August 11, 2016
HOW DO YOU REACT WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING AMAZING?
Luke 9:28–45
Garrett Raburn
Central Truth
Jesus is worth your highest amazement, your utmost respect, your total attention.
Key Verse | Luke 9:43
And all were astonished at the majesty of God. (Luke 9:43a)
Luke 9:28–45
The Transfiguration
28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, 1 9:31 Greek exodus which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; 2 9:35 Some manuscripts my Beloved listen to him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.
Jesus Heals a Boy with an Unclean Spirit
37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. 40 And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43 And all were astonished at the majesty of God.
Jesus Again Foretells His Death
But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus 3 9:43 Greek he said to his disciples, 44 “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
Dive Deeper | Luke 9:28–45
Can you remember a time you were truly amazed as a kid? I don't mean "amazed" as in merely excited or energized. I mean a time that you were fixated on something with complete intrigue, reverence, respect, and a determination to understand more and interact meaningfully. The experience that comes to mind for me is when I was 9 years old, and, for the first time, I walked up to the Ballpark at Arlington (as it was called back then) where the Texas Rangers play baseball. I was going to my first major league game, and the moment I saw the stadium, I knew I didn't have eyes for anything else. Every red brick, every murmuring sound, every exposed green beam, every one of the 40,000+ green folding chairs was worth my highest attention. And attention I paid . . . I was transfixed.
This kind of experience, I fear, grows too rare for us as we age (or happens in response to the wrong object). We grow up quickly, and the world of our youth that feels like "possibility" is replaced by the world of our adulthood that feels more like "reality." I think this happens slowly. We accumulate more facts, gain more experiences, learn what it's like to be helped and hurt by others, figure out a little more technology, and at some point finally conclude that we more or less understand how the world operates. Consequently, genuine amazement and astonishment become a little harder for us to come by.
But look at the amazement that Jesus produced in the people around him (verses 34, 43, and 45). Fear, astonishment, reverence, respect, awe, fixation—in other words, amazement. Jesus isn't hit-or-miss; if He wants to get the attention of people, He will have it. A simple observation from these three paragraphs in Luke's Gospel is that Jesus is worth your highest amazement, your utmost respect, your total attention.
Even the world's best joys will run out of their ability to wow you, but Jesus is inexhaustible. Let's look to Him and have our attention captured.
Discussion Questions
1. What are your favorite things about Jesus? What things in the Scripture (or your life) does He say and do that you find transfixing?
2. What lesser substitutes tend to steal your attention from Him? What in your life seems to have more of your attention than Jesus does? (Hint: if you don't know, ask the people who know you best. They do.)
3. If you don't naturally find yourself 100 percent awestruck by Jesus 100 percent of the time, that is nothing to panic about. Such is the rhythm of the Christian life. But what is it about yourself that is consistently preventing you from having the reaction that the people had in Luke 9:34, 43, and 45? Don't be satisfied with an inconsistent heart!