"Now it happened some eight days after these words, that taking along Peter and John and James, He went up on the mountain to pray. And it happened that while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. And behold, two men were talking with Him, and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to fulfill at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him. And it happened that as they were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three booths: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah"—not realizing what he was saying. While he was saying this, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!" And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent, and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen."
Good Morning beloved,
We welcome you to worship today in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Whether it's your first time or you are a faithful member of our family in Christ, I praise God for each and every one of you who have been moved to join us today. As the Gospel is being faithfully proclaimed, it is truly amazing to witness our Lord accomplish. However, as we rejoice for each and every one of you who have felt the call to gather together with us today, let us not forget the profound impact that Christ has had on each one of our own lives.
I strongly believe this Word is a vital source of encouragement and is needed for all of us in the challenging times in which we live, just as much as it was for them in theirs, as many people who claim to be born again, who claim to love the Lord Jesus Christ, who ought to be living their lives in anticipation of Christs' return, are living as though it is merely a dream rather than an imminent reality. I am astonished at the number of Christians today who are willfully doctrinally ignorant about what it means to live the Christian life in a fallen world. Since our lives speak louder than our words, it is not what we say, but how we live that best serves as our witness to those around us. Sadly, the scandalous conduct of those within the church is often worse than those outside it. In other words, the greatest enemy to Christianity isn't lurking in the streets of society, it's those hiding within the church itself, among the pulpit and the pews, that are full of hypocrisy, complacency, and a lack of genuine faith. Heinrich Heine, the 19th century German philosopher rightly said, "Show me your redeemed life and I might be inclined to believe in your Redeemer."
I believe the early church got it right, they understood that the testimony we give through their individual lives, not the testimony of a moralized culture, is what's necessary for reaching a sinful society. They actually cared about not dishonoring the Lord they proclaimed to love and serve, furthermore, they lived in such a way that unbelievers would have nothing bad to say about them. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:12, "By keeping your conduct excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good works, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation." When Christians live in disobedience to God's Word, we cause our critics to question whether or not the Gospel we proclaim in fact has the power to transform lives the way we say it does. Not to mention, it can lead to disillusionment among new believers and damage the credibility of the Christian faith, when seasoned members of the church engage in questionable behavior, failing to demonstrate the core values of selfless love, compassion, and forgiveness that Christianity espouses.
We need to know that from a worldly perspective, the Christian life looks like a total disaster, many self-professed believers openly conduct themselves very, very badly, in ways that are inconsistent with Christ's teachings. Those who claim to follow Christ, yet continue to live a life of self-indulgence are spiritually dead even though they live. We are called to avoid such damning contradictions. Our transformed lives is what makes the Gospel believable and convinces unbelievers of the validity of our faith. That's why Scripture repeatedly calls us as followers of Christ, to set an example by leading lives of righteousness, steering clear of reckless and undisciplined behaviors.
If we're walking in the Spirit, our conduct will naturally draw attention and bear witness to our faith, without our saying a word. It just continues to grieve me that instead of embracing the simplicity of what Scripture beautifully and clearly teaches the post-modern church has done everything within it's power to make complicated, by adding new and inaccurate interpretations that resonate with the culture. Rather than being concerned with taking the Gospel to the world, and living godly lives, they're more concerned about bringing the world into church, to make sinners more comfortable. Underestimating the seriousness of sin, as followers of Christ, we can't get it more wrong than that.
Let's pray
Heavenly Father,
Father, we thank You for Your Word, we can't wait for the day when You return to gather Your church. We live in anticipation of the promise of Your appearing, not because we're worthy, but because You love us. Lord, we pray that You would work in the heart of every unbeliever, just as You have in unworthy sinners like us, so that they too might repent and believe unto salvation and by Your grace, cast off the sin in their lives. Do Your work in those who are self-deceived, who have been unwilling to let of their sin, so that they would respond to this urgent wake up call and through the Holy Spirit, dedicate their lives to breaking the power of sin in their lives. May we all win the battle with sin day by day until that glorious day when we will sin no more. In Christ's precious Name we ask and pray these things.
Amen.
