Tag Archives: Jesus

The Transfiguration of Christ, or the Appearance of Moses and Elijah?

Posted on June 30, 2010 | Leave a comment
Traditional site of Christ's transfiguration

Mt. Tabor as seen from the Jezreel valley. This is the traditional site of Christ's transfiguration. (From Photo Guide 3, Accordance Bible Software)

When Peter, James and John went with Jesus up the hillside of Mount Tabor (the traditionally accepted place of Christ’s transfiguration), they had no idea what was awaiting them (Mark 9:1-8). It is likely they expected to hear another teaching from Jesus, or perhaps to have occasion to ask him questions regarding the messianic kingdom they were anticipating. Or maybe they had hoped to eavesdrop on his prayer time and gain insight into the mysterious communion between the Father and Son. But the biblical account reveals none of the above. Not, at least, in the way one would expect.

The title “transfiguration” can be a little misleading, because Jesus was not transfigured into something other than himself – more beautiful or spiritual. It was simply a fuller revelation, the unveiling of Christ’s already-present, divine nature. His deity merely was cloaked in human flesh (Phil 2:6, Col 1:19) and “hidden” to all but the spiritually perceptive eye. Yet here, Jesus would give these three disciples a visual message that would speak volumes into their hearts and minds for the rest of their earthly lives, a message meant for all of us. It would prove to be a sight that they desperately needed to behold. Future persecution and challenges to their calling otherwise might have overwhelmed their impressionable hearts and paralyzed their global mission (Matt 28:18-20). The steeling of their confidence in Christ’s person began with this experience and concluded with the post-resurrection appearance of Jesus. In time the disciples would need to fall back on the reality of Christ’s glory soon to be shared by them in the coming kingdom. Envisioning Christ in the glory of his coming indeed helps steady us in the hardest of times.

But what about Moses and Elijah? Why the appearance of these two with Jesus and why did the Lord want us to know about it? Often we Bible teachers like to point out that Moses represents the law and Elijah represents the prophets (although Isaiah might be more representative of the prophetic canon than Elijah), and how together they point to Jesus as the fulfillment of both collective writings. Jesus satisfied the demands of the law and he is the center subject of prophecy. No scholar is likely to debate this point, for Jesus himself declared that the law, the prophets and even the Psalms speak of him (Luke 24:44). In fact, Jesus is the Word incarnate, the embodiment of Scripture; its author and content, its source and its subject (John 1:14, 2 Peter 1:11).

The transfiguration alone would have been sufficient to reveal the power of God’s coming kingdom and the glory of the Messiah that we shall one day enjoy with him. But there appears to be one more element in this visual message whose color adds to the overall portrait of Christ. That the Messiah would be both man and God was in fact prophesied (Isa 7:14; Matt 1:23) but had nonetheless escaped the understanding of the most astute Rabbis of Christ’s day. Thus many of his statements were taken to be blasphemous (Matt 26:64-66; Mark 14:62-64; John 10:30-39) and punishable by death. I would submit that a significant part of the “transfiguration” message for us is found in the experiences of Moses and Elijah in the Old Testament (Exodus 19, 1 Kings 19). They both met with God, did so on a mountain, and while doing so received revelation from Him . Once again, here on a mountain Moses and Elijah (now also Peter, James and John) were meeting with God. They became the recipients of a most spectacular revelation, summarized and culminated in the very person and nature of Jesus – his deity and the Father’s audible affirmation of him as His beloved Son! Jesus is “Immanuel, God with us.”

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A voice crying in the WordPress, or at least wanting to!

Posted on April 12, 2010 | Leave a comment

I felt I ought to let you know why there’s been such silence and what is coming down the pipe at uThinkology. As you can see, the waters have been a little still these last two weeks. I just really haven’t had the time to put together my thoughts. Well, that’s not entirely true. I have had the time, just not the right time. If you are someone who writes you will know exactly what I mean by that. There is a right and a wrong time to write. In the evenings after the children have been put to bed, I’m offered about one and a half hours, two max, before I follow in their wake. But during that time there isn’t much left of my brain to put words on paper, or on my laptop screen I should say. That is not the right time to write!

