The Transfiguration
by Pastor John
Yesterday our guest speaker did a great job of unpacking the Transfiguration for us. At first read, it is a strange occurrence that we aren't quite sure what to do with.
But remember Mark's agenda as he tells us the story. He is showing us that Jesus is in fact the Messiah, the Son of God. But the Messiah will come to rule and reign through suffering, a difficult tension to process. Connecting to the Old Testament, we are seeing that Jesus is both the glorious Son of Man from Daniel 7 and the lowly Suffering Servant from Isaiah 53.
So what does that have to do with the Transfiguration? As Peter and others see Jesus gloriously transformed before them, Mark is again confirming that Jesus is the glorious King. This is especially since the disciples are still wrestling with what Jesus said in Mark 8 about Him suffering and dying.
So what do we do with that? Perhaps the simplest application is to give Jesus your full attention, to submit yourself under His rule, and to continue to be His disciples.
The voice of God confirms this when He says, "This is my Beloved Son; listen to Him."
Prayer: Jesus, today, again, I give myself over to you and your purposes. Help me to follow you wherever you lead.