Tag: transfiguration

Christ’s Glory Revealed

Rob WoodrumLeave a comment

Are you familiar with the phrase “a mountaintop experience”? It’s describing times of glory and exuberance, especially as it touches our spiritual journey. Those experiences are great, but usually…actually, always short lived.

This Sunday we’ll be reading Matthew 17:1-20 and we’ll read about the original mountaintop experience as we get a glimpse of God’s glory revealed in Christ.

The first section, v1-8, provides the account of the “transfiguration” of Jesus. Jesus takes three of his disciples up on a mountain, and there, his appearance changes in front of them – he is glorious. Why do you think Moses and Elijah showed up? What is it that they represent?

When the voice instructs us to “listen to him“, Jesus, what do you think that means in light of who is on the mountaintop with him?

When they head off the mountain in v 9-13 the disciples get a lesson about Elijah’s coming before the Messiah. Why do you think the people didn’t recognize John the Baptist as a fulfillment of Micah’s prophecy about Elijah’s appearance? What can we learn from that when it comes to our expectations about how God will manifest his glory?

After they return down from the mountaintop experience, they face a different tone in v14-20. What is the key element that Jesus says is missing, which prevented the disciples from helping the demonized boy? What connection would there be between our faith and God’s glory?

We’ll get really honest about our journey this Sunday – hope to see you there!

Glimpse of the Finish Line

Rob Woodrum1 Comment

This was from an article over at CNN: “James Cameron’s completely immersive spectacle “Avatar” may have been a little too real for some fans who say they have experienced depression and suicidal thoughts after seeing the film because they long to enjoy the beauty of the alien world Pandora.” Putting aside that the movie was a bit of tripe, I was reminded of that article as I read the passage we’ll be looking at this Sunday at Eastgate.

Luke 9:28-36

I think about people sitting in a theater for the 3 hours Avatar took to play out.  Totally immersed in the lights and colors spread out before them in 3-D.   I imagine them sitting all the way through the credits, loath to take off those glasses and confront the reality of familiar things.  Gone are the translucent, glowing forests.  Spilled popcorn and wads of chewing gum now decorate their path.  The glory fades away, and the hard edges of real life return to focus.

I bet Pete,  Jimmy and Jack felt that way too, after their mountaintop experience with Jesus.  Right in the middle of it all, Pete had blurted out instructions for how to secure the moment and enshrine it.  It wasn’t meant for enshrinement though.  It was just a glimpse, after all, of what the end game will be like.  A glimpse of the finish line.  Back in v 27, Jesus predicted that there were those standing there with him who would “not taste death until they see the kingdom of God”.  All three synoptic gospels place the story of the transfiguration on the heels of that prediction…so it must be what he was talking about.  Jesus showed the disciples why taking up a cross and following him was worth it…he pulled back the curtain just a bit to show just how glorious it will be.

As you think about the details of this story, what jumps out at you?  What happened, who were the characters involved, what was said?  As you ponder that, share what thoughts you have about how it forecasts what the kingdom of God will be like when it’s fully revealed.

There have been great comments on these posts, keep them coming!