(Text and Audio)
Title: The Transfiguration, Part Three
I didn’t intend to speak from the floor again this morning, and I assume I’ll return to the pulpit next Sunday, but there is just something so personal and experiential about this mornings lesson I wanted to speak to you all from here again.
I want to start with an exercise this morning that will come into focus as we get just a bit deeper in today’s text.
Think for a moment, back in your life to a time when you were afraid. I mean terrified, as sacred as you can remember being. Maybe it was when you were young and rode on a huge roller coaster for the first time. Maybe it was your first trip to the dentist to get a cavity filled.
A few nights ago, I went in to check on the kids before I went to bed. It was about 11 and they were fast asleep. Silas was in his usual position, half of his body hanging off the bed, sound asleep. I then walked down the hall, past the open and empty bathroom and slipped into Vaeh’s room, and she was not in bed. I quickly scanned the room and nothing. Sheer terror. It took about 5 seconds only, but I remembered then her plan was to make a fort in the closet and spend the night there. I peeked in her closet and there she was, sound asleep. I took several deep breaths and returned to my bed where it took an hour for my heart rate to return to normal levels.
So think of you experience and let me ask you a question: Did you chose to be afraid? Or was it you instinctual reaction?
(read/pray)
I think there is some really special imagery associated with verses 6-8. Last week we studied what God the Father said, with his main audience being these three men (Peter, James, and John). Now we see their reaction; they are terrified.
Now why do you think that is? The Father did not pronounce doom or judgment on them, or their people. In fact, what the Father said was all really good news. If you remember from last week, the Father answers, once and for all, what, exactly, the relationship between God the Father and Jesus was, he unraveled the mystery of the messiah, he endorsed his son’s ministry and publicly declared his love for his son. He then reminds the apostles to listen to and follow his son.
One could easily argue that the apostles left that mountain much more confident about the future of the universe and God’s plan than ever before in their lives. In fact, this very incident on the mountain was referenced by Peter himself in 2 Peter 1:16-18.
16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
So why was their reaction to fall on their faces and be greatly afraid? (Take answers)
The Presence of God is an overwhelming (and therefore scary) event. Moses was afraid of God. Abram was afraid of God. David was afraid of God. In fact Jesus tell us just a few chapters earlier in Matthew 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell.”
And why is the mere presence of God so overwhelming? Because the realization sets in that there is a HUGE difference between the nature of a holy and perfect God, and the vile, wretched, fallen human that you are.
Think about this, these men, their instinct was to fall on their faces, covering themselves from the Glory of the most high, and to be very afraid.
They never discuss, “Well, God is speaking, what do you think we should do Peter?”
“I’m not sure John, but it is God, maybe we should fall on our faces!”
“I totally agree!” says James.
What God the Father says is not scary. What’s scary is that he’s there, and he makes his presence known, and he speaks.
God spoke! And these men were their to hear it.
At on point in history, God spoke and there was suddenly light, Earth and all creation came into being.
So I get it. These men didn’t chose to be scared. It was inborn in them, understanding the situation to be afraid. And I don’t think they were afraid because they were believers, in fact, I think they were still working out their salvation, still working out who this Jesus was and what that mean to them personally. I think they were afraid because every fiber of their being realized they were, quite literally, in the presence of God.
And what rescues them from the terror of a righteous and holy God, what bring them out of this necessary state of fear?
The son, Jesus, comes and touches them, tells them to arise, and says, “Do not be afraid.
What could I possibly explain about the beauty of that moment that all of you who know Jesus as your Lord and Savior don’t understand infinitely this morning? Indeed, He is the Great Comforter, amen?
“When they lifted up their eyes, they saw Jesus only”
God the Father, Moses, and Elijah had returned to heaven, but Jesus remained. He remained there to comfort them, to get them up, and to move them to witness his own death, because this event didn’t happen in a vacuum, it happened with a definitive purpose and reason: These three men were going to need to tell people what they learned on this mountain top. (Not yet, but eventually, we’ll get to that next week.)
Four men went up the mountain, four men came down. But for three of them, their fundamental understanding of the universe had been eternally altered. They had an experience, directly with God, heard his voice, and only because of the mediation of the Son, did they even survive the event.
When I am shaken to my core over the events of life and the movement of God within in, I need to do three things:
- Throw myself down on my face in utter fear of God.
- Recognize the voice of Jesus as he comforts me and tells me to be not afraid.
- Look up, and see only Jesus, and follow him off that mountain to the work he’s called me to.