Does eternal life seem so extraordinary as to seem impossible to you?
How can time bound creatures transcend time?
Has life put in your heart the dream of being timeless?
Which leads to the question: what is eternal life?
Most people would answer: “living forever,” “going to heaven,” or “life after death.”
How would you answer?
The unique claim of Christianity is: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3).
Most people don’t want the miracle of life to end. They think they can be timeless without knowing the timeless God.
If eternal life is knowing God and Christ, how am I supposed to do that? How can I, a scared, weak, imperfect, broken, sinful human, ever hope to attain the goal of knowing God and Christ? That seems incredible to me.
Something happened one night on a mountain that Peter, James and John witnessed (Matthew 17:1-9; Mark 9:2-9; Luke 9:28-36).
If we would only see what they saw, feel what they felt, hear what they heard, we’d understand how to know God and Christ and have eternal life.
See What They Saw
The transfiguration of Christ is in three gospel accounts and implied in the fourth (Matthew 17:1-9; Mark 9:2-9; Luke 9:28-36; John 1:6-9, 14). For space consideration, I’ll be using Luke’s account.
28 Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening. (Luke 9:28-29)
Imagine if you were there and saw this. What would you think? No special effects or laser light were illuminating him. The radiance was coming from him.
What does it mean? I think John’s gospel gives us a commentary on what they saw on the mountain that night.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. … 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. … 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-5, 9, 14).
On that night, on that mountain, Jesus pulled back the veil of his humanity to reveal his true nature. He who was in the beginning with God, who was God, who created everything, the life and light of men, shined forth in glory.
The unique claim of Christianity is that God became human to transform humans into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).
Is it a ridiculous idea to think that the one who made everything and is the source of life and light would know how to transform humans?
Do you see what they saw?
Who Else They Saw That Night
Moses, the great lawgiver, and Elijah, one of the great prophets of God, appeared in glory. Luke tells us they were having a conversation about His departure (Greek: exodus) which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem (Luke 9:30-31).
There are two incredible things about this.
The first is, how is that possible? Moses had died about 1400 years before Jesus. Elijah went up in a whirlwind about 850 years before Christ (2 Kings 2:11).
The Sadducees of Jesus’ day (Matthew 22:23-33; Acts 4:1-2; 23:8), modern atheists and skeptics deny that this appearance and conversation are even possible. Instead, they believe that once you die, you’re done.
If you asked an atheist to share his “faith,” what could he say? “We came from nothing, life means nothing, and when we die, we go back to nothing.” If you asked them, “What hope do you have?” how could they answer more than “I’ve got nothing!”
Before you jump on and ride the atheism bus, don’t you think you ought to know where it came from, what it offers, and where it stops?
What about you? What hope do you have? Do you have nothing?
Here, the unique claims of Christ and Christianity shine forth in the transfiguration’s light.
Sadducees, skeptics, and atheists all make the same two mistakes. They don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God (Mark 12:24).
God’s entry-level is the impossible to produce the incredible. When God appeared to Moses, he said, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,” even though the patriarchs had been dead for over 200 years.
So many people only focus on the little time they have as humans on the earth. They only plan for this life. They forget God is transforming humans for eternity.
What else strikes you as incredible about Moses and Elijah appearing in glory and talking with Jesus?
For years, I’ve read this and thought, “Moses represents the law, Elijah represents the prophets, both are great men of God, but Jesus is the son of God.” True, but that is not the only incredible thing.
They were talking about Jesus preparing to break the death barrier and bringing light and immortality to light through the gospel (2 Timothy 1:10). Wouldn’t you have liked to hear that conversation?
Why would the son of God discuss his plans with two glorified humans? Can you imagine Jesus wanting to discuss with you what he was about to do?
There is a word for what Jesus, Moses, and Elijah were doing on that mountain.
Fellowship.
When you read fellowship, think partnership, and you won’t be far from what God wants. This is what John wrote about in 1 John 1:1-4:
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
Jesus, God, and the apostles want us to have fellowship (partnership) with them. They want our joy to be full. Can you imagine God and Jesus want to partner with us, work with us, help us transform to glory? Incredible!
For years I would read the transfiguration and think, “Moses and Elijah are legends, holy men of God, heroes of faith, masterpieces of the Master.” I saw them glorified in the Scripture.
Then I would look at myself.
I am a scared, weak, imperfect, broken, and sinful human. My life’s painting looks like a five-year-old got into the crayons again. How could Christ transform me?
I have been looking at this backward. You don’t start in glory; you end there.
Moses and Elijah became legendary men of God because they spent their life in fellowship (partnership) with God and were transformed by His glory, not theirs.
