Yesterday I preached concerning the transfiguration of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of Mark (Mark 9:2-8). This is an amazing and difficult passage of Scripture. It is widely disputed concerning its meaning and significance. It is particularly hard because it reveals God and His plan for the world.
This is how I believe we should understand the transfiguration of Jesus.
First, the transfiguration reveals the glory of God. Several of the elements of the transfiguration are associated with God’s glory. The white raiment, the appearance of Elijah and Moses, the cloud, and the voice from heaven are unmistakeable aspects of an appearance of God. The transfiguration showed the disciples who Jesus really was.
Second, the transfiguration reveals God’s plan and purpose. In the previous chapter, Jesus revealed to the twelve for the first time that He would suffer and die. Jesus is the lamb given before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:20). God’s plan is to redeem for Himself a people from every tribe, language, and nation.
Third, the transfiguration foreshadows our own transformation and glorification. The Greek word for transfiguration or transformation is found only three times in the Bible–the stories of the transfiguration in the Gospels, Romans 12:2, and 2 Corinthians 3:18. The latter two references refer to the change that occurs in those who trust Christ.
The Greek word is metamorphosis, referring to a fundamental change like that of a caterpillar to a butterfly. God wants that kind of transformation in our lives. We are not to be conformed to the world which is opposed to God, but we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2).
God is even now changing us into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18). One day that change will be complete when we will be like Him when we see Him as He is.
When that day comes, we will have nothing to fear. We will be His, and we will be “home.”
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One Response
It is confusing to many Christians what it means to “Take up ones cross and follow.”
AS you preached, it does mean dying to the flesh of oneself in order to be alive to the Spirit of oneself to find His Purpose for oneself. But how does that fit for the here and now in the “Land of the Free and Home of the Brave?” We are all threatened by some form of bondage. We all seek a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light, but still we miss the meaning of the offering, often until it is too late, too long in the tooth, as it were.
Our Lord came with a purpose, as you preached, established before the foundations of the World. Because of Who He is, we know that His Time is the Right Time. What are we to do? As Paul asked, “Shall we sin that Grace may more abound?” And answered, “God Forbid!”
The Focus of the Cross is in the Person of Christ, Creator/Redeemer. John 15:5 is the summation of our Purpose empowerment but it leaves out details. Thus The Apostle Paul provided details. We Know the Work we cannot do for our Lord has already been done. In That the Victory is won. But now we face the quandary of how to Live in a deceitful world victorious. In such a world the one who stands up in Truth in the enemies camp is still opposed. Interesting how “Believers” run to the shadows. Not the image of “Onward Christian Soldiers…” Romans 12:5 is the mechanism of appropriately understanding the placement of each “Cross” in the Bride as each seeks to realize the fulfillment of Purpose in self to the Glory of HIm who Made It Possible. For indeed without Him we can do nothing. Without each other we do little more to add to His Glory. The metamorphosis is far from complete for The Body. That is Unity, that is Harmony I pant for in a dry and thirsty land. Thank you for another drop of Hope.
To Preach is to Reach. If they have eyes to see or ears to hear “Yam” hear. Interesting how the Hebrew words for sea and people/nation are similar. Both together make up the “Body” of their identity filling every void/niche. AMEN. Interesting.
Thank you for the Truth!
Blessings.