God Shines Forth

Call to Worship

Psalm 145:1–13 ESV

1 I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. 2 Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. 4 One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. 5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. 6 They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. 7 They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. 8 The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. 10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you! 11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, 12 to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.]

Adoration

Ephesians 1:3–6 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Confession

Colossians 2:20–23 NLT

20 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, 21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? 22 Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. 23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.

Thanksgiving

Psalm 145:14–20 ESV

14 The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. 15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. 16 You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. 17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. 18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. 20 The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

Message

Matthew 17:1–8 ESV

1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

Today, John and Charles Wesley are known for movements like the Methodist Church.

They took Jesus' words seriously—especially the call to deny oneself, take up one's cross, and follow Him.

Following Jesus requires rejecting man’s way in order to embrace God’s: deny yourself, take up your cross, follow Jesus, and save your life.

While students at Oxford, they formed what became known as the "Holy Club."

They fasted regularly, rose early for prayer, visited prisoners, cared for the poor, studied Scripture diligently, and pursued a disciplined life of holiness.

They went on missionary trips.

They understood the demands of discipleship that Jesus spoke of.

"I had even then the faith of a servant, though not that of a son." — John Wesley

Reflecting on his time in America laboring…

"I went to America to convert the Indians; but oh! who shall convert me?"

What compels a person to deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Jesus?

Charles Wesley would even go so far as to say…

"I sought to establish my own righteousness, but had no conception of the righteousness of Christ."

These two men earlier in their life are good examples of self-effort as the compelling force.

They were compelled by law,

The revealed glory of the Father’s beloved Son compels the obedience of faith.

Remember what we have seen:

Jesus commended Peter’s great confession,

Peter attempts to make Jesus stumble by offering another way than from going to the cross.

Jesus corrects Peter’s misstep by rebuking him and calling him to set his mind on heavenly realities.

But there was a small bit I mentioned two weeks ago that will need to circle back to.

Matthew 16:24–28 ESV

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Jesus makes an end-times focus claim that He will come and judge the living and dead.

He will be the One to reward and punish.

From His lips will come the phrase, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:23).

But as is often the case when speaking of the end-times, there is a touch-point in the current moment.

The Son Displayed in Glory

Jesus speaks about a future coming day when He will judge all things.

But then says…

Matthew 16:28 ESV

28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

What does Jesus mean by, “there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see” the kingdom coming?

Glory that connects heaven and earth.

Jesus is bringing together several streams of Jewish thought all at once.

The Coming of the Kingdom of God.

When the Bible uses the language of “taste”, it often means to experience something.

The disciples will not experience death before they see the kingdom of God.

It’s essentially like Jesus is saying,

“I’m going to give you a foretaste of the glory to come.”

Matthew 16:27 ESV

27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

What’s the significance of the Son of Man title?

Jesus uses this title for Himself some 80 times in the gospels.

It was Jesus’ main self-designation

Nobody ever referred to him as “the Son of Man”

“the Son of Man” is more than a name, its a title (with the definite article).

The Dominion of the Son of Man.

There was a figure in the book of Daniel that confounded Jew’s prior to Jesus.

Daniel 7:13–14 ESV

13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

Rabbi’s struggled to understand a human figure, called “a son of man” yet receiving divine prerogatives and rides on the “clouds of heaven” which was something only Yahweh did.

The Coming of the Kingdom and the Dominion of the Son of Man are tied tightly together for Jesus.

Which makes the next scene remarkable!

What is referred to as “the Transfiguration” is referenced in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

It represents a critical function in the story of Jesus.

Matthew 17:1 ESV

1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.

Notice the reference of “six days” is a reference back to Peter’s confession.

We are meant to see these two events as tied together.

Remember that Peter had a moment of clarity about the person of Christ.

Mingled with his stumbling confusion about the kind of Christ He was to be.

Matthew 17:1 ESV

1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.

These three men are sometimes referred to as, “the inner three”, meaning they experienced even more than some of the other disciples.

Matthew 17:1 ESV

1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.

What mountain did Jesus lead them up?

The six day journey and Jews receiving them at the base of the mountain have caused much debate around the topic.

Option 1 – Mount Tabor (1,900 ft) – This is the traditional site held to by the early church fathers.

The problem is it seems there was a walled fortress at the summit according to Josephus.

Option 2 – Mount Hermon (9,232 ft) – There is also good reason to believe it was Mount Hermon.

