Notes from the Month's Theme Sermon

With this morning's sermon in mind - during this last week I unearthed the diary that I had kept when we visited the Holy Land, and read again the section on our visit to Mount Tabor.

Our coach could only drive us part way up the mountain and then we had to transfer into a fleet of very old and battered Mercedes taxis that were waiting for us. The rest of the track (it could certainly not be called a road) was just wider than the taxis' and consisted of an alarming series of hairpin bends. There was a precipitous drop on one side. This part of the journey was then undertaken at great speed. I can cope with an excitable Arab driver talking and waving one hand in the air as he does so - but two hands ! ! !

Once at the top and after a brief visit to the Church of the Transfiguration, we stood on a rocky platform at the very pinnacle of the mountain and read the passage of scripture that we have just had read to us. Then we sang the song "Majesty, Majesty, worship His Majesty, Unto Jesus be glory Honour and Praise."  It was very moving to see that even our Jewish guide - by his own admission secular and not at all religious, singing along with us.

Standing on that platform with it's magnificent view and the hills of Samaria in the distance, we did not worry if the scholars argue whether this mountain or Mount Hermon is the proper place, for we were remembering and - in some way - experiencing a very special moment.

So let's look now at the story.

There has recently, just before this event been a time of great activity for Jesus and the disciples. numerous healings; the sending out of the Disciples on their first mission; the feeding of the Five Thousand; the visit to Caesarea Philippi and Peter's great confession of Christ. There is obviously a need for quiet, for prayer, for communion with His Heavenly Father - so Jesus takes Peter, James and John up into mountain to pray. These, his closest companions are with Him at many important occasions - the healing of Jairus' daughter, Gethsemane. They are with Him to represent the rest of the disciples and also to represent the whole company of redeemed people who will follow Jesus through the ages - and that includes you and me.

They are discussing Jesus' departure, and by that, they mean His coming death in Jerusalem and all that it will achieve. For there, as we know, wicked men will put Jesus to death on the cross. Later, on the Day of Pentecost, Peter will tell the crowd that the cross was not something that happened because God's plan had gone wrong. He proclaims that what happened was by God's set purpose and foreknowledge. The cross was part of the original plan for the saving -the redemption of all who turn to Jesus.

This is the subject of the conversation between Jesus, Moses and Elijah on the mountaintop - they were discussing the most important event - the greatest moment in the history of the world that Jesus was soon to bring to fulfilment in Jerusalem. As we have come to expect, it is Peter who now engages his mouth before his brain. "Master, it is good for us to be here, let us put up three shelters, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah" Luke then adds He did not know what he was saying. I have every sympathy with Peter. How do you respond to such an amazing moment ? However, if we read on in Peter's later writing we find that he must have reflected very carefully on this moment and has come to a clear understanding of what was happening.

And so back to our narrative. We read that a cloud came and enveloped them. The cloud in Scripture symbolises the glory and protection of God. In the old Testament we hear of a bright, white and luminous cloud indicating the presence of God (you may find it in Exodus, 1 Kings, Nehemiah and the Psalms). The technical and theological name for this is the Shekmah. From out of this cloud God's voice is heard saying "This is my Son whom I love, listen to Him".

God's voice had been heard at Jesus' Baptism and now He speaks again on the mountain. It is a clear instruction that those who follow Jesus must listen to Him. Remember that these three disciples represent both, the twelve and we who follow Jesus in later generations. From the mountain of the Transfiguration comes God's voice saying to each of us "This is my Son whom I love. Listen to Him."

Suddenly the cloud, together with Moses and Elijah are gone. They are alone with Jesus who tells them to keep all this to themselves until after He has risen from the dead..

Consider for a moment just why this happened. We have already understood that the three disciples represent all who follow Jesus both then and now.

We are told that Jesus was transfigured BEFORE THEM; Moses and Elijah appeared BEFORE THEM; God's voice is heard from the cloud saying "THIS IS MY SON"

If God was speaking to Jesus it would have been "YOU ARE MY SON" - instead He is confirming to the disciples just who Jesus is. The Transfiguration happened for the disciples and therefore for our sakes.

God's voice said "LISTEN TO HIM". A command directed to the disciples of Jesus for all time.

How do we hear His voice? Through the Bible. The only true listening in the Bible is obedient listening. Scripture says to obey is better than sacrifice.

So how are we to receive all this ? How is this to affect our lives ? Our own lives are to begin to be transformed and to reflect something of our Saviour's glory.

Listen to Paul speaking in Romans 12

And again in 2 Corinthians

Do you get the message ? Our task - our duty is to follow Jesus - to turn our faces - our whole lives towards Him. - To follow His teaching - to obey His commands - to love and adore Him. As we do this it is the work of God the Holy Spirit to TRANSFORM our lives. It is not by our own efforts that this will be achieved. We , by striving and by good works cannot possibly get there. We cannot TRANSFORM our own lives. This is the work of the Holy Spirit.

The promise to us is that one day this process of transformation will be complete.

Paul to the Philippians -

"Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the 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."

Our relationship with Jesus is all important. It all depends on this. Jesus once asked Peter this question "Who do you say that I am ?"

This same question is before us " Who do you say that I am?"