The Glory of Jesus
Notes
Transcript
Open your bible with me to Luke 9:28-36
As you are turning there,
this passage is filled with Old Testament allusions.
There is reference to Moses and Elijah.
Reference to tents and the Lord's presence and voice from the cloud.
But the most pressing is that of glory.
Specifically, the Shekinah glory, that is, God’s visible presence of His glory.
Israel first beheld this glory in the cloud
when they left Egypt and passed through the Red Sea.
It was a pillar of cloud by day
and a pillar of fire by night to guide their path.
Israel would see Moses enter the tent of meeting,
and they saw as Moses entered the pillar of cloud descend
on the tent of meeting while Moses was in the tent (Exodus 33).
Then Moses asked God to show him this glory,
so that he might behold the glory of God.
In which Moses was hid in the cleft of the rock,
and the glory of the Lord passed by,
that Moses might only see His backside (Exodus 34).
Upon receiving the 10 Commandments,
Moses descended from the Mount,
and in consequence, Israel beheld the shining face of Moses
from being in the presence of the Glory of God.
Later, Israel would see the glory of the Lord ascend again,
as Israel received instructions for the tabernacle.
A temporary dwelling of the glory of God,
to come and would ascend,
and the glory of God would fill the tabernacle.
In which even Moses could NOT enter
because the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle (Ex 40).
Israel would transport and erect the tabernacle
from place to place in the wilderness
and during the wars for the land of Canaan,
and then settle into the PromisedLand.
In the passage of time,
and the aspiration of David to build the Lord
a permanent dwelling, the temple.
Which he would NOT build, but His son Solomon would finish it.
And at the completion of that temple.
We are told in 1 Kings 7-8 of the glory of God
descended and filled the temple.
And that the priest could NOT enter it,
because the Glory of the Lord had filled the temple.
And yet, in Israel’s history,
they would forsake the Lord’s ways and His commandments.
And the Lord would NOT continue with His people.
And His glory would depart from among them.
And the very temple that represented
the presence and the glory of God
became nothing more than a prop for human glory.
The wonder, the awe, the worship,
and the glory of God had become too familiar.
In what was just a slow wane,
a slow fade from passion, zeal, devotion, and worship of God,
to forsaking God and His glory.
While there were small glimmers of reverence.
Idols were erected in the Lord’s place,
and even painted on the walls of the Temple
as they offered strange incense and offerings before God.
The spiritual temperature and decline continued.
Until we find in Ezekiel 10, an unforgettable departure.
Four Cherubim, angels of God’s presence, arrive on the South wall of the temple.
And as the angels took their place on the south wallof the temple,
the Shekinah glory of the Lord filled the inner court,
rose above the cherubim, engulfed the Sapphire Throne,
positions at the door of the Temple,
and fills everything with the glory of the Lord.
And it’s in that great vision of glory,
and the sound of cherubim wings like the Lord speaking.
That the unthinkable happens.
And the GLORY of the LORD departs from the temple.
And that place is known as ICHABOD –
for the glory of the Lord had departed from there.
And though Israel would try again
to build another temple after it was destroyed by the Babylonians.
It was never the same without the glory of God.
His presence. His blessing. His GLORY had departed.
And they wondered, is this forever?
Has God forsaken us? Has he forgotten?
And then God is silent….
For 400 years, God doesn’t speak a WORD.
And then – among the silence.
As shepherds are in a field, keeping watch over their flock by night
Behold, the angel of the Lord,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them (Luke 2).
And they say – I BRING YOU GOOD NEWS!...
and they speak of the Messiah,
who is born this day in the city of David,
who is CHRIST THE LORD!!
AND THEY SAID – GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST,
and PEACEon earth among those whom He is pleased.
Beloved, the glory of God had come again.
And is beheld FULLY….in the face of Jesus.
In whom all the fullness of God is pleased to dwell,
and is the radiance of the glory of God.
I pray you feel the weight of that
when we come to a text like this.
Because it helps to grasp the magnitude of what is taking place here.
Sermon Summary: When we behold the Glory of Jesus, we will listen to Him.
28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 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. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.
