Jesus Clearly Seen
There are moments in our cultural experience when the public persona of a celebrity is stripped away and we see someone "for who they really are". For some it looks like an angry tirade when they don't know the mic is still on. For some it's a string of accusations from victims they thought they had silenced.
We don't hear very often about celebrities, even in the church, who are revealed to be genuinely good people who are humbly doing great things in their local communities. So when Taylor Swift showed up at a fan's birthday party several years ago, it was a big deal. When we hear of celebrities becoming believers and trying to turn their lives around we tend to meet the news with some skepticism and wait for the news of their downfall. There are a few actors and artists who are well known for their art but have lived their private lives quietly and without the public drama of scandals and accusations.
If the deepest, darkest part of your life was revealed and you were clearly seen for who you really are, what would people see? What would surprise people, even your closest friends?
There was a moment told about in Matthew 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9, when Jesus was revealed for who He truly is. Scripture calls it the transfiguration, from the same word Paul uses in Romans 12:2 when he tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
Taking Peter, James, and John up on a mountain with Him, Jesus was transformed, met with Israel's greatest prophets, Moses and Elijah, and affirmed by the Father. This is another moment Jesus is revealed to be the prophet greater than Moses. When Moses met one-on-one with Yahweh, he had to put a veil over his face because it was shining as it reflected the glory of God. When Jesus was clearly seen, His face didn't reflect the glory of God, but He embodied God's glory on earth!
How we respond when we see Jesus for who He really is reveals a lot about ourselves.
Peter, who a chapter earlier had called Jesus the Messiah, Son of God, suggested building shrines to Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. He was focused on the physical Kingdom of God on earth, David's throne to be established for eternity. And by that, read, "He'll throw off Roman rule and we'll be in charge."
Jesus' response was to head to Jerusalem to die for our sin. Luke 9:51, just after the transfiguration: "When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem." This was a pivot in the story, the moment the focus turns to His suffering and death.
When you see Jesus for who He really is, what is your response? Is it to, in humility, obey Him and serve the people around us in love? Is it to die to yourself and submit to what He wants you to do? Is it to demand conformity of morality or appearance or politics for acceptance into the church club? Is it to build programs and buildings to build a physical kingdom? Or is it to shrug and move on with life as if He were irrelevant to your daily existence?
"What comes to our minds when we think about [Jesus] is the most important thing about us."
-AW Tozer
We don't hear very often about celebrities, even in the church, who are revealed to be genuinely good people who are humbly doing great things in their local communities. So when Taylor Swift showed up at a fan's birthday party several years ago, it was a big deal. When we hear of celebrities becoming believers and trying to turn their lives around we tend to meet the news with some skepticism and wait for the news of their downfall. There are a few actors and artists who are well known for their art but have lived their private lives quietly and without the public drama of scandals and accusations.
If the deepest, darkest part of your life was revealed and you were clearly seen for who you really are, what would people see? What would surprise people, even your closest friends?
There was a moment told about in Matthew 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9, when Jesus was revealed for who He truly is. Scripture calls it the transfiguration, from the same word Paul uses in Romans 12:2 when he tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
Taking Peter, James, and John up on a mountain with Him, Jesus was transformed, met with Israel's greatest prophets, Moses and Elijah, and affirmed by the Father. This is another moment Jesus is revealed to be the prophet greater than Moses. When Moses met one-on-one with Yahweh, he had to put a veil over his face because it was shining as it reflected the glory of God. When Jesus was clearly seen, His face didn't reflect the glory of God, but He embodied God's glory on earth!
How we respond when we see Jesus for who He really is reveals a lot about ourselves.
Peter, who a chapter earlier had called Jesus the Messiah, Son of God, suggested building shrines to Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. He was focused on the physical Kingdom of God on earth, David's throne to be established for eternity. And by that, read, "He'll throw off Roman rule and we'll be in charge."
Jesus' response was to head to Jerusalem to die for our sin. Luke 9:51, just after the transfiguration: "When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem." This was a pivot in the story, the moment the focus turns to His suffering and death.
When you see Jesus for who He really is, what is your response? Is it to, in humility, obey Him and serve the people around us in love? Is it to die to yourself and submit to what He wants you to do? Is it to demand conformity of morality or appearance or politics for acceptance into the church club? Is it to build programs and buildings to build a physical kingdom? Or is it to shrug and move on with life as if He were irrelevant to your daily existence?
"What comes to our minds when we think about [Jesus] is the most important thing about us."
-AW Tozer
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