The Coming Of Christ

Matthew 16:27-28 & 17:1-13

In due course this world with all its values will be done away, and in the world to come the profits made in the here and now will be seen for the shoddy things they are. The giving of an exchange for life in this world is nonsense, for in due course this world will be replaced by something new. The Son of man is, of course, Jesus’ favorite way of referring to himself (see on 8:20). He does not say when or where he will come, but clearly he has ceased to speak of the ordered life of the present world and is speaking of the end of that ordered life.

There is coming a time for rewards in the future for believers......

1 Corinthians 4:5 “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”

2 Corinthians 5:8-10 “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

Revelation 22:12 “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”

One more passage about this: 1 Corinthians 3:10-15.........

This passage is always been rather mysterious to me, but as I have said we must read it on God’s terms not ours.

However, Christ is concerned here with the reward of the ungodly.

Then leads us to what is next in sequence. Jesus speaks of the judgment wherein each will receive the appropriate requital. His behavior is the sum of his achievement; it includes all that he has done.65 Jesus makes it clear that there will be a final reckoning and that those who have exchanged their essential being, their “life,” for profit or pleasure will receive the recompense that is due. In the end there will be a righting of all wrongs.

The main idea goes back to what would it profit if we gained the whole world and also what would we give in exchange for our soul........Jesus tells them and us that none of the world matters because He is coming to make things right and set it back in order.

Verse 28 has puzzled many, as it has me, but there is something that is very important that we miss here and that is a chapter division.......in Luke’s acct. there is no division......

Luke 9:27-30 “But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God. And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:”

Although there is a difference in the days Matthew and Mark say 6 days past, Luke says 8 days past.......

Let’s put that to bed first.....”About and 8 days”......This to be translated “some 8 days later”

There is somewhat of a difference there between Matt and Mark, but it was an “about” figure and was based on when Jesus made the prophecy....

Matthew says 6 days after that, but if you count the day of the prophecy and the day of the fulfillment some say it would be 8 days.

Back to the point, this is the fulfillment of that prophecy......The curtain, if you will, is going to be pulled back for Peter, James, and John.

They get a glimpse of the glory of God in Christ!

Jesus takes 3 so that it there would 2 or 3 witnesses to fulfill Scripture. That is how things are confirmed.

Deuteronomy 19:15 “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.”

Matthew’s acct says Jesus (Son of Man) is going to come, Marks add with power, Luke tells us that the Kingdom of God.

So you're going to see the kingdom, its power, its glory and the coming of the Son of Man.  You're going to get previews of the coming of the Son of Man in kingdom power and glory.  This is a staggering promise.

We then see Jesus transfigured, He is veiled at this point by His human body, but the true picture of Christ is glorious....Matthew 25:31 “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:”

Revelation 1:13-18...........Too much for mere humans to handle!

James, John, and Peter are allowed this glimpse.......

When Jesus came into the world, He is God, but He took that veil of humanity and clothed the glory. But here He gave a glimpse. This is God. Don’t let anybody come and tell you Jesus isn’t God. The glory came from within.

And so, His deity, His majestic kingship, His regal majesty, His royalty as the Son of God the Anointed One of the Father, is seen by the transformation of the Son. Secondly by the testimony of the saints. By the testimony of the saints.

Look at verse 3, “And, behold, there appeared unto them” – and Luke adds “in glory” – not with glory, but in His glory, shrouded by it, surrounded by it, encompassed by it – “Moses and Elijah, and they were talking with Him.” And now, Peter, James, and John are not only seeing something that’s beyond their comprehension, they are hearing a conversation. Here is the second great confirmation of Jesus Christ. They, too – that is Moses and Elijah – appeared in is glory.

Now, somebody asked a silly question, “Well, how did Peter, James, and John recognize them? How did they know they were Moses and Elijah?”

Well, I don’t know why people bother with questions like that. I don’t know; maybe they had a nametag. And if they didn’t have a nametag, maybe they had some kind of supernatural intuition. But I’m sure if God could have put this whole thing on, He sure could have impressed them with who it was. That’s not really a big problem, even for those that didn’t have picture Bibles

...............................2 Peter 1:12-21