Title: Jesus is Big!
Text: Matthew 17:1-9
Thesis: There is no one equal to Jesus, the Son of the living God.
Epiphany series: Encountering Christ in Epiphany
The last Sunday in Epiphany and it is known as Transfiguration Sunday.
At Christ’s transfiguration God, once again as at his Baptism, makes Christ known as “the Son of God” and instructs his followers to “listen to him.”
Introduction
In 1998 Bonnie and I attended a Franklin-Covey management seminar. It was one of the most energizing and challenging experiences of my life. They gave me my own personal Franklin Planner and taught me how to use it. They inspired me with anecdote after anecdote and sent me home clutching my Franklin Planner with all the enthusiasm that Moses must have felt when he came down from the mountain with the Ten Commandments tucked under his arm.
But when I got home there were no riveting instructional moments. There was no hyped up representative from Franklin-Covey to inspire me. It was just me and my planner. And I had to learn how to begin each day with solitude and planning. I had to learn to prioritize my daily tasks. I had to learn to plan my work and then work my plan. And I learned that eventually I had to complete the tasks at hand.
I got all jazzed up at the mountain-top Franklin-Covey Seminar but it was down in the valley where the rubber met the road and it was down in the valley that I put into practice what I had gleaned on the mountain-top.
Our text today is a similar scenario… Jesus and his disciples are on the mountain-top where they have an extraordinary experience but that experience is relatively short-lived and Jesus and his followers soon find themselves back in the valley where life happens.
When we have an extraordinary experience we may think of that experience as a mountain-top experience.
I. When we get a glimpse of God’s glory, we think of it as a mountain-top experience.
After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain by themselves to pray. Matthew 17:1 and Luke 9:28
Three things happened that made this a remarkable event. The first thing that happened as Jesus was praying:
A. Jesus was transfigured.
As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed. His face shone like the sun and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Matthew 17:2 and Luke 9:29
I’ve officiated a lot of weddings over the years and I often hear those in attendance comment on the radiance and beauty of the bride. Some say that a pregnant woman has a certain glow about her. I’ve observed parents in a moment of joy beaming with pride over the accomplishments of their children. People radiate. People glow. People beam. We understand the concept of someone have an aura about themselves. We’ve seen film makers use special effects to create a nimbus effect or radiance about a person to create a sense of glory.
It was not just a beaming or a glowing that the disciples observed. What they saw as a divinely given special effect that caused the face of Jesus to shine like the sun and his clothing to be as bright as a flash of lightning. What the disciples saw was supernatural… it was not the norm. It was extraordinary.
The second thing that happened:
B. Jesus talked with Moses and Elijah about his departure.
Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment in Jerusalem. Matthew 17:3 and Luke 9:30-31
I don’t know if Moses and Elijah were wearing name tags but the disciples knew who they were.
The way Jesus looked was not the norm and the vision of Jesus talking to two guys long dead was not the norm. It would be like seeing President Obama having a chat with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. And it would be like listening in on their conversation.
When I was growing up there were several in my family who were in the military. Uncle Al was in the Air Force. My cousin Darlene was married to Don, who was in the United States Navy. My cousin Leroy, who was Darlene’s brother, was also in the Navy. My cousin Gary enlisted in the Marine Corp when he graduated from high school, as did his younger brother Craig when he was old enough.
In those days both my mother’s and father’s sides of the family lived in central and south central Iowa. Large family dinners were commonplace and whenever anyone was home on furlough from the military there was a family potluck dinner hosted by the parents of the service person who was on leave.
There was always a lot of sitting around and just talking… and inevitably the conversation would get around to the questions, “When are you going back?”
What an interesting conversation Moses and Elijah and Jesus were having there on the mountain… the disciples heard Moses and Elijah talking to Jesus about when he was going back.
