An Extraordinary Mountain Top Experience
And how this event changes your life | Lenten Journey 2025 | Jesus Christ | Christianity
If you’re a not-yet follower of Jesus Christ, please come along on this journey with us. You are welcome here.
And, I invite you to read my series on the book “What Does God Want?”.
Lent 2025: Week 1 | Lent 2025: Week 2 | Lent 2025: Week 3 | Lent 2025: Week 4 | Lent 2025: Week 5
| Lenten Journey 2025: Week 5 | Lenten Journey 2025: Week 6 | Lenten Journey 2025: Week 7 |
The Transfiguration of Christ and Ash Wednesday
Dear readers, last Sunday, March 2nd, many churches worldwide commemorated Christ’s transfiguration on Mt. Hermon near Caesarea-Philippi. Wednesday, March 5th, was Ash Wednesday, which launched the 40 days of our Lenten journey when we focus on Jesus’ journey toward the cross. While we commemorate our Savior’s journey these next few weeks, we reflect on:
Why He came
What our sin state meant to Him, and
How it has affected us
We also humbly renew our believing loyalty to Him, the One true Son of Yahweh, and we rededicate our lives to serving Him alone.
Today’s post is about:
The transfiguration of Jesus Christ and why it’s important
Ash Wednesday and our theme for this Lenten season
The Transfiguration of Christ
Jesus took His disciples, Peter, John, and James the brother of John (the sons of Zebedee) to Caesarea Philippi where they hiked to the summit of Mt. Hermon. The Transfiguration of Christ, a huge spiritual event, occurred there and you can read about it in these three Gospel accounts:
Matthew 17:1-13 (ESV)
Link to Biblegateway
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Mark 9:2-13 (ESV)
Link to Biblegateway
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Luke 9:28-36 (ESV)
Link to Biblegateway
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What’s the Big Deal about the Area?
Located in the Golan Heights near the base of Mt. Hermon, ancient Caesarea Philippi (now Banias or Banyas) was once called Paneas, where ancient pagans built temples to worship the Roman god Pan (half man, half goat). Archaeologist Dr. Michael Eisenberg explains:
“The worship of Pan sometimes included ceremonies involving drinking, sacrifices, and ecstatic rituals, including nudity and sex. … We are very familiar with the city of Paneas to the north of Hippos, which was the site of one of the best-known sanctuaries for the worship of Pan.”
Dr. Michael Eisenberg, July 2016, Biblical Archaeology Society.
Over the centuries, the ancients worshiped other Greek and Roman gods in that location. In those ancient times, people believed these gods were spiritual beings and not mere idols crafted from wood and stone by the hands of humans. Paneas was one of the most important sites to the pagans for their temple rituals.
That’s why Jesus chose the area of Paneas and Mt. Hermon to proclaim His identify through a unique and powerful spiritual event: The Transfiguration of Christ.
Peter Proclaims Christ’s Identity
Yet, before His transfiguration on Mt. Hermon something important occurred that’s linked to it. The apostle Peter made this confession before the hike up the mountain:
Matthew 16:13-16 (BSB)
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He questioned His disciples: “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Peter confessed that his rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth, is the promised Messiah spoken of by the Old Testament prophets…and…He’s the Son of Yahweh, the God who created the world, who made a covenant with Abraham, and who gave the law to His chosen people, Israel.
Why Is His Transfiguration Important?
The transfiguration is important because it confirms Jesus’ true identity.
The English word transfiguration is translated from this Koine Greek word:
Metemorphōthē ( μετεμορφώθη )
To transform; to change form.
“The Greek verb μεταμορφόω (metamorphoó) signifies a profound transformation or change in form. In the New Testament, it is used to describe both physical and spiritual transformations. The term implies a change that is not merely superficial but involves an essential alteration in nature or character.”
During Jesus’ transfiguration, Peter, John, and James became eye witnesses of who Jesus is, His eternal nature: Truly human and truly God, the second person of the blessed Trinity, and—as Peter had declared earlier—the promised Messiah.
Years later, as an old man, the apostle Peter left these words for the growing church, and for us today:
2 Peter 1:16-18 (BSB)
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 And we ourselves heard this voice from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
Let’s pause for a moment, ponder all of this, and let it sink in.
It also relates to the final words of this post about the theme for our Lenten journey.
Ready? Let’s continue.
Remember, the disciples also witnessed Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus. Why those two? God gave Moses the law (the Torah, the first five books in the Old Testament). The prophet Elijah represents all the Old Testament prophets who spoke of the promised Messiah. The presence of Moses and Elijah with Jesus proclaimed to the disciples (and—dare I say—to the unseen, lesser and created gods) that Jesus Christ is the only One who fulfills both the law and the over 300 prophecies written about the promised Messiah.
Then, the disciples heard the voice of Father God:
Luke 9:34-35 (BSB)
34 While Peter was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, whom I have chosen. Listen to Him!”
These words echo what Father God spoke at Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River, when He declared His love for His Son [ see Matthew 3:13-17 ESV ].
Conclusion? The transfiguration of Jesus Christ on Mt. Hermon, Moses and Elijah visiting Him, and Yahweh’s announcement remove all doubt regarding Jesus’ identity. He is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, our Lord and our Redeemer.
Ash Wednesday and Our Lenten Theme
With the transfiguration of Christ as our background, we arrive at the theme for our Lenten journey 2025.
To my surprise and delight, on Ash Wednesday our pastor said the theme of the Wednesday night Lenten services is: Who we are, and Whose we are.
Hmm. Sounds very similar to previous posts on Night Owl Christian. (Bright minds think alike, Lol.) For one example, read my post: “What Are You Telling Yourself?”
Dear readers, similar to the first Christians, and many believers over two millennia, you and I are post-resurrection Jesus followers who live in a world battered and shattered by sin and the enemy’s deceitful lies. This is our reality, and it’s vital that you and I live each day steeped in the truth of “who we are and Whose we are”.
Whose we are: We belong to Jesus, the One transfigured on the summit of Mt. Hermon
Who we are: God’s cherished, beloved human image bearers, and His redeemed children through His Son Jesus our Messiah
The second bullet…does it sound like I’m repeating myself? Maybe I am, but this is God’s truth to us. And it breaks my heart that Christians have told me (over the years) how “beat up” they feel from the teaching they sat under in their churches, teaching by church leaders who minimized the love of God and maximized how sinful they were…over and over and over.
Yes, God is holy and sinless.
And yes, God’s heart was broken by humans’ rebellion in the Garden of Eden. Yes, God set in motion His plan to provide a way to bring His human image bearers back into His family and into His loving, forgiving presence.
That is who He is and whose we are. As post-resurrection Jesus followers, we are to walk in joy, in love, and in the confidence of Jesus Christ’s redemption work that we’re commemorating this Lenten season.
Our Lenten Challenge as Beloved Children
When our pastor announced that the theme for this Lenten season is Whose we are, and who we are, my heart jumped for joy.
Our pastor is encouraging everyone to hang onto our identity in Jesus Christ:
You are a beloved child of God [ 1 John 3:1 ]
You are chosen by God, a royal priesthood, God’s possession [ 1 Peter 2:9 ]
You are His people; you represent Him as His ambassador [ 1 Peter 2:10 ]
For Lent, many people focus on what they’re giving up for the next six weeks: Beer, chocolate, social media, broccoli and lima beans… (Lol). On Ash Wednesday, our pastor issued a “refocus” challenge for our Lenten journey, not to focus on what we’d give up but to focus on how we can live out the life of Christ through what we say, how we think, and what we do. He’s challenging us to “shine for Jesus” as His representatives, His ambassadors, to a lost world that desperately needs to see Jesus in us.
And, he’s encouraged us to memorize 1 John 3:1, repeating it every day during the next six weeks of Lent until it’s permanently in our thoughts.
Here’s the “refocus” challenge and the verse. You can select the image to save/download it if you’d like:
Dear readers, have a blessed start to your Lenten journey.
See you next Sunday!
Maranatha, come (again) Lord Jesus.
Soli Deo Gloria!
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"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Romans 8:37 BSB
GOD bless you, Mark and Jenise.
A simple good morning prayer of faith 3/9/25
Good morning, Abba!
And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Galatians 4:6 BSB
Father in Heaven, yes, You Love us. This we know. You have adopted us into Your family. You call us Your children, who we truly are. Abba, we know that we are Yours, and forever will we be in Your Loving care, no longer living a life of uncertainty, wandering aimlessly without knowing for sure why we are here, why we were born, but now we know that You have planned a life for us far better than we could have ever imagined. Thank You, Abba, for Your great Love. Yes, without a doubt, we now know that nothing will be able to separate us from Your Love that is in Christ Jesus our LORD. Amen.
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39 BSB
GOD bless you all!
I Exalt Thee | Maranatha! Music, Worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gosfx-XE6Z8