Good Morning Friends,
In some churches, the Transfiguration it is a Holy Day observed on August 6, around the time of the Feast of Booths…the Feast of Harvests. So today we explore the threads of images intricately and brilliantly woven together around this event, for they are worthy of study anytime. And we really do not have to look very far to see the connections, for example between Moses at Mount Sinai and Jesus at the Transfiguration. But the images extend beyond the law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah) and include the images of light and God speaking out of the clouds and that reminds me of the Holy Spirit at Jesus’ baptism and prophesied return of Jesus in the clouds… of God saying to listen in a host of places in the Bible and of a cloud of witnesses moved by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and upon Jesus’ return. So today as we make some of the connections and wonder… Are We Storing Up More Fruits Or Fears On The Cloud Of Memories?
Scripture: Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who maintains covenant loyalty with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, and who repays in their own person those who reject him. He does not delay but repays in their own person those who reject him. He will love you, bless you, and multiply you; he will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the issue of your flock, in the land that he swore to your ancestors to give you. You shall be the most blessed of peoples, with neither sterility nor barrenness among you or your livestock.
Deuteronomy 7:9-10, 13-14 (NRSV)
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
Matthew 17:1-9 (NRSV)
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain. So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,
2 Peter 1:16-20 (NRSV)
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:17-20 (NRSV)
The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. To the elders he had said, “Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them.” Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
Exodus 24:12-18 (NRSV)
Message: The memories we have are so important, unfortunately sometimes our vision of them is clouded up by planks and building debris and computer terminals. However, thankfully they sometimes come together in surprising ways. For example, I truly am fascinated by the fact that the whole Bible is really just one interwoven story that helps us to see if we seek to understand the connections. Take the story of Jesus’ Transfiguration and what happens before it and after it as well as during it and its message for our own transformation. Now compare this to Moses. The similarities between Moses’ trip up Mount Sinai and Jesus’ experience on the Mount of Transfiguration is striking. In both accounts, a cloud covers the mountain and God speaks out of the cloud on the seventh day. In both, God’s glory appeared and transfigured the appearance of the figures as they were spoken to. Indeed, God settled on the mountains and perhaps that is why Peter was so interested in putting up some tents as in the festival of the booths. He got the connection but missed something important. The Feast of Booths was not to be fulfilled then. We will have to wait for that for the full harvest. You see just before the Transfiguration at the Northern boundary of the Promised Land…here in a land of gentiles, at the base of the triple summits of Mount Hermon, Jesus announced that He will not yet establish His Kingdom but will instead establish His church on a rock-hard foundation of faith. But Peter, who did so want to be first and right was not listening. So, on the mountain as Jesus is talking to Moses and Elijah Peter interrupts them and goes on to talk about making dwellings for each of them in keeping with the traditions of the Feast of Booths. So then, while Peter is still talking, a bright cloud overshadows them and says, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with him I am well pleased—listen to him!” Similar words were spoken at Jesus’ baptism as the spirit descended. The disciples all fall down with fear, but Jesus tells them to get up, to not be afraid, and to not tell anyone about the vision until he rose from the dead. Peter was still looking at Jesus as a prophet, or as a worldly king, and wanted to be first to show the world that this was the new king. Instead, God kind of tells him to shut up and listen. So here we have the story of the Transformation and its shimmering hope of unity like dew on Arron’s beard. Here we a story told from the vantage point looking out over Israel. And it is here that we are reminded of all those who have witnessed the glory of God, been taught the law of love, and heard the prophet’s call to justice. The courageous claim of faith is at stake here. And that is what we are to store up in our memory banks linking accounts and believing in our own transformation.
And So, the Transfiguration should open our eyes to the glory of God and remind us that Jesus is not only 100% human but also 100% God. We voice this collectively in our Creeds. And today’s text gives insight to this belief. For here we get a glimpse of Jesus’ pre-incarnational state of being talking to Moses and Elijah as well as Peter, James, and John. Contemplate this mountaintop vision in contrast to the valley healing that was to follow, and it is the story of all stories. The full text shows both and should remind us of who God really is, for in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. Artists have depicted this event with Jesus wearing His pre-Bethlehem and post-Resurrection wardrobe. And here is the deal, there is a metamorphosis in the story that has implications for our own transformation and healing but through the process and for our personal as well as collective relationship with Jesus. The proposition for us is to believe that Jesus is more than just a good teacher. He is more than an influential leader. He is more than a superb role model. He is more than a profound ethicist. He is a prophet, a priest, and king…the culmination of the law and the prophets. But he is first and foremost … God in human form so we might believe because we now see. What is revealed in the Transfiguration is Jesus’ power but also that Jesus is to be the priority for all people but especially the Jews. There is no longer to be a focus on Elijah or Moses. The focus is to be on a powerful, personal, and passionate Jesus that heals us if we would just make him the priority. This makes it clearer what we are to think of Jesus and to embrace his divinity and humanity. This gives us an open door to the clarity of thought and insight that gives us a glimpse of heaven through a relationship affirmed both privately and publicly that we have a Lord and Savior in Jesus, but also a friend that we desire to remember us when he comes into his Kingdom.
Pray we listen to Christ on the mountain top experiences of our lives as well as the valley visions. Pray the Holy Spirit reveals to us the divinity of Jesus as well as his meaningful humanity. Pray we know and believe this truth. Pray in our hearts we can say that Jesus is the Christ of God, the Messiah, fully human and fully God. Pray therefor for a time when the Jews acknowledge that Jesus is the Messiah. Pray that we make Jesus the priority…that Jesus would be preeminent in our life. Pray we realize that there is no other way to God than through Jesus. Pray we realize that this relationship is not based on being good and following rules and regulations but rather making Christ the focus of our attention. Pray that Jesus would live on in our hearts. Pray
we each have a moment of personal transfiguration though our relationship with Jesus. Pray we have access to God’s cloud and understand that it is the securest place to store memories. Pray the Glory of God seen on the mountains in the face of Jesus and Moses be a light of our faith and strengthen us to bear the challenges of life. Pray we look for connections to help us to see clearly. Pray that Jesus be for us a visible sign of an invisible God…and outward sign of our inward faith. Pray the light of Jesus does not blind us but enlighten us. Pray there is no mountain too high, nor valley too low, for God to find us. Pray there is no limit on the storage of God’s steadfast love. Pray we know that we are beloved by God, forgiven, and restore. Pray we, go, share the Good news, and live into God’s ways of justice and peace, knowing that the power of God’s love is far beyond what we could ever hope and imagine. Pray Jesus is always available to back us up.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 