It was not unlike the conversation the Apostle Paul had in II Timothy 4 where he said, “The time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” II Timothy 4:6-7
Of course, Paul was speaking of his impending death but he did not say, “The time for me to die has come.” He said, “The time of my departure has come.” In other words, it’s time for me to go. He was dying but in death he would live on and take up residence elsewhere, as in heaven.
Jesus was going to die on the cross but he was also going to rise from the dead and ascend into heaven where he would assume his seat at the right hand of God. He was not just dying… he was departing and would take up residence elsewhere, as in heaven.
Have you ever had one of those “it doesn’t get any better than this” moments? Peter was having one of those “it doesn’t get any better than this moments,” and he wanted to capture it.
I think Peter was one of those guys who always just have to say something… he could just let it be.
Right in the middle of the story there is something of an aside as Peter gets a bright idea and says, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
When we have a mountain-top experience, our first inclination is to capture and preserve the moment.
Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” Matthew 17:5
The disciples were impressed. How often do you get to see Moses and Elijah and Jesus together and having a little chat? Peter impulsively offered to build three booths or shelters or tabernacles or shrines to honor Moses, the giver of the law and Elijah, the voice of the prophets and Jesus, the Son of God.
I have several framed photographs of our family. There is a photo of Corky and me standing together with Beaton’s Lake in the background. It was taken the summer my son-in-law dared me to shave my head and I was foolish enough to accept the dare. Some of you remember that summer. I have a photo of Corky and Bonnie taken at Lorri’s wedding. I have a photo of Lorri and Alby at their wedding. I have pictures of all the grandkids and even a photo of our children when they were little.
We may not build shrines to capture moments, but we do understand the desire and even the need to capture important moments and experiences.
That’s all Peter wanted to do. It was innocent enough. Who among us does not have a favorite hymn or praise and worship song that has blessed us so much so that we have captured it on a CD? Who among us has not captured a favorite film on DVD? Who among us has not attended a conference or a concert in which we were so blessed or encouraged that we bought CDs or DVDs or tapes so we could replay the event? That is all Peter wanted to do but in his eagerness and naiveté he jumped to a conclusion that was not the one God wanted him to assume.
While Peter was still speaking, God interrupted him to make a clarifying statement. And this clarifying statement is the third thing that made this event remarkable.
The third thing that happened that made this event remarkable was what God said.
C. Jesus is distinguished as the Son of God and designated as the voice of God.
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” Matthew 17:5
The fact that God interrupted Peter’s line of thinking suggests that God wanted to make one thing absolutely clear. Moses is indeed an Old Testament heavy-weight as the giver of the law. And Elijah is also an Old Testament heavy-weight as the voice of the prophets. But they do not carry the same weight as does Jesus, who is the Son of God. They do not carry the same weight as does Jesus.
John later wrote of Jesus in his gospel stating, “In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word [Jesus] was with God, and the Word [Jesus] was God. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men.” John 1:1-5
The Word [Jesus] became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
He [Jesus} is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. Colossians 1:15-16
He [Jesus] is before all things, and in him all things hold together. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him and through him to reconcile to himself all things through his blood, shed on the cross.” Colossians 1:17-20
God wants the followers of Jesus to know that there is none other who is an equal to Jesus… not Moses, not Elijah, not Buddha, not Confucius, not Mohamed… no one is equal to Jesus. [For] Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by whom we must be saved. Acts 4:12
Newsweek Magazine ran an interesting cover on February 28, 2011. The cover title read, “Mr. President, Mr. Clooney Is On Line One.” George Clooney has been an active voice and presence in Southern Sudan and is known to have the ear of the president. You could say that Mr. Clooney (some refer to him as Saint George) is big. You could say that Moses is big. You could say that Elijah is big. But Jesus is BIG!
This morning we have been on the mountain with Jesus, Moses, Elijah, Peter, James and John and we have heard the voice of God distinguishing Jesus above all others and designating his voice as the singular voice of spiritual authority.
