Entertainers sometimes have “warmup” acts to prepare them for their performances. If these “warmups” do their job well, they pique the appetite of the audience, so they will appreciate more fully the main attraction.
I wonder what kind of “warmups” God might use to prepare people to be open to his “performance”? It is so rare that God appears directly on the “stage” of the world; when he does it is critical that he be heard. Today we get are told about God’s “warmup” strategy (Luke 9:28-36).
“Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray.”
By restricting his company to these three leaders, Jesus made it clear that something extremely important was about to happen. The “stage” was on a mountain where there were few distractions and no people. It was the place where holy men like Moses and Elijah went to encounter God.
“While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.”
Warmup number one. Though he was still on the earth, Jesus left the earth for a moment and changed into his heavenly “clothes.” The best description they could give is that he lit up with a light that surpassed anything one could find on this earth.
“And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.”
The door of heaven opened, and the two great men of the Old Testament appeared with Jesus in heavenly form. They were discussing the most important event that was about to happen in Jesus’ life. No more serious discussion has ever taken place.
“Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
The presence of heaven is so powerful that it puts people to sleep immediately—not because it is boring but because it is more than the human mind can absorb. When they awoke, they were so stunned that Peter decided to act. This event was so powerful that it had to be “captured.” His idea was to make a shrine on the side of the mountain by erecting three memorial tents there. Poor Peter thought that the main attraction had taken place and that Jesus’ mission had peaked. It was now time for him, “the rock” to step in and take charge. As a matter of fact, God’s “act” was still in the warmup stage.
“But he did not know what he was saying. While he was speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.”
Warmup part two. A heavy cloud of darkness, God’s “shadow,” entered the picture. His shadow was so overwhelming that these three men became frightened like little children. Humans cannot handle the “face of God;” they have to be content with his shadow, and even that is scary.
Finally, now that the three apostles were “warmed up” God himself stepped upon the stage.
“Then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
God did something that he almost never does. He spoke directly to these men in an audible voice. God himself was the main attraction! His short sentence was forever etched on the minds of the Apostles. He set them up so they would never forget what he said. He affirmed that Jesus truly was the Son of God in case they had any doubts about it. Then he spoke three simple words: “Listen to him.”
He didn’t give them a new set of commandments or an elaborate teaching. He gave them one commandment that would guide them safely through the darkness for the rest of their lives. Listen to Jesus!
Listening for the Hebrews meant, not only hearing words, but acting on them even to the point of laying down one’s life rather than to deny them.
By recounting this amazing story, the Church tries to grab our attention in as dramatic a way as possible. These three words, if taken seriously, are all we need to guide us through the rest of our lives. And if we miss out on this message, we risk falling into the pit of everlasting hopelessness.
How do we listen to Jesus? How do we tune ourselves into his voice and receive enough courage to follow him? Isn’t Lent a “warmup” season that prepares us to listen to Jesus. We set aside extra time with him in prayer; we step up on the mountain away from the distractions of the world by fasting; we give up what is most important to us, by almsgiving; and we turn away from the direction sin points us to, by rearranging our lives through “righteous deeds.”
If we engage in the warmup experience of Lent, we will open our hearts to hear the “now” voice of Jesus. “Listen to him!”
