Behold the Glory of the Son of God: Experiences on the Mountaintop

Introduction

Tell the story of my mountain top experience at FCA camp during the Summer before my sophomore year of high school.

Key Point: Beholding the glory of the Son of God will help us remain faithful to him when we suffer.

There are three ways tonight’s text can help us remain faithful to Jesus when we suffer. . .

1. See and Savor the Glory of the Son of God (v. 1-4).

Illustration: seeing the picture of the championship ring once playoffs started.

Helps us remember our why, and gives us motivation to persevere through difficult times of suffering by remembering the glory that awaits us.

I could also think about mentioning the book of Revelation.

Mark 9:1–4 “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.”

Explanation/Text

As we see and savor the Son of God, from this passage, we need to learn three things. . .

We need to behold the glory of God.

After a hard teaching on discipleship, Jesus knows his disciples need some encouragement. . . they need to remember their “why.” So Jesus takes his closest three disciples, Peter, James, and John up to a high mountain.

Mountains are very important in the story of the Bible and were often places where God revealed himself to his people and spoke to them. Two instances are when God revealed his glory and spoke to Moses on Mt. Sinai in Exodus. God also revealed himself to Moses at Mt. Horeb through the burning bush (Exodus 3:1).

The other instance is when God revealed himself to Elijah in the same place he revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush (Mt. Horeb: 1 Kings 19:8).

In both of these instances, with Moses and Elijah, God was giving his prophets clear commissions of how he wanted them to serve him. He also affirmed that he was with them and for them. He comforted them with his presence.

In the same way, God reveals is amazing glory through his Son in his transfiguration, and affirms his seal calling him “my beloved Son.”

Luke 9:28 tells us that the disciples went up with Jesus to pray.

This teaches us that it is often in the mundane spiritual disciplines that God performs the miraculous and shows us his glory.

2. The Son is the complete radiance of the Father’s Glory

Jesus was “transfigured” before them.

Transfigured means to be transformed (metamorphisis), and can be either outward transformation or inward transformation.

This same word is used to describe the believer’s inward transformation into the image of Christ in 2 Corinthians 3:18 and the transforming of one’s mind in Romans 12:2.

2 Corinthians 3:18 “18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

Thus, Jesus’s transfiguration was to be a foretaste for all his disciples of the transformation we will experience when our bodies are raised and glorified when Jesus returns!

Jesus was physically transfigured and his clothes are described as “radiant, intensely white, as no one could bleach them.”

In other words, no naturalistic explanation can account for what the disciples witnessed.

White symbolizes purity and holiness and describes God who clothes himself with light as a garment (Ps. 104:2). This is also the description given to the Ancient of Days in Daniel 7:9. . . thus, Jesus is given the same honors and attributes as Yahweh (HANDS).

There are many similarities between Moses and Jesus in this passage, but. . .

Jesus’s transfiguration is different from Moses’s. Moses simply reflected God’s radiance (Exodus 34:35), but Jesus became the radiance of God’s glory (Hebrews 1:2-3).

Thus, Jesus is the greater prophet. . . he is the true Moses.

3. The Son’s glory surpasses that of Elijah and Moses.

Moses and Elijah appeared to the disciples as well.

Luke tells us that they were talking with Jesus about his departure (GK: Exodus) that he would take in Jerusalem.

Therefore, Jesus’s transfiguration is a foreshadowing of his future glory in his resurrection and ascension.

Elijah’s presence made the disciples remember the promise from Malachi 4:5, that Elijah would come again before the day of judgment.

Moses’s presence would point back to Deuteronomy 18:15-19 and cause the disciples to look ahead to the greater prophet who was to come.

Therefore, the appearance of both Elijah and Moses symbolize the coming of the long-expected messianic age.

The appearance of Elijah and Moses also foreshadowed the coming rejection Jesus would also face. Even though they were faithful to the Lord, Moses and Elijah were rejected by their people.

Application

We all need reminders of the glory of Jesus and the glory that awaits us as his people. Jesus’ transfiguration reminds us, we will also be transfigured at the resurrection.

At times, God gives us mountaintop experiences to help us persevere and remain faithful in the mundane.

“The vision of the holy mount is a gracious pledge that glorious things are in store for the people of God.” -JC Ryle

Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, therefore we must look to him and believe in his gospel.

So, to remain faithful to Jesus, we must first see and savor his glory. . .

2. Listen to the voice of the Son of God (v. 5-8).

Mark 9:5–8 “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.”

Explanation/Text

Our wisdom and perceptions can often be incomplete.

Peter, being the leader he was, spoke up and responded to what was happening for John and James. He recognized that all of this was “a good thing.”

Not only did Peter say it was “good” to be with Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, but he wanted to prolong the experience by setting up tents for them to stay in.

Peter desired to stay in the glory of the Lord’s presence, which was a good thing. . . but if they remained on the mountain, Jesus would never accomplish what he came to do. . . to die for the sins of the world.

Verse 6 says Peter, “did not know what he was saying.” He was so excited and gripped with fear that he blurted out what he was thinking without contemplating the meaning of his words.

