Jesus Only
Mark 2026 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid. And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves. And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.
And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean. And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?
And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.
Introduction
Introduction
The focus of the passage this morning is on Jesus only. He is truly the focus of all of the Bible. All points toward the only source of salvation for a lost and dying world.
Mark was likely the first Gospel written. Under the inspiration of God, he writes with an intent to point his readers toward the Cross and the Empty Tomb. Those who read are faced with a question: who is this Jesus? All of the miracles of Jesus point to the answer that He is God Himself come as the Suffering Sacrifice for the sins of the world.
As we grow in our walk with God this year, we want to be Following in the Life of Faith. The Life of Faith begins with salvation through the Gospel and carries on toward the daily life of service to Jesus. Mark gives us the message of Jesus to all people.
Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Will you look to Jesus for your salvation today? Will you live as a faithful disciple of Him? Will you look with eagerness to His return to establish His earthly kingdom? Let’s Follow in the Life of Faith this year and see God do something amazing!
The glory of Jesus is accomplished through His Death for sin on the cross. Jesus is God and He is glorified as such in this passage. Beyond this passage, we see that the predictions are made looking toward the coming suffering and death of Jesus. Jesus is not just God the Creator but my God and my Saviour. The salvation of mankind is not just for today but for all time. One day, those who have received salvation will see the glory of Jesus in His kingdom.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, And as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth Before all the nations.
The passage this morning is looking toward the future of what Jesus will do because of who Jesus is. The focus is on Jesus only. Can we say that our lives reflect this emphasis on the glory of God? Let’s listen to the message of this passage for our lives.
Declaration
Declaration
Only Jesus is the remedy for the world and its sin. Jesus is the focus of the glory in this passage. Today, we need to bring glory to Him through our attention to our relationship to Him.
1. The Purity of Jesus
1. The Purity of Jesus
And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
The first aspect of Jesus’ glory is seen in verses 2-3, the purity of Jesus. Jesus is God and He is holy and perfect. There is no sin in Him and He could not sin during the temptation in the wilderness.
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
The purity of Jesus is seen in the description of what these three disciples saw on the mountain. Following the statement by Peter and Jesus’ teaching on the coming suffering, the “inner circle” of disciples are invited by Jesus to go into a high mountain with Him. These men only were present for the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter. They are about to be given another example of the Identity of Jesus on this mountain.
There is speculation about which mountain this took place on. There is significance on the different locations mentioned going back to the Old Testament. However, this seems to be Mount Hermon where this takes place. That mountain was near the location of Caesarea Philippi and fits with the description of a “high mountain,” according to several scholars.
After arriving at the top of the mountain, Jesus “was transfigured before them.” Jesus changes before them and they see the glory of who He truly is. There is a picture here of the Deity of Jesus and the glory that He had in heaven before coming to earth. He is God and the disciples see that what He has been showing through the miracles and teaching them is true. Jesus will later pray,
Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
Wiersbe gives us a more interpretive understanding of what is happening,
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Seven: The Servant’s Secrets (Mark 8:27–9:50)
The word transfigured describes a change on the outside that comes from the inside. It is the opposite of “masquerade,” which is an outward change that does not come from within.
Jesus is God and these men are now seeing the Presence of God and His Majesty with their own eyes. Worship is the only correct response to the Presence of God throughout the Scriptures. Verse 3 tells us that Jesus’ garment is shining. Only Mark recording this event mentions the whiteness of the robes. But they are not just white but whiter than any clothier could make any garment. Truly this is God Himself! Daniel prophesied,
I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
The purity of Jesus is a visible reality pointing to a theological one. Jesus is pure and is able to die for the impure. He is without sin and He is the perfect Sacrifice for our sin. For the believer, as Jesus was transfigured, we also are changed through Him. The word “transfigured” is the same word that is used in two passages for the change that Jesus makes in the believer after salvation and through sanctification. Sanctification is the growing and reflecting of Christ in the life of a saved person. Paul tells the Roman church,
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
The purity of Jesus is necessary for the salvation of mankind. These men saw the glory of Jesus in His purity as He shone on the mount. But, the purity of Jesus changes the believer from a life in bondage to sin into one of growth following Him through what He does on the inside.
2. The Power of Jesus
2. The Power of Jesus
And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid. And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
The second aspect of the glory of Jesus in this passage is seen in verses 4-7, the power of Jesus. Jesus has both dynamic power and authoritative power. We see the authority of Jesus on the mount of Transfiguration.
After the change in the appearance of Jesus, the watching disciples must have been even more astonished by the arrival of two men. Mark records that “there appeared.” That would have startled anyone thinking that they were alone with Jesus on this mountain.
These two men who appear were of great importance. Mark tells us that they were Elijah and Moses, though we do not know how the disciples determined that at the time. And these two men speak with Jesus. Luke’s account tells us that they are discussing the “exodus” of Jesus from the earth. In other words, they are now here to point to the coming suffering of Jesus.