Today's Message: A Glimpse of Christ's Glorious Return
Open our Bibles and turn them to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 9. Luke 9:28-36. This isn't just about a story or reading words on a page about a historical account; I believe this is an urgent call to action for all of us in the church today to awaken from our complacency, and open our eyes and truly perceive the magnificence and majesty of the glory of Christ and challenges us to experience a profound transformation in our hearts. As I read these verses, I invite you to not just listen but to hear it well to truly understand and embrace what our Lord is saying to Peter, James and John, because it was intended for them to understand and know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, it was not intended to confuse them. Therefore, we are to understand His words about His Second Coming exactly as they would have understood them. And, they certainly were not biblical scholars or sophisticated theologians. They were just an assortment of every day working class common folk, like you and I. I pray that all of you will listen for the voice of our Lord, this is truly powerful.
"Now it happened some eight days after these words, that taking along Peter and John and James, He went up on the mountain to pray. And it happened that while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. And behold, two men were talking with Him, and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to fulfill at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him. And it happened that as they were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three booths: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah"—not realizing what he was saying. While he was saying this, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!" And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent, and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen."
More than two thousand years have now gone by and as you know, Christ's return still hasn't happened yet. And, let's face it, many people doubt that it will. Peter offers us encouragement and reassurance in 2 Peter 3, because he recognizes that with the passage of time, it's easy to lose heart and feel discouraged with the uncertainties that time may bring, so "that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles, knowing this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation."
"For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being deluged with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some consider slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be found out."
Then, he asks in verses 11-12, "Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens burning will be destroyed, and the elements will melt with intense heat!" When a prophet prophesied something and it came to pass, that was the proof that they could be trusted as speaking for God, and they could trust him for the future prophecy. If it didn't come to pass, he was condemned to death. Jesus is saying I'm telling you truthfully there's going to be a Second Coming and just to prove it, so you can trust Me for the fulfillment of the far off future prophecies. Many people cannot handle what’s going on in the present, much less a staggering promise that seems so far away.
Let's start with verse 28, where we encounter the significant moment where Luke states, "Now it happened some eight days after these words, that taking along Peter and John and James, He went up on the mountain to pray." Now it happened, which raises the questioned what happened? He took Peter, James and John, and went up into the mountain to pray and for the purpose of witnessing His profound transfiguration. When did it happen? The timing of this event is noteworthy, some eight days after what He said in verse 27, "But I say to you truthfully, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God." Matthew and Mark, who also record this same event, tells us that it occurred six days later, they may be only counting the days in between the promise and the fulfillment, whereas Luke is probably including the day the promise was given and the day it was fulfilled, which would account for the apparent discrepancy in the two additional days. It's worth mentioning that such variations in recording historical events are not uncommon, as authors often wrote from different perspectives, which can lead to varied interpretations.
Why did He choose Peter, James and John? Along with Andrew, they were the first ones gathered at His side, they were His most intimate relationships of the twelve. The promise of His coming can be very hard to believe in the present. So, in keeping with what Deuteronomy 19:15, says that truth is confirmed in the mouth of two or three witnesses, He
needed these three trustworthy witnesses to confirm the truth of His power,
majesty, honor and glory. Never before has God revealed Himself so magnificently, I can't begin to imagine my own reaction if I had physically been there to witness Jesus supernaturally being transformed with my own eyes. This spectacular event so gripped Peter’s memory that he couldn’t stop talking about it, in fact he continued to write about it for more than 30 years! There are a number of other places in Scripture where Peter, James and John were frequently alone with Jesus. One example that immediately comes to mind, is the in Garden of Gethsemane the night He was pouring out His heart to the Father, agonizing in prayer, until He sweat drops of blood. By the way, only He was praying because Jesus rebuked them for sleeping. They frequently appear to be overcome by sleep, I believe it was the way they dealt with their anxiety, sleep is a way of escaping depression.
It’s interesting that both Matthew and Mark both mention the passing of six days, I believe Jesus is drawing a connection to Exodus 24:15-16,, when Moses went up on a mountain and the glory of God covered it for six days before he was called "out of the midst of the cloud" on the seventh day. These six days served as a time of preparation for revelation from God.