This is God’s word. Let’s pray
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I. Glory Revealed – Beholding Jesus (v.28-31)
I. Glory Revealed – Beholding Jesus (v.28-31)
You recall the context here.
The question is on the table; everyone is asking. WHO IS JESUS!?
It’s Peter, who speaks for the disciples – YOU ARE THE CHRIST!
You are the messiah!
And Jesus says – you are correct,
and some of you standing here will NOT see death
until you see the Kingdom coming.
And you see the SON comingin His glory.
And now here we see at the transfiguration.
28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 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.
Luke puts this together for us.
Matthew and Mark both say six days,
but Luke is likely including the days on both ends of the events,
hence the roundness of his phrase – about eight days.
Jesus, take from among His disciples,
three of the closest, the inner circle.
Peter, James, and John.
He takes them to the top of a mountain.
Different scholars have different thoughts on which mountain.
Mt Hermon? Mt Tabor? It really doesn’t matter.
Because when Jesus is on it.
It takes on a new identity.
So, we call it Mt of Transfiguration.
And so, Jesus is praying,
which in Luke signifies that something significant is about to happen.
Jesus is always praying,
and specifically before major turns in His ministry.
And Jesus gets alone,
though He is with these disciples.
He alone is praying.
And as He prays.
Something quite extraordinary happens.
Luke tells us, the appearance of his face–
now, the word he uses there is het-er-os – it was different.
It was altered…
AND His clothing was dazzling white.
Literally - Flashing in bright light, like lightning.
Matthew tells us that both his clothing and his face
were shining like the sun.
Like Moses when he came off the Mountain in Ex 34.
Jesus’ appearance was NOT being contorted or disfigured.
IT was TRANSFIGURED.
EVEN HIS CLOTHING…..
All of it, a display of what – GLORY! – verse 32 –
the disciples are awakened as they beheldJESUS GLORY!!
THEY ARE seeing the visible manifestation of God’s glory.
This is a foretaste, a glimpse of the fullness of the glory
that would be on display in JESUS CHRIST.
This glory would be revealed fully,
after his suffering, His death, and his humiliation,
and THEN, after the crucifixion, would be glory.
AND SO HERE, they see a glimpse of that radiance
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus CHRIST!
And there standing with him are two prominent figures.
MOSES AND ELIJAH.
In short, these two were a representation
of the entire OLD TESTAMENT.
MOSES, representing the LAW.
ELIJAH, the Prophets.
Hence, the LAW AND THE PROPHETS.
Moses led Israel out of Egypt,
used by God to give the Law – the 10 Commandments.
Elijah was one of the greatest prophets.
He raised the dead.
Prayed down fire to defeat the prophets of Baal.
And both of these men had experience with the GLORY of God.
Moses in the cleft of the Rock.
Elijah, NOT in a strong wind, NOT in an earthquake, or a FIRE,
but in a still small voice.
Both men were remembered for their strange departures.
It is said of Moses that the Lord buried His body.
And Elijah did NOT die, but was taken up in a whirlwind.
Furthermore, both men were expected to be associated with the coming Kingdom.
4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. 5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
And there is brief application.
Namely, that these OLD TESTAMENT believers are alive and well.
They are recognized.
You know, death can be a freighting thing.
We wonder what comes after death.
What it looks like.
Will we be able to recognize those who have gone before us?
And yet, here you have at least some subtle truth.
ELIJAH and MOSES didn’t have name tags on.
They were recognizable.
That whatever is beyond the graveis assured in Christ.
Death did NOT end them;
they are alive in glory.
That’s NOT just theology, that’s comfort!
I find these verses to give great comfort and assurance in Christ's redemption.
In fact, MOSES AND ELIJAH too
longed for the finished work of JESUS.
Their HOPE DEPENDED ON IT!
These OLD TESTAMENT BELIEVERS held to more
than just some abstract hope in a redeemer.
Old Testament saints were NOT saved by their works.
They were NOT saved by law keeping.
They were saved the same way we are saved
by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
And they looked forward to that salvation.
And we look back to the cross.
And here are two great figures from the PAST – MOSES AND ELIJAH –
are standing with JESUS in GLORY. THEIR SAVIOR!
…AND they are DISCUSSING.
ONGOING – discussing –
man, they just keep talking about it!