However, I am excited to say that I’ve got about a half dozen posts on the back burner covering a variety of subjects. I will be sure to put out at least one this week. If I make the coffee a little stronger, maybe I’ll even get two out there. Next up will be a post about Jesus and the children he encountered during his earthly ministry. Have you ever wondered why he pointed to them as the exemplars of his kingdom? I was so blessed by something my four-year-old son said to me the other day that it led to a lengthy look into the gospels, and then worked its way into a uThinkology draft.

Following that, we’ll return to the virtual pastor and the virtual church series to consider the effects our modern, technologically and market driven culture is having on the bride of Christ. I hope you’ll join the discussion when we get those up on uThinkology. What uThink on these subjects really does matter, and it will greatly affect your approach to church life.

Til then, every blessing!

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The Gospel According to Elton John: Making God in his own image

Posted on March 18, 2010 | 9 comments

On February 19, 2010, several major news publications around the world, including BBC and  The Guardian, recorded Elton John’s words as he rewrote the historical Jesus. He spoke the following irreverent words during an extensive interview with Parade magazine,

“I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems. On the cross, he forgave the people who crucified him.”

Elton’s comment has it partly right. Jesus was, and is, compassionate. He forgave those who crucified him. And yes, Jesus understood human problems better than any psychologist that has breathed the air of this planet. I might even concede his acknowledgement of Christ’s intelligence, if it really weren’t just another way to say Jesus was merely a very smart man, rather than the Son of God. And this he must say, for Jesus cannot be the Son of God and the homosexual Elton declares Jesus to be.

Christianity has been opposed, used and even misrepresented for centuries. At times political leaders romanced our faith to make a syncretistic powerplay, such as Constantine did in the fourth century. At other times war was blatantly waged against it. But in the quiet, it seems there is a trend afoot. A breed of pilgrims trying to find habitation somewhere between outright rejection of Jesus, and deceptive compromise. All or nothing is no longer a necessary equation. Why must we take Jesus or leave him as he is when we can take him, put a new face on him, and use him to our advantage?

This sick and perverted image of a homosexual Jesus comes as no surprise in light of Elton John’s aggressive gay rites tactics. Would he have said Jesus was a heterosexual? Perhaps. But only if he could have given it the right spin to make it advantageous, such as “Jesus was a straight-but-narrow-minded, unsympathetic religious fanatic.” However, because he was compassionate, understanding and forgiving, he was gay.

Such absurd and irreverently brazen remarks about Jesus, at the very least, should be challenged in the public arena. Unfortunately however, few voices have squeaked their way past the threshold of the front door of the press. Could it be that God’s people have nothing to say about it? Not likely. The problem is we usually don’t get to talk into the really BIG microphones. Those are reserved for the delusional. The label given by The Guardian to the few Christians who were heard, and justifiably outraged, was, “the Christian lobby” who is “not known for its tolerance of diverging views.”

I have a heart for the homosexual community. My intention is not to go after them, rather it is to bring balance to the table and clarity to the definitions that are so often carelessly used by liberals and conservatives alike. So at the risk of being labeled intolerant, let me say that the spin put into the statement made by the Guardian about diverging views makes it sound as if all views ought to enjoy diplomatic immunity and be held by everyone in some sort of royal honor. But what exactly is a diverging view?

According to the Oxford dictionary, to diverge is to leave the path you are traveling and then take an alternate route that goes in another direction. Now, I think diverging views can be great for sightseeing on a blue-skied Sunday when you are not trying to get anywhere in particular. But if you have a destination in mind, you can’t travel the southbound side and expect to head north. You just wont get there. Assuming, of course, that the place actually exists. The Jesus of Elton John did not exist.

There are absolutes in life, and to uphold them is not intolerant at all. It’s reasonable. We live daily by such absolutes. After all, would the math teacher tolerate a student’s view if on the exam he expressed it as 2 + 2 = 7? Nonetheless, with the direction society is heading, we may just get to the point where there is no wrong answer. To say otherwise would be intolerant.

