Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Co 1:2). Amen.
I have never done any serious mountain climbing. Right now I am kind of done with snow and cold. No need to go find more. Small hill walking is more my speed. That way I don’t have to deal with a base camp or backpack, a carabiner or compass. In general, I will do the least amount of whatever still qualifies for that trail mix snack because I like the M&Ms in that.
But I have talked to those who spend some time scaling tall peaks. They claim that it is worth the work to get there. They see things differently that many more miles above sea level. The view gives them a different perspective.
Jesus and three of his closest disciples ascended a mount. We join them. It is good to be on the top of the mountain—to see what Jesus does up there and to see what Jesus does from there. We read from …
Mark 9:2-9
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, our great and glorious Savior,
When a person asserts, “I don’t mean to state the obvious, but …,” he goes on to do it anyway. So will I. Here it is: The goal of heading up a mountain is to reach the summit. I have to imagine that it is disappointing because one is out of oxygen or out of shape to get a quarter of the way or halfway or even five-eighths of the way up the mountain. (I am not very good at fractions so insert one of your own liking.)
We don’t fall short at Jesus’ Transfiguration.
It Is Good to Be on the Top of the Mountain
1. To see what Jesus does up there (2-7)
2. To see what Jesus does from there (8,9)
1. To see what Jesus does up there (2-7)
So what do you do when you finally stand at the apex of a high elevation? Plant a flag? Snap a selfie? (You can’t go anywhere without your phone. You don’t need cell service for a picture. But standard data rates may apply if you text.) Perhaps you just take it all in. That is what we do. It is good for us to be on the top of the mountain to see what Jesus does up there.
The time reference is exact. “After six days” (Mk 9:2). Mark highlights it for a reason—not just to be a historian. We go back almost a week and the disciples had heard some heavy stuff from Jesus. After Peter had correctly confessed Jesus as “the Christ” (Mk 8:29), Jesus went on to explain what that meant—suffering many things like rejection by the ones he came to rescue. He would be killed. But he would come back to life after three days (Mk 8:31ff.). (They missed that important piece of information that Jesus always connected to his death.) There was no missing what Jesus laid out before them. It was plain to them. And it was painful for them.
Jesus knew that they needed something special, something specific. And Jesus knows how to balance that precisely. We would do well to note that in our lives. There are ups and downs—like pinnacles and valleys of a mountain. He manages them just right. The highs help us prepare for the lows as we look back at them and the lows help us anticipate the highs as we look ahead to them. Either way, we recognize our dependence on our Lord.
And three of them would experience that something spectacular. “Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone” (Mk 9:2). And it is as if Mark puts us at the scene. Why those three? These were the same ones who also witnessed the miraculous raising of Jairus’ daughter from the dead (Mk 5:37). These men would be enough to attest to what occurred here too so that this is no cleverly invented story (Dt 19:15; 2 Pe 1:16). Not to mention that it would be difficult for 12 mouths to keep this quiet for a time (cf. Mk 9:9).
And then it did happen in private. We don’t know which mountain it was nor where it was. It makes no difference. But this does. “He was transfigured before them” (Mk 9:2). It is not hard to think of the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly. Jesus’ form changed right in front of them. Or he transformed. God did that. Jesus didn’t request it. He received it. The splendor that Jesus had all along—from eternity—as the Son of God was evident. That was not always obvious (Php 2:6,7). There was no glow about Jesus on earth. No halo over his head. But it was on full display here and now.
Talk about an epiphany. (Recall that the word means “show forth.”) Jesus’ divine glory shines forth in his human form. The apostle Paul reminded us that when Moses came down from Mt. Sanai, he “would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away” (2 Co 3:13). He reflected God’s glory (Ex 34:35). Jesus revealed it. John who was there later commented: “We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:14). Peter would one day pen: “We were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Pe 1:16). It is good to be on the top of the mountain to observe this. Jesus is true man. Jesus is true God (Col 2:9).
And it almost defies comparison. Mark tired. “His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them” (Mk 9:3). This is not a Tide commercial like during last week’s Superbowl. Bleach can whiten, but not like that. And like a white wedding dress, Jesus purity is present.
But then two Old Testament greats became visible. “And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus” (Mk 9:4).
Moses who predicted the Prophet would come one day was conversing with him this day (Dt 18:15). Moses who carved the Ten Commandments is communicating with the One who kept it completely.
Elijah who was a preacher of repentance is chatting with the One who was turning people from their sin to their Savior (1 Kg 18:39; Mt 4:17). This same one who had been taken into heaven “in a whirlwind” came down from heaven (2 Ki 2:11).
They were discussing Jesus’ upcoming death and resurrection (Lk 9:31)—his victory of crushing the devil’s head (Ge 3:15). Jesus carried out all that the Law and the Prophets wrote down. He did it for us. It is good to be on the top of the mountain.