Jesus’ transfiguration is glorious only because it points ahead to his resurrection after his substitutionary death for our sins.

If Jesus does not go to the cross, he is not our Savior but merely a wise sage who can teach us moral lessons. . . but we don’t need behavior modification. Instead, we need heart transformation.

Instead of listening to our own wisdom or wisdom from this world, we need to listen to the voice of God.

Similar to how a cloud would come over the temple and Mt. Sinai when God would reveal his glory and his presence, a cloud overshadowed the disciples as the glory of the Lord covered the mountain.

The cloud represents the shekinah glory of the Lord that filled the temple (Exodus 40:34) and what guided the people in the wilderness. We see the cloud again representing the glory of God when it filled the temple after Solomon finished its construction (2 Chronicles 5:13-14). This is also the glory we will experience as believers when Christ returns on the clouds of heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18).

Jesus is the true temple and reveals the full glory of the Father!

John 1:14 “14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

God speaks through the cloud just as he did with Moses after giving the law on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 24:15-16).

God declares that Jesus is his beloved Son (His only Beloved) just as he did at Jesus’s baptism.

This title refers back to Psalm 2:7 where God refers to his Messiah who will come and rule over the nations and establish his kingdom over all.

God had said he would raise up a prophet among the people after Moses and they should listen to him (Acts 3:22; Deut. 18:15-19). God reaffirms this command that the disciples must listen to Jesus and his teachings.

By God saying these words, he was confirming that Jesus was that final prophet foretold by all the previous prophets. . . that he was the Messiah, the Savior, the only Son of the Father.

Application

Through the mediation of the Spirit, we need to listen to the words of Christ in the Scriptures.

God has given Jesus all authority. He is the final prophet and final word and revelation of God.

Who are we listening to?

Who is discipling us? Social Media or the Savior?

3. Learn the lessons from the Son of God (v. 9-13).

Mark 9:9–13 “9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. 11 And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 12 And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”

Explanation/Text

The lesson Jesus wants us to learn is: Glory is coming, but suffering must come first.

Jesus’s glory was not fully revealed to all people until after his death and resurrection.

The disciples were still puzzled by the claim that Jesus would rise again from the dead. This is the second time in a few verses that he proclaimed the truth of his resurrection.

Be encouraged that as disciples of Jesus, we don’t have to have everything figured out!

Considering what Jesus meant by rising from the dead, the disciples asked Jesus why Elijah had to come first before the “day of the Lord?” (Mal. 4:5).

They may have connected Jesus’s resurrection with the restoration of the Kingdom and the Messianic age that was predicted in the Old Testament.

Jesus affirms that Elijah has come first and restored all things just as it was predicted about him. He came to restore the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers.

But, Jesus says that it is written of him in the OT that he must suffer many things and be mistreated.

Application

We must learn from the example of Elijah. . . one of God’s faithful servants.

Even though Elijah was faithful, he suffered and was killed.

Jesus must suffer many things before his glorious resurrection.

Suffering must come before glory.

If we follow Jesus, we will suffer because we follow the suffering servant.

John 15:18–20 “18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”

But, even though we will suffer for following Jesus, by beholding his glory and being reminded of the future glory we will enjoy with him, we can persevere during times of persecution.

Response

We all need to see and savor the glory of our Savior. . . but to do this, each of us must ask ourselves. . .

Do we have eyes to see the glory of the Savior?

2 Corinthians 4:4 “4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

God, as the holy and righteous creator, originally made us in his image for a relationship with him

But our Sin and satan have blinded our eyes.

Because of our rebellion against God, we are under his just judgment and there is nothing we can do to remove our sins.

But God. . .

2 Corinthians 4:6 “6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

God graciously chose to show his glory in the coming of his Son to this earth.

God’s glory was put on full display when Jesus offered his life as a sacrifice to pay for our sins on the cross.

By beholding the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we will see his holiness, mercy, and kindness, which will lead us to repentance.

Has this happened for you?

To see the glory of the Savior, you must look at the cross, for it is the blood of Jesus that will remove your sin that blinds you so you can see the glory of the Savior.

2. Do we have a pure heart to savor the glory of the Savior?

We may have eyes to see the glory of Jesus, but do we have pure hearts that savor his presence?

The sin that we still battle with as Christians, can sometimes sit on the throne of our hearts and make our hearts cold toward Jesus.

Thus, we can’t savor our Savior because we are savoring our sin.

What sins have taken the throne of your heart that are preventing you from desiring and enjoying the glory of Jesus through reading the Scriptures and communing with his people?

The cure for our cold hearts is also through looking at the cross of Christ.

The cross gives us gospel glasses to see the glory of Jesus anew and his steadfast love for us. . . which will set ablaze our apathetic hearts with a burning passion for God’s presence and glory.

This passion for Jesus and his glory will lead us to proclaim it to all people. . . like Jeremiah said, it will be a fire shut up in our bones that we cannot contain. . . we must let it out!

It is the cross of Christ will give us the eyes and hearts we need to see and savor our Savior. . . so. . . tonight. . . may we fix our eyes on the eternal light of the Son and no longer walk in darkness.