“[M]any [scholars] have come to agree that the close proximity of Caesarea Philippi to Mount Hermon and the symbolic-religious associations that relationship entails make Mount Hermon the logical choice for the transfiguration. The imagery is striking. We've seen already that the Jewish tradition about the descent of the Watchers, the sons of God of Genesis 6:1-4, informed the writings of Peter and Jude. Now we see that the transfiguration of Jesus takes place on the same location identified by that tradition. Jesus picks Mount Hermon to reveal to Peter, James, and John exactly who he is—the embodied glory-essence of God, the divine Name made visible by incarnation.” —Michael Heiser, Unseen Realm

Option 3 – Mount Meron (3,926 ft) – There is good reason to hold a third option because it meets the six days to travel and is located in a Jewish region for people to greet them at the base of it.

Once at the top of the mountain…

We must remember the story of the Exodus and desert wanderings…

Glory moved from a place to a person.

The “Shekinah” Glory in the OT is derived from the word for “dwelling” glory.

In the OT, God’s glory is sometimes referred to as His radiant splendor.

The Shekinah glory led the people of Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 13:17-22, Numbers 9:17).

Although Jude reminds us that Jesus Himself led a people in the wilderness (Jude 5).

Jude 5 ESV

5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.

The Shekinah glory revealed Yahweh to Moses on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 34:29-35).

It made Moses’ face to shine after encountering the presence of Yahweh.

Exodus 34:29 ESV

29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.

This same glory will later fill the tabernacle and refuse entrance from the people of Israel (Exodus 40:34-38).

It’s this glory that is said to dwell in the Holy of Holies in the Temple.

All of these concepts must be pre-loaded in your mind for what we’re about to see…

Matthew 17:2 ESV

2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.

The language of “transfiguration” or Gk “μεταμορφόω” recalls the glory that Jesus had before His incarnation.

Jesus is not putting on something new.

Instead He is revealing the glory that He already shared with the Father.

John 17:5 ESV

5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

Or as Paul reflects on in Philippians 2:6-7

Philippians 2:6–7 ESV

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.

Jesus emptied Himself of the glory He possessed BY becoming a man.

This does not mean He no longer possessed it.

It means the glory He possessed was concealed.

The transfiguration then is a flashing forth of the glory of God in the person of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 17:2 ESV

2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.

Notice the differences between Moses and Jesus here.

First, Jesus’ glory is an abiding glory.

As much as Moses’ face shone, it was quickly faded.

But Jesus shines from Himself.

“The glory that is displayed on the high mountain is the glory of the Father, but it is Jesus as Son of Man who is glorified with the glory of the Father. The glory is the glory that the eternal Son shared from the foundation of the earth, but here that glory is shared with Jesus the God-Man, the Son of Man; His humanity is caught up into the glory of the Father and Son.” — Leithart, Peter . The Gospel of Matthew Through New Eyes Volume Two: Jesus as Israel (p. 342).

Second, Jesus is the subject of divine revelation not it’s recipient.

Moses received Divine revelation, whereas Jesus is the subject and the disciples are the recipients.

The reader is reminded of Moses’ face that shone in Exodus 34, but the shining was temporary.

It was not a permanent brilliance.

It was a temporary shining that faded quickly.

This prompted him to put a veil over his face (Exodus 34:33-35).

Paul picks up on this to remind us of the fading glory of the Old Covenant and the enduring glory of the New.

Where do we go to get this same revelation?

Listen to the way Peter describes that moment on the mountain…

2 Peter 1:16–20 ESV

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. 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, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.

Best to see “interpretation” as someone’s own “imagination” or “originating ideas.”

The revealed glory of the Father’s beloved Son compels the obedience of faith.

Matthew 17:3 ESV

3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.

Glory affirmed by Moses (the law) and Elijah (the prophets).

What does this mean that Moses and Elijah affirmed the glory?

First, Moses & Elijah represent the law and the prophets.

Matthew 5:17 ESV

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Moses and Elijah are critical figures that often stand as representatives of the Law and the Prophets.

The Law of God was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai.

The Prophets represent a much larger body of exhortation from many prophets, but Elijah was considered a significant prophet.

Application for reading the Bible.

This means all of Scripture finds its telos in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We should always be asking questions like,

Where is Jesus in this text of Scripture?

If you don’t know how to see Jesus from an OT passage of Scripture, you don’t know how to read Scripture.

Second, the Law & the Prophets have a telos (fulfillment) of the Messianic age

Moses and Elijah are dripping with Messianic undertones.

Moses promised in Deuteronomy 18 that a final prophet would come after himself that the people of Israel should listen to.

Deuteronomy 18:15 ESV

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—

Moses promises the people the kind of prophet that Yahweh will raise up in the last days.

He will be “like me from among you”, “from your brothers.”

Moses gives an expectation of a final prophet that will speak on behalf of Yahweh.

Moses also gives qualifications for the kind of prophets the people should listen to.