And then there is Peter. “He did not know what to say” (Mk 9:6). But he still was never at a loss for words. This is not altitude sickness, but absolute fear (Mk 9:6). That is the reaction when confronted with God’s glory. And so Peter proposed: “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. [That much was absolutely true. So far so good. But unfortunately he kept going.] Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah” (Mk 9:5). That was fairly foolish, if not simply selfish. But can you blame him? There was glory—a foretaste of heaven. He wanted to hit “pause” like when you are watching a movie but have to run to the kitchen for a refill of popcorn. Peter wanted the famous guests to remain where they were and Jesus could remain as he was. But true glory would come from his death on the cross and resurrection from the grave. Jesus would have none of Peter’s suggestion no matter what his intention was. He would not be deterred from his purpose and God’s plan.
But there was more. “Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them” (Mk 9:7). Again, that is not by chance. A storm was not brewing. You don’t want to get caught on a mountain when that takes place. But a cloud was a throwback to God’s presence among his people. Think of when a cloud covered Mt. Sinai when Moses was up there (Ex 24:15). Or how the Lord led them through the wilderness “in a pillar of cloud” (Ex 13:21; cf Ex 40:36-38). But it marked that he was going to do something remarkable. God is moving forward with Jesus’ mission of delivering from sin.
And then the voice: “This is my Son, whom I love” (Mk 9:7). More than likely that sounds familiar. The Father declared the same thing at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry—at his baptism. Here it is just as meaningful.
“This is my Son” (Mk 9:7). The Father points him out: “This one right here. My Son.”
“whom I love” (Mk 9:7). The Father was pleased what his Son had done since his baptism—living perfectly, preaching clearly. But love would push him on to Calvary. God would not hold him back from the nails of that instrument of torture (Ro 8:32). We want what is best for our children. Look what the Father does. He puts our guilt on his Son. That would be painful and shameful. That is how Jesus would live up to his name of “Savior” (Mt 1:21). And Jesus went willingly to lay down his life (Jn 10:17).
But there is one addition: “Listen to him!” (Mk 9:7). That is what God wants of us—to listen. Find some quiet time to do just that—hear his voice (Jn 10:27). Give your attention when THE Word of God shares the Word of God with you (Jn 1:1)—to enlighten and to encourage. He tells of incredible love and eternal life (Jn 3:16; 6:68). That truth comes from THE Truth (Jn 14:6). It is good for us to be on the top of the mountain to see what Jesus does up there. He gets the approval of his Father for what he is accomplishing in our place.
2. To see what Jesus does from there (8,9)
It is reality. Or just gravity. But what goes up must come down. Mountain climbers sooner or later make their descent. So did Jesus. It is good to be at the top of the mountain to see what Jesus does from there.
It ended as quickly as it began. “Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus” (Mk 9:8). Just like before. Only Jesus. But it is beneficial if all we see is Jesus too. And we do. He is always there. He will never leave us (He 13:5). We see Jesus. Only Jesus.
At first, Jesus’ strict command seems strange: “As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead” (Mk 9:9). But not really after further review. There was regularly the silliness of the disciples arguing who was the greatest. There was repeatedly the foolishness of the people assuming how Jesus could be great. Being #1 in Jesus’ cabinet and beating the Romans in their country was to stop. The time to relate this glimpse of glory was not right. Yet. It would be later when the disciples would understand fully and could proclaim confidently. Notice again how Jesus comments about his passion—always followed by the resurrection (Mk 9:9).
It is good for us to be on the top of the mountain to see what Jesus does from there. He comes down. Today is the last Sunday in Epiphany. We have reviewed one more time that Jesus took on our flesh and blood to defeat the devil. He is the Savior of the whole world, of all, of us. And this morning, Pearl through the water of baptism. Jesus brought her into a cherished relationship with him—his child (1 Jn 3:1). He demonstrated that he was the Son of God with his mighty miracles and his powerful preaching. He drove out demons. He forgave sins. He healed the paralyzed. His glory is clear in his words and his works.
But his work is not done at this point. That is why he refused to remain on the mountain. True glory went through the cross. And that is where Jesus was determined to go. This Wednesday is the opening of the Lenten season. We will track Jesus as he makes a final trek to the place of the Skull. But that is not a death march. It is a life march. He will come back from the dead. And now the glory of heaven awaits us. We join the psalmist who had us sing with all things in heaven and on earth, animate and inanimate: “Praise the LORD” (Ps 148:1,14).
Now that the 2018 Winter Olympics have started in PyeongChang, South Korea (by the end of it, I may be able to pronounce it right), there will be people trying to make it down mountains as fast as possible either on two boards or in twos with a bobsled. We want to take our time. It is good for us to be at the top of the unknown mountain to see what Jesus does up there. He exhibits his glory as God. And the Father accepts his Son and his effort on our behalf. It is good for us to be at the top of the unnamed mountain to see what Jesus does from there. We watch as it is on to Jerusalem to hang on a cross and head out of the tomb. From the height of that mountain we behold the depth of his love. Happy Transfiguration. Happy Epiphany. Amen.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Co 13:14). Amen.
February 11, 2018
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