I heard a story about a man and his brand-new duck hunting dog. This man shoots a duck, it falls and he sends his dog to retrieve the duck. But as the dog goes to retrieve the duck, this man is amazed that the dog does not swim to the duck; he ran on top of the water. The dog retrieves the duck and runs back on top of the water to the shore. The man thought, wow I have a holy dog, who can walk on water.

After he gets home, he goes to his neighbor and asks him to go hunting with him tomorrow. He takes the neighbor out and shoots a duck and sure enough the dog runs on top of the water and brings the duck back. He is sitting there anticipating his neighbor being as shocked as he was. Yet the neighbor sits there stoically and does not say anything. The man shoots another duck, the dog runs atop the water, retrieves the duck, and comes back. Again, the neighbor says nothing.

Finally, the man asks, “Hey, do you notice anything special about my new dog?” The neighbor said, “Come to think of it I have. Your dog does not know how to swim.”

It’s amazing how humanity can miss a miracle right in front of their face. Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up on the mountain, and Moses and Elijah appear to them. Why Moses and Elijah? Moses was the great law giver. Elijah was one of the greatest prophets to live. When he spoke for God, he spoke the very words of God. God sent these two important figures in history for a special purpose. While Jesus was talking, something supernatural happens. Matthew calls it Transfiguration. But what does that mean? Verse 32 says, “They saw His glory.” In other words, this earthly veil that Jesus had been wrapped in since His birth has now been removed by God the Father. God the Father is throwing Jesus a Reveal Party. Peter, James & John have the honor of being guests at the party. Now while all this is happening, Moses & Elijah show up in glorious splendor. Now what are they talking about? What is so important that God would send Moses & Elijah down from heaven to talk to Jesus? Mark does not say, but Luke 9:31 tells us, “…speaking of His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.”

How many of you have ever needed a word of encouragement to stay on track with that calling or purpose that God has given you? I believe Moses & Elijah had been sent to give a word of encouragement regarding Jesus’ departure and purpose of the cross. It is interesting that the word “Departure” in both the Greek and English is the exact same, it is the word EXODUS. The word Exodus is used to speak about how God led Israel out of Egypt to the Promised Land. Moses & Elijah, the scripture says, have come to talk to Jesus about His Exodus. About His journey to the cross, His departure from this world. Friends, I find it more than interesting that these two Old Testament heroes play such a critical role in God’s salvation story. They have come to talk to Jesus about His role in the very same story.

Where are the disciples when all this is going on? They are tired. They have just climbed a mountain. It is probably dark, they are sleepy. But then they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men who were standing with Jesus. As Peter, James and John see this, they start to bask in this. They realize that this is a unique moment in history, and the Kingdom of God has come down, and they are basking in it. Until Peter sees that two of these supernatural beings are getting ready to leave.

Peter turns to Jesus in verse 5 and says, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” The word Peter uses here as “Dwellings” is actually “Tabernacle.” Tabernacle in the book of Exodus was the dwelling placed that housed the glory of God. So, as Peter sees God’s glorious splendor in each one of these three guys, he wants to build three Tabernacles: why? To house the glory of God. In verse six, “[Peter] did not know what to say, for they were terrified.” It is just like Peter, classic Peter; he does not know what he is saying. But catch this, Peter does know what he wants. He wants this moment to last forever. We have all been there. We have all had those moments in our lives that are called “Mountaintop Experiences” that we want to last forever. But what Peter does not realize yet is that it is not about holding on to the moment, this is about the master, it is about Jesus.

Now I want to introduce you to the last person who is up on the Mountain, God the Father.
Do you know why He is there? He is there to answer the one question, “who do you say Jesus is?” That is why He is there; to make sure that even Peter cannot miss the answer, God the Father sets the stage for His arrival with a cloud. God speaks, “This is My Son…My Chosen… Listen to Him. Now on the surface these are three powerful and affirming statements.

Parents, when we publicly and verbally affirm our children, have an influence in their lives. Jesus is facing death; His disciples are questioning whether He is truly the Messiah. God the Father comes down in a cloud to tell them, “This is My Son. My Chosen One. Listen to Him.” Once He makes those statements the cloud lifts, the Father is gone, & Moses and Elijah disappear. Now the only ones left for the disciples to listen to, to follow, to abide with, is Jesus. The fulfillment of all that God the Father has foretold.

Now in closing I want to answer the question, why did this happen? Think about this. Why did Jesus pull aside three of His nearest and dearest disciples to go up the mountain? And to experience something that He would never focus on in His ministry? And the disciples would never talk about until after He was gone? What was the purpose of the Transfiguration?

The Transfiguration, this event has a 3-fold purpose. One for Jesus, One for the disciples, and one for future disciples, us. First, it happened to bring reassurance to Jesus about the Father’s plan for the cross. Friends, please do not underestimate what the burden of the cross was to Jesus daily, because the Father did not underestimate this.

Second, this event was to help the disciples in Jesus’ day to show them that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. Friends, think about what the disciples went through after Jesus’ resurrection and assentation into heaven. Persecution. Suffering. Pain. And even Death. And they would not deny Jesus. The disciples need to be reminded that Jesus was worthy, that He was the Chosen One, the Messiah.

Thirdly, this happened so that if you and I begin to stumble in our faith, if we ever begin to question who Jesus really is, or what He said, then God the Father wants to leave no doubt in our minds. This is the Son, the Chosen. In a world that distracts us, focus on the main thing, and everything else will fall into place.

Till Next Week When We Meet at the P.E.W.
Pastor Joel