So, to give audience to remarks like Elton John’s, and then call intolerant those who backlash, is not only intolerant in itself, but it is unfair and most especially unreasonable. It essentially says that history, and in particular the history of Jesus, is open to amendments. It assumes that opinion is just as valid as fact, even more so if it is an emotionally charged, divergent one. Folks, let’s not allow opinions to hijack the truth, no matter how famous their source.

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The Virtual Church, Part One: Where is Modern Technology Leading the Church?

Posted on March 16, 2010 | 4 comments

Modern technology has brought us virtual pets, virtual homes and virtual flowers. Yes, we can even have virtual children now. In fact, on March 5, one Korean couple was arrested for letting their real baby girl starve to death while they obsessively raised a virtual child in an online video game. It is so tragic and disturbing that it is hard to believe! But the truth is that people are losing touch with the warmth of reality, and instead, they are embracing a cold and detached alternative. And do you know what else? The church is not far behind in this trend.

Today, church-life faces a subtle threat to its overall health. It comes not as an external enemy, but an internal anomaly. It is the fast-spreading mentality of believers who would argue that faithful attendance and participation in the local body is really not important, neither for themselves nor for the whole of the local church. Their presence just doesn’t matter. As far as their spiritual health is concerned, they’ll be fine. They’ll just turn on Christian radio, or internet streaming. Maybe they’ll download an MP3 or flick through the Christian channels on cable or satellite television and just have church at home. And as far as their part of service in the fellowship, everything’s already been covered by the guys up front.

If, like so many believers do today, you view church as something passively to be observed and not actually participated in, then the case I will bring to the table in these posts will appear to be groundless. On the other hand, if you are willing to consider this topic through the lens of Scripture, you may just have to readjust not only your perspective, but also your involvement and attitude towards the body of Christ and the life of the church. Consider the meaning of church biblically. Does it ever refer to a sermon? A bible study? Even a building? Never. Certainly, these things are an essential part of church activity, but they do not constitute…the church.

The very word itself in Biblical language gives us the insight we need to remember. It is “ekklesia” and the New Testament is peppered with the word. Seventy seven times to be exact, with the majority of occurrences appearing in the Epistles. When Jesus spoke of the church in the gospels (Matthew 16:18), he referred to the universal church consisting of all true believers of every generation and in every part of the world. Location is irrelevant. In the other instances however, location is very relevant. The Apostles spoke of the church as specific groups of believers that met together in different places. To name a few, the church in Ephesus, the church in Galatia, the church in Corinth, Rome, Philippi etc. So we see that the meaning of the word has everything to do with the people who first of all are in Christ and secondly, who come together in His name somewhere locally.

In terms of definitions, church can’t be broadcasted by satellite nor can it be had from the comfort of our living room unless our living room is where the church actually meets. In many parts of the world, this is the case. Due to a citywide traffic block a couple of Sundays ago, we did exactly that for our church fellowship here in Italy. We held the service right in my living room for any who could join us, and it was a blessing. But for the people who unfortunately were too distant to come by foot, the best they could do was watch and listen online. Sure, it was better than nothing, but it was not the real thing. The real thing is active and not passive, it involves the rich blessing of ones presence where there is a warm touch. It is face-to-face fellowship and breaking of bread together. Handshakes, hugs, and sharing a laugh. Bottom line, it is a gathering. And that is the meaning of  ekklesia. So when a person says, “Let’s just watch online and have church at home,” what they mean is let’s listen to the message. A message is good, but it is not church.

Why nitpick over such terms? Because meaning matters folks. And our understanding of these things will determine how we live our lives. Those who think church is just listening to a sermon are not only an ocean’s distance from the Biblical meaning of God’s household (Ephesians 2:19), but they are very close to robbing themselves and the local church of the rich blessings and fruit God intends to produce through their presence and their participation. Both are vital, neither can be virtual.

For part two of The Virtual Church series, click on this link “The Virtual Pastor.” Or in the meantime just give the subject some thought. What do uThink about the direction modern life is taking the church?

