As I started this chapter and read about the commissioning of the 12 it made me think of how I am commissioned each and every day to leave my house and profess the good news of Jesus Christ. Professing Jesus is the Messiah as Peter did, taking up my cross and not being ashamed of who Jesus is in my life, overcoming all the worldly desires and following Jesus wholeheartedly. I need to be observant and make sure I recognize the miracles Jesus performs in my life. To daily be thankful and appreciative of His sacrificial death which gives me eternal life. Recognize any pride I have in my life, not caring if I’m not recognized, that God be glorified for anything he does through me.
The mount of Transfiguration is an amazing story. Jesus only took Peter, James and John up the mountain to meet Moses and Elijah. They did not climb a short mountain, Matthew and Mark mention it’s a high mountain. I don’t know how high they climbed but the disciples were so exhausted when they got there that they fell into a deep sleep. When I have had mountaintop experiences, they usually are exhausting as I follow Jesus on whatever journey I’ve been on to get to that mountaintop, I usually feel like I could use a deep sleep. When the disciples wake up, they see Jesus speaking to two men, it’s amazing to me that they knew these two men were Moses and Elijah.
I’ve heard a lot of teachings over the years about what this meeting would’ve been like, often using sports analogies and words like strategy. The Bible only tells us that they were speaking of Jesus’ coming death. Maybe, Jesus needed someone to talk to to find the encouragement, endurance and strength he needed to follow His Father completely so that we could all have eternal salvation. Jesus was about to face a more challenging situation than anyone else has ever experienced. No one had a closer walk with God than Jesus did, but maybe even Jesus needed a couple of friends to talk to about going through the traumatic events He was about to go through. He had his closest 3 earthly friends Peter, James and John, but then He met with Moses and Elijah, were they possibly His 2 closest heavenly friends?
The next day when they came down the mountain Jesus was met by a man whose son was possessed by a demon and the disciples were not able to drive the demon out. After telling Jesus what the demon does, the father says, “if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us”. Jesus replied “if you can? Everything is possible to the one who believes”. Mark 9:24 tells us that immediately the father of the boy cried out “I do believe! Help my unbelief”. When I studied Mark years ago, I became enlightened that I was like the father. I fully believe in God‘s blessings for me in my life but, I was in desperate need of Gods help with my unbelief. This was a huge revelation for me at the time, I still today pray often for God to please help me with my unbelief. There’s no doubt in my mind I don’t deserve any of God’s blessings, but that’s not the way God works. He doesn’t look at me with a critical eye as I do with myself and others. He looks at me with a heart full of love for me. All I need to do is trust, obey and believe.