by Dr. Don Young

How frequently do you leave the worship service on Sunday morning feeling overwhelmed by the experience? How often do your worship experiences leave you speechless? Now you get a glimpse of what Peter must have found himself facing on the Mount of Transfiguration when he was completely at a loss for words.

A Hard Truth to Learn

To the disciples the concept of God was difficult enough to understand, much less the fact that God had a Son. Attempting to understand that God had a Son and that his Son was present in physical form had to be absolutely over the top.

Peter felt like he had to do something—hence his suggestion to build three shelters. When we find ourselves awed by God’s presence, we will want to do something. When God’s people get caught up in the majesty of God’s presence, the church naturally turns toward evangelism and the spreading of the gospel. As a result worship becomes more than just an experience that ends with the benediction. Wouldn’t it make more sense if the invocation took place at the end of the worship service instead of at the beginning?

An Opportunity to Learn

A college professor who assisted me in the completion of a doctoral program pointed out that “no one actually teaches anyone anything . . . the best we can hope to do is create an environment where the person learns on his own.” God created an environment on the mountain where the learning process was profound. He confirmed that Jesus was God’s Son, and that affirmation is an eternal truth for us to confess as well.

Don Young, Ph.D., is President of Carolina Christian College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Don recently retired after 25 years as Minister of the Russellville Church of Christ in Russellville, Ohio. He is the Director of Christians across America. He and his wife Brenda reside in Batavia, Ohio.