Verse 29, "And it happened that while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming." That's the testimony of John 8:12, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life," come to life in this never before seen glimpse of eternal life. Matthew uses a Greek verb, "metamorphóō," from which we get the English word "metamorphosis." It is derived from two words, metá, meaning to change after being with and morphóō, which means changing form in keeping with inner reality. Notice that nothing changed on the inside, only His outward appearance was changed! A metamorphosis took place. Matthew says "His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light." Marks says as no launderer on earth can whiten them. This same Jesus they had seen every day was suddenly dazzling, glowing with all the brilliance of the sun, the very essence of the Shekinah of God. This was unlike anything they were used to seeing. All of the sudden, this dazzling and brilliant light was coming from the inside, and was shining through His garments. Because Shekinah never descends below, always from above, this is the single greatest testimony as to who Jesus Christ is in the entire Bible. In 1 John 1:5, John tells us God is light. And this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. In the Old Testament, God historically manifested Himself in blazing light, pillars of fire, a brilliant cloud. Surely, being Jewish they would have known that, there can be no doubt as to exactly Who He is! Critics, those who deny Jesus' deity hate this verse, because the glory isn't shining down on Him, coming from somewhere else, its coming out from inside of Him. The transfiguration is proof that Jesus is God.
Verse 30, "And behold, two men were talking with Him, and they were Moses and Elijah." First, allow me to mention, this was not a vision or a dream, this is a very real physical experience for them. Why Moses and Elijah? Moses is synonymous with Old Testament, his leadership is unequaled, guiding the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt and through the wilderness for 40 years. In the minds of the Jews, Moses was the greatest man of all men and still is today. He was the human instrument through whom God gave the Law, known as the Ten Commandments, solidifying his role as the lawgiver. Elijah guarded the law, he fought against the nation’s idolatry. He was a man of zeal for God, He spoke bold words of profound judgment.
Perhaps one of the most remarkable aspects of Elijah's life was his departure from this world; unlike others, he did not experience death in the traditional sense but was carried into heaven in a in a whirlwind, accompanied by a chariot of fire and horses of fire. Jesus said, "I have come to fulfill the law and the prophets," they were the giver and the keeper of the Law, who else but Moses and Elijah could stand beside Jesus? The Lord provided them a visible form in absolute divine perfection for this phenomenal occasion.
Look at verse 31, "Who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to fulfill at Jerusalem." Notice Matthew, Mark and Luke write they were talking with Him, that's because this is very significant, they were having a conversation with Jesus about His planned death, saying everything is right on schedule. Peter, James and John needed to see this, because they couldn’t understand how His death fit their messianic program.
I am frequently asked, "How did they know it was Moses and Elijah, having never seen them before?" That is a good question. The answer is, the same way that Peter knew Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; divine revelation. Matthew 16:15-17, "He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven." Who is more trustworthy than Moses and Elijah, the lawgiver and the prophet of the Old Testament, to affirm the fact that the Messiah needs to die? When Christ comes again, His glory will be fully revealed and people are going to cry for the rocks and the mountains to fall on them, to hide them from His presence. In Exodus 33:17-23,
when Moses requested to see God's glory he said, "I pray You, show me Your glory!" And God said, "I
Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the
name of the Lord before you." But You cannot see My face, for no man can
see Me and live!" So God put Moses in the cleft of the rock and covered
him with His hand until He have passed by so he could see His back. Jesus is the manifestation of God Himself, He is the glory of God.
Verse 32, "Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him." This is the most monumental event in history at this point, unfolding before their eyes and what are Peter, James and John doing? Sleeping, which they had a habit of doing. However, Luke writes they had been overcome with sleep, this was different, as if it was a divine act of God. The word overcome is the Greek verb, "bareó," meaning heavy or weighed down, either physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Hupnos from which we get hypnosis, conveys the idea they were not just asleep, they were in a trance-like state, that rendered them temporarily incapable of initially witnessing the profound spectacle that was occurring right before their eyes. It wasn't that they didn't want to stay awake, they literally couldn't stay awake. Despite their initial unawareness, once they were fully awake, indicating it may have taken some time to awaken them, they were able to witness this extraordinary supernatural revelation, a glimpse of divine majesty and glory, along with the presence of the two most significant figures in Jewish history, Moses and Elijah, standing alongside Him.
