Just A Glimpse For Now

Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.” –Luke 9:18-20 NIV

I didn’t recognize you! These are words most of us have said at one time or another over our lifetime. Perhaps you met the person in a different setting, or he/she had changed hair color or lost weight. Whatever the reason, you simply didn’t recognize him.

Connie and I were in Richmond for our appointment service with the Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board), and one of the new appointees got on the elevator with then-President Keith Parks. In good Southern hospitality form, she “struck up a conversation”. Now, by this point, all of us who were being appointed had received a ton of mail, information, pictures, and documents, many signed by Dr. Parks himself. Unfortunately, she didn’t recognize the president and asked him, “So, what work do you do here?”

This is probably not the best way to start your missionary career, but at some point or another, all of us have failed to recognize someone. A long-running TV reality show works on that very premise: Undercover Boss. The show aired for the first time on February 7, 2010, with an estimated 38.6 million viewers, garnering 32% of the market share. It did help to get the series off to a good start since it followed Super Bowl XLIV, when the underdog New Orleans Saints won their first Super Bowl with Drew Brees as Quarterback.

Undercover Boss had a simple format: the owner or one of the high-level executives went undercover, disguising his or her appearance, creating some fictional story, and starting as an entry-level worker. The purpose was to gain an understanding of the inner workings of their own company, what’s good, what’s not, and highlight good or poor performers in the company. Through the years since the show has been on TV, these high-powered executives have cleaned porta-potties, changed sheets in hotel rooms, cleaned swimming pools in 110-degree heat, and done all the things that it takes to make a company successful.

Towards the end of the episode, the executives reveal their true identities after being undercover for a week, inviting some of the employees into their office. As the producers admit, it is a reality show with a bit of embellishment for entertainment purposes, but in the end, the executives admit they have learned a lot about their own companies, the spirit of the workforce, perceptions about their companies, and, more importantly, a bit about themselves.

Last week, within several streams of the Christian faith, Believers observed the Feast of the Transfiguration, a commemoration of the occasion when Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a mountain, where Moses and Elijah appeared and Jesus was transfigured. “About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John, and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. …While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” (Luke 9:28-30,34-35)

St. John of Damascus wrote in the 7^th century, “Christ is transfigured, not by putting on some quality he did not possess previously, nor by changing into something he never was before, but by revealing to his disciples what he truly was…For while remaining identical to what he had been before, he appeared to the disciples in his splendor; he is indeed the true light, the radiance of glory.”

Undercover Boss may capture an embellished situation of the boss taking on a subservient role to better identify with those who work in their company, but the Transfiguration represents a life-changing encounter for the three disciples, when God Himself revealed His true identity. Jesus’ identity revealed to these disciples what they knew in words but now experienced in real time. Can you imagine the three, coming out of a sleepy fog, standing face to face with Israel’s greatest prophets, Moses and Elijah- the greatest of the prophets, talking reverently with their Rabbi Jesus. As they tried to grasp everything that was happening around them, all of a sudden a cloud descended, enveloping all of them, and a voice boomed out, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen, listen to him.”

This was a life-changing experience, a moment that became a milestone for them. This Jesus, whom they were following, had grown up with, played games with as boys, fished together, knew his mother, and over the last several years, walked miles together on dusty roads. This Jesus, their Rabbi, was the very Son of God. A.W. Tozer wrote, “Christ dazzles me and stirs within me such feelings of amazement that I can never get over him.” I have a feeling Peter, James, and John would have echoed these words.

The Transfiguration provided these three beloved disciples and the others, as they later would hear the story, the hope and encouragement needed because in a very short time their Rabbi would be nailed to the cross. This milestone moment allowed them to understand more deeply who Jesus was before their world was literally turned upside down. Peter’s declaration, “You are the Messiah,” now became a living declaration.

“Truly, we live with mysteries too marvelous to be understood…Let me keep my distance always from those who think they have the answers. Let me keep company always with those who say “Look!” and laugh in astonishment and bow their heads.” (Mary Oliver)

Jesus allowed Peter, James, and John at the Transfiguration a glimpse into who He is. Jesus walked out of a cold, lifeless tomb to give us a glimpse of who He is! “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”

God is great!