` From One Mountain to Another: On the Transfiguration of Our Lord

From One Mountain to Another: On the Transfiguration of Our Lord



From One Mountain to Another:
On the Transfiguration of Our Lord

There’s something about mountains in the Bible. Mountains seems to have a special purpose for God. He’s used mountains countless times to reveal Himself to us: Noah’s Ark landed on Mt. Arrarat; The Ten Commandments were given on Mt. Sinai; Elijah fought the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel; Jesus was transfigured on Mt. Hermann; Christ prayed on the Mt. of Olives; and finally, there was Mt. Calvary. We even talk about “mountain top experiences” today. For people today a mountain top experience is some sort of spiritual or emotional high.

But how does God use mountains? What is the purpose of the Transfiguration, which is our question today. What does it have to do with Christ’s ministry, and what does it have to do with us today as Christians?          What happened in Jesus’ life to bring Him to the Transfiguration? For the last month in Epiphany we have been looking at how Jesus’ displayed God’s glory. He showed God’s glory when the magi came to visit Him and called Him the King of the Jews. Even as a child in the Temple Jesus showed God’s glory in His teaching and understanding. At His Baptism heaven opened and God declared Him to be the Chosen One of God. 

All of these things have come together in the Transfiguration. Luke tells us that His face changed, and His clothes became white as lightning. These events aren’t just stories in the life of Jesus anymore. They are here to show us that He is God, and He has the power and the authority to help us in times of trouble. Christ on the mountain is glorified, and that is our glory as well.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)

It is through faith that we can see God’s glory. Here He shows us our future.   Do you ever wonder about the future? God gave us a glimpse of our future at the Transfiguration. Today we have heartache, fear, doubt, and worry. But as God’s children, we will inherit the glory of Jesus. 

But now we see another side of Transfiguration. Just a week before they went up to Mt. Hermann, Jesus told His disciples what was going to happen to Him:

The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. (Luke 9:22)

Moses and Elijah came down from heaven to talk to Jesus, and to encourage Him in His mission. What did they talk about? They talked about His departure. Surrounded in glorious splendor, with clothes as white as lightning, and they are talking about Jesus’ death on the cross. Where is the true glory of God? At the cross. Where is our true glory? In ourselves? In our life and accomplishments? No, our lives by themselves will be gone and forgotten. Our true glory is also in the cross. It is there that we learn who God really is. As the apostle Paul wrote: “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:3)

While on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem. (Luke 9:51). He will go from the Mount of Transfiguration into the valley of shame and sorrow, and then up to Mount Calvary. The white of Transfiguration will soon become the purple of Lent, and the black of Good Friday. This is the great turning point in Jesus’ work. From here on out the cross is always on His mind. Nothing can deter Him from the cross, although many try. As we slowly start to look toward the journey of Lent, we will see how Satan tries to deter Jesus from his purpose: the salvation of all mankind. But Satan can’t do it, because our Lord’s love for us overcomes all the wiles of the Evil One.

 

+ The Lord be with you +

Pastor Peperkorn

From the March 2000 Messiah’s Messenger
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This page was created on 02/08/2007 and last edited on: 02/08/2007
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