When Moses encountered God at the burning bush, he didn’t think he was ready either (Exodus 3-4). He was afraid to look at God (Exodus 3:5-6). He asked, Who am I … ? (Exodus 3:11). Suppose they don’t believe me or listen to me … (Exodus 4:1). I’m not an eloquent speaker … (Exodus 4:10). Lord, send somebody else (Exodus 4:13).
The great lawgiver started out as the great excuse giver. And yet God partnered with him and transformed him into glory.
What about Elijah? Indeed, he was a mighty prophet of God who worked miracles and ended up in a whirlwind to heaven (2 Kings 2:11). The Bible goes out of its way to remind us he was human, just like us (James 5:17).
Elijah started out praying for a drought over Israel’s land and raising the widow’s son (1 Kings 17). God gave him a victory over 450 prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18). Everything was going great until the evil Jezebel vowed to kill him (1 Kings 19:1-3). He ran for his life (1 Kings 19:3), asked the Lord to take his life since he was no better than his fathers (1 Kings 19:4), and felt like he was all alone (1 Kings 19:10; 14).
Having started out great, he wanted to give up. “What are you doing here, Elijah?” was the question that the Lord repeated to him (1 Kings 19:9-10; 11-16). With God’s partnership, he overcame his emotions and ended up going into heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11).
They became masterpieces of the Master because they lived in fellowship (partnership) with God.
If you’re trying to transform yourself on your own, have you ever considered what is stopping you?
How can you transform yourself higher when the reason you are where you are is you?
It is also manifest that you cannot become who you need to be by remaining who you are.
Letting God transform you means letting go of who you are to let him change you into what you need to be.
God has been transforming lives for thousands of years. Do you think fellowship (partnership) with him could change you?
Feel What They Felt
32 But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. 33 Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. (Luke 9:32-33)
I love Peter. When he saw that Moses and Elijah were departing, he had to say something. So he just blurted out what he thought was a good idea. He didn’t want the conversation to end. His idea was to set up three tents, one for each.
Imagine you’ve been a witness to three of your heroes in one of the most awe-inspiring conversations. Would you want it to end?
It was while he spoke that the final, incredible event occurred.
Hear What They Heard
34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” 36 When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen. (Luke 9:34-36)
God broke the silence of the universe. As great as Moses and Elijah were, the Excellent Glory wanted crystal clarity about who he wants men to listen to today.
God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high … (Hebrews 1:1-3)
How can Jesus can illuminate all men? Jesus is not merely a man, but Son, heir, creator, the brightness of his glory, the express image of God. His power is holding the whole place together by his word. Having purged our sins, he sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
God is crystal clear. This is my Son. Listen to him!
How To Transform Your Life
Peter never forgot that mountain experience. Near the end of his life, he wrote:
16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
It was not computer-generated images they saw on the mountain or a clever make-believe story. Peter was there. He saw, heard, and felt it.
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
The events on that mountain were not mere happenstance. It was confirmation of all that the prophets had said about the Messiah.
How does this transform your life?
When you realize who Jesus is and how he fulfills the prophetic word, it’s like the morning star rising in your heart. When you behold his glory, it changes you.
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
The God of the universe wants us to be transformed into the glory of his Son. The Light that illuminates every man wants you to look at his glory and transform into the same image from glory to glory.
Incredible!
Do You Want To Be Transformed?
Jesus Christ is offering to transform you from glory to glory–today. He paid the price for your sins, bearing it in his body on the cross (1 Corinthians 15:1-5; 1 Peter 2:22-25; Isaiah 53). If you will repent of your sins, and commit yourself to being his disciple, to be in partnership with him, and seal the deal by being baptized into his death and raised into his life, you can start today (Acts 2:38-39; Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Corinthians 15:1-5; Romans 6:3-6). When you obey the gospel, you get forgiveness of your sins, the indwelling of God’s Spirit, and eternal life (Acts 2:38; Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 John 5:11, 13, 20).
If you saw what they saw, felt what they felt, heard what they heard, you’re going to want to get to know God and Christ. You want your faith to show you’re a friend of God (James 2:20-24). You want to be in partnership with God and Christ.
How are you and the Lord doing?
Are you spending your time on earth in fellowship with him and his word so you can get a glimpse of his glory (Hebrews 4:11-12; 2 Timothy 2:15)?
Jesus was praying when he shined forth in glory (Luke 9:29). Are you spending time in fellowship with God in prayer? How long has it been since you talked with the Lord? (Luke 11:1-4; 18:1-8; 1 Timothy 2:1-6).
What hope do you have of making it off of this earth alive?
Don’t make the dual mistake of skeptics, scoffers, and atheists. Know the Scriptures and the power of the God who is incredible.
That the God of the universe wants us to know him and Jesus to live forever is incredible.
Kevin Huddleston
