Today's Reading:

Matthew 17
Matthew 18
Mark 9:20-50
Luke 9:28-56

Peter, James, and John fell on their faces when the Father spoke on the mountain. Jesus touched them and told them to stand and not to be afraid. The fear came with the voice. The getting up was from Jesus.

The Israelites believed that Elijah was to appear before the Messiah. So was this the day? If Elijah was to restore everything first, how does that sit with Jesus saying He must suffer? Jesus answered both: that Elijah has already come, they just did not recognize him, and that he will restore all things. Just as they did to John as they pleased, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands. The disciples then understood Jesus meant John the Baptist.

The grace came in the timing. They were still on their faces from seeing Jesus’ glory shine and hearing God’s voice. He got them up before He explained anything. Seeing Elijah on the mountain did not cancel out John the Baptist’s prison time or his head on a platter. It confirms that John had already done his work as the one who comes first, and that Jesus, as the Son, would be treated the same. The light they saw was real. The road still had to go down to Jerusalem. He touched them, raised them, and then told them the truth that keeps both the glory and the cross together.

Where in your life are you still on your face from something true and overwhelming, and what would it look like to let Jesus touch you and raise you before you have the whole explanation?

Yesterday’s reading took us to Caesarea Philippi with the living waters at the foot of Mount Hermon. Now six days after Peter’s confession, or about eight days total by Luke’s account, Jesus took three of His disciples to the top of the mountain. This would have been quite the hike, and the mountain towered over the shrines of the pagan gods and the spring of living water that flows to the Jordan River. What Jesus showed them was not for all twelve of His disciples or the crowd who had been following. He was transfigured, turning His clothes white and His face shining like the sun. Moses and Elijah, the two major prophets from the Old Testament, appeared on the top of the mountain with Him.

 Moses represents the “law” and Elijah the “prophets.” They had both previously met God on the mountains in their own time. Moses’ face had shone so brightly after Mount Sinai (Exodus 34), and Elijah when he had fled to Mount Horeb and met God in a small voice (1 Kings 19). Israel had expected Elijah to come back before the day of the Lord (Malachi 4:5). Now both the law and prophets stood with Jesus on the mountain to discuss what His plans in Jerusalem were (Luke 9:31). God Himself spoke from the cloud. It was no longer time to listen to Moses or Elijah, but to listen to the Son, the One who had just said He had to go to Jerusalem and be killed. The glory of seeing Jesus as well as seeing Moses and Elijah was already more than Peter, James and John could handle. They fell terrified! When Jesus touched them and told them to get up, Moses and Elijah were gone. The fear was for the voice; the command to get up was from Jesus. He put them back on their feet. When God talks, our place is on our faces. Jesus’ touch ends the fear, and He told them to keep this vision quiet because the announcement of Jesus as the Messiah was not to be made before the resurrection.

Jesus and the three disciples came down from the mountain to find the disciples left behind could not heal a demon-possessed boy. Jesus rebuked the demon, and it left. The lack of faith was aimed at more than just the nine. He is the beloved Son, and yet His disciples could not do what He sent them to do. In chapter 10, He had given them authority over demons and unclean spirits. The little faith was just like the storm on the water; all you need is the smallest REAL faith. Look to God, not your own abilities. Failure is not in the size of the demon, but in the size of the faith. 

Jesus and the disciples traveled back to Capernaum and Peter was asked if Jesus pays the temple tax (a yearly fee every Jewish man owed for the temple Exodus 30:13). Peter said yes without talking to Jesus first. Jesus brought up that kings do not tax their own children, “sons are free.” They do not actually owe the tax. He had Peter pay the tax in order to not create a stumbling block or give the leaders a reason to take offense. Refusal to pay the tax would have been seen as rejection of the Temple itself, and He does not want to give the leaders any reason to think that. Peter’s “yes” to the question on taxes got them into the conversation, and the miracle of the coin in the fish mouth got them out without surrendering their freedom or leaving Peter to handle this part alone. 

Jesus had just shown the three His glory; the others could not drive out a demon. He included Peter in the payment of the temple tax, and the question became: who is the greatest in the kingdom? So, Jesus gave a long teaching on what it is like to live as a disciple. They must have humility, care for the little ones, deal with sin, and give an unlimited amount of forgiveness. Jesus told them to humble themselves like a child. The young ones believed, so do not use worldly things to tempt them or cause them to stumble. This was not about the act of self-harm by cutting off your hand. It was how severe the cost of sin is. Do not let anything lead you or another away from Him. Guard your community. The angels have constant access to God the Father; even the little ones are not overlooked in heaven. Ranking people as small or negligible was forbidden. They had just argued over status, and the ones easiest to overlook are who Jesus called the greatest. (This was not a statement that everyone has a guardian angel). Jesus has joy in finding the one who strays. Perish is the opposite of rescue. It means being lost without being looked for or being allowed to stay lost. He will not let us stay lost. Such a lovely tidbit of knowledge.

Jesus then gave four steps for dealing with those who sin:

1. Talk in private about the sin without escalating the situation.
2. Take one or two with you like an intervention because it takes two or more as witnesses for their accountability.
3. Tell it to the church; bring the sin before the assembly.
4. If the person still refuses to listen, then treat them like an outsider and kick them out. They are no longer to be a “brother in Christ.”

 Some need to hit rock bottom to find Jesus. Do not let unaddressed sin affect the whole flock or community.

When two seek restoration, and they agree on earth about what they ask for, it is not guaranteed to have your desired outcome, but the Father does act. Jesus declared to forgive not 7 times, but 77 times, that forgiveness should come in unlimited amounts. The king had pity on his servant and forgave him for the impossible debt owed. That servant had received mercy without a limit. Yet, the servant refused to forgive a small debt from a co-worker and was punished for it. We have all been forgiven far more than we will ever be asked to forgive. We are called to not keep score, but to keep forgiving from the heart.

The disciples were upset when someone was using Jesus’ name to cast out demons. He was an outsider and did not follow them. It is Jesus’ name, and He gets to declare who can use it.

Today's Discussion question:

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