[Pearls Ep 161: Answering atheism Tuesday.]
The Transfiguration reminds us that we are strangers in a strange land.
As we considered in yesterday’s message, Christ’s divinity was hidden. Why? Because a fallen world wasn’t able to receive Him in his glory.
At His transfiguration, Christ was speaking with Moses and Elijah. Both were exiles because of their determination to oppose the powers-that-be.
And all this traces back to Abraham, who was called from a very comfortable life in Ur – the leading city of the day, in what would become Babylon – to venture out and become a nomad in a foreign and often hostile world. In fact the expression “strangers in a strange land” comes from the story of Abraham.
Those same words – nomad, exile, stranger, hidden – describe orthodox Christians in the world today. Christ Himself tells us that the world will reject us, because it rejected Him first.
But recognizing that we are nomads in a fallen world is actually very clarifying. Here are just a few of the ways:
- Life becomes an adventure: Christ is sending us into a wild, exotic, and dangerous world. But He sends us with His spirit as our guide and protector.
- It keeps us vigilant: if you go to a strange city you naturally have your senses on alert. In a similar way we learn to be guarded about everything that comes our way from a fallen world (particularly via the internet).
- The insane world makes sense: once we understand that the “spirit of the world” is directly opposed to Christ, everything comes into focus.
- We need to withdraw from time to time: this isn’t to say that we retreat from the world all together – in fact it is Christ who commands us to go into the world. But we recognize that there are times we need to withdraw. This ranges from simple breaks from the world to recharge ourselves (particularly every Sunday), to extended separations, such as when parents decide to homeschool their children.
- We need to band together: just as Acts of the Apostles speaks of the early believers who “shared all things in common,” we need to stay close to our “fellow nomads” today for support and encouragement.
There’s one other word that goes along with nomad, stranger, alien, exile – and that is remnant. As St. Paul said in his day, “So also at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.” Chosen for what purpose? The same purpose as ever – to bring Christ into a fallen world…
Lenten blessings –
Steve and Karen Smith
Interior Life
Postscript: Matthew 17:1-9
Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone.
As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, “Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”