Don't Worry Butch, Everything Will Be Alright

Mark 9:2-9

Don’t Worry Butch, Everything Will Be Alright

Are you all wondering who in the world is Butch? Gee, Pastor Tom I don’t recall that name appearing anywhere within the scriptures. Well feel confident in that, because Butch is not listed in the Bible, you see Butch is me. Growing up I had the popular hair cut of the time, a brush cut or butch cut it was also called. I guess my sister Patty hung that moniker on me when I came home from Angelo Tringalie’s barber shop with all my hair gone save the short hairs left which was the brush or butch cut. And before long my Mom and Dad began calling me Butch too. So now you know who and how Butch came into being. Now, how about the don’t worry everything will be alright. That was also my sister. I was 7 years younger and my only job in life was to be the biggest thorn in my sister’s life I could be, and I was very, very good at it too. Despite the fact that I existed to make her life shear agony as we were growing up, the reality is that we were always there for each other. One thing I will always remember about my sister is this, when things were looking dark, when the seas of life were raging, when hope seemed beyond reach, when the storm was at its’ peak, she would always say, “don’t worry Butch, everything will be alright.” And you know what, she was right. My sister is home now with God, and as she was being ravaged by cancer, lying in a hospital bed knowing that her earthly death was imminent I had the chance to tell her, don’t worry Patty everything will be alright.

As I read this scripture I can only think that Jesus was showing Peter, James and John, don’t worry everything will be alright. Jesus showed them, and God the Father told them.

At the Transfiguration, three significant events occurred

1 Jesus’ appearance was transformed. 2.. Moses and Elijah appeared with Him on the mountain and 3. God the Father spoke to the disciples.

Our first point, Jesus was transformed. Jesus had just told the disciples six days ago in chapter 8 . He states “ the Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected of the elders and of the Chief Priests and Scribes, and be killed and after three days rise again.” We then see Peter rebuke Him, no way this is going to happen to you. He was concerned and frightened that the master was going to be killed, what about us, and what is going to happen to you and from where will our freedom and victory come from if you are gone. Jesus knew what was ahead for Him and He knew the disciples had no chance of grasping this yet. How could Jesus be humiliated, beaten, hung on a cross and die. So He takes them to a mountain top. We read he was transfigured before them, changed so, “ His raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can white them.” Jesus allows them to see this, transformed by the Father, to let them know that in the end, after all He will go through, every thing will be alright. God the Father revealed to Peter, James and John - Jesus in his glory! Every thing will be alright! They would not fully grasp this until the resurrected Jesus was with them again, and says to them "Peace be with you." For you see now, that every thing IS alright.

The second significant event that happened at the Transfiguration was that Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus. And there appeared before them Moses and Elijah who were talking with Jesus. (Mk 9:4)

Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets and I find it significant that after God the Father had spoken, Moses and Elijah disappeared and Jesus alone remained. (Mt. 17:36)

The great signifigance here is that the time for the law and the prophets had been done and served, and it is time for them to pass away. As Jesus stated, he had come to fulfill the law and prophecy, so He alone remained. Elijah and Moses are gone.

This again shows every thing will be alright. The Old Covenant, represented by Moses and Elijah is going to pass away and the new Covenant is going to come, through the death and resurrection of Jesus. This new covenant is a relationship with Jesus. So things are changing, the old is passed away and the new is come, so don’t worry everything will be alright.

The third significant event that happened at the Transfiguration was that God the Father told the disciples "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him."