The Day After

Yesterday was Transfiguration Sunday. We read about Jesus and three disciples (Peter, James, and John) climbing a mountain to pray. While they were there, Jesus , Moses, and Elijah all appeared in glory. Peter was hoping to stay on the mountain, but instead, they left the mountain and returned to the crowds.

As our pastor was reading the passage from Luke (Luke 9:28-36), I began to wonder what the day after the Transfiguration would have been like for Peter. He had had what we would certainly call a Mountain Top experience, and he had wanted to stay there. Instead, he was back to the crowds, the people wanting help, and the demands of every day life. Was he strengthened in faith by what he had seen? I hope so.

Think about your own mountaintop experiences. What is the next day like? How can we keep the glory of the mountain with us in every day life? How can we know that God is near in the every day? Maybe there are clues in the passage:

1. They went to the mountain to pray. Prayer is one way to remember we are always close to God.
2. They heard a voice from the cloud say, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" We can hold that statement close in our hearts. We can read what Jesus said, and listen for the proddings of the Holy Spirit.
3. The passage said that the disciples kept silent about what had happened. I wonder if they talked about it with each other. It is good to share our faith - to remember with those who have had experiences of God's presence.
4. They got to work, didn't they. Jesus didn't send them off the mountain. He led them off the mountain. They got to work with Jesus.

It's hard to live the life off the mountain, but that's where life is, isn't it?

 

Recognition to Faith

Last Sunday, Alan preached using the Transfiguration text as the basis of his sermon.  

Look at this verse, which is Mark 9:9 -- As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Have you ever wondered about that? Why would they need to keep silent about what had happened?

Alan preached that the experience on the mountain had moved them from recognizing Jesus as Messiah (which had just happened) to Knowing Jesus was the Messiah. That transformation in their faith would transform them.

Think about that. Faith is assurance. It isn't believing - it is KNOWING. Seeing what they saw, they would not just recognize him, but they would KNOW who he was.  The faith would change how they lived - their lives would become a witness to the Christ - and probably be even more convincing than their words ever could be.

Are we that convinced? Do we have that kind of faith? Do our lives witness to it, more than our words ever could?

Logos: Matthew 17:1-9

Today's Logos post is a "re-run" of a post from the blog. This Sunday is Transfiguration Sunday, and when I looked back in the blog, I found this. I'm sharing it again today. I so enjoy thinking about Peter and what he must have thought as he followed Christ.

Life with Jesus was a little bit like fishing.

Some days the net drug the bottom, scraping sand.

Other days it was flung high into the air, almost flying

Until it settled on the deck of the ship.

One day Jesus called Peter, “The Rock”

The rock upon which his church would be built.

Soon after that he called him Satan,

Berating Peter for presenting temptation.

Peter never knew what to expect,

But he was absolutely certain,

Certain to the marrow of his bones,

That he would not choose to be anywhere else.

Today Jesus called three of them,

The brothers James and John, and Peter

To go with him up a mountain.

He went willingly; honored to be included.

The climb was rough, rocky

The hot son beat upon them

But Peter would never dare to complain.

He would walk through fire for this man.

The four of them stood on the mountain-top,

Surrounded by beauty,

But their attention was for Jesus, and nothing else.

He stood before them,

And all three stared

As his garments became white.

Whiter than anything they had ever seen before.

He glowed with the radiance of a full moon,

With the heat of a white star.

Then, as if that were not spectacular in itself,

Two other men appeared.

Peter could not really see their faces,

But he knew, with a certainty that he would never question,

That the two men were Moses and Elijah.

All three men sank to their knees in amazement.

In wonder.

In fear.

How could this be?

In his wildest dreams,

Peter would never be able to understand this.

Never fathom or explain it.

All he knew, even in his fear,

Was that he wanted to stay on this mountain.

The presence of God had never been closer.

Faith had become doubt-less.

He looked at Jesus, and said,

“Lord, tell me we can stay here.

I will build shelters for all three of you.

Just allow me to stay in this place.”

While he was speaking,

A bright white cloud enveloped them,

Surrounding them.

Filling them with the knowledge

That they were standing in the presence of God.

They hid their faces in fear, and heard,

“This is my son, in whom I am well pleased.

Listen to him”

Peter couldn’t move.

He could barely breath.

Only the voice of Jesus,

His touch, his breath,

Could penetrate the fear.

“Get up. Do not be afraid.”

He looked up, and found that Jesus

Stood on the mountain alone,

His company no longer the prophets

Or God himself,

But only his three disciples.

Every muscle quaking in fear,

Peter stood up, and began to follow Jesus

Down the mountain.

Reluctant.

Unwilling, but compelled.

The three disciples began to talk,

Sharing their awe, their wonder.

Jesus turned around and stopped them.

“Don’t tell anyone what you have seen.

Keep it to yourselves,

Until it is dwarfed by something even larger.

Keep it to yourselves,

Until I am raised from the dead.”

Transformation in Transfiguration

Have you read the Transfiguration story in Mark 1:2-9?  Probably.  Go read it again, but this time, place yourself in Peter's sandals.  Can you imagine his reaction to what he saw?  No wonder he wanted to build a place to stay forever.  

I think that often, when we read this passage, or when it is preached, we focus on Jesus' taking them back down the mountain, to service. Vitally important, no doubt.

But give yourself permission to sit for just a moment in Peter's awe.  Do we allow ourselves to do that?  The light of transfiguration can be a transformational light for us.  To just allow ourselves to feel that awe and reverence, to recognize once again that God is God, and Jesus is Jesus, is to allow God to strengthen our faith.  Give yourself that gift.  Take just a moment before you head down the hill into service, and stand in awe of God.

It's interesting that Jesus doesn't request or seem to expect any particular kind of response from Peter, James and John.  He just takes them so that they can witness what happens.  Just see it.

God offers us the same gift.

Your Transfiguration

And if anyone says to you at that time, “Look! Here is the Messiah!”- or “Look! There he is!”—do not believe it.  False messiahs - and false prophets will appear and produce signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.  But be alert; I have already told you everything.   Mark 13:21-23

We had a discussion yesterday about the necessity during Jesus' life to be able to differentiate the Messiah from a false-Messiah.  How would one do that?

Anita made a comment -- Peter, James and John were present at the transfiguration.  That was probably pretty convincing evidence that Jesus was the Messiah.

What is your transfiguration?  Has there been an episode in your life that you can point to and say, "This convinced me that Jesus is the Messiah?"