Rabbi it is Good For us to be here

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Call to Worship

Philippians 2:5–11 ESV

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Introduction

Picking up from Last week We see the reward for taking up your cross.

Text

Mark 9:1–8 ESV

1 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” 2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” 8 And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

Big Idea:

It is good for you to be here amongst us because we are in the presence of the Lord.

Point 1) (2-3) ....The Transfigured Jesus.

We don’t want to miss this point!

The end of last week we covered take up thy cross and Jesus at the end of that passage said this:

Mark 9:1 ESV

1 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”

This prediction of the future at that point is fulfilled to those disciples 6 days later during this momment. Jesus is tranfigured here so that they may see this fuffilled. This comes after the declaration of belief in him as messiah.

Now Transformation was an outward change so that the disciples may see and inward reality of Christ.

Calvin says this:

Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke Matthew 17:1–8; Mark 9:2–8; Luke 9:28–36

There is no necessity for entering here into ingenious inquiries as to the whiteness of his garments, or the brightness of his countenance; for this was not a complete exhibition of the heavenly glory of Christ, but, under symbols which were adapted to the capacity of the flesh, he enabled them to taste in part what could not be fully comprehended.

Here are ten things we can glean from the Tranfiguration:

A Theology for the Church (The Transfiguration of Jesus)

What are we to glean from this in terms of Christological and theological significance?

First, the disciples received a foretaste of Jesus’ coming exaltation and kingdom.

Second, it was a revelation of the glory and deity of the Son of God. For a brief moment the God who had walked among his disciples incognito allowed his deity to shine forth in its splendor and glory.

Third, it was a confirmation of Peter’s confession in Matthew 16:16: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Fourth, it was an encouragement in light of our Lord’s prediction of his passion in Matthew 16:21.

Fifth, it served as a motivation for the task to which the disciples had been called to follow Jesus. They must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him. The transfiguration said, “Look who you are following!”

Sixth, it fulfilled Matthew 16:28, which says, “I assure you: There are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” The transfiguration gave them a vision of that kingdom.

Seventh, it was a declaration of the Son’s unique and definitive revelation of the Father.

Eighth, it was a witness to the Son’s superiority to and fulfillment of the law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah).

Ninth, it was a reaffirmation of the Father’s love and delight in his Son.

Tenth, it was a restatement that Jesus was the Messiah (Psalm 2) who would realize his kingdom as the Suffering Servant of the Lord (Isaiah 42).

What you can take away from the transfiguration is that you and I will be in a likewise place when we shall see the fullness of our faith revealed as these three men did. To put it more simply hang on to the faith that you have, grab the hope that you have. The God man himself will be seen by you. Your faith will be made full with the same sight and splender that these men beheld.

2 That Jesus knows the future, even your imdiate one.

It is good for you to be here!

Point 2) (4)...helps us understand his word

Jesus speaks with Moses and Elijah

Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke Matthew 17:1–8; Mark 9:2–8; Luke 9:28–36

But why did these two appear rather than others who equally belonged to the company of the holy fathers? It was intended to demonstrate that Christ alone is the end of the Law and of the Prophets; and that single reason ought to satisfy us: for it was of the utmost importance to our faith that Christ did not come into our world without a testimony, but with commendations which God had formerly bestowed.

The whole of the law and the prophets finds it’s fuffilment in Jesus. he is the orginator the author, the sender.

Jesus sent both these men as only God could.

Moses was the writer of the first five books he wrote first of the coming Christ, of the greater deliverer then he. The serpent crusher of Genesis 3. He taught that another greater covenant, that is the New Covenant that God shall be our God and we shall be his people was coming!

Elijah was the man that called all of Israel out of sin. He preached that they should return to true worship and destroy their idols. He showed God’s great ability to restore, and like Jesus was used to save people from the dead.

Jesus is greater then both of these men. They came to speak with him. We know from Luke the spoke of Luke 9:30-31

Luke 9:30–31 ESV

30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

These two men who had their whole lives had called men to repentance and faith allowed by the father to speak to Jesus and inquire about the final salvation that is to come!

Jesus teaches them, shares with them what he is to do. Can you imagine that Peter, James, and John got to see these heros? And imagine these Heros got to see their Hero!

They got to hear from Jesus what he was about to do.

Moses had twice been allowed to see the Holy Land the first time he wasn’t to be admitted because of his sin against the rock and his second time this moment, was allowed to enter into the presence and learn excatly the salvation he longed for!

