“Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.” ~ Matthew 17:1-2
Matthew 17 is such a loaded chapter. And for this particular story, Luke’s account gives us why He took them to the mountain (Luke 9:28-43). They didn’t go hiking or sightseeing; they went to pray. It is always a blessing when you are brought close.
About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. ~ Luke 9:28
Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ~ Matthew 17:4
- Dear friend, it’s a wonderful thing to be taken along or brought close into the personal lives of great people.
- Do not take it for granted when you have such an opportunity or privilege to be close to a leader, a mentor, your boss, a father/mother figure, etc.
- Relish it and learn from it. Why? Because there are some things great people do or live out, but they may not necessarily teach.
Jim Rohn said, success is attracted by the person you become. So these successful people have become something over a certain period; it’s more in their nature than in their speech.
The secrets of success are not always spoken out to us, they are also observed from how we see them live. I’ll share with you a personal example of this:
Once I had the chance to be with one of my bosses (who is also one of my mentors). It was Christmas season and one time I happened to be in his car as he drove around. We made stops at each of his mentors' homes; bearing gifts and hampers to say thank you and to honour them. I was marveled along this trip; because he had let me in or opened a door for me to witness one of the secrets behind his success: honour and thanksgiving.
It’s been many years since this incident but it has stuck in my memory and it has become part of my life also. I don’t think my boss will ever teach this at our work seminar or meeting. I was only privileged to be brought close.
"Blessed is the man You choose, and cause to approach You, that he may dwell in Your courts.
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, of Your holy temple." ~ Psalms 65:4
Remember, Jesus often used to go and pray alone, but this time He went with these three. Think about it. And also why didn’t Jesus have this wonderful prayer meeting with all the other disciples also, but just these three?
He did a similar thing in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-38) and another time when He was going to raise Jairius' daughter from the dead (Mark 5:35-37).
- Honestly, I can’t attempt to answer it all, but it seems Jesus trusted these three more than the 12. He trusted the 12 more than the 70; the 70 more than the 120, etc., and even John the Beloved above the 3.
- Why do I say this? In v9, He gave them a command to not mention the transfiguration to anyone else.
- My spirit sort of lit up at this. What do you think? Could this be a key for us?
Ultimately it is God’s choice who He chooses to reveal certain things to, but I think we can have a few pointers to help us position ourselves to be the chosen.
As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
#1. Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen…“
- Perhaps one reason was that they could be commanded. It is not everyone that can be commanded.
- One way to be brought close is to be someone who can be instructed and will flow freely with the commands or instructions.
- Jesus said: If you love me, keep my commandments. Those who love are those who can take and keep commands/instructions.
#2. They were confidential:
Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."
Jesus trusted that they wouldn’t mention a thing to anyone until the time He had asked them to. No great person will want you close if you’re a tale-bearer or a gossip (Proverbs 20:19).
#3. They were willing, supportive, and had a positive attitude.
- Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
- Peter was saying: You only have to wish for something and we will get it done.
#4. They had given up much or sacrificed all to be with Jesus.
- Remember, Jesus called them after they had a great catch of fish (great financial and business breakthrough) and they gave it all up to follow Him (Luke 5:1-11). James and John left their father behind – that’s no small thing.
- Great leaders look out for people who are willing to sacrifice for them (Please I am not saying sacrifice your integrity, your sexual purity, etc.; anyone who demands such is an evil person and not a great leader).
#5. They were intentional about what they did.
- In Luke 5, Jesus asked Peter to thrust a little so He could teach from his boat (Luke 5:1-3). To thrust a little is to thrust a little. It required skill and intentionality.
- If Peter had pushed it a lot, Jesus would have been going fishing, preaching “Blessed are the meek” to the fishes.
- And if Peter had not thrust enough, the crowds would have pressed on Jesus; either into the boat or even pushed Jesus into the water. Peter thrusted exactly the best distance to allow Jesus’ ministry to advance.
Wow, this has gone longer than expected and we haven’t even looked at the effects of the prayer time nor the statement Jesus made: “The sons are exempt.” (Maybe we can share that another time). Anyway, on the flip side of what we’ve shared today, I suggest that you learn from Jesus if you are a leader.
- It’s not everyone that you reveal your precious secrets to. Beware of people you cannot instruct.
- Beware of people who cannot keep instructions, secrets and precious revelations to themselves; beware of gossips and blabbermouths.
- Dear Christian, dear leader, let’s learn from Jesus. Don’t go throwing your precious pearls to just anyone.
May you and I be brought closer to God, to the anointed and his anointing, to great people who matter. May we be chosen to approach, to be close and dwell in the presence of the great. Hey… you’re blessed!
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