Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder

Peter's problem is not so much what he says but WHEN he says it.  There on the mountain with Jesus the Father SHOWS UP, and he is yapping rather than bracing himself for a historical moment.  This doesn't happen often in the history of Mankind.  Generally, we don't walk with the Lord in the cool of the day anymore because of the fall.

The Lord the Father comes physically, with light, with auditory to help identify His PRESENCE.  

Of course, the disciples are unmanned.  They are undone.  They fall down with their faces to the earth.  Everybody does this. Who can stand? They are terrified.  May you listen today and do something special with your face.

Peter says whatever comes to his mind.  I like what he says today.

I don't want the illuminated Jesus to go; I don't want these flawed heroes Moses and Elijah to go, so let's build tents and stay awhile.  Maybe forever.  I don't care if we ever go back down the mountain. I want to freeze this moment.  I have Questions! Questions for Jesus and questions for Moses; questions for Elijah. Can't we just be together?  Stay together?

I think Peter is appropriately longing for heaven and "his people".  The heavenly people are those whom we truly "belong to" to paraphrase martin lloyd-jones.  Now, We get to belong to the knuckleheads of our current church.  I'd rather visit with these glorified saints that have come from paradise.

The irony is that someday, after my death and after Jesus ACCOMPLISHES the heavy lifting of the Cross, I WILL be with the Glorified Jesus and His glorified people.  I won't have to squeeze in a visit.  I'll have plenty of time for all the stories and all my questions.  I will have the moment "frozen forever".  If you would like to join me in "staying there forever", (the same thing Peter is asking) then Listen.  Really listen.

I got a big kick out of this passage.  Jesus picks a prayer team of underwhelming knuckleheads.  My guess is that Peter always got picked last. Somehow, I found that hilarious, but I digress.

We will define glory for all of us who didn't go to seminary.

We will see what heaven may be like: some humanity, maybe even gender, standing, identity, communication, talking, concern-bearing, and agency.  All good so far.

We will see that this big purpose of Jesus was not achieved by accident.  We see him declaring that it will be ACCOMPLISHED.

Listen today before you get busy picking your prayer team of knuckleheads.

Jesus predicts His death 3 ½ times in Luke's Gospel:
#1 Luke 9:22
#2 Luke 9:44
#2 ½ Luke 13:33
#3 Luke18:31
Then He reinforces all these predictions afterwards
#4 Luke 24:7

Before His death, He tells the disciples
The Who What When Where and Why and How's of His death and resurrection.

It is brutal, it is specific, it is geographically anchored, it is historical, it is miraculous, it is prophesied, it is proclaimed repeatedly,  and yet:
(but they do not understand; do not grasp; it is hidden; it is concealed; they don't perceive)

Listen and see if you get the message.

Peter, if you are able to say Jesus is the Christ, then we know something has happened.  It did not involve you fleshly family, but is way above that in glory.  It is your Father who had put you into a blessed relationship with Himself.  How?  By being AT WORK in you REVEALING stuff to you that is way above your pay grade.  Here, specifically, if you are able to say this about Jesus, we know it was not sourced in you.

Then, what exactly does God build His church on? Peters? Or the activity of God in REVEALING His Son and Christ to us all?  I vote for number two, even though I am a Huge fan of Peter.

Could it be that you are also in a favorable relationship of the blessing of God?  Could it be that God has been at work revealing His Son to you?
Listen and find out.

Who do others say I am?  They get it wrong.  We certainly must have grace with how they are doing and where they are on their walk.  We were all unbelievers at some point too...

But who do YOU SAY I am?  DTR this relationship.  Call it what it is.  Put it in writing.  Put it in verbal ink.  I want you to SAY IT.  

Of interest, Jesus already knows what they are thinking.  So then, why does Jesus ask the question?  It is because "somebody" doesn't know the answer.  Who?  It is the speaker!  In the speaking, it helps define one's thoughts and one's position; one's declaration; where exactly I stand.

Today's charge:  Listen and then SAY IT.

When last we met, Naamen was taking bags of Israel dirt back to Syria with him.  Today, the same dirt is potentially being shook off in judgment.

The disciples were quite immature at this moment in Jesus' chronological walk with them. (even Judas gets to go!) Yet, He sends them out anyway with basically nothing but the shirt on their backs.  And with one other thing:  His transferred power and authority over disease, demons, and bad kingdoms.  

Jesus does this like it is nothing:  poof.  You knuckleheads get this power that is exponentially over their pay grade.  Poof.  Like it was nothin' for Jesus to do this. Power in reserve.

Embedded in the story is RECEIVING.  Receiving his messenger; His message; His new kingdom; His History; His People.  It is a big ask.  Listen and see if you wanna receive or get dusted.

Naaman is on his way back to Syria with the non-leprous skin of a young child. Happy story.  Right?  Maybe not.  Stay tuned...

Gehazi, Elisha's servant, who should have known better, is a sneaky profiteer.  He knows that Naaman has $4million in his pocket and WANTS to give it to Elisha.  Elisha, WHO STANDS BEFORE GOD, says NO.  Gehazi, seeing this opportunity, says YES.  

He violates his relationship with His boss Elisha
He violates the concern the Lord has for the foreigner
He violates the special concern that one believer is to have for another
He ignores entirely that the Lord Sees everything and that he too stands exposed before God
He presumes on his position, with Elisha, within Israel, with the people of God and with a new, weaker brother

Listen, because the story of Naamen ends horribly for Israel. (Gehazi)

Naamen ends up with the skin of a little child.  His skin, and the rest of him is BORN AGAIN.  I don't know, but hopefully he's got one arm with skin the right age and the other with the skin of a 3 year old.  This would make a great conversation piece at a dinner party.

What happens to the $4 million that I brought?  Take it home.  Let there be no misunderstanding that you bought this healing.

BTW, you guys have the best dirt in the world here. Can I have some?  Can I take some home with me? Take a geographic selfie so I don't forget this moment?

But what about my work situation when I get back? I have some duties that could be misinterpreted.  How do I negotiate my real-life situations now that I am a believer in the One True God?  Everybody, after they become a believer has to deal with these issues.  Listen and let's talk about it.

The Widow of Zarephath performs a heroic act of faith.

Naaman the Syrian performs a humble act of faith, but for him , it is also a heroic act of faith.  For Him, it likely is the hardest thing.

Remember that we are officially in Luke 4 wondering what is so very offensive about all this that they try to throw Jesus off a cliff.  It is that Your Ways are not my ways.  That Salvation comes to the undeserving.  That You choose people who I definitely would not choose. 

We are a whole lot like Naamen in our story.  Prideful, provincial and pouty.  When God shows up in an unexpected, radical way he at first makes quite a poor showing.  Probably, so did you.  Misunderstanding.  Wrestling.  Fighting with God and with people around you who are just trying to talk some sense into your life.  

Listen and see if you are like our anti-hero Naamen.  You probably won't like it.