Verse 33, "And it happened that as they were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three booths: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah"—not realizing what he was saying." You've really got to love Peter, he just can't seem to keep his mouth shut. I mean right in the middle of all this heavenly glory, majesty and splendor, he brings us right back to earth as only Peter can. In his defense, I believe Peter was absolutely dumbfounded by the sheer magnitude of this remarkable experience, and just blurted out the first thing out of his mouth that came to mind, trying to be helpful. Keep in mind he had just been rebuked by Jesus the last time he blurted something out. Peter knew that God’s glory could only be contained in a tabernacle, even if he did express it in a somewhat unfiltered manner. Matthew says he called Him the Greek word "kurios"
translated Lord. Mark records he called Him Rabbi, Luke says he called Him "epistatés" or Master, I believe after witnessing what he had just seen, he likely said all three out of shock and utter respect for the glorified Lord. I believe there's humility in Peter's proposal, notice he didn't include himself, James and John, it's those who belong to the eternal kingdom that need a place to dwell. Luke ends the verse with "not realizing what he was saying." Peter didn't understand that this was not the beginning of the eternal kingdom. I'm sure most of you have heard the old expression, "If you don’t know what to say, it's best not to say anything." I fear the church today has a very inadequate view of the Lord, as well as His expectations of us, this lack of comprehension has profoundly affected our capacity to worship Him in a manner that truly reflects His divine nature. Most Christians have diminished perception of Who He is, based more on personal preferences rather than what Scripture teaches and therefore, struggle to recognize His Majesty.
Verse 34, "While he was saying this, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud." This is no ordinary cloud, this symbolizing God the Father filling the atmosphere with an awe-inspiring appearance to interrupt him at this pivotal moment. It's as if He's saying "Shhh, Peter just stop talking while you're ahead and listen to Me," underscoring the importance of His Words.
Verse 35, "Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!" His transfiguration carries profound significance underscoring the Father's divine declaration, "This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!" This is not the voice of an angry God, this is the voice of affirmation of the Father, when He tells you He has to go to the cross, listen to Him." Matthew provides additional insight, adding, "And when the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified." Overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the moment, Peter, James and John collapsed onto the ground, faces pressed into the earth, gripped by an overpowering sense of fear and reverence. They rightly understood that God was there. In the midst of their trembling, Jesus approaches them with compassion and reassurance. He gently touched them in a gesture of comfort and encouragement, said, "Get up, and do not be afraid." This is our beloved and compassionate Lord and Savior.
That brings us to verse 36, "And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent, and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen." It's over, the Mosaic economy was now finished and completed. There's no doubt this was an experience these three would never forget, as long as they lived. You can almost hear Peter saying, "Man, just wait till Andrew hears all of this, I've got to get down this hill before James and John do!" Not only was the Shekinah of God dwelling among them, but the Father spoke, saying "This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!" Mark it, the emphasis is on "listening" to Him is a present tense imperative, meaning that obedience is to be ongoing. Christ gave a strict command to His disciples, Peter, James, and John, instructing them not to speak of the extraordinary events they had witnessed. Matthew adds He said this as they were coming down from the mountain. The reason for Christ's directive to remain silent was that they needed to wait until after His resurrection to fully comprehend His mission. It wasn't about overthrowing the Roman authorities as many might expected; rather, His purpose was to triumph over death, sin, and Hell.
Have you ever stopped to think why Jesus is only one left? Perhaps it is to remind us that there is salvation in no one else, only He can bridge between a holy God and sinful people. Not Mohammed, Buddha, Vishnu, Mary, Pope, Dalai Lama, Joseph Smith or anyone else. Just Jesus and Him alone! While Christ's transfiguration was significant in nature, it only foreshadowed the greater victory that He would soon achieve through His resurrection. As we witness the intricate workings of a divine plan unfolding in our lives, I'm grateful for these marvelous glimpses of glory to hang my hope on to endure suffering for the sake of the Gospel. In 1 John 3:2-3,, John reminds us, "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." As you contemplate that glorious day, that you too will receive a body like unto His glorious body, I pray that your doubts and fears begin to dissipate. O' how I long for that day. Come O' Lord, come soon.
May it be so..
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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