Their redemption depended on HIM, too!
They are speaking of HIS DEPARTURE;
HE WAS TO ACCOMPLISHED at JERUSALEM!
Luke just sort of slides that in there, doesn’t he?
We haven’t heard much mention of Jerusalem
since Jesus was dedicated at the temple as a young boy.
But there is a work that lies ahead for Jesus.
NAMELY“HIS DEPARTURE!!”
The word there – LITERALLY –
They are speaking of HIS EXODUS!
Moses and Elijah are NOT merely appearing in glory—
they are speaking with Jesus,
and the topic of their conversation is His “departure,” His Exodus,
which He was about to accomplish (FINISH) at Jerusalem.
Think about that: the great lawgiver who led Israel out of slavery,
and the prophet who called a wandering people back to God,
now stand beside the Son of God discussing the true and final Exodus,
to fully and finally deliver God’s people.
Moses once led the people out of bondage to Pharaoh,
but Jesus will lead His people out of bondage to sin and death.
Everything the Old Testament longed for,
everything the Law and the Prophets pointed toward,
is gathered up into this single word—EXODUS–
and what Jesus will accomplish at Jerusalem!!
Beloved, the cross is NOT a tragic accident;
it is the MISSION of God to reconcile all things to HIMSELF IN CHRIST! (Col 1:20)
And on a mountain filled with glory,
Jesus is preparing for the greater mountain (at Calvary)
where that glory will be revealed
through His suffering, His death, and His victorious resurrection.
And they behold His glory.
And in seeing His glory.
I’d submit to you, there is comfort in CHRIST!
There is confidence in Christ’s work.
Confidence, in His EXODUS.
Luke could have easily said HIS DEATH.
But His death accomplished SALVATION!
The death of Christ is merely a path to a greater EXODUS!
And in HIS DELIVERANCE, we have HOPE.
And so on this mountain, the disciples get a glimpse
of the coming victory of Christ on another MOUNT – at CALVARY.
The TRANSFIGURATION isn’t an escape from the cross,
but a preview of what will be accomplished at the cross and His resurrection!
--------------------------------------------------- Glory Revealed
II. Glory Misunderstood – Responding Rightly (v. 32-33)
II. Glory Misunderstood – Responding Rightly (v. 32-33)
All this takes place as the disciples watch.
You’ll see here they are awakened by this glory.
32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.
Now, this is classic.
If there is one thing the disciples seemed to excel in, it’s sleep!
Later, they will be sleeping while Jesus prays
and sweats drops of blood in the Garden of Gethsemane.
So Jesus is praying, and had taken
Peter, James, and John up on the Mountain for a prayer meeting.
And maybe you can relate. – THEY BECAME SLEEPY….
They are overcome– HEAVY with sleep….
Now, I’m NOT going to ask for a show of hands.
And I also know that my voice can be like silk to the ears!
So, now, I don’t want to be too specific in my application here.
But I want you to notice something!
WHEN THEY beheld the glory of CHRIST – THEY BECAME FULLY AWAKE!!
From OVERCOME with SLEEP –
TO BE FULLY AWAKENED – WHEN THEY SAW HIS GLORY!!
See, the glory of God grips us.
It overcomes us! It affects us. Changes us!!
33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.
In seeing Moses and Elijah, and JESUS –
the disciples are FULLY AWAKE.
They are caught up in this moment!
This is amazing.
And you know those people
who just can’t seem to get a clue.
Man, they always have to give their opinion.
They just gotta say something.
Well, Peter can’t take a hint.
Nobody’s asked for his take.
No one turned and said,
Now, Peter, what do you think about this?
Peter takes it upon himself,
as he sees the conversation winding down,
and Elijah and Moses parting from Jesus –
Peter takes it upon himself to say to Jesus –
“Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—
Now, we don’t know fully what Peter is thinking.
In fact, Peter really doesn’t even know.
He clearly intends something good!
He wants to make three tents.
The word there is booths, TABERNACLE.
Now, that is meant to clue us back into the OLD TESTAMENT.
The Feast of Booths, in which Israel
would build these temporary shelters,
to remember their wandering in the desert
and God’s deliverance.
It was a reminder of God’s presence and His provision.
