confusion, fear, and pain, in the next months as they saw
Jesus arrested and tried as common criminal. The disciples...
Witnessed the glory of Christ. (II Peter 1:16-18)
16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we
told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when
the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying,
“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”,
18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven
when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
According to the Law (Deuteronomy 17:6) it took at least two or three
witnesses to verify an event actually occurred or to convict a criminal.
As with many witnesses, the disciples did not fully comprehend what
was happening and they were in awe. Peter's statement (Matthew 17:4),
Theologian John Calvin writes: It was absurd for the disciples to place
the servants (Moses and Elijah) on the same level with their Lord...
and to propose building fading tabernacles for those admitted
to the glory of heaven.*
As witnesses, they told others what they had seen and heard.
They did, however, wait until after Jesus' death and resurrection
as Jesus had told them.
Through the disciples eyes and words...
3. It is a great encouragement for us.
If the disciples, witnessing Jesus' life, were confused and didn't fully
understand the significance of Jesus' life, until after his resurrection,
it is no wonder we have doubts and cannot fully comprehend who
Jesus was. The eyewitnesses retold this event as they remembered it.
That is why the accounts in the three Gospels are slightly different.
Their common description...
It Affirms for us who Jesus is.
Putting all the pieces together we see Jesus was the Messiah (Christ)
foretold by the Prophets as the one who came to fulfill the Law.
Moses and Elijah were not only present to encourage Jesus but
to validate Jesus' message as consistent with the Law
and the Prophets.
The presence of the cloud symbolizes God presence, demonstrating
God's approval of Jesus' words.
This is my beloved Son...listen to him! cannot be any clearer.
Jesus is not only the promised Christ (Messiah)
he is also the very Son of God.
Jesus was not just another great man of God. He was God in
human flesh who lived among humanity for a period of time.
The authority of following Jesus' teachings came not from him,
but from God the Father. How do we know?
Because the eyewitnesses were faithful in relaying their experience...
It Helps us understand Jesus' death.
Jesus was not dragged unwillingly to death, but he came forward
of his own accord as an offer of sacrificial obedience.*
The transfiguration of Jesus helps us understand why "mountain top
experiences," whether a retreat or alone in God's creation, are significant.
They are an encouragement and renewal of energy which we need,
to live in mundane life. Like Peter we may not want to leave the
retreat/mountain. Peter's suggestion may have been an attempt of
keeping Moses and Elijah from leaving and possibly delaying
Jesus' journey to Jerusalem. It was wonderfully peaceful on the mountain,
why couldn't they stay there?
Trying to retain retreat/mountain top experiences, we keep
mementos: photos capture an incident, anniversaries keep significant
events before us. We may mark a special place with rocks or carving.
Soon, we learn we cannot recapture that experience.
As we are focused on Jesus during these 40 days of Lent,
let us remember this significant event in Jesus' life.
It was not the transfiguration that brought glory to Jesus (Son of Man).
It was only the foretaste of that glory. It was only one further step
towards the anticipated glory which was revealed on the day Jesus
rose from the dead. The day we call Easter.
Transfiguration was a Great Encouragement
To: Jesus
The Disciples
Us.
Read these Scriptures for further perspective of that Anticipated Glory.
I Corinthians 15:43, Philippians 3:21, Luke 21:27, 24:26, I Peter 1:11
A. Body is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory:
it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.
B, Lord Jesus Christ who, by the power that enables him to bring
everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies
so that they will be like his glorious body.
C. At that time, they will see the Son of Man coming
in a cloud with power and great glory.
D. Did not the Christ have to suffer
these things and then enter into his glory?
E. Finding out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ
in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and
the glories that would follow.
Revelation 5:12 Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom
And strength and honor and glory and praise!
* John Calvin, Harmony of the Evangelists, Vol. 16, p. 312, 308.
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