A prophet was only acknowledged when they spoke truthfully about future things.

Jesus just told them…

Matthew 16:21 ESV

21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

Jesus has just prophetically spoken and told them about His coming crucifixion and resurrection.

This is another reason why the resurrection proves the authenticity of the Words of Jesus because it validates Him as a prophet like Moses.

Elijah never died, but was taken in a chariot of fire.

But an OT promise alludes to Elijah coming before the day of Yahweh.

Malachi 4:5 ESV

5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.

We will consider this more next week, but suffice to say that the presence of Moses and Elijah on Mount Hermon were greatly significant.

Third, Moses and Elijah suffered rejection from the people and received divine visions.

Both Moses and Elijah were recipients of the divine glory; Moses on Sinai (Exodus 31:18), and Elijah at Horeb (1 Kings 19:8).

The disciples would have only later understood the significance that Moses and Elijah also because they suffered rejection from Israel.

Matthew 17:3 ESV

3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.

What were they talking about?

Luke 9:31 ESV

31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure (Gk: ἔξοδον, exodus), which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

Luke tells us Moses and Elijah spoke to Jesus about His coming “departure” or “exodus.”

How do the disciples respond?

Matthew 17:4 ESV

4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

Why is Peter saying this?

First, we must acknowledge that Peter was speaking out of fear and folly.

Some surprised people become more reserved and silent. Others when they are taken back, ramble.

Even if they don’t know what they’re saying, they speak before they think.

Mark 9:6 ESV

6 For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified.

Mark says it was out of fear…

Luke 9:33 ESV

…not knowing what he said.

Luke says Peter didn’t even know what he was saying…

Second, notice that Peter’s desire is build Jesus, Moses, and Elijah “tents” or “tabernacles.”

There is something more basic going on with Peter’s desire to prolong this moment.

The Shekinah glory in the OT was kept in a “tent” and the first thing Peter decides to do is build a tent.

This shouldn’t be looked down upon but reflects a human posture.

Peter will soon learn…

2 Chronicles 6:18 ESV

Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!

While Peter blunders along…

Matthew 17:5 ESV

5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

The phrased used for “overshadowed” is used explicitly in Exodus 40:34-38, when God’s glory would overshadow the place of worship.

The Son Affirmed as the Father’s delight

Heralding from the glory cloud is a voice that affirms the Lord Jesus.

Affirmed His identity.

This is the second time the reader of Matthew has heard this voice, the first time was in Matthew 3:17, but here the disciples are clearly the recipients.

The Father speaks over the Son to the disciples that this One is His beloved Son.

Harkening back to Psalm 2, where Yahweh says of the King of Israel, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.” (Psalm 2:7).

Jesus shares an intimate relationship with the Father.

Even more remarkable though is the second half of the commendation of Jesus.

Affirmed His relationship.

Matthew 17:5 ESV

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

“Amid all the brightness and light, what is trumpeted most clearly is the Father’s complete approval of his Son. Nothing and nobody else could more completely unveil, display, and thus please God the Father.” —Daniel Hames, God Shines Forth

The Father’s pleasure of delight is in the Lord Jesus.

Application in regard to our sin

Sin separates us from the delight of God the Father.

Sin is a serious affront to a Holy God most clearly because unholiness cannot dwell in His presence.

You and I, apart from Jesus, are displeasing to God.

We don’t like to think about being out of fellowship with other people, but it changes the whole tone and tenor to recognize that we are out of fellowship with the Father.

But Jesus on the other hand has never known a time where He was NOT the Father’s delight.

What does this mean for us?

Application to unbelievers.

This means that if you are found outside of Jesus, you’re outside of fellowship with the Father.

Application for believers.

But it also means that if you’re found in Jesus, you have fellowship with the Father.

1 John 1:2–3 ESV

2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:13–14 ESV

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Notice the last half of the Father’s pronouncement of the Son…

Matthew 17:5 ESV

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

Affirmed His authority.

We cannot separate the Son’s authority

Matthew 17:6 ESV

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.

Turning away in fear and trembling was the correct response and mirrors the witnesses of Mt. Sinai’s response (Exodus 34:30).

Just as Moses (Exodus 3:6) hid himself from the presence of God, so to these disciples respond here.

But notice how Jesus responds to this…

Matthew 17:7 ESV

7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.”

The Son Received by the Disciples – Arise and Fear not!

This adds an extra layer of significance to what Jesus does to these fearful disciples.

He touches them and encourages them to fear no more.

It’s the touch of the Lord Jesus Christ, touching God, and touching men (Job 9:33), that enables them to stand and fear no more.

The revealed glory of the Father’s beloved Son compels the obedience of faith.