Only Jesus - Part 6

 

Continued from previous post…conclusion...

 

            What was the message the Father wanted the three disciples to take down from the mountain? Was it, “Jesus has held a consultation with Moses and Elijah prior to embarking on an important trip to Jerusalem. In the future we should all consult the Law of Moses and the life of Elijah before embarking on any important trips or making any significant decisions”?

            Was it, “Jesus was facing some major decisions in His life and He thought it best to consult with Moses and Elijah before deciding what to do. Therefore, in the future we should always look to Moses and Elijah in order to determine what we should do”?

            What was it the Father wanted the three disciples to take with them down the mountain? It was, “This, this, this is My beloved Son, hear Him!”

            Hear Him above the cacophony of the religious world.

            Hear Him above the confusion of the world of psychobabble.

            Hear Him above the revelation of the month club.

We ought not to let revelation and illumination distract us from Jesus – for true revelation and illumination points to Jesus.

            We ought not to let revelation and illumination become places of dwelling or worship – our place is in Christ and in Christ alone.

            There are people in the valley of life that need us – and we can only really touch them when we touch them with Jesus…distinctly with Jesus.

There is a book titled “Jesus Among Other Gods,” but perhaps we need a book titled, “Jesus Among Other Good Things,” or “Jesus Among Other Christian Teachers,” or “Jesus Among Other Christian Revelations.”

When listening to teaching do we ask the question – where is Jesus Christ?

            When making personal and family decisions do we ask the question – where is Jesus Christ?

            When engaging in the marketplace or school do we ask the question – where is Jesus Christ?

            Is Jesus more relevant than the bottom-line in business?

            Is He more relevant than popularity and acceptance?

Are we listening to and looking for Jesus or is He only One among many options in our lives?

            After the resurrection the cry was, “We have seen the Lord.” It wasn’t, “God has reversed the corruption of the body by supernatural means and we may all look forward to the time when our physical bodies rise from the dead and we live forever.” The cry was, “We have seen the Lord!”

If, after our fellowship and worship today…I were to invite you to take a walk with me up the mountain of my own personal life…as we neared the top of the mountain – my own personal mountain, the high places of my life - what would you find? How many tabernacles would there be? Would there be one for Jesus, and one for my favorite mode of worship music and one for the type of prophetic teaching I like best, and one for a specific type of church government, and one for a certain way I like to do small groups, and one for a special Bible translation, and one for this favorite teacher and that favorite teacher and this author and that author and this radio program and that television program and one for a particular political agenda and one for…and one for…and one for…

            Why I seem to have run out of room on my mountain…unless of course I only have room for Jesus, for Jesus only to capture my heart, to captivate my life.

            Or if, after our time of worship and fellowship together you were to invite me to walk with you up your own personal mountain…as we neared the top…what would we see?

            But the story of Peter doesn’t end with going from a Wow! to an Ouch!...although he would experience the Wow to Ouch syndrome at least two more times…

            Let’s not forget that fifty days after his denial of Jesus with adamant oaths – this very same fisherman had a Wow! experience in which he preached to a Jerusalem crowd on the day of Pentecost…let’s not forget that this fisherman stood before the ruling Jewish Council for his steadfast confession of Jesus Christ…and that this council took note that this fisherman had been with (not Moses and Elijah) but had been with Jesus…

            Let’s not forget that Peter broke ethnic and cultural barriers by bringing the Gospel to Gentiles when he stepped foot into the house of Cornelius the centurion.

            And let’s not forget some of the final words this man wrote in 2 Peter 1:16 – 18, as he was preparing for death…looking back over his watershed experience on the Mount of Transfiguration:

            “For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.  For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such a declaration as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory: “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased”— and we ourselves heard this declaration made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.”

            Note that he doesn’t mention Moses…he doesn’t brag about Elijah…his focus is on One and on One alone…on Jesus…Jesus…Jesus…

            Peter learned that to remove the Cross from Jesus, and from our own lives, is to deny Jesus…and he also learned that to place anyone on anything alongside Jesus Christ, even Moses and Elijah, is to deny Jesus – for make no mistake, Jesus is God.

            The Scriptures tell us that after falling on the ground on the Mount of Transfiguration, that Peter, James, and John were touched by Jesus, and that Jesus said to them, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” And that lifting up their eyes, they saw only Jesus.

            Will you commit yourself to loving and following Jesus, and Jesus alone?

            Will our hearts belong to…only Jesus?