Tag Archives: growth

This morning I want to start by just asking you a question – if you could have been around for any single event in the life of Jesus, what would you choose? Now I am sure there are some in the room today who would love to have been there on that day in Bethlehem when God became flesh and Jesus was born. There might be some in the room that who would say, “I would love to have been there when Jesus stood outside the tomb of his friend Lazarus and called him forth and Lazarus came back from the dead.” Or maybe someone would say, “I would love to have been there on that early Sunday morning when Jesus Himself, after dying on the cross, raised Himself from the dead.” I know that’s what a lot of us would say. Perhaps there is even someone here today who would say, “I would have liked to have been there when Jesus turned water into wine.”

However, if I could have tagged along with Jesus, there’s another event that I would have chosen. I would have loved to be a part of the day where Peter, James and John accompanied Jesus and hiked up to the top of the mountain. And the Bible says that in Matthew 17, that when they got to the top of the mountain something happened, and the Bible describes it like this: it says that Jesus was transfigured. That word, if we go back to the original language is really the word “metamorphosis.” It means a change in form. And the Bible says that in that moment that He was transfigured, His face shone like the sun and His clothes were light as the light. And for one brief, fleeting moment, the glory of God, which had been contained there by the flesh of Jesus leaked out. What an unbelievable experience. And if that were not enough for Peter to get to witness, the Bible says that out of heaven appeared Elijah and Moses there in that scene. And then, out of the cloud comes a loud voice and God says, “This is my son, whom I love. With Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him.” Continue reading →