Read Luke 9:28-36

We call it the Transfiguration.

The Greek word translated by the name we give to this event, “Transfiguration,” is the same one from which we get our English word describing what happens when a caterpillar turns into a butterfly, “metamorphosis.” It means literally “to change the pattern.”

Why did this strange event take place? For at least three reasons:

1. To reveal Jesus’ true glory. Jesus was born in a stable and lived as a poor man among folks who worked hard for a living. As Jesus grew to manhood, Peter and the others knew Him as a young carpenter who began to teach and do miracles. But in these stunning moments on the mountainside, the disciples saw His deity shining through. Jesus is God.

2. To establish once and for all that Jesus fulfilled all that the Scriptures foretold of messiah. The Law, embodied in Moses, and the prophets represented by Elijah, affirmed this by their presence.

3. For Jesus’ encouragement. Jesus is God. But He was fully a man, too. The Man Jesus found the looming prospect of torture and death on a cross as difficult as any of us would. God the Father reaffirms Jesus’ Sonship (v. 35). “Right on!” God seems to say. “You are on track. You are pleasing me.” We say it reverently: “Hang in there!” says the Father to Jesus at this extremely difficult time in His life.

Read Luke 9:18-27

When Jesus asks the disciples who they think He is, Peter replies simply that He is Christ, the Messiah.

Instead of replying, “At-a-boy, you got that right,” Jesus follows Peter’s statement with His first clear prediction of the necessity of Christ’s suffering and death for the sins of the world.

Then He turns the conversation, not to thoughts of a rosy future, but to a teaching on cross bearing.

What is cross bearing? It is not the ordinary frets, worries, and sorrows of life. Neither is it bearing patiently the unpleasant behavior of those with whom we must live or work. Jesus speaks as if cross bearing is a voluntary thing.

Cross bearing is deliberately taking our stand for Jesus. It’s putting Him first always, even when the position is unpopular and may bring persecution. It’s the young man who answers God’s call to become a pastor even though his fiancée says she isn’t going to marry a preacher and breaks the engagement. Cross bearing is the Chinese Christian who attends house church, even though he knows, if caught doing so, he will go to prison where he may die.

Jesus follows the teaching on cross bearing with His first reference to the second coming. They are chilling words for those who have left their faith because they were ashamed of Christ or faint hearted about answering His claims on their lives.

Read Luke 9:10-17

Five loaves and two pathetic little fish.

Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish to feed 5,000 persons, but He did not wave a hand, automatically seating the folks in groups of 50. Nor did He remind everybody to pick up after themselves. The disciples did all of that. They did the organizing. They did the distributing. They picked up the leftovers. It was work.

But observe that in order to distribute the food the disciples had to keep coming back to Jesus to get more.

Figuratively speaking, what are your five loaves and two fish? With what talents has God gifted you? Do they seem small? Do you feel inadequate? Has Jesus changed? Can He multiply your abilities to meet the challenges He has put before you if you keep coming back to Him for instruction and help?

We should not think that our gifts and talents from God will spring from us full-grown without effort. Capable writers labor to learn to write. Brilliant singers practice for years. Those gifted with management skills have to learn accounting principles. It’s work.

Notice that, because the disciples did the cleaning up themselves, there was a basketful of bread and fish for each of the 12 disciples. If God has gifted us and we develop that talent, cannot we expect His blessing in some form? Is there a guide here for shaping our personal plans?