And further, Jews held to the hope
that God would once again TABERNACLE with His people.
So, Peter is perhaps right, desiring to commemorate this event.
He’s wanting to honor Jesus.
But He make sat least a couple of mistakes.
Because, in Christ, God does NOT dwell
in temples or tabernacles made with hands,
but is now TABERNACLING among us in the person of Jesus Christ.
That is what John declares in John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. JOHN 1:14 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.
Peter, nothing is being asked of you.
And Jesus is NOT in need
of an earthly tent to behold God’s glory.
He is the true tent, who beholds God's GLORY.
And the other mistake Peter has made here.
He’s put Jesus on the same level as MOSES and ELIJAH.
Let me make a tent for you all.
One for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.
He may NOT be intentional,
but what Peter is doing is presenting them as mere equals.
Jesus is NOT merely Moses.
HE IS NOT ELIJAH. Jesus is no mere prophet.
He is the CHRIST! He is the MESSIAH! –
SON OF THE ONE TRUE GOD!
And then, last thing Peter does –
he mistakes this foretaste of glory
with the final display of glory.
And whatI mean by that is,
Peter is wanting to preserve this moment - Let’s build tents.
And he’s forgetting that the glory Jesus intends
is NOT in this moment, but in what will come –
AFTER HIS SUFFERING, AFTER HIS DEATH, and AFTER HIS resurrection!
What Peter saw on the mountain was a preview,
a glimpse of the glory to come—
NOT the full picture, which would only be revealed FULLY
through the cross and resurrection.
See, this is just a foretaste of what’s to come.
But Peter wants this to be now.
But Jesus must go to the cross.
And Peter isn’t called to preserve anything.
He’ll fight this throughout his life, won’t he?
In His zeal to defend Christ.
I’ll go to death before I deny you!
I’ll cut MALCUIS’s ear off…
Peter, put your sword down.
Peter, you don’t have to preserve Jesus.
He doesn’t need you to defend him.
Peter….You need to follow HIM!
You know, I think we can be tempted to the same thing.
Thinking, we must do something to preserve God.
To come up with our ideas
about what God should be doing,
and what we need to be doing as great for HIS KINGDOM.
IT’s good we are here…Let’s make tents!
Preserve this, keep this!!
There may be another way for glory– apart the cross!!
Notice what Mark says. - Mark 9:5-6
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.
I think we can be overwhelmed by fear.
And they were, certainly in this moment.
They are getting a glimpse of the glory of God in CHRIST.
And they didn’t know what they were saying.
And it’s out of fear, they speak and act.
And Peter wants to preserve this. Keep this.
THIS IS GOOD - MASTER.
But it was only good according to Peter.
See, the Lord had a different plan.
And that plan was at Calvary.
When we see God’s glory,
we may want to capture or preserve it.
But true discipleship calls us to stand in awe,
follow Jesus, and trust His plan,
even when it leads through the cross.
And the Lord wasn’t asking Peter
to do anything in His own strength,
but in humility,
to rightly see the glory of God,
and respond in obedience to Him.
--------------------------------------------------- Glory Misunderstood
III. Glory Applied – Living in Obedience (v. 34-36)
III. Glory Applied – Living in Obedience (v. 34-36)
Don’t you lovethe way God’s shepherds us?
So gentle, kind, but clear.
Peter is talking out of his head.
He doesn’t know what HE is saying.
Really, he’s speaking as a fool.
Proverbs 26:4—5
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
And rather than a grand rebuke!
The Lord doesn’t scold him.
He gently corrects him and points him on the right path.
I love this….
34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”
Oh man, do you see what Luke has been doing now?
The escalation. WHO IS JESUS?
WHO DO PEOPLE SAY THAT I AM?
The crowds get it wrong.
Herod gets it wrong.
WHO IS JESUS?
Then Peter gets it right.
YOU ARE CORRECT, PETER –
and there is a cost to confession–
TAKE UP your cross, deny self, and follow me – DISCIPLES!
And one day soon you are going to see
that GLORY of CHRIST and His kingdom….
And here are Moses and Elijah,
these two witnesses, if you will,
talking with Jesus of His EXODUS!
