4. Jesus' ministry in relation to the Father

A ministry of word and deed

22 February 2009

Mark 9:2-9

You join us in the Wesley Theatre as we continue our journey through Mark’s gospel – and also in the context of a service to thank God for our Media Ministry not only through my regular preaching on television, but also our exciting Rise and Shine program broadcast throughout Australia and other parts of the world.

The passage before us is certainly not the easiest to handle, and yet it is important to recognise that it comes in a wider section of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. We shall seek to understand it in relation to this special service.

The account of the Transfiguration is unique within the gospels. It can be understood as a kind of corporate vision – for examples can be cited of people who get so caught up in an experience of the otherness of God that their physical appearance might be changed. Even taking that approach, we are still left with the dilemma of Elijah and Moses who join Jesus and the disciples.

Some people have suggested that it’s actually a resurrection appearance read back into the narrative, but that whole argument is weak when you consider that in resurrection appearances it is Jesus who is the One they are surprised to see – not the prophets … we need to see it as distinctive in itself.

What we can say about this passage is that it is about life being transformed by the presence and power of Jesus Christ. In precisely this sense, we can make a linkage with our Media Ministry and how we seek to reach people and introduce them to the changing power of Christ.

As in all communication, it is important to seek to envisage who your audience actually is. As our morning program goes out at 5.30 and 8 am on the East Coast of Australia (later in other parts of Australia and the rest of the world), we try to imagine folks coming in after a night shift, parents with young children, or folks who can’t sleep. You would be amazed how many people watch at this time. For some, we may be an interruption – and we seek to bring something fresh into their lives.

In the 1970s Barbra Streisand recorded a song entitled ‘On a Clear Day You Can See Forever’. Such powerful lyrics express a deep cry for perspective. On the mountain top it is exactly what Jesus experienced and shared with his colleague disciples.

Mark seems to gather up in one event what other writers, such as John in his gospel, spread across the whole of their work. In a dramatic sense, it is a scene of recognition.

Mark 9:7 –

“Then a cloud appeared and covered them
and a voice came from the cloud:
“This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

This story is located just beyond the mid-point of the gospel and I want to look at the account – and, at the same time, ask not only what it meant to the disciples, indeed to Jesus, but also what it means for us today in relation to our communicating the good news.

A majestic vision of God

All talk of spiritual experiences which lift us into an unseen world of spiritual reality leaves many people skeptical in the Western culture of which we are a part. Here in Australia we are at least privileged in belonging to a very old country that has deep roots and spiritual aspects to the way we understand life.

Such language, however, often leaves people short of the deep truth of God, which we encounter in scripture. We are told that this happened “after six days”. There is a definite link with what has gone before. This is an important key to understanding the passage. It was inevitable that, after Caesarea Philippi, would come a mountaintop. In the preceding passages, Jesus has spoken about his death and invited the disciples to a way which involves denying themselves and the pathway of the cross, which inevitably will be shared with them. Now there is the affirmation of God which seals the truth of the confession of Peter.

A vision of the Lord

The Transfiguration was undoubtedly a peak experience, when Jesus took Peter, James and John on top of a mountain and shared an experience that would renew their spirits and give them new and wonderful spiritual insight.

We all have moments in our lives that are peak moments. We sometimes call them ‘mountaintop experiences’. In point of fact they can be exactly that. I recall climbing Pike’s Peak, west of Colorado Springs in El Paso County as you enter the Rocky Mountains. When moving up that 14,115 ft (4,302 m) mountain, I observed the glorious panorama surrounding mountain. It was a transforming moment … quite breathtaking.

What is certain is that the mountain that Jesus climbed was not very high. Tradition suggests it to be Mount Tabor, but the exact location is unimportant … for, as Morna Hooker put it, “The mountain is understood to be the new Sinai – the place of revelation – of the messianic era.”

When leaders of the world get together such as during the current economic crisis, their gathering is often described as ‘a summit’ because of the high level of conferring.

The Transfiguration of Jesus was the ultimate in summit meetings! It was here that a vision of what God is like was presented to Peter, James and John,

A voice from the Lord

In close proximity, at Caesarea Philippi, Jesus had asked the question of the disciples, “Who do you say I am?” It was Peter who replied that he was the Messiah. In this experience, it is God who testifies as to who Jesus is.

