“Jesus Tells All” sounds like the title of a supermarket checkout line tabloid. While it’s true that all of Scriptures testify about our Lord Jesus, the account of the Transfiguration from the Matthew 17 is the perfect way to end the Epiphany season. If you recall, the word epiphany is a Greek word that means reveal. The season begins with the revelation of Jesus’ birth to the Magi via the Star of Bethlehem. The next event is his Baptism at the Jordan River where God the Father shouts his approval, “This is my Son whom I love; listen to him!” The Sunday’s that follow are either miracle texts that showcases Jesus power or his teaching that reflects his divine wisdom. The season always ends with the Transfiguration. This is ultimate physical revelation of Jesus’ glory during his ministry. He was hard to look at!
But that isn’t where we stay. I know that Peter wanted to. I get it. I’m right there with him putting up shelters – one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. But they didn’t stay on the mountain. Jesus’ mission was to die for the sins of the world, to save us from our sins!
Jesus hadn’t hid who he was during his ministry and yet he never rented a billboard either. After he healed a sick man or gave a blind person his sight, what did he tell them? Don’t tell anyone. Why not? Isn’t word of mouth the best advertising? The answer is found scattered throughout his ministry. Consider after Jesus fed the masses. The next day they came to Jesus – yes they ran around the lake – the Sea of Gallilee and they didn’t find another meal. Jesus main purpose wasn’t to heal the sick. It wasn’t to feed the hungry. It was to die. This is why Jesus calls himself, not the Messiah, but the Son of Man. This is why on the way down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
Want to hear more? Watch this week’s message from Matthew 17: Jesus Tells All.
Book(s): Matthew
Tag(s): Transfiguration
Speaker(s): Fred Guldberg