Elijah was so blessed he never experinced death like we do, and yet he now saw life face to face. Imagine a man who often saw little fruit of his ministry and yet God did mighty things, now gifts hims with the knowledge of what he is to do next!

That brings you to us. We’re are like Peter, James, and John.

We sit under his word and get to hear the full story of salvation every day if we wish. The miraculous event of the crucifixion and Resurrection are not hidden to us like they were to those 5 men!

So what we Can learn from this is that

It is good for us to be here because The Law and the Prophets find their fulfillment in Jesus! The two heads of those respective poritons of scripture seek the Lord and inquire of him! As you read those sections your should do the same, read them in light of Jesus, in light of what he has done on the cross! The Bible says the past things are for our benefit, so read the OT seek the Lord in it! I’m in Genesis 3 and can you imagine Moses writing this text sharing the true history of the world and speaking of a man who would crush his head, the snake, rthe same man who would here someone greater then I would appear later. You and I can read the text and suddenly it makes more sense! So when you read the scripture read it in light of this truth.

It is good of us to be here we are among the saints from Adam till today testifying what God is doing and what God has done! We sit in the presence of this powerful testimony that goes back to creation itself! So when you’re hearing of the latest thing that will topple the Christian world, laugh! It won’t the testimony of God’s salvation of men isn’t going anywhere. The law and the prophets are fuffilled in JEsus and so they can’t be lost! All the “isms” of the world and false religions will fail, but Christianity will not! You don’t have to fear the rise of Islam, Marxism, darwin and so on! God is in the process of overturning them. He is doing to through the faithfulness of men in women in the common things. Using the humble to shame the wise! When you hear something remeber this truth we hold has been their from the beginning, because it is from God himself. The wisdom and follies of this world will pass away, shurly as new ones will rise to replace them only to be destroyed as well untill the Lord returns. You standing among the saints of God is a good place to be.

It is good for you to be hear because the men whose words we use to help us live, the law of God and applied law of God in the Prophets look to Jesus. The very laws you live in your life, teaching of Christ as you go, giving to his mission,

Point 3) (5)...Jesus is with us.

Just as he had those men with him Jesus is with us right now as we at together in church. In Revelation he walks amongst the lamp stands he see the issues of those churches, he sees us also

Three Take aways

1) Jesus is amongst you and he is with you.

2) Jesus spoke with greatest of the Prophets, but he also spoke with these common men. You are not to small. to worthless, to unworthy for the God in all his holy Royal spender to speak to. They saw a glimpse of the kingdom of heaven and Jesus still had time for them. Maybe your in the position of Moses and Elijah, he has time for you also. God deems your worth not men, not yourself.

3) The message of Christ is for the worthy of the world and the ones the world deems unworthy. This makes me think of the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling, Especially as I seek to raise a future king this line strikes me when he writes to his son.

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

We As Christians must walk with kings, crowds and the common man to share the gospel of life. This is how all men should operate, it is an easy temptation to want to give the best seats to the perceived best, but what about those who are not? Jesus made time for us amongst Kings we must do likewise.

Point 4) (2, 5-8) ...we can trust the scripture

The Bible testimony is true as their are many documented eye witnesses to him being the God he claims to be, your amongst these witnesses and this God today!

Jesus has three witness from heaven as to who he is

Jesus has three witnesses from earth who he is

Peter - apostles tied to Mark

James - First Apostle killed for the faith

John - James’s brother, Last of the apostles to see the living God

Deuteronomy 17:6 ESV

6 On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness.

By having these 6 witnesses we can afirm the authenticity of Jesus as the predicted one. This account can be trusted. Remember this is Peter’s account to a largely gentile audience. He was there. James was the fist apostle to be martyred for the faith. John also testifies to Jesus as the living God.

So what these means is that this is trustworthy for you to believe. Not only do three men 2 of which would die for the faith one of which, John, would be attested to sharing what he saw with the early church personally.

The apperance of Moses and Elijah testify that the OT is about this man Jesus.

So practically you can afirm by eye witness that your faith is true. While many may claim this or that to be true we have provable record to say as much. God to buildin truth of his word provides enoug witnesses to afrim it. Further the Father afirms this truth aswell.

While you should have faith your faith is based on reality as testified in this. These events did happen and are witnessed to.

While someone is trying to get you to believe or a person with another religious assumption comes to you, you stand on the ground of both the word and eye witness account.

Your faith is built on hearing the word but it is also true.

Point 5) Are You willing to see the living God?

It is good for you to be here, give the gospel.+

Benediction:

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." (Numbers 6:24-26.)