Peter and the Transfiguration                                                                                       A - 5

 

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.

There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 

Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 

Peter said to Jesus, “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.” 

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” 

When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 

But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” He said. “Don’t be afraid.” 

When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. 

Matthew 17: 1-8 (NIV)

 

Permit me to bring what we call “The Transfiguration”, a really super spiritual event, down to street-level, and at the same time try to blow up one of Satan’s greatest lies, namely, God is unapproachable and likes to hang around only with saints.

First, let’s make sure just who Jesus was talking to.  Moses tried his best to be excused from spiritual duty.  He had some sort of speech-impediment.  He was sure God was looking for the other Moses who lived down the block.  He had no self-confidence, he was a murderer on the run from Egypt, and the last thing he wanted to do was what God called him to do.  Yet, overall, he was God’s first choice and grew into a great man. 

Elijah was great at pouting and sometimes getting the message wrong and could be compared to an unguided missile, yet, overall, he was also God’s first choice for that time in history and a great man also.  And Jesus chose these two to share his magnificent plan of eternal life.  What an honor for these two!

Please realize that these two men were giants of the Old Testament and looked forward to a world where God would be known by all.  Sure, they had their faults, they had some bumps in the road, but they overcame them as best they could.  Jesus wanted to honor them for their faithfulness, to reveal the awesome plan of salvation which combined the cross and the resurrection.  Jesus wanted them to know that their prayers of long ago did not go unnoticed and were not forgotten.  I wonder sometimes just who was the most excited person on that mountain top!

Next, how about the men who came with Jesus to the mountain top?  Peter was nicknamed by Jesus as the “Rock”, but that particular “Rock” split into a thousand pieces regularly!  John and James were also nicknamed by Jesus himself as “Sons of Thunder”, not quite the type of steady managers I would choose.  If Jesus was building a church, he sure missed the “A” team in assembling leaders like these three characters!  Or so it seemed.

There is power in prayer!  That is the reason they went up onto a mountain.  And what a picture of what true prayer is: notice the wording says that the two men were “talking with Jesus”.  It does NOT say they were just listening, it does NOT say Jesus monopolized the conversation, it does NOT say Jesus was teaching or giving a mini sermon.  No.  Rather, it was a picture of three men talking with one another, back and forth!  Simple, normal, powerful!

But here’s the point … Jesus chose to share this special moment with some very human people, people just like you and me!  None of them had it all together, God had to have patience with all of them, and all of them fell repeatedly.  Yet they were very much on God’s “A” list!

Today, know that Jesus is a great listener!  And when it is His turn to speak, He will be forgiving, encouraging, hopeful and surely sharing exciting news, like he shared with Moses and Elijah.  And you don’t even have to go to the mountain top; he’ll come right to you! 

Next time you make a mistake (probably in the next hour or so), take heart!  You’re just the kind of person Jesus needs, and “uses”, and no one else could ever do the job he has in mind for you!  You are definitely on his “A” list!  What an honor reserved just for you! 

 

1) Why would God have chosen people like Moses and Elijah? 

2) Could you see God inviting you to that mountain top? 

3) And why would Jesus have invited three apostles to come also? 

4) Where did Peter come up with the idea of setting up three tents? 

5) Why was this event described as three men, friends from old, getting together to pray and talk? 

6) Can you imagine Jesus describing to them the plan of salvation?  How excited might He have been? 

7) How terrified were the apostles toward the end of this story? 

8) For the umpteenth time Jesus told them not to worry.  Why? 

9) What lasting effect might this experience have had on Peter, James and John? 

10) Do you think YOU would be invited to such a gathering?  If YES, then why?  If NO, then why?