We have no experiences in our lives that correspond to the events in our Lord’s life after the transfiguration. From that moment forward His life was altogether substitutionary. Up to the time of the transfiguration, He had exhibited the normal, perfect life of a man. But from the transfiguration forward— Gethsemane, the Cross, the resurrection— everything is unfamiliar to us. His Cross is the door by which every member of the human race can enter into the life of God; by His resurrection He has the right to give eternal life to anyone, and by His ascension our Lord entered heaven, keeping the door open for humanity.

The transfiguration was completed on the Mount of Ascension. If Jesus had gone to heaven directly from the Mount of Transfiguration, He would have gone alone. He would have been nothing more to us than a glorious Figure. But He turned His back on the glory, and came down from the mountain to identify Himself with fallen humanity.

The ascension is the complete fulfillment of the transfiguration. Our Lord returned to His original glory, but not simply as the Son of God— He returned to His father as the Son of Man as well. There is now freedom of access for anyone straight to the very throne of God because of the ascension of the Son of Man. As the Son of Man, Jesus Christ deliberately limited His omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. But now they are His in absolute, full power. As the Son of Man, Jesus Christ now has all the power at the throne of God. From His ascension forward He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.

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May 17, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, it is hard to imagine the love that You have for us…except as I try to grasp your sacrifice.  Sometimes I wonder why the cross as the vehicle? And then it strikes me that this symbol is uniquely  powerful. Thank You for Your sacrifice, and for the love that You demonstrated on that day and the days that followed. It is a lot to take in and I can only comprehend it through the Spirit.

And God says…”I gave My life freely. I ask you to give your life freely. I came to My sacrifice through great pain, and often you come to your life sacrifice out of great pain as well. However you also come to know Me through the love that envelopes you as you contemplate My origin, humanity, death, burial, resurrection and ascension. I came to serve, and so it is with you.”