It is as a cloud envelopes him that a voice emerges from the cloud. There are some aspects of this that are important to note:

The cloud symbolises ‘the Shekinah’ – the very presence of God – and it was used in some Jewish writings to denote God himself.
The cloud covered them. Some writers prefer to think of this as the cloud ‘overshadowing them’. One writer comments: “The overshadowing cloud warns us … that the world is a battlefield, not a vision of peace.”
It is out of the cloud that voice is heard. A significant combination of mystery and voice.

The first words of this God-voice echo those addressed to Jesus at his baptism in Mark 1:11. The voice calls us to recognise who Jesus is – and to “Listen to him!”

He has wisdom that is way beyond our comprehension. He speaks a truth which will never deceive us. He is worthy of our giving attention to all he says.

What is the nature of our listening? We are to listen with reverence, with receptivity, with a willingness to apply to our lives and with a deep, solemn sense of our responsibility.

A momentous experience of glory

We need to be quite clear about what kind of glory we are talking about. There is a movie called Leap of Faith in which an evangelist combined razzle-dazzle showmanship and psychology to milk the people’s spiritual yearnings for his own gain. During the religious show, he would put on a sequined jacket that shone like 40 million dollars under the spotlight. He used the jacket to focus attention on himself and create an aura of divine glory. It was just a prop.

When Jesus was transfigured before them, it was no razzle-dazzle, no show. If Jesus had intended to draw attention to himself, he would have let it happen in a crowded place. As God is glorified in Jesus Christ before the inner-circle, it confirmed the direction of his life.

As we seek to bear witness to Jesus Christ in our weekly television ministry, it is not to draw attention to ourselves, but to point to the One who can and does change lives.

It is hard in terms of media ministry to know exactly what it will mean for people to respond to Jesus Christ, because it will mean different things to each person – but no more difficult than any other kind of communication.

Some respond in an almost classical way to the claims of Christ – and give their heart to him. We never lose sight of this possibility. For others, it is a challenge to some particular aspect of life that demands an action or a response. For yet others, it is an opportunity to stop and consider carefully what life is about – and this leads to other people being drawn into that search. We become part of a wider story. All of these responses, however varied, are ‘God-moments’ of great significance – and we are glad to receive letters, emails or calls which confirm that God is at work amongst us.

Placing Jesus in the prophetic tradition

In this great vision, Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus. The significance cannot be lost on us – one is the greatest law giver and the other is the greatest prophet. Jesus stands as the fulfillment of all that has gone before. It is not surprising that the disciples are in awe and fear of the voice of God in such presence.

It isn’t too difficult to comprehend the significance of the symbolism in this particular passage. The Law and the Prophets form the greater part of the Old Testament. Here in this moment stood the great Law-giver and one who represents the great prophetic tradition. Both are in the company of Jesus. If only the disciples could see it, here is the One who fulfils the Law and the Prophets. We could also look at this another way and observe two of the giant characters of the Old Testament acknowledging Jesus as One who takes forward what they were all about. One writer says it is almost like them saying, “Go on!”

In his commentary, Stein reminds us that both Moses and Elijah suffered for their faithfulness – a point strengthened in relation to Jesus by the Lukan account, which tells us that they were ‘talking about his departure’ (Luke 9:31).

Preparing the disciples for service

Jesus has already made it clear that the disciples will need to walk the way of the cross. In this experience, they are being prepared – and although there is no doubt that this experience confirms the will of God in Jesus, it would no doubt help to confirm something of their own faith and sense of purpose. The time of crisis would arise and yet it is so important that they are able to reflect upon exactly who Jesus is.

The disciples have listened to Jesus making clear what the way of the cross is going to mean for them and for all who follow him. It is now a very different place – it is almost as if Jesus gives them a glimpse of what lies ahead. Craddock says, “A corner of the curtain is lifted, and they are permitted to see and hear for a moment.” He goes on to sadly reflect, “But they miss it, really.”

We must see our high moments as times of preparation for what lies ahead. On May 29 1953, a New Zealand beekeeper, Edmund Hilary and a Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norgay, became the first to ever reach Everest’s summit. This unreachable, tantalizing, fearsome and deadly mountain had defeated fifteen previous expeditions. Many of the earth’s strongest climbers had perished on its slopes.

