The
Great Stone Face
There’s a famous short
story by Nathaniel Hawthorne called The Great Stone Face. It’s about a
boy named Ernest who grows up in a small village where there is a huge rock
formation on the side of a mountain. The people in the village believe that
this great rock looks like the face of a wise and noble person. And there’s an
old prophecy—one day, someone will come who looks like that face, and he will
bring wisdom and goodness to the people.
Young
Ernest is captivated by this promise. He watches and waits, longing to see the
great person. Over the years, several important figures come to town—Mr.
Gathergold, a wealthy businessman; Old Blood-and-Thunder, a celebrated general;
and Mr. Old Stony Phiz, a well-known politician. Each time, the villagers
wonder, Could this be the one? But each one falls short.
Time
passes. Ernest grows old. He has lived a quiet, faithful life—once a hill
farmer, now a humble lay preacher. He spends his days speaking truth, serving
others, and walking with integrity. One evening, standing beneath the Great
Stone Face, he shares words of wisdom with the people. And suddenly, they
realize something—his face, his character, his life, shaped by years of
kindness, wisdom, and devotion, now resembles the Great Stone Face. The
villagers cry out in amazement, but Ernest, in his humility, simply walks home,
still believing that a greater one is yet to come.
Jesus
Transformed
This
story beautifully illustrates the slow, steady transformation that happens in a
Christian’s life. In today’s passage, Jesus takes Peter, John, and James up a
mountain to pray. As He prays, his face changes, and his clothes become
dazzling white. Then, two men—Moses and Elijah—appear and talk with him.
Why
Moses and Elijah?
Many Bible teachers say they represent the Old Testament—Moses as the giver of
the Law and Elijah as the great prophet. But they also share something else in
common: both had mountaintop encounters with God’s glory. Moses saw
God’s glory on Mount Sinai (Exodus 31:18), and Elijah encountered God on Mount
Horeb, another name for Sinai (1 Kings 19:8ff.).
The
Journey to Congruence
Now,
Peter, John, and James have also seen God’s glory (v. 32). In Matthew’s
account, Jesus commands them not to tell anyone about the vision until he
is raised from the dead (Matthew 17:9). Why? Because their mountaintop
experience was not something to boast about—it was meant to transform them.
In
our spiritual journey, God gives us glimpses of his glory—moments of radical
conversion, miraculous healing, or deep spiritual encounters. These mountaintop
experiences encourage us, but true transformation happens over time. In
2 Corinthians 3:18, Paul says, “We are being transformed into the same
image [of Christ] from one degree of glory to another.” Not instantly, but one degree at a
time.
Think
about Israel at Mount Sinai. They saw God’s glory and received his holy Law,
but did that instantly make them a holy people? No. Though their status
changed from slaves to God’s chosen people instantly, it took years for their
hearts to align with their calling. Their wilderness journey was a journey
of gradual transformation—one step at a time. Every morning, they gathered
manna. Every evening, they picked up quail. In between, they worshiped, followed
the pillar of cloud, and waited on the Lord. Through these daily rhythms, they
learned to trust God. Slowly and steadily, they were shaped into God’s holy
people—one degree at a time.
Peter’s
Transformation
Peter’s
journey was no different. Right before today’s passage, Jesus asks his
disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter boldly replies, “You are the
Christ, the Son of God!” (Luke 9:20). But when Jesus explains that he must
suffer, be rejected, and die, Peter rebukes him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord!
This shall never happen to you!” (Matthew 16:22). Peter’s faith was real, but
there was a gap between what he believed and how he lived.
On
the mountain, Peter sees Jesus’ glory, but instead of humbly worshiping, he
blurts out, “Master, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents—one
for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (Luke 9:33). Again, there’s a gap
between his spiritual experience and his understanding.
But
Peter grows. In 2
Peter 1:16-18, he recounts his mountaintop experience with conviction,
declaring that he was an eyewitness to Jesus’ majesty. Over time, Peter
is transformed into a man of deep faith, wisdom, and congruence.
One
Degree at a Time
When
Jesus was transfigured on the mountain, his glory was revealed in an instant.
But for his disciples—and for us—transformation is a lifelong journey.
We are shaped into Christ’s likeness not through mountaintop experiences, but
through daily faithfulness, prayer, and surrender—one degree at a time.
I
once heard a story about a man who came to his pastor and said, “I don’t know
what’s wrong. The joy I once had in my faith is gone. I still live a moral
life, I go to church, but something is missing. How can I recover that lost
radiance of my faith?” His pastor responded, “Here’s what I want you to do: buy
a basketful of groceries, take them to a poor family I know, and when you’ve
given your gift, sit and listen to their story. Let them know you care. Before
you leave, pray the Lord’s Prayer with them. Then you’ll find your joy
returning.” One degree at a time.
Recently,
God nudged me to realign certain areas of my life—my devotional time, my study
habits, my finances. As I obeyed, I felt a deep sense of joy, satisfaction, and
contentment. That’s how transformation happens – one degree at a time.
Christ
Alone
Luke
concludes todays’ story with these words: “And when the voice had spoken, Jesus
was found alone.” (v. 36). “Jesus alone”— He is the center of everything. Union
with Christ is everything. As we look to Jesus, listen to Jesus, walk with Jesus,
and align our hearts with Jesus, we are gradually transformed into his image.
Henri
Nouwen once met Mother Teresa and poured out his struggles to her, trying
to convince her of how complicated it all was! After listening patiently, she said, “Well,
when you spend one hour a day adoring your Lord and never do anything you know
is wrong, you will be fine.” Nouwen later reflected, “Her words cut to the
center of my being. I knew they were true, and I had the rest of my life to
live them out.”[1]
Spending
one hour a day with Christ—this
should be our top priority. If you haven’t built this daily habit yet, Lent is
the perfect time to start. As we walk with the Lord, day by day, we will be
transformed – one degree at a time. And when the Day comes, when we meet
him in glory, our transformation will be complete. We will stand with Moses,
Elijah, Peter, all the saints and our loved ones—fully united with Christ,
forever. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment