JESUS ONLY

JESUS ONLY

A Life-Changing Encounter with Christ

Matthew 17:1–13 KJV 1900

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

INTRODUCTION: A MOMENT THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING

Have you ever watched an old, grainy TV, and then suddenly switched to high-definition? You didn’t realize how blurry things were until you saw them clearly.

Or what about a moment in your life that everything became clear? Maybe it was the day you realized the person you were dating was the one. Maybe it was when you held your child for the first time. Maybe it was when God spoke to you so clearly that you knew—your life would never be the same.

That’s what happens on the mountain. The disciples thought they knew Jesus. They had seen His miracles, heard His teaching—but in this moment, they see Him in HD. They see His glory—not just a great teacher, but the Son of God.

Some of us are living with a blurry, distorted view of Jesus. But today, my prayer is that God opens your eyes to see Him clearly.

Peter, James, and John had a moment like that. Jesus led them up a mountain, and what they saw changed them forever.

Jesus was transfigured—His face shining like the sun, His clothes as white as light. And right beside Him? Moses and Elijah. Peter, as usual, got a little too excited—“Jesus, this is amazing! Let’s build something here!” But before he could even finish, God interrupted him with one powerful statement:

“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”

And when the dust settled, when the cloud lifted, when the light faded… all they saw was Jesus. Jesus only.

Today, I am going to preach about stepping into moments with a clear view of the King of Kings:

THE APPEARANCE OF THE HOLY ONE (Matthew 17:1-3)

“And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.”

Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up the mountain. Why? Because sometimes, God needs to take you higher to show you more.

Imagine working at a company where the CEO always wears coveralls and works alongside you in the warehouse. One day, you walk into a board meeting, and there he is—in a suit, sitting at the head of the table. Suddenly, you realize: he’s not just one of us—he’s the one in charge.

That’s what happens to Peter, James, and John. They had walked with Jesus, laughed with Him, eaten meals with Him. But in this moment, they see Him as He really is—glorified, powerful, and divine. And standing next to Him? Moses and Elijah.

Why Moses and Elijah? Because Moses represents the Law and Elijah represents the Prophets. Everything they stood for—everything the Old Testament pointed to—was now fulfilled in Jesus.

Here’s the problem: Some of us still live like we need Moses and Elijah. We think we need more rules or more religion old standards to get to God. But the Gospel isn’t about rules—it’s about Jesus.

APPLICATION:

• Jesus isn’t just a teacher. He’s not just a prophet. He is God in human flesh.

• You don’t need more religion. You need Jesus.

• When you truly see Him for who He is, you realize: He is all you need.

Don’t seek higher standards, seek Jesus.

HOLY REVERENCE (Matthew 17:4-6)

“Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.”

Oh, Peter. I love Peter because he always says what everyone else is thinking.

He sees Jesus glowing in divine glory and immediately wants to build something. “Jesus, this is awesome! Let’s build three tents!”

But before Peter even finishes talking—God interrupts.

“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”

In other words: Peter, stop talking. Stop planning. Stop trying to control this moment. Just listen to Jesus.

Have you ever accidentally touched an electric fence? Or grabbed a wire you thought had no power—only to get shocked?

That’s what happens when Peter opens his mouth. He tries to contain the moment, to turn it into a project—but God interrupts.

“This is my beloved Son… Listen to Him!”

Peter was trying to fit Jesus into a box. But God shocks him into silence. You don’t contain God. You don’t manage His presence. You fall on your face in awe.

👉 Application: Some of us treat Jesus casually. We think of Him as an advisor instead of our King. But the only proper response to seeing Jesus is worship.

Can I be real for a second?

• So many of us are building things for Jesus instead of just being with Jesus.

• We think that if we work harder, build guard rails of standards, and do more, we’ll get closer to God.

• But what God wants isn’t your performance—it’s your presence.

APPLICATION:

• Are you so busy doing things for Jesus that you’re not actually listening to Him?

• When was the last time you stopped striving and just stood in awe of who He is?

• True worship isn’t about what you build—it’s about who you behold.

A HOPEFUL SECRET (Matthew 17:7-13)

“And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.”

The disciples fell on their faces in fear. But Jesus, full of love and grace, touches them and says, “Don’t be afraid.”

Then something powerful happens.

When they lifted their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

Moses was gone. Elijah was gone. The cloud was gone.

But Jesus remained. Jesus only.

Because in the end, that’s all that matters.

Then Jesus tells them something interesting. He says, “Don’t tell anyone about this until after I rise from the dead.”

Why? Because they weren’t ready to understand yet. The full glory of Jesus would only make sense after His suffering.

THE GOSPEL TRUTH:

• The Transfiguration wasn’t just about Jesus’ glory—it was pointing to the cross.

• Before the resurrection, there had to be a crucifixion.

• Before the crown, there had to be a cross.

And that’s the hope of the Gospel.

• Jesus didn’t come just to shine on a mountain. He came to die on a cross.

• He took our sin. He took our shame. He suffered so we could be saved.

• And three days later? He rose again.

APPLICATION:

• Maybe today, you feel like you’ve lost sight of Jesus. Lift your eyes. He is still here.

• Maybe you’ve been looking for hope in other things. Jesus is enough.

• Maybe you’ve been stuck in shame. Jesus touches you and says, “Don’t be afraid.”

CONCLUSION: JESUS ONLY

Let’s go back to the moment when the disciples opened their eyes.

What did they see?

Not Moses.

Not Elijah.

Not the cloud.

Just Jesus only.

And that’s all you need.

You don’t need more rules. You don’t need more standards, You don’t need more religion. You don’t need a bigger paycheck or a better plan. You need Jesus.

Because when you have Jesus only—you have everything.

So today, lift your eyes. Look to Jesus. He is all you need.

CALL TO ACTION

If you’ve never truly put your faith in Jesus, this is your moment.

Maybe you’ve been trusting in religion. Maybe you’ve been trying to be good enough. But salvation isn’t found in what you do—it’s found in what Jesus has already done.

• If you need to surrender your life to Christ today, don’t wait.

• If you’ve been distracted by everything else, look to Jesus only.

• If you’ve been running from God, He is reaching out, saying, “Don’t be afraid.”

Let’s pray:

Heavenly Father,

We come before You in awe of Your glory, humbled by Your presence, and transformed by the truth of Your Word. Thank You for revealing Jesus to us—our Savior, our King, and the only One worthy of our worship.

Lord, help us to see Jesus only, beyond the distractions of this world, beyond our fears, and beyond our own understanding. Strengthen our faith to trust in His power, to listen to His voice, and to follow Him wholeheartedly.

As we leave this place, may we carry the light of Christ into a dark world. Fill us with Your Spirit, embolden us to share the hope of the Gospel, and let our lives reflect the radiance of Your love.

Now, Father, we commit this week into Your hands. Guide us, protect us, and use us for Your glory. May we walk in the peace that only comes from knowing Jesus.

In His mighty and matchless name we pray,

Amen.

Benediction:

May you leave this place with your eyes fixed on Jesus alone. May His glory transform your heart, His presence strengthen your faith, and His voice guide your steps. As you go, may you walk in awe, in reverence, and in the hope of His resurrection power.

Go in peace, and may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.