This Sunday, we remember the Transfiguration of Jesus. The Transfiguration is one of the five major milestones in the gospel narrative of the life of Jesus, the others being Baptism, Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension. In our scripture from Mark, Jesus ascends a mountain, accompanied by Peter, James, and John. At the top, the Lord is enveloped in divine light and meets with Moses and Elijah. The voice of God thunders, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to Him.” Many sermons this Sunday will link the passage to Jesus’s Baptism and/or Resurrection, but I was struck by an odd detail in the story. Peter sees Jesus and the other two holy men and asks if he can pitch tents for them. Does that seem strange to you?
In our Old Testament scripture, the Prophet Elijah tells his disciple Elisha that he’ll soon be taken by God. Elisha begs him to stay but watches helplessly as Elijah is sucked into a tornado and ascends into heaven. You can probably see the connection with the Transfiguration; both stories involve a breathtaking miracle pointing to God’s might. Yet, even in this story, there’s something odd. Elisha isn’t happy to see his mentor enter heaven. He’s angry and sad. Does that seem strange to you?
Sometimes, it’s the little details that reveal a deep truth within God’s Word. Worship with us this Sunday in person or online and find out what is sometimes lost in the radiant splendor of a “glory story.”
Pastor Vann
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