It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Words are what characterized the experiences of Jesus and His disciples for some time. Matthew records some of them -
words, words, words.

Words of warning about corrupt and misguided religious officials.
Words of inquiry about the true identity of Jesus.
Words - strange words - about the future awaiting Jesus.

But, hey, how far do words alone go? Pictures sometimes help drive a point home in a way that words alone never can do. That's how God made us - people of the picture as well as the word; people with eyes as well as ears. Which is why Jesus' ministry was not merely talk. He used visual demonstrations to back up what he was saying, and did that time and again.

So He healed the sick. And fed 5000. And walked on water. And then fed 4000.
As if to say to the disciples, "See what I mean?"
The earlier chapters of Matthew record these pictures.

Matthew 17 records the greatest picture of all.
Jesus takes the executive, so to speak, the inner circle of his disciples, and heads off on a short retreat. Time away for the leadership team to recharge and to receive some intensive training. Time, as it were, to refocus their vision and understand again the key element of their mission statement, what their time with Jesus was all about.
It's a very simple retreat. Save the thousands of words. Instead, Jesus reaches to the heart of his disciples with one very powerful picture.

It is a supreme picture - overwhelmingly powerful.
The transfiguration.
And Matthew records the event for us.

If you are reasonably familiar with the Old Testament you may see echoes here of Exodus 19, when blazing heavenly glory appeared on another mountain:
When the Lord descended on Mt.Sinai with a cloud, thunder and lightning in order to give His Word of the Law to Moses. Moses went up to meet the Lord, and descended with a face so brilliant that he had to cover it when he walked among the people (Exodus 34.30).

Now it is the fullness of time.
God reveals His ultimate Word, what John 1 describes as "the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us".
And up on that mountain top the truth of that Word is revealed for these 3 disciples, the three who would be the anchors, the inner leadership team of the early church. The layers of Christ's humanity are pealed back and the full glory of heaven breaks through - the same glory that appeared as thunder and lightning on Mt.Sinai. The glory shines from Jesus' face.

Standing with Jesus, suddenly, are Moses and Elijah. And, if nothing else, what a picture that is.
Moses - the great Old Testament giver of the law,
Elijah - greatest of all prophets.
The Law and the Prophets. If you scoot ahead to Matthew 22.40 you'll see that phrase. It was the common way that Jews referred to the entire Old Testament - "The Law And The Prophets."
Moses and Elijah, the Law and the Prophets, standing together, conversing with Jesus - the one who fulfills the law and the one who fulfills the words of the prophets.
Picture - The one who is before the disciples is the one who fulfills the promises of scripture.
 

Then a cloud comes and covers Jesus, almost baptizing Him again. Jesus, who perfectly fulfilled the Law, and kept all its requirements on our behalf, is completely immersed in the heavenly glory of God, just as Moses the first law giver went up to be swallowed by the smoky cloud on the top of Mt. Sinai (Ex 24.15-18).
And out of the cloud a voice.

The shocked, now terrified disciples, lay quivering on the ground.
And who wouldn't?
Wouldn't you?

It all seems pretty contained and tame when we read it.
But really - try to imagine it.
Imagine if it came here.
 
 

Imagine coming to this room some Sunday. You take your seat, greet those around you, and then quietly pray for God's presence in the worship service. Suddenly in the middle of the sermon, out of nowhere, there is this flashing extremely bright, blinding light that fills the whole sanctuary.
The penetrating light is everywhere.
You can only see the light.
No pastor. No congregation. Just light.
What is this-a natural disaster? Is it lightning hitting the church, did not hear thunder. Is it a missile? Shall I call 911? Children are crying. Pastor Ken went too far with special effects this morning, scaring the life out of people. Disturbing the reverent calm and quiet. And then, out of somewhere in this enormously brilliant light a powerful voice is heard.
 

Can you imagine if God really showed up at Calvin some Sunday, no holds barred, nothing held back?

What would happen to our quick talk, or stubborn opinions, or determined agendas?

What would it do?
How would it change things?
 
 

It knocked the disciples to the ground.
It even shut down motor-mouth Peter.

For now God spoke: "This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!"
Not just some representative of God, like Moses or Elijah.
God's Son.
Come to fulfill for humanity what Moses and Elijah had begun. To live to complete perfection the will of God that had been revealed to people through Moses and the Law. To become the representative of God to the people, and the representative of the people to God, as Elijah had done in his prophetic ministry.
The perfection, the completion - the Way, the Truth, the Life.

And of this one God says, "Listen to Him!"
Carrying the same meaning as a parent telling a child, "Now listen to me."
Pay attention.
Obey.
Listen up!
Terrifying!
Overwhelming!
That is the One we serve as Christians.
To whom we pray and sing.
Of whom we speak.
Whose name we carry.
For whom we work.
Not one to be taken lightly, or fooled with, or treated casually.
 
 

See
the
picture!
 
 
 
 

The holy, powerful picture.

Just -
- make sure you see the whole picture.

The holy, supernatural, power-filled Christ is the first truth painted on the canvas of creation this day. But there is an equally important second truth. Watch what the Holy Christ does when He sees the fear of His disciples.
He touches them.
He says, "Get up. Don't be afraid."

And they look up, seeing only Jesus, clothed again in full humanity.
The cloud is gone.
Moses and Elijah have left.
No voice.
No light.
Just Jesus. The old friend and teacher they loved.

He helps them to their feet and heads back down the mountain with them.
Their friend.
The Messiah is their personal friend.
The glorified God is the one they know.
The Almighty God is their companion.

It is the picture of the truth Jesus gave with words in John 15:15:
"No longer do I call you servants..... Instead, I have called you friends..."

This second truth of Jesus' personal nature, when combined with the first of His supernatural nature, is what distinguishes Christianity from every other faith.
God in Jesus is personal, knows us and can be known.
This is the total character of God.

To only understand and know one of the two truths about Jesus is to have an incomplete picture. I think this is where, for many of us, our faith breaks down.
For some of us God is almighty, but He is not very personal.
For others, God is our friend, but He seems powerless.
Jesus is both.

He is the God of power, Creator of Heaven and Earth. Enormous power. He is the God with hands strong enough to face and conquer any problem that could arise. "Lord Jesus, are you big enough to handle this?" we pray.
And there is nothing to which the answer is, "Well, not really."

He is also the God of intimacy. The gentle touch. The words of comfort. "Lord Jesus, will you be here with me, while I'm going through this?" we wonder.
And never does the answer come back, "Sorry, you're too small for that. I'm too busy, too big, too important for you."

Truth #1.
Truth #2.
That's the full scope of the painting. A painting of trust.

Because that's ultimately what it's all about.
It's not about getting some facts right in our head. It's not about being able to recite certain statements in a particular order. If Jesus was just presenting a particular code for life, or a curriculum for Sunday School class, then all we would have to say is that these two truths are true.

But that isn't what he is calling us into. The Son of God, powerful and close at hand, holy in heavenly splendour and intimate in His touch, is inviting us into a relationship of trust.
He is able.
He is willing.
Listen to Him.