Many of us are pretty convinced that Jesus needs us. If it it weren’t for us, after all, how would he be able to hug people who are hurting? If it weren’t for us, how would he able to comfort the sick and the sorrowing? If it weren’t for us, how would anyone hear the Good News of the gospel? If we didn’t build the kingdom, plant churches, make disciples, who would?

Jesus needs us.

That’s what Peter said, one day, on a mountain, looking at Jesus.

It was an amazing moment  Matthew described. There’s Jesus, just glowing, like Moses used to look when he came out from talking with God. There’s Moses, actually standing in the promised land. (More on this another day). There’s Elijah, who had been taken from earth in a chariot of fire rather than dying.

If you were to look at Jewish history as the disciples knew it, you couldn’t get much bigger than this. It’s like taking your biggest heroes of the past and discovering that they look up to your best friend.

Peter’s response would give him a job for a marketing firm, or a theme park.

“It is good that we are here.”

TRANSLATION: I’m glad that there is someone here with a sense of how cool this is.

“If you want, I can set up three tents, one for each of you.”

TRANSLATION: This deserves to be a place that people can come and be impressed. I’m the one who can put you on the map.

And there is voice from heaven that says, “I’m happy with my son Jesus. He’s doing just fine being God, thank you. So just be quiet.”

Jesus doesn’t need us to tell him what to do. He needs us to do what he tells us.