But Jesus and his disciples did not linger long on the mountain-top. Peter did not get to build a mountain-top shelter so they could hang out for an extended time.
Mountain-top experiences are glorious but they are few and far between. Mostly we live in the valley.
II. Though we may get a glimpse of God’s glory on the mountain-top, God’s work gets done where we live… in the valley.
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” Matthew 17:9
The valley is where Jesus did his work and where we do our work.
A. The valley is where we do God’s work.
The next day when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son…” Luke 9:37ff
No sooner had Jesus come down from the mountain than he is met by a large crowd of people, all of whom wanted a piece of him. A man in the crowd, it says in Luke 9:37ff, called out to Christ begging him to come and look at his son…
There is no end to it. There is no shortage of people who have needs.
One of the most curious passages of scripture is found in Matthew 25:31 where Jesus spoke of his Second Coming. “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.” He went on to speak of judgment and the separation of the sheep from the goats. Those on his right hand received eternal life and those on his left were assigned eternal punishment. The difference between those who received eternal life and those who were sentenced to eternal punishment was in the way they saw and responded to people in need.
Jesus said that when they fed the hungry person or gave a drink to a thirsty person or were hospitable to a stranger or gave clothing to a naked person or visited a sick or incarcerated person it was as if they were doing it for Christ himself. And when they did not, it was as if they had refused to do a kindness to Christ.
We may not see Moses and Elijah and Jesus chatting in City Park or shooting a round of golf over at Indian Tree… but if we learn to see the glory of Christ in the faces of the people we see throughout the course of everyday living and serve God and people as best we can, we will be doing God’s work here on earth.
And the valley is where Jesus lived and it is in the valley that we live most of our lives.
B. The valley is where we live.
After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” Matthew 17:24ff
The valley is where we live. The valley is where we live and go to work and mow the lawn and paint the garage and chat over the fence with our neighbors and take vacations. The valley is where we go to the doctor and have surgery and celebrate marriages and anniversaries and birthdays and baptisms. The valley is where we make money and lose money. The valley is where we succeed and fail. The valley is where we celebrate life and mark the passing of our loved ones in death. The valley is where we shop for groceries and go to church and celebrate the 4th of July. The valley is the real world and the real world is where Jesus was most of the time… occasionally he slipped off for a Sabbath rest and occasionally he had a mountain-top spiritual experience but usually, he was living and working in the valley.
Bonnie and I enjoy getting away for a day now and then. We enjoy the mountains. We snagged a deal for two nights at the Sheridan in Steamboat Springs a couple of years ago. We enjoy getting a condo in Estes Park for even a day and night get-away. We like to drive the scenic routes and the roads less traveled. We like it when can relax and just enjoy unhurried moments now and then. But eventually we run out of time and we have to come home to the telephone and the answering machine and the mail box and email and pick up where we left off.
One of the most dreaded pieces of mail we receive is a notice from the Clerk of the Adams County Court notifying us that we have been summoned for jury duty. There’s jury duty in the valley. And there are taxes in the valley…
We read it in the scripture, almost as an aside but it is interesting. One of the first things that happened to Jesus when he came down from the mountain-top experience was that he had to pay his taxes. So we see Jesus seeking the Lord on the mountain-top and we see Jesus serving the Lord and being a blessing to others and we see Jesus being a responsible citizen in the world and paying his taxes, albeit in a very unconventional way.
Conclusion
Sometimes we think of learning as being “jug to mug.” The learned person pours what he or she knows from his or her jug into the mug of the learner. The learner has then received information he or she did not previous possess.
If we think of God as the “jug” and ourselves as “mugs” what is it that God has poured into our mugs to enlighten us today.
1. Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
2. Jesus Christ as the Son of God is greater than Moses and Elijah.
3. Jesus Christ is the voice God wants us to hear and follow.
The Season of Epiphany is all about encountering Christ in the Word of God in such a way that we come to know and follow him as the one and only Son of the living God. Will you follow the Son of God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength?
