Faith: My Body into the Kingdom
Matthew 17
The Transfiguration: We see Moses and Elijah embodying their Kingdom place with the Lord so that we may hope in the same. Most significant is the fact that Jesus as man and God is witnessed at the same time. This happens over and over in the Gospels, Jesus the man accessing the Kingdom of Heaven as God in signs, miracles, and mighty deeds. It is my hope to listen to Jesus who speaks to my heart: “come, listen to me and embrace the impossible–live in The Kingdom (Matthew 17: 20.) Be in this world, but be not of the world (John 17:16). Listen to me and I will show you how to live in my Kingdom right now and forevermore (Matthew 16:24).”
Obedience and faith are the pathways into the Kingdom of God. Modifying my behavior will not bring me into the Kingdom–in fact I am not really a very good person. That is why I need Jesus. Faith brings me into the Kingdom of God because of the blood of Jesus. In Matthew 17 verses 9-13, volumes regarding the eternal nature of the Kingdom is learned: “The Son of Man,” the human Jesus is going to die and be raised from the dead. 9 And as they were going down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Do not tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” I believe Jesus wishes for the transfiguration be told after His resurrection as a witness to of His infinite majesty. Also, Moses, the “giver of the Law,” stands with Jesus whom is the eternal Word, the fulfillment of the Law, perhaps as a symbol of the gospel of peace coming into the world to bring salvation because we could not obey the Law in our own strength. The fact that the “Law and the Prophets” stand with the infinite one in their resurrected form also highlights this: that those who believe may hope in eternal life because of the fulfillment met by Jesus.
Another Kingdom mystery is revealed in the fact that prophet Elijah returns from heaven to fulfill a special calling. As John the Baptist, Elijah “prepares the way of the Lord” and announces this: “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” 10 The disciples asked Him, “Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things;12 but I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not recognize him, but did to him as they wished. The Son of Man is also going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist. I believe that upon this mountain, the realm of the Kingdom of Heaven was seen, acknowledged, validated, and revealed. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, the impossible is coming.
In Matthew 17 the impossible showing up on earth from The Kingdom of Heaven is illustrated in verse 20: He answered, 20 “Because of your little faith [your lack of trust and confidence in the power of God]; for I assure you and most solemnly say to you, [c]if you have [living] faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and [if it is God’s will] it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
The impossible is underscored in these verses in terms of seeing God move in our everyday lives. Jesus speaks about the Kingdom and what faith in the unseen can accomplish; the Father will move mountains according to His will. Faith to me is actually “seeing” in the unseen realm the Kingdom of Heaven as a more “real place” than this earth. I think this is why Jesus wept at the grieving of His friends—Jesus saw the eternal Lazarus, but his friends could not—the world cannot see eternal realities (John 11:35). This is who Jesus is: both man and God. Through faith in Jesus we may do what Jesus did and more (John 12:12-14).
Faith brings substance to the things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1). In other words, faith brings Kingdom impossibilities into our everyday lives. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
23 and they will kill Him, and He will be raised [from death to life] on the third day.”
In fact, we can embrace the idea that Moses and Elijah were human beings who were actually eternally alive in new bodies as Kingdom citizens. Guess what, we are Kingdom citizens in Jesus Christ who overcame death and the grave—and who performed the impossible every single day as an example of Kingdom living. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. The death of Jesus is once again mentioned in Matthew 17 from a prophetic context emphasizing the fact that Jesus will be raised, in all His Glory from this earthly realm to rule at the Right Hand of the Father in the Kingdom of Heaven forever. We can reflect back in the chapter to understand a glimpse of Jesus as the fullness of God at the transfiguration to move on to embracing more Kingdom impossibilities. I wish to walk in the Kingdom and see the impossible show up, “on earth as it is in heaven.”
By faith I actually inhabit the Kingdom, I am seeing in a glass dimly the glory on the face of Moses as he came down from Mount Sinai with the Law in my unglorified being a glimpse into The Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus invites to live my life from. Because of Jesus and Jesus alone; “listening to Him” and obeying the prompting, I may embrace faith in the impossible showing up in my everyday life. 7 2However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take it and give it to them [to pay the temple tax] for you and Me.” Throwing a hook into the sea, is an act of faith. I give God the Glory every time I find a shekel in the fish’s mouth.
This is my motivation for living. I cannot deal with this world without believing that I am with Jesus now, IN HIM. I am learning through faith that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever whether on the earth or in Heaven. Jesus is still God as the Son of Man and the Son of God—Jesus is GOD. The Kingdom is here in my life in Jesus. I am a Kingdom dweller on the earth. As I “listen to Him,” may I impact the world with impossibilities birthed from the heart of God. That is why the transfiguration reveals the infinite Lord not bound by time, place, or anything. To me, the measure of faith God gave me is a shadow of my “glorified body” moving in the will, purposes, calling, and love of the Father.
