Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
Mark 9:5-8
I have this reoccurring dream. While many of the details are different, it always ends the same. I’m in some terrible situation, I’m about to be captured or killed by an enemy. As the tension increases and the enemy closes in, I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. I try to scream or call out for help, and it’s like there is something grabbing my throat. I’m doing everything possible to make any kind of sound to save myself, but, in the words of Simon and Garfunkel, I echoed “the sounds of silence[1].”
Peter doesn’t suffer from the same problem that I do. He speaks up even when he should be quiet. Even when he doesn’t know what to say.
In this story, he and the others are so frightened. James and John had enough good sense, or they suffered from the same paralyzing problem that causes me not to be able to speak when frightened.
But not Peter. Fear and all, terror and all, Peter pipes up and says something stupid. Here is Jesus, God of all, creator of the universe. Does he need a shelter? I think not.
When Peter should be silent, God shows up, God speaks up. While I’m not positive why God decided to break into time and space at this exact moment, there certainly are some reasons we can come up with.
While the disciples were dumbfounded, God knows exactly what to say, what to do. He’s never at a loss for words. He’s never wondering what to do next. He’s never uncertain about the future.
God answers the $64,000 question about Jesus once and for all. Jesus is his one and unique son. There are no others. No one else is like Jesus in his relationship to God. In his being God. In his being the creator and sustainer of the universe.
God’s unquestioning and unwavering love for Jesus is also put to rest once and for all. Within the Godhead; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, there has been divine love and intimacy from eternity past. There’s nothing that they don’t share with one another. There’s nothing that they try to hide from one another. There’s nothing that they wouldn’t do for one another. They’re always ready, willing, and able to defer to one another. Letting the other one go first, receive more glory.
And because of who God says Jesus is, what is to be our response? We are to listen to him. And this isn’t just to have our earbuds pumping words about Jesus into our heads all day long. But it’s the kind of listening that always, always, always leads to action. The kind of action where we do what God says. We actively align our words, thoughts, actions, and attitudes with who God is and what he has revealed about himself.
God’s not looking for us to come up with an idea of what to do for him. He’s not all that interested in us trying to figure out his will for our lives.
What God is really interested in is our relationship and response to Jesus. That’s why God speaks up and says what he does. He wants no uncertainty about who Jesus is. There’s to be no doubt about Jesus being God. And since God himself believes it, that should be good enough for you and me.
So, if Jesus really is God, then everything changes. What’s important becomes dependent on Jesus. What we spend our time on should be to the obedience and glory of Jesus. What we spend our money on should be on what Jesus says and makes his name known more and more.
This is the single-most important question you’ll ever have to consider. And the implications are earthshattering and life changing.
If Jesus truly is God, then everything else takes a backseat. The old hymn says it all.
Turn you eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace[2]
There is no speaking in this hymn, Only watching and listening. The time for turning is now. Your turn to turn is now.
Comments