A Glorious Encounter

Introduction

Scott and Claire’s kids - 10 and 7 - first time being in the ocean. Only second time they saw the ocean. They spent a lot of time in the water - we take it for granted that we can be there in about 30 minutes.

If you’re not careful, you can go your whole life and miss or take for granted the glory of God.

God wants you to see His glory. Glory = the brilliance or magnitude of God. Glory = inescapable reality that there is none like Him - to see His glory is to be left awestruck, humbled, overwhelmed, terrified, satisfied, overjoyed, etc. When you see His glory you want more...

Jesus shows Himself to disciples in a way that He never had before - a glimpse of His glory. This was a moment they needed. This was a moment that would be forever embedded in their minds. And, this would be another moment that even though Jesus was making His plan and purpose more clearly known to them, they would continue to be slow to understand.

For us - God has revealed His glory to us through the death and resurrection of His Son. Three ways to respond to His glory:

Be amazed by His glory

9:1 - Speaking of what three of the disciples are about to see.

Caesarea Philippi - Peter’s confession - Jesus tells disciples he will die and rise again. Six days later, Jesus takes them to a high mountain - probably

God does amazing things on mountains - On Mt. Sinai - the Law, Moses met with God - saw His glory. Elijah - Mt. Carmel - called down fire from heaven - Mt. Sinai - met with God - experienced His glory in a still small voice

On Mt. Hermon - Luke - Jesus prayed, disciples slept. Jesus transfigured (transformed). Disciples wake up and see a sight they weren’t expecting! Mark tries to describe the scene, but words undoubtedly inadequate (vs. 3).

On the Mountain - two OT deliverers - Moses and Elijah - the two greatest prophets of the OT who had both experienced the glory of God on the top of Mt. Sinai - the Law, Moses met with God - saw His glory. Elijah - Mt. Sinai - met with God - experienced His glory