Why these two men? Only Moses and Elijah met with God in a revelation of Himself on Mt Sinai. Now they join Jesus as He is revealed by God the Father as the Son of God. This definitely seems to be the reason for this record in Mark. Jesus has been teaching the disciples that He can feed in the wilderness, He can calm the storm in the sea, and He is coming to bring deliverance through suffering. Here, on a mountain, they are meeting with God. This new Exodus now has the New Sinai where it is not the Law but the Law’s fulfillment that is revealed - Jesus who is revealed in the next verses as dying and rising again.
Elijah met with God at Mount Horeb also called Mount Sinai. God revealed Himself as the still small voice when Elijah was facing certain death.
And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
Moses met with God on Mount Sinai and he asked to see God’s glory. When he returned to the people with the Ten Commandments, they could not look at his face because it shone from the Presence of God.
And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
These two men are here to point to the coming of the kingdom of God. Malachi tells us that these two are connected with the arrival of the Messiah. Jesus is the authority that they are there talking with.
Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, Which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, With the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, And the heart of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Peter speaks and interrupts the conversation. His statement is not appropriate being driven by fear. Jesus is looking to confirm faith not cause fear.
In response, God speaks from the cloud as He had at Sinai. “This is my beloved Son: hear him.” The Authority of Jesus as the Son of God is seen in the speech of God the Father. Here, the disciples learn from the voice of God that Jesus is to be the One who is the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament. This is an “echo” of the baptism of Jesus and the trial of Jesus.
But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
The power of Jesus is because He is God. God the Father confirms this so that the focus will be on Him only. Is Jesus the authority in our lives? Peter was focused on the immediate. Jesus wants us to be looking to the eternal. Salvation is about eternity.
3. The Priority of Jesus
3. The Priority of Jesus
And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves. And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean. And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.
The heart of the passage is verse 8. When they looked around, all that they saw was Jesus! The priority of Jesus is the focus of the story of redemption of mankind.
We are all sinners. We have fallen short of the standard that God has set because of our father Adam and mother Eve. Their sin is found in each person in the human race.
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
We have all sinned ourselves and we cannot do anything of ourselves to remove our sin. We are doomed to eternity separated from God in hell. This is the condemnation is the result of God’s abiding wrath on sin. Yet, Jesus came to earth to die for our sins. This is the mission of Jesus: to save lost sinners.
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
The payment has been made on the cross of Calvary. All that is required of man is to receive the free gift of salvation by the blood of Jesus. Jesus will give you salvation today if you will but come to Him in faith!
When the disciples look around, they no longer see the cloud or Moses and Elijah. After the statement by the Father, only Jesus is seen in verse 8. This is what this passage is about. Where it is all said and done, the focus of the Bible, of history, of all our needs and wants is “Jesus only.” Peter records about this event,
For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Peter tells his readers that they were eyewitnesses to the truth of who Jesus is and what He was going to do. Beyond that First Century eyewitness account, the Bible is our “more sure word of prophecy.” We can be sure today that Jesus is God, this event occurred as recorded, and Jesus died for our sins to give a hope of eternity in heaven.
When the cloud cleared off the mount, only Jesus was left. He is the center of the focus because He is the Saviour of the human race. He is deserving of our attention and praise this morning.
Mark presents the Death of Jesus as the constant plan and the final destination for His ministry. He should be honored and praised but those who He came to put Him to death. That death accomplished the salvation of mankind.
He is despised and rejected of men; A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: And we hid as it were our faces from him; He was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, And carried our sorrows: Yet we did esteem him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.
As they come done the mountain, the disciples ask about the importance of Elijah and his prophesied arrival. Jesus answers with another prediction of His coming suffering. Verses 9-13 give the death and resurrection of Jesus in clear statements. John the Baptist had already come and they killed him. As had happened to him, Jesus will suffer and die. The priority of Jesus is that all of history led to this moment. All of history since has flowed from that moment. Carson tells us,
NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible: Follow God’s Redemptive Plan as it Unfolds throughout Scripture Chapter 9
Since, contrary to all expectation, Elijah-John had been rejected and killed, the disciples should not be surprised that Jesus, for whom John prepared, will suffer the same fate.
The priority of Jesus is that He is the centerpiece of history. He is the One who is God and man and died for the sins of man. He deserves the glory for all that He has done. One day, we who have received salvation will spend eternity giving glory to Him.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Only Jesus is the remedy for the world and its sin. Jesus is the focus of the glory in this passage. Today, we need to bring glory to Him through our attention to our relationship to Him.
Are you giving glory to Jesus with your life? The changed life of a believer experiences this transformation when we yield to Him. Does Jesus get glory from what we do each day?
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
I can think of times in my life that I have not always reflected His glory well. I have said things that did not point well to Jesus. I have done things that don’t become a believer. But, the grace of God is that He forgives and transforms us into His image if we let Him.
The glory of Jesus is furthered in the this world by choosing to point to Him in your life. People everywhere are looking for something that is real. There is a hunger for the genuine and the meaningful. Jesus is the solution for the sin of the world. Do you point people to Him? Do you bring Him glory?
This morning, we have an opportunity to learn more about who Jesus is, aspects of His glory and how we can be changed to bring Him more glory. This week, we need to remember this and live it. When you face situations that challenge you to choose to reflect your sin nature or Jesus, choose Jesus. He is deserving of our praise for all that He has done for us.
Only God deserves the glory - Let’s give Him the glory alone this week!
