Do You See What I See?

Do you see what I see?

Mark 9:1-11

I have had several opportunities to go to the top of mountains especially when we lived in Colorado. We drove up in all kinds of weather, even when it was snowing. I have taken the cable cars and when I was a kid hiked.

It is interesting to me that going up has always seemed to take a lot longer than going down.

Sometimes you think you will never get to the peak. Especially walking and you consider turning around before you reach the top. Sometimes when you are going up the zig zag road you may start to wonder if it will be worth the trip.

Usually on the way up, there is not a lot to look at. - Just trees and road, OOPs hard right. I can’t tell you how many times a trip up a mountain has caused me to have a pain in my right arm. The pain is immediately followed by a voice. One of the voices God uses sounds just like Renee, It says Watch the road!

I have found that if I kept going and get to the top it is usually worth it. You clear the trees and the view is more than you ever expected. In Colorado it was only a short climb before you could stop and look back down a valley and see for miles.

In our scripture today…Is what appears to be a little side trip for Jesus and 3 of his disciples. They are going up the mountain, Jesus is in front.

I wonder if it was a little like a day off for these men. If they stayed in or near town they would have been flocked by the crowds. If they are going up the mountain it was a little cooler. Maybe some trees to offer shade. A little time away from the hustle and bustle of the preaching and healing.

So we have a vacation day, a little hiking, fresh cool air. There was no explanation that there was going to be a special lesson. It says they are alone and then the scene takes on the form of a science fiction movie. Their guide to the mountain it transfigured….he is changed …metamorphosed…

Right there in front of them he is changed… What does that mean?

We don’t know about his body, but his clothes look better than what mom could co with Tide and a bottle of Clorox. Bright pure white…Noticeably bright.

I wonder what their faces looked like. Shock – wide eyed with mouths open maybe afraid – with big wrinkles on their foreheads.

If that sight were not enough Elijah and Moses appear…It does not say were there waiting, or came around a rock the scripture says appeared.

If their faces were normal up to this point, they would have has to change.

I have been trying to decide if I would faint, or just run. The surprise or shock would cause some reaction in me.

But there they stand, Peter, James and John as witnesses to this scene.

It does not describe that they were in prayer or sitting but is they have been walking for a while I imagine they were tired and maybe not even looking at the scenery. They were going some ware with Jesus and there is no telling what kind of stuff they were talking about or thinking about.

Then the wild stuff starts. I wonder if one notices and asked the other, Do you see what I see. When did Jesus Change clothes and who are these fellas….?

Ok

How do they know who Jesus is talking too…. Are there signs, subtitles maybe name tags?

Maybe they asked questions on the way down the mountain and found out who they were. Or perhaps the oral tradition of talking about these great prophets told of particular appearance aspects or clothing items.

Maybe they just knew. Intuition, wisdom… revealed directly by God.. May be it is simpler…Jesus just says Moses , Elijah long time no see…..something

The largest question for me personally is what did they talk about? If they had a meeting on the mountain and is says they talked …Was it not important?

Ok, a quick reminder, when you read scriptures you will always end up with more questions than before you read. Sometimes you just have to trust that the details are not as important as “we” think they are.

If fact, I am not sure that them meeting was for Jesus or the other to as much as it was for Peter, James and John.

“What is the kingdom of heaven like? Well, it is always light. Everything looks bright and better than new. You will be able to see and talk to all the Prophets of God when you get there.”