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Today’s passage gives us a wonderful scene. A glorious scene!
While Jesus was praying, his face changed. His clothes became dazzling.
Two dead people appeared. They were not just dead people. They were like pillars of the Old Testament.
Moses represented the Law. Elijah represented the Prophet. So the Law and the Prophet, the core tradition of the Old Testament.
What a glorious scene! It’s a miracle. It was out-of-this-world experience.
I need that these days. The reality is so harsh that I need something out of this world.
The world we live in is a very difficult world. Especially for those who are weak and powerless, this world becomes more and more difficult to survive.
Yesterday was 3.1. It is a special day for Koreans. They protested against Japanese occupation. The powerless fought against the powerful. Many Christians participated in this movement.
But now the powerless has no place to stand. Our reality is harsh; I need fantasy.
The Scripture tells us about a few wonderful out-of-this-world experiences people had.
It is the intervention of God. It is God’s way of entering into this world. It is God’s special touch.
On the road to Damascus, Paul had this intervention of God.
He was going to arrest Christians, imprison them and kill them. He was exercising his power and authority on the weak and the vulnerable.
But on the way, he experienced the bright light shining around him. And he heard Jesus talking to him.
By then, Jesus was already dead. And Paul knew that.
He heard the voice of Jesus telling him, “Saul, Saul, (His Hebrew name) why do you persecute me?”
Why are you doing this to my powerless people? Persecuting those who are weak and vulnerable is persecuting me.
Out-of-this-world experience!
It happened to Isaiah too.
He was in the temple. He described his experience in this way.
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said:
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.’ (Isaiah 6:1-3)
Out-of-this-world Experience!
Elijah also had this kind of experience.
He (God) said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ (1 Kings 19:11-13)
Out of this world Experience!
I discover one common thing of all those who had this wonderful glorious moment.
They were all facing their harsh reality. They were all going through hard times before this happened.
Isaiah was struggling with his own inadequacy and sinfulness, living in a sinful surroundings. This was what he said.
Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts! (Isaiah 6:5)
Elijah was so deeply depressed that he wanted to die. This was what he said.
He asked that he might die: “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.” (1 Kings 19:4)
Even in Jesus’ case, this was what he said just before he experienced the transfiguration on the mountain.
The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. (Luke 9:22)
Jesus was facing his own death.
Sometimes God intervenes in our life.
God shows his grace in a special way. Not necessarily only through the forms of miracles and supernatural experiences.
But there are times when God specially touches you, awakens you, and inspires you. These are glorious moments.
This happens when you are going through difficult times.
When life is difficult, God appears to you and makes his presence evident. God’s presence empowers you, transforms you, and lets you experience glorious moment.
But my friends, God gives you this wonderful experience not just to console you and comfort you but to PREPARE you. To prepare you to take the challenges ahead of you.
God prepared Paul to be an apostle to the Gentiles.
How about Isaiah?
After this experience, God said this.
Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? (Isaiah 6:8)
Isaiah said,
Here am I; send me! (Isaiah 6:8)
Elijah too. Elijah said this.
I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away. (1 Kings 19:14)
To Elijah, God said this.
I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him. (1 Kings 19:18)
And go and do what you have to do.
God gives us this wonderful divine experience so that we are ready to take our challenges.
When you carefully read today’s passage, you see that the central message is not the divine experience but the central message is what was coming ahead.
Let me read it for you.
Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. (Luke 9:30, 31)
What departure? Jesus’ Death. The Cross.
They were talking about Jesus’ death. They were talking about what Jesus was about to do.
The glorious moment you experience with God is to prepare you to deal with your harsh reality.
Every Sunday, you come and worship God. It is a wonderful experience. Thank you all for making this worship service very special.
But we should not just feel good about experiencing God’s inspiration. This is to prepare you to deal with challenges you face every day from tomorrow.
Tomorrow you have challenges ahead of you. There are problems you have to face.
That was what Jesus did right after the transfiguration. The very next day, this happened.
On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, ‘Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.’ Jesus answered, ‘You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.’ While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God. (Luke 9:37-43)
Yes, the very next day, Jesus had to deal with the darkness, the evil power, and the poor victims in his life.
Tomorrow, from Monday, you have to deal with challenges in your life. Relationship problems. Health problems. Financial problems. Deal with evils around you.
God will be with you. God will strengthen you. God will show you the power to deal with your challenges.
There will be God’s intervention.
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