Strangely enough, that incredible mountaintop experience at Everest, over fifty-five years ago, ends in a way very similar to the Transfiguration. After Hilary had climbed Mount Everest, he became an overnight celebrity. He was knighted by the Queen, his name became a household word … Think Donald Bradman or Tiger Woods. He became a spokesperson for Sears-Roebuck; his name appeared on sleeping bags, tents and even boot laces – and he could have lived the rest of his life in his shrine of success.

Hilary chose a different way. Instead he went back to Nepal, back to the Sherpas, whom he had come to know, to respect and to love. In a very similar way, disciples are called to return to the service to which God has called them. We cannot stay on the mountaintop.

A ministry which they share together

Jesus called the disciples to share with him in ministry. In a passage like this, we can concentrate on the fumbling effort that the disciples make, but we could also stop for a moment and consider that Peter did see something of the significance and wanted to preserve the moment. “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (v.5)

They must return to the crowds they had escaped

Although this is a glorious moment, it is also a time when they have to prepare themselves for the fact that they must return to life and its day-to-day calling. The passage that follows in each of the Synoptic Gospels reminds us of the fact that this journey is a difficult one.

After their experience on the Mount of Transfiguration, where they had met the glory of God and heard the voice of God in testimony, they returned to a situation which was so very different.

The disciples and ourselves must not live in an unreal world, but in the everyday service of people.

Former American hostage, Terry Anderson, recalls the Autumn of 1984 before he was captured. He was in England with his then fiancé, Madeleine, and visiting Sunderland in the North-East. Terry needed some peace and quiet from his hectic career as a journalist.

They went to a small parish church. Terry had been brought up in church but had drifted far from God and, in his own words, considered himself an agnostic. However, that afternoon his attention was drawn to the church. He opened the heavy oaken door, stepped in and sat down in an old pew. Looking up at the altar and the cross gleaming in the shadows, he suddenly had a strong sense of coming home. He reaffirmed his faith that day.

For the next six months, Terry wondered why he had been drawn to that church. He thought perhaps God was calling him to do something, but in point of fact he started to sense a closer relationship with God, when one morning on a street in Beirut he was shoved at gunpoint into the back of a green Mercedes. His face was pressed to the floor and a blanket thrown over him as the car accelerated. It was March 16 1985. While in captivity Terry began reading the Bible. The Bible characters came to life! Terry Anderson found the strength to endure years of captivity, because God was with him. His mountaintop experience in a small church prepared him for what lay ahead.

They are refreshed by the solitude they encountered

Mountaintop experiences are important, but it is amazing how many are surrounded by a spiritual solitude. I have no doubt in my mind that this experience would renew the disciples. Perhaps, above all else, it would refresh Jesus Christ himself to face the challenge of the cross.

There is another aspect worth consideration: The Transfiguration in Mark is recorded in the central section which runs from 8:22 to 10:52. The section opens with the healing of a blind man and ends with the healing of another blind man. In between, we have three disciples who remain ‘blind’.

The view from the top may be incredibly inspirational, but we must return to take up our calling. Tonight gives us the opportunity to thank God for the ministry we share in reaching people for Jesus Christ. In one sense there is no difference between our television ministry and any other kind of ministry – yet, in real terms, it has its own special aspects.

In only a matter of weeks, we shall gather at the Sydney Opera House for our dawn service, which will be transmitted live across the country. On Easter Day only a year ago, I received a telephone call from someone who had watched our program via satellite on a Pacific island. I didn’t like to tell them it was the service from the previous year put out on the Christian Channel! The privilege we have is not to be taken for granted. It is a God-given moment.

As Jesus and the disciples climbed the mountain, he is transfigured before them. Gone for the moment are the hot roads of the countryside. Gone is the dry, parched throat of the journey. There are no more Pharisees surrounding them, trying the patience of Jesus with their tricky questions. Gone also for a while are the demands of the crowds who pushed and pulled to hear him preach.

It is not dissimilar to the experience described beautifully by Max Lucado in In the Eye of the Storm: “For a brief moment the burden of his humanity is lifted from his shoulders. He is elevated above the earth’s horizons and escorted into the eternal. He is home again. Familiar sounds surround him. Those who understand welcome him. And the One who sent him – holds him again.”

The poet W B Yeats once wrote, “All God asks for is our attention.”

Let us once again demonstrate our attention by offering our lives to him in commitment and service.

Christian Life