The workHe will accomplish in JERUSALEM…
You have the law and the prophets
anticipating Jesus as the true and better DELIVERER!.....
WHO IS JESUS? ….
And now, you have God the FATHER, declaring….
THIS IS MY SON! MY CHOSEN; LISTEN TO HIM!
THIS IS MY SON!
Here is my Son, Jesus.
Who is begotten of the FATHER.
THIS IS MY SON!
HE IS DIVINE! HE IS GOD! He is King!
7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.
To declare Christ as Son
is ascribing to Christ His kingly rule and ROYALITY,
and AUTHORITY!
HE IS MY ETERNAL and ROYAL SON!
THIS IS MY CHOSEN ONE!
3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: 4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’ ” Selah
In whom Isaiah declares that this chosen one (ISAIAH 42)
Will also become His suffering servant(Isaiah 53).
Here is the Father declaring
all that Jesus has told His disciples:
the Son of Man must suffer. He must die.
Moses and Elijah spoke of the Exodus to come,
but NOW—the Father Himself speaks!
Behold the GLORY OF GOD in Jesus Christ,
revealed from the fullness of time.
Here is God’s redemptive work, unfolding on the cross:
the Father giving His only Son to death,
the Chosen One offered as the perfect sacrifice for sin.
And Jesus—obedient to the very end—
gives His life, in joy, to save His people.
On that cross, the Father is glorified,
the Son is faithful,
and the Spirit applies salvation to our hearts.
This is the glory, the power, and the love of God, displayed for all eternity.
And yet, on this mountain, in the Transfiguration,
we glimpse that same glory—a radiance of Christ,
the fulfillment of God’s promise,
a preview of the eternal triumph
that will be revealed in His resurrection.
This is the glory of the Son, now shining,
even in the shadow of the cross.
THIS IS MY SON….. THIS IS MY CHOSEN ONE!....
LISTEN TO HIM!
Above the Law. Above the prophets!
And these words would have called to mind Moses’words
in Deut 18:15
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—
And oh, that true prophet comes in Christ!!
The fulfillment of the law and the prophets!!
When God speaks, people should listen.
And here the FATHER speaks of the person and work of Christ.
Jesus is God’s eternal Son.
He is the suffering servant who accomplishes our salvation.
And He is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets.
The true prophet who speaksthe truth of God.
He is the King! He is the Lord.
He is the Christ of God. The Messiah! LISTEN TO HIM!
36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.
The scene is winding down.
And Jesus is now alone with His disciples.
That is, He is the one who remains and who Glory alone belongs!
And they kept silent –
now Matthew tells us that the reason they kept silent
was becauseJesus commanded them to tellno one
until the Son had risen from the dead (Matthew 17:9).
Because again, this was a glimpse of what is to come,
after the suffering, the death, and resurrection of Christ.
Jesus must accomplish His Exodus at Jerusalem.
The cross was still before Him,
and would be accomplished in time,
and then they proclaim this glory unto all peoples, places, and nations!!
But this vision stuck with them – we see that in this text.
The last phrase – what they had seen is in the perfect tense.
It has ongoing implications…..
It’s just lingering in their minds.
They carried it with them—the vision of the glory of God.
The words spoken.
This is my SON – MY CHOSEN ONE. Listen to Him.
The revelation of the glory of Christ stuck with them!
In beholding the glory of Jesus,
they will listen to HIM.
And when Christ is raised from the dead.
The disciples are then commissioned to tell of this news.
Of the RISEN MESSIAH!
To proclaim the GLORY OF CHRIST.
THE EXALTATION of the SON OF GOD!.
That Jesus has been raised and crowned with GLORY AND HONOR…
and is worthy of all blessing and honor, glory and power and praise!!
And we, too, when we behold the glory of Jesus,
we too will listen to him!
LISTEN TO HIM when he says –
trust in Him and our sins will be forgiven.
When he says,
I AM the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through me.
LISTEN TO HIM when He says–
that it is in Christ we are received into the family of God as SONS and DAUGHTERS.
LISTEN TO HIM – that in Him we find rest for our souls!
LISTEN TO HIM – PEACE I give to you. My peace I give to you. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart; I have overcome the world.
LISTEN TO HIM – when he says I AM the bread of life,
anyone who feeds on me will be satisfied.
