Rocky Top

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 to 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 causes 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 our scripture today…Is about what appears to be a little side trip for Jesus and 3 of his disciples. They are going up the mountain to pray. The first verse is normally not connected to this block of scripture if your bible has section titles. To me it looks like the situation that Jesus described 8 days before, came true for Peter, James and John.

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.

I wonder why Jesus picked Peter, James and John so often. May because the got along well. The had been in business together. That is one of those “When I get to heaven” Questions I have. Not that it is really important.

From other places in scripture we know that Jesus goes to quiet places to pray often. Sometimes he goes alone. When he goes he spends hours in prayer.

What do you think is the reason Jesus ask the three to join him this time? Does he need a look out? Could it be that he gets lonely? Will they find something up there?

We don’t know how long they were up there. It could easily have been well after dark because of the customs of Jesus prayer time. It might even be the middle of the night when Peter or James or John notice that the place is lit up brighter than a normal day. Walking or climbing up a mountain can be pretty tiring. I imagine that after a few hours of prayer you can get pretty relaxed.

If it were me my mind might slip into day dreams, not quite sleep but off of the subject. Evidentially, Peter James and John got finished a little faster than Jesus.

Then one of them notices the light and nudges or shakes the other two. Jesus face is changed some how. Maybe it is glowing, it is not described.

They do describe his clothes. White as lightning is the phrase that is used. If we saw this image in the movies there is no way that even with today’s special effects that could let you see that much light.

(Wisperig) Peter,…. Peter Do you see that? I am afraid I would have thought it was some wild dream. Peter…Who are those men…???

That’s Elijah and Moses…. John….. are you awake….?

The three disciples are sitting there, stirred from drowsiness looking at a most amazing scene. The two most famous represenitives of the old testimate are talking to Jesus, They are discussing departure and fulfillment in Jerusalem. Jesus and the two men’s clothes are as white as lightning. That is vivid image. White as lightening.

The event in today’s scripture is one of the hardest for people to grasp some personal meaning. I am afraid that most of the time we hear the story about Transfiguration and we offer a polite smile and we go back to looking at the travel brochures of the Holy Land mountain top lodges and the pictures of the rolling countryside.

This is one of the places in the bible that gets uncomfortable for Christians because It seems to cause more Questions than answers. What if a new Christian or a person that is seeking ask what all that means? Uh oh, we better stay clear of this topic. There are too many boulders that we can’t get our hands on.