Unveiling God

Psalm 98; Luke 9:28-43; 2nd Corinthians 3:12-4:2

Central Baptist Church, Lowesville, VA

18 February 2007

Who wants to go to heaven? Do we understand the implications of that question? Heaven is reportedly the abode of God. Life in heaven is lived directly in God’s presence, fellowshipping with God and submitting to God’s sovereign lordship. Rather than merely an escape from hell, the promise of heaven is of living in God’s presence forever. If this is our desire, are we preparing to experience God’s unveiled presence as a question of daily existence?

Psalm 98 declares Yahweh’s unveiling as reason for singing and joy. The psalmist calls for singing new songs declaring God’s deeds in redeeming the people. It is in these deeds of redemption that Yahweh’s character is revealed among the nations. The protecting and faithful character of Yahweh is reason for rejoicing, ruling out any need for the people to fear what the future might bring. If Yahweh brought the people victory in the past, Yahweh will be able to lead them forth again to live forever in the presence of their redeemer. The psalmist calls for setting aside anxiety over the unknown, for the comfort and assurance of Yahweh’s faithful presence. Are we comforted or frightened by this idea of God’s presence in our lives?

Often in Brazil I would be asked to pray before a meal at the home of non-believers. Often they would be a nominally Roman Catholic family, as most Brazilians claim a relationship to Catholicism, even if they have no active participation in church life. One comment I routinely heard was a sense of surprise and wonder at how my prayer was directed personally and conversationally to God. As one woman commented on how I could confidently pray directly to God, I encouraged her to do the same. “Oh, no, I pray through the saints, but I would be afraid to speak directly to God.” She was not ready to enter God’s presence. Are we actively preparing to live in fellowship with God forever?

Moses went up the mountain to speak with God, returning with Yahweh’s instructions for the people, but also with his face shining from contact with God. The people were afraid of such proximity to Yahweh. Moses covered his face with a veil, so as to reduce their fear. Paul links this veil over Moses’ face with the distance and fear of God still present among his fellow Jews in the First Century. They were zealous in their worship and regard for God’s instruction, but fearful of God’s presence and too direct a contact with the God they claimed to serve. Paul believed this fear clouded their minds to the message in God’s word.

Paul wanted this veil of distance from God set aside as it is in Christ Jesus. In Christ, God came to live in our midst, communing directly with humanity. God took the initiative to seek out sinful human beings, in order to draw us into eternal fellowship with our Creator. It was the people’s fear that caused Moses to wear a veil after direct contact with Yahweh. It is fear of God that keeps many from coming to Christ Jesus today, as well. How interested are we in introducing God to the world around us?

Last Sunday, friends came over after the Bible study for us to eat together. The boys wanted Scott to hear a song on one of their new favorite CD’s, so we played some for them. As it was time for them to leave, we loaned the CD so that they might hear the rest of the album. It was a simple and easy thing to share a CD with friends. Are we as interested in sharing the more important things with others? Do we live as though to keep God under wraps, or do we share the gospel as we might a new music album?

Peter had a gift for saying the wrong thing. It would seem that he was uncomfortable with silence and filled meaningful silence and wonder with all the wrong words. It was definitely true of his reaction to Jesus’ transfiguration and conversation with Moses and Elijah on the mountain. He wanted to hang on to the experience, proposing that it be extended by building temporary shelter for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. Whether Peter was thinking of selling tickets for the attraction, using Moses’ and Elijah’s presence to promote Jesus’ identity and acclaim, or simply to freeze time and this experience of wonder, none of this was God’s plan.

Peter was trying to make sense of the Transfiguration and did not know how to respond. The rest of the people likewise did not know how to respond to Jesus. As Jesus came down the mountain to the waiting crowds and the rest of the disciples, we hear of the disciples’ failure to heal a boy. There is no mention of events on the mountain. Jesus’ words, however, seem directed at the disciples’ failure to trust God’s presence and action in their lives. He seems to expect that the disciples could have taken care of the child’s need. As the people in Moses’ day, however, the disciples seem to depend too much on Jesus’ presence and connection with God. They have not learned to trust the sufficiency of their access to God’s presence and power working through them.

Earlier in this same chapter, the Twelve had been sent out with authority over all demons and to cure all diseases. They had witnessed Jesus feeding five thousand with a scant few loaves and fish. Peter had declared Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. With all this experience of Jesus, they did not yet trust themselves to the authority of God’s presence and action in their lives. The problem was not that God was inaccessible. The problem was their lack of trust in God’s sufficiency working through their own actions. Are we surprised by God’s activity in our lives, or even that God would desire to use us in extending the reach of the gospel of Christ Jesus?

We tend to think as the world regarding qualifications for jobs, careers, or ministry. The world determines qualifications by assessing one’s education and experience. God seems to use a different measuring stick. Jesus expected the disciples to minister simply on the basis of his commission and authority.

One couple came to the classes I offered at our church in Porto Alegre. I was teaching a course on interpreting the Biblical narratives and retelling them to share their message with others. This couple came, not to learn how to preach, but to see what they might learn for their own benefit. By the end of the semester, I had them preach in class a couple of times. As the rest of my students, they were not very comfortable with the idea. After the experience, however, they had opportunity to share their faith with others outside the comfort of a class setting. They learned that God could use them to share His word with others as they depended upon God to work through them. The last I heard of them, they had moved to another town and were using their home as a preaching point to open a church where there had been no gospel witness. They had not been seeking ministry, but God turned their desires around as they became comfortable with the idea of God’s intimate presence and action in their lives.

Are we living this confidence in God’s presence, action, and intimacy? Jesus came to remove the veil separating us from God and God’s action in our lives. Do we live before and unveiled God such that others desire to understand and share our intimacy with God? Are actively preparing to live in God’s unveiled presence forever? If we are uncomfortable with the idea, what do we expect of heaven?

—©2007 Christopher B. Harbin