March 2019 - LPNI

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March 2019

LPNI Devotion – March 2019

Transfiguration

Matthew 7:1-9

Lent begins this month, but the Sunday before Ash Wednesday is Transfiguration Sunday. The Gospel tells how Jesus took Peter, James and John up on a mountain … and then suddenly appeared so bright with the dazzling glory of God that they couldn’t look at him. A bright cloud came over the mountain, and they heard the voice of God saying: ‘This is my own dear Son, with whom I’m pleased – listen to him’.

What those three disciples experienced was a Shekinah experience – like those of Moses at the burning bush, or up on Mt Sinai. They found themselves, mystically, in the presence of two of God’s Old Testament saints – Moses and Elijah. They saw their Lord in his awesome glory as the eternal Son of God.

What happened that day shows that Jesus truly was and is the Son of God. God sent his Son to earth as Jesus, to live just like we do, and then to die for our sin, so we can have his forgiveness and promise of eternal glory.

Each Sunday our Lord leads us to a mountaintop experience! He gives us a glimpse of his glory in the word that’s read and proclaimed, and in the Holy Supper, where he links his precious body and blood with the bread and wine we eat and drink. It’s his way of assuring us in the face of the fears and pressures, the doubts and struggles, that we face down on the ‘plains’ of our daily life.

The glorified Christ comes to us in our worship. We can’t see him, but he is with us! And we’re also joined by all his saints and angels. In heaven, the angels sing their ‘Holy, holy, holy’ to him, as we do here on earth. We echo the ‘Glory to God in the highest’ of the heavenly host. Our Communion liturgy assures us that our praises are joined with those of the saints and angels in heaven. We truly are on a mountaintop! We come with a holy awe, because we’re in the presence of the eternal, utterly holy God. But we don’t come in terror, because we know our sin is forgiven.

Peter, particularly, didn’t quite know how to react to this glorious vision of Christ. He wanted to hold onto the moment with Moses and Elijah! He wanted to stay up on that mountain, in happy isolation, far removed from the work and sorrows, the stress and the struggles of everyday life.

But Jesus said ‘No!’ They had to go down to the plains again. There was work to be done. There were people to love and to serve. And so as the splendour of the transfiguration vanished, they were soon back to the ordinary, humdrum, workaday world. Jesus himself led them down to the plains again.

Maybe sometimes we’re a bit like Peter, but we can’t stay up on the mountain! We follow as Christ leads us back to the plains where he wants us to live and serve and love. But what we’ve seen and experienced goes with us in our hearts and lives. It gives us comfort, and reassurance, confidence and hope. Walking right there in step with us is the all-glorious Lord himself. We’ve seen his glory. We’ve tasted his goodness. We’ve heard his voice. We’ve been touched again by his love, and we’re different – reassured, encouraged, motivated and empowered, to show forth the glory of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvellous light.

Each time you ‘go up the mountain’ in worship, you’re offered a further view of God’s glory in Jesus Christ. But then follow as your Lord’s leads you down to the plains where people are hurting and hating, struggling and dying – without God, without Christ, and without hope! And let God give them hope through your witness to his glory!

Robert J Wiebusch

Paradise, South Australia

robert.wiebusch@lca.org.au