Matthew 17:1-13

Matthew 17:1 - 13

The location of the Transfiguration in the timeline of the gospels is more important than its geography. Following the great confession of Peter and the call for the disciple to take up the cross and before the healing of the demon-possessed boy Jesus's glory is revealed. Peter wants to build shelters not unlike those used during the Feast of Tabernacles. His objective seems to be to institutionalize the euphoria, to have and to keep a religious high. He was not thinking clearly; this was not a plan with a lot of thought put into it. It was simply having a great feeling and wanting to keep it.

The great experience is a part of the life of a disciple, but it is also linked to His cross and my cross. As much as I may want to live in a state of perpetual spiritual and emotional euphoria I must also live with and in the cross. I must go down and confront the ugly, demonic world.

In the midst of the glorification, the heroes of old and the Shekinah glory, God speaks. He endorses His Son and adds, “Listen to him.” Clearly, God establishes Jesus’s words as authoritative. But also there may be a rebuke for Peter and the rest of us who may want to argue for our agenda. It is so easy for us to imprint our agenda on to the Gospel message. God says, “Listen to Him.” We try to make the faith attractive while Jesus invites us to come and die. We talk about peace and prosperity and a happy family yet Jesus talks about the cross, selling what we have, giving it away and about conflict in our own family. We talk about the advantage of membership; Jesus talks about suffering at the hands of ungodly people. Shut up and listen to Jesus, open your ears and close your mouth. You will hear the call to come and die.

"Lord, give me the grace to embrace the cross and not try to soften it to suit me. AMEN"