One of the advantages of reading the Gospels chronologically is that you pick up the small details that each author provides. It helps you put together a more complete picture.
The first account mentioned today is the Transfiguration. One author lets us know that the disciples had fallen asleep, the others leave that little detail out. Skeptics say that the Mount is very high and the air is thin there, so the disciples probably hallucinated what they saw. That would mean a shared hallucination…which takes more faith for me to believe than the truth does. One thing I learn from this account is that we are still alive and aware after we die. Our consciousness isn’t dormant, we are aware, and awaiting the judgment. Moses and Elijah had corporeal-like forms that appeared and chatted with Jesus. It would be incredible to know what they said. One author mentions that they spoke of the trip to Jerusalem, and the upcoming crucifixion. I imagine they were worshipping, praising God for His benevolence to the human race, and encouraging Jesus as He prepared for this final phase of His ministry. I think all of those things would make a good model for us to follow when interacting with other servants of Christ.
When Jesus comes down the mountain he seems impatient….not in a sinful way, but more of a frame of mind that longs to get back to heaven. I suppose that the “taste” of heaven He experienced on the Mountain, and the conversation with Moses and Elijah had him longing for home. I have to believe that anyone who has seen or experienced heaven would rather be there than here.
Matthew tells us that nothing is impossible for those who have faith. That is one of the most powerful statements in the Bible. I sincerely believe that God intended us to understand that exactly the way He said it. “Nothing is impossible”. I wish I had more faith than I do, and I wish that my relationship was much closer to Jesus than it is. I can sense my humanness dragging me down and holding me back. My body craves food and rest and entertainment, and other worldly pleasures…and I end up surrendering to them too often, which limits my receptivity. I know, however, that if I were to truly be completely surrendered, then nothing would be impossible. I am making it my goal to move in that direction, and praying every day that God will open new levels of spiritual depth for me through the Holy Spirit. It’s a process, for sure.
One of things that was impossible for the disciples was the expulsion of the demon from the boy. It sounds like they are describing a seizure here. I wonder how many people have spiritual issues instead of medical ones? Science can only take us so far, and beyond it lies the spiritual realm, which none of us understand completely. This particular type of demon could only be expelled by prayer. I wonder why kind of prayer life a person would require in order to be able to cast out demons? I suppose on top of a prayer life you would also need to be gifted by the Holy Spirit to do it. I doubt that I pray nearly enough.
The subject of Jesus dying comes up today. I see that Jesus wanted to get away from the crowds to teach His disciples, after all that is one of the big reasons that He selected the 12 and spent so much time with them. After his ascension, the spread of the Gospel will rely on their acceptance of the Holy Spirit, and their understanding of what they were taught. It’s clear that today they don’t understand.
Don’t you think that sometimes wisdom is planted in us like a seed? It lies there dormant until just the right time, when it sprouts and grows and creates insight or ability. As we read the Bible we are being taught, even if the education isn’t immediately evident in our lives, we are storing up Scripture and “seeds of wisdom” in our hearts and minds that God can awaken and grow at a later date. Awesome!
One other big topic I thought I might offer a quick comment on, and that’s the topic of not hindering other Christians in their ministry. Jesus makes this point by offering several examples:
1. Don’t stop someone who is working for Christ, even if they aren’t with you
2. Don’t hinder anyone who is a believer from growing…especially children
3. Understand that anyone who is working on behalf of Jesus will be rewarded, even if they are doing something small.
4. If any habit or practice (or anything) in your life causes you to sin, be radical in removing it. Don’t hinder yourself from entering the kingdom.
Sometimes we forget that there is only one body of Christ, and we are all a part of it. Church becomes a competition instead of a mutually supporting group of believers. So what if someone else is heading up the ministry, support them in what they are doing. Don’t punish the kids by grounding them from attending church, youth group or children’s programming. Don’t offer worldly alternatives to Christian activities so that the kids have to choose between being in church or doing something else that they want to do. That only provides temptation to make the wrong choice. Set a good example in doing your best to live a holy life.
Faithfully,
PR