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Who do you say Jesus was, and why should it matter anyway?

Posted on February 10, 2010 | 3 comments

Let’s face it, Jesus was not a peace activist. On the contrary, he brought division and conflict. This was not his intention, but it was inevitable. In Matthew 10:34 he said, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

He didn’t mean he came to cause war, though many have fought them mistakenly in the name of Christ. Clearly, Jesus spoke metaphorically in the verse above. The very nature of his person and his PURPOSE in coming, is what would cut and divide, like a sword. His words were often sharp, and they cut to the heart, bringing pain and exposing the deeper issues of life. That is how truth is, is it not? As the saying goes, “The truth hurts.” Sometimes it cuts when we are trying to avoid it. But the truth about Jesus hurts even more, because it cuts in order to confront the problem of mankind, a problem most would rather pretend is not there. That problem is our sin and unwillingness to be accountable to God for our lives. Now, if my mentioning the word ‘sin’ has jolted you, then I rest my case. The truth hurts, and it even cuts.

What you think of Jesus will most definitely cut like a sword. Either it will cut you off from him, or it will cut you off from those who reject him. Make no mistake about it, the sword will cut and divide. The subject of Jesus simply arouses deep emotions in people. Even if you try to avoid the issue, you can’t. There is no ‘neutral’ ground. You either acknowledge who Jesus is and what he has done, or you don’t. To have no opinion at all about Jesus really is still an opinion. In essence it says, “I don’t think Jesus is important enough to warrant my time or energy to investigate.” Perhaps your view says that what one believes in life really doesn’t matter, as long as one is sincere. I’d like to talk about that view in future posts, and most certainly will bring it up. But for now, let’s get back to the words of Jesus.

In Matthew 16:13, Jesus asked a question to his disciples, “Who do people say that I, the son of man, am? To paraphrase, what are people saying about me? Who do they think I am? Do any have it right, that I am the promised messiah?

The disciples’ response in Matthew 16:14 is very interesting and revealing, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.” First, notice how there were various views about Jesus. At that time, much like today, peoples’ opinions were at conflict with one another. And certainly they all could not have been true. On the contrary, according to Jesus (who had every right to correct false ideas pertaining to himself), all three of these particular ‘ideas’ were wrong. How do we know this? Well, the first obvious reason is that his name was not John or Elijah, but Jesus. And we also know that Jesus did not acknowledge the view that he was just another prophet. But the biggest clue comes to us from Jesus, who asked yet one more question in the next verse, Matthew 16:15, “But who do you say that I am?”

Do you notice how Jesus now makes the question very personal to the disciples? It was not enough to let others have opinions while they carried on with indifference. Settling for the fact that people are divided over the person of Jesus never relinquishes anyone from the need to take a position about him. The disciples had to make a decision for themselves. What did they think of Jesus?

Friend, this is the question we all need to answer. You don’t have to agree with my view, or anyone else’s for that matter, but you do have to agree with your own. What I mean here is that you owe it to yourself to at least have a view. One that is based on fact, and has been formed after careful, personal investigation. If what Jesus said and did is true, then he is the messiah and you need to make a decision as to what you will do with that information. If Jesus was a phony, or a loony, then none of it matters and you can just continue with life as before. But certainly, Jesus made some radical claims, into which we must at the very least investigate.

Notice how the apostle Peter answered the question in Matthew 16:16, “You are the Christ.” With this, Jesus rejoiced. He said in Matthew 16:17, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

Did you notice that Jesus acknowledged Peter’s answer, as accurate? Therefore, Jesus claims to be the Christ, or messiah. In future posts, I’ll be sharing more about the messiahship of Jesus. In the mean time, think about and try to answer the question that Jesus asked. Answer it honestly. In spite of what others might be saying, who do you say Jesus is?

Though Jesus mentions the sword in the opening verse of this post, he also spoke of peace and promised it to his followers. But this peace had nothing to do with world peace from military ceasefires and everything to do with mankind and his creator. It is inherently dependent on one’s view of Jesus, for one must come to him for it.

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