Dear Friends,

LENT 4

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!” (Matthew 17:5)

This statement from God appears now for a second time. The first was at Jesus’ baptism: And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17). What comes to my mind is the question why God had not said this all along in thirty years of Jesus life, until the time of his baptism, and now on the Mountain of Transfiguration. The issues are that when God said this at his baptism Jesus was immediately led to the most excruciating experience of a forty day fast with temptations in the wilderness by Satan. Thank God, Jesus not only passed the test, but did so in a way that makes it possible for all who follow in the steps of Jesus Christ also to pass the test. We know that at the end of the story, Jesus conquered Satan on the cross, defeated death, released the power of God’s forgiveness on every repentant sinner and opened the door of freedom to all who believe with an assurance of an open access to God.

On the Mountain of Transfiguration, God repeats the statement, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”, and after this experience Jesus was to face the greatest temptation of life: the testing of one’s faith when coming face to face with death. With the privilege of the canons of the Bible we are grateful to know that Jesus is the Messiah, and only he, the chosen One of God, is that Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He did die, but on the third day he was raised from the dead, and having conquered death he has given us assurance that death does not have the last say. It is God who has the last say over death:

“O Death, where is your victory?

O Death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55)

I have wondered why it took God so long (30 years) before making such mighty declarations about Jesus. Perhaps the answer can be found in Luke 2:51-52:

⁵¹ Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. ⁵² And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.

Jesus was obedient to God in all things and was obedient to his earthly, guardian parents, Mary and Joseph. The distinguishing mark on Jesus was that his entire life was a life of OBEDIENCE! God did not have any difficulty at all in pointing Jesus out as the one who pleases him in every way. His obedience even led him to death in the cross. His obedience made him ask for only the will of God to be done. He has become our pattern, our model and our ideal Saviour. I have wondered what God will say when he looks at me right now. Will he be able to say the same thing that he said to Jesus? Yet we know that it is obedience that marked Jesus out for God to approve of him so highly.

Let me remind us that the wrath, or anger, of God comes only on the children of disobedience: Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 5:6). It is therefore significant that in this Lent period we are going through a period of testing. My struggle right now, however, is whether we will obey God when he says:

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. ²⁰ Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

If he is thirsty, give him a drink;

For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” (Romans 12:19-20)

My assurance is that when one chooses to obey God, one surrenders to God and whoever chooses to deal unjustly and wickedly against anyone who is obedient to God will have to contend with God, whether now or later. Let it be known by men here on earth that we are children of obedience because we are children of God through Jesus Christ whose obedience is marked out by love for God and love for humanity.

Will we obey him? Will we refuse the paths of evil, wickedness, gossip, slander and deliberate sinning? We learn who God is by obeying him. We may never understand in advance why we are to obey but when we do obey then we will understand.

The Lord be with you,

+The Most Rev. Dr. B. A. Kwashi

Archbishop of Jos