LISTEN TO HIM – when he says love your neighbor as yourself.
LISTEN TO HIM – when He says MY POWER is made perfect in your weakness.
LISTEN TO HIM – when he says anyone who loses their life for my sake will find it.
LISTEN TO HIM – when he says the cost of discipleship is heavy and hard.
LISTEN TO HIM – when he tells us, HE IS WORTH IT ALL!
LISTEN TO HIM – when His Spirit calls us to forsake sin.
LISTEN TO HIM – as we are led by the Spirit and keep in step with His Spirit.
LISTEN TO HIM!!
Here is what the author of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 1:1-3
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
You know, I’m always surprised when people say –
Well, I’ll listen to God when He comes and speaks to me like this.
In an audible voice, on a mountain. CLEAR Direction….
Beloved, we should listen much more to Jesus
when we submit to His word given to us
in the pages of sacred scripture!
And how often we walk right by it.
Go about our days, unwilling to heed.
Unwilling to hear.
Unwilling to listen to the word of God.
Listen to what Peter says in 2 Peter 1:16-18,
speaking of this glorious glimpse of the glory of Christ.
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.
What an incredible moment –
God speaking on the mountain top.
How we long for such a thing….
And then note what Peter says next –
19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,
What a treasure we have in the Word of God.
That reveals to us the person of Christ.
Oh, that we might submit our lives and will to Him,
and come under the authority of the word of God!
Because here in the pages of scripture,
we too get a glimpse of Christ.
We get a glimpse and behold His glory!
The glory of Christ revealed
on the mountain is NOT just a vision to marvel at—
it’s a call to obey, a summons to listen,
and a foretaste of the eternal glory we will one day fully see.
You know, I think about –
Moses never stepped foot in the Promised Land.
Elijah never saw the full revival he longed for,
the sweeping restoration of God’s people.
BOTH searched. They hoped.
They longed for these things…..
but they never found it, here on earth.
Because what they were seeking could only be grasped by FAITH.
And yet, here they are, on this mountain,
beholding the glory of God in the person of Jesus Christ.
Everything they had sought,
everything they had hoped for, is finally revealed—
NOT in the land, NOT in a victory
or a vision apart from God’s redemptive plan—
but in the face of the Son of God.
The glory they had glimpsed only in part,
in prophecy and in promise,
is now shining before their very eyes.
What they were longing for…they have found – in JESUS CHRIST (His EXODUS)
And in the same way,
the disciples would struggle to understand,
to follow, to see the fullness of what God was doing.
And yet, on this mountain, they are given a glimpse—
a taste—of the glory of God in Christ.
And they continue to live by faith in light of God’s promises.
And so it is with us.
We long. We search.
We look for something to satisfy the deepest hunger of our hearts,
something to fill us completely.
And no matter where we search,
we can never seem to find it, can we?
Because we lay hold of it, NOT by sight, but by faith!!
And here, in Jesus, we see it—
glimpses, shadows, hints of glory throughout the bible….
We find it all pointing and culminating in the person of Christ.
The hope of scripture…..
moreover, the PROMISES OF JESUS –
LISTEN TO HIM…..
One day, we too will behold that glory, in its fullness!!
WHEN our faith becomes SIGHT!!
One day soon, we will BEHOLD HIM, fully, in HIS GLORY!! …
We will see Him - face to face.
And there we will NOT be looking at a transfigured Jesus on a mountain,
but at the risen, glorious King,
radiant with the fullness of God’s glory.
He will NOT be transfigured before us.
THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN DEPICT HIM…
We CAN ONLY behold HIM FOR WHO HE IS,
in all HIS SPLENDOR. WITH UNVEILED FACE!
On that day, we will fall down in awe and wonder.
We will NOT build tents,
we will NOT pause to question or hesitate—we will worship.
And we will listen. And we will obey.
Fully. Completely. Perfectly.
In that moment, we will be transformed
from one degree of glory to the next,
fully conformed to His image,
overwhelmed by His majesty,
captivated by His beauty.
And we will partake in the glory of Christ,
transformed and perfected, in the presence of God forever.
Sermon Summary: When we behold the Glory of Jesus, we will listen to Him.
