When you study Scripture, you realize that God really seems to like mountains. After the flood, Noah’s ark comes to rest on Mt. Ararat. Abraham has his knife raised ready to sacrifice his son, Isaac, on Mt. Moriah. God gives Moses his Ten Commandments and shines in his glory on Mt. Sinai. God burns up Elijah’s sacrifice among the 450 prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. Jesus gives his beatitudes on a mountain. Jesus prays in the garden on the Mt. of Olives. Jesus dies for the sins of the world on Mt. Calvary. Jesus ascends into heaven from a mountain.
After Peter gives his decisive declaration that Jesus is “the Christ of God” in Caesarea Philippi, Jesus and his inner circle of disciples travel to the top of a mountain. There Jesus is transfigured before them. God really seems to like mountains.
Our hymn for this Transfiguration Sunday is a conversation between Christians and Christ. We are asking, “Jesus, Take Us to the Mountain.”
Verse one: Jesus, take us to the mountain where, with Peter, James, and John, we are dazzled by your glory, light as blinding as the sun. There prepare us for the night by the vision of that sight.
Matthew records in this Sunday’s Gospel: “Six days later Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James; and he led them up onto a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured in front of them. His face was shining like the sun. His clothing became as white as the light.”
Jesus experienced a humble birth to poor parents. As a 12-year-old, the religious leaders were impressed with his knowledge of Scriptures, but they didn’t think there was anything truly special about hm. He received a sinner’s baptism in the Jordan River. Then still dripping wet, Jesus marched into the wilderness to fast for 40 days and be tempted by the devil. Throughout his ministry, Jesus was always able to perform special miracles and teach with authority, but most only saw him as human. But there was a hidden glory behind all his actions and words. That full glory was revealed upon the mountain of transfiguration.
Verse two: What do you want us to see there that your close companions saw? Your divinity revealed there fills us with the selfsame awe. Clothed in flesh like ours you go, matched to meet our deadliest foe.
Matthew reports: “Just then, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.” Luke tells us what the three of them were discussing. “They appeared in glory and were talking about his departure, which he was going to bring to fulfillment in Jerusalem.” Jesus is on the mountain with Moses and Elijah speaking of his departure – literally his “exodus” in the Greek. They are discussing Jesus going into Jerusalem to be betrayed, arrested, tried, beaten, scourged, mocked, crucified, and buried. This would be Jesus’ exodus. Just as Moses led the Israelites on the exodus out of slavery in Egypt, so Jesus would lead humanity on the exodus out of slavery to the devil.
Verse three: What do you want us to hear there that your dear disciples heard? Once again the voice from heaven says of the incarnate Word: “Listen, listen, ev’ryone; this is my belovèd Son!”
God the Father speaks from heaven. His testimony trumps everything else. He proudly proclaims, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” Jesus receives divine approval for his redeeming work. The Father spoke his approval at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry at his baptism in the Jordan River. God’s final approval of all Jesus’ works will be proclaimed when the Father raises his beloved Son from the dead on Easter morning. We would do well to listen to the incarnate Word of the Son of God in human flesh.
Verse four: Take us to that other mountain where we see you glorified, where you shouted, “It is finished!” where for all the world you died. Hear the stunned centurion: “Truly this was God’s own Son!”
God seems to like his mountains. Jesus and his disciples descend from the mount of Transfiguration so that weeks later Jesus can ascend another mountain. This is the mount of suffering, bloodshed, and death. There on Mt. Calvary, Jesus reveals his greatest glory as he dies for the sins of humanity. As the Son of God breathes his last and the earth quakes in mourning, the stunned centurion gives voice to what has just happened, “Truly this was God’s own Son!”
Verse five: We who have beheld your glory, risen and ascended Lord, cannot help but tell the story, all that we have seen and heard, say with Peter, James, and John: “You are God’s belovèd Son!”
It may seem odd that as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave the disciples orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead (Mark 9:9). This was a mystery that took place on the mountain. It was something the disciples would not be able to accurately describe until much later. On the mountain, the disciples didn’t quite grasp everything that was taking place, so Jesus told them to remain quiet until the Holy Spirit came on them and they could then explain and proclaim what had happened.
We may not always grasp everything that takes place upon all of God’s mountains. But the Holy Spirit has come upon us so that what we have seen and heard, we are now invited to show and tell others. We are inviting others to follow Jesus through all the peaks, valleys, and plains of this world until we join our glorious Savior upon the mountain of the Lord in his heavenly kingdom. Until then, we share the same message that Peter, James, John, and the rest of the apostles proclaimed after Christ’s ascension: “You are God’s belovèd Son!”