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Pastor Dave Henion
Pastor Dave grew up in northern New Jersey in a very diverse cultural area. He attended Central College in Pella, Iowa received a BA in sociology and psychology. He was an offensive guard for their NCAA Div III National Championship team in 1974. In speaking for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, he sensed a call to full time ministry. Meeting is future wife Sandy at Central, went to Michigan to finish her college while Dave started Western Seminary in Holland, Michigan. Dave married Sandy in 77 and completed his Masters of Divinity degree in 78. Pastor Dave’s first church was in Fort Lee, New Jersey, home of the George Washington Bridge. Their three children were born there and he also served as a Police and Fire Chaplain for the city. In February 1991, they came to Wichita to start Harvest Community Church. In 2006, he received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Covenant Theological (Presbyterian) Seminary in St Louis. During that year he gained a daughter-in-law with now 2 grandsons of 3 years and 6 months old. Besides Pastoring at HCC for the past 20 years, he has been Director of the SCSD & WPD Police Chaplains for 11.
Religion
2009-04-01 14:39:00
Purpose behind the Transfiguration
Question: My question deals with the Transfiguration. Most of the things I read about in the Bible or have heard our pastor discuss, I can understand why the event occurred. I cannot however understand the purpose behind the Transfiguration. As He did with our Lord’s Baptism, God the Father let us know this was His beloved Son in Whom He was well pleased, but other than that…why did this event occur?
Answer: The questioner does a good job in framing the question in the context of our day and my hope is that I can help him see that it not only makes sense for our day but in every generation. First, we must understand that not many, if any of Jesus’ disciples were at baptism and heard the words of God spoken in Luke 3:22 saying, “and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” It was not until after Jesus baptism and temptation in the wilderness that Jesus begins His ministry and brings together His disciples. (Luke 5:1-11) So, first they may have never even heard it and they needed to if they were going to carry on the ministry in His behalf. Second, though, the transfiguration takes places toward the end of His ministry, Jesus is trying to prepare them for what they would embark upon with the events to happen with His crucifixion and resurrection and if the ministry were to carry on. In the synoptic accounts, Peter makes the great affirmation that Jesus is the Christ (or the Messiah – Luke 9:18-20), however, most agree Peter really didn’t understand what that meant. Then Jesus predicts His passion (21-22) and tells them what it means to be His follower (9:23-27). It would be tough but He gives them a glimpse of what is waiting for the disciple who endures and is willing to give up His life for Christ’s Kingdom. Luke says, “about eight days later,” vs 28 which could signify is beyond the perfection number of seven, the three disciple leaders are with Jesus to pray, they see this glorious transforming effect takes place on Jesus where His face and clothing radiate dazzling white. That “Holy Glow” so to speak, took place when Moses came down off the mount after being in the presence of God and receiving the Law. (Exodus 34:29-35) This luminescence takes place when the direct encounter with God takes place for Moses in the Tabernacle. Then a further significant thing takes place when Moses and Elijah show up also in the glorious radiance. They show of course that they are still alive and are partakers of eternal life. Second, they are the primary representatives of the greatest in representing the Law and the Prophets. The significance of their appearance was that Jesus was the one who completely fulfilled the Law and the prophecies of the prophets. (Matthew 26:56; John 19:28). Christ’s significance is greater than they thought before. Further, on the mountain where both Moses and Elijah received their words, they both were deliverers. Moses was the deliverer who brought the children out of bondage in Egypt and Elijah delivered the children of Israel from the bondage of the false gods under Ahab and Jezebel. (1 Kings 18:20-40) How interesting we humans can be to want to hold on to the high of the experience because Peter is experiencing the ultimate. The Great Law giver, the Greatest Prophet and his present favorite, Jesus, what more could a religious Jew want? Peter having this experience wants to keep the moment and set up memorial booths and hold on to the moment (Luke 9:33) But God had more to reveal to the disciples and more for them to do! God wanted to emblaze on their memories, deep seated truths about the person and work of Jesus Christ. That is why the final and crowning affirmation to the disciples and us comes when a cloud overshadows the event, “Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying; This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him! (Luke 9:35) God singled out for these disciples to see Jesus as the long awaited Messiah who possessed the divine authority and who fulfilled both the Law and the Prophets. Jesus Christ is the only one and there is no other! (Acts 2:22-28; 4:12) But the experience was to be remembered to supply more confident faith as good news that is truly worthy of our full trust. It is a gospel of one individual who is worthy of our full trust and faith. Jesus Christ is the supreme object of our faith. This message we have is true and worth spreading throughout the whole world. That Jesus was the one both the law and the prophets pointed too. That along with the Apostles, we can truly rest our hope and faith on what He has done for us by acquiring our salvation on the cross and can trust His word everyday! This is the rock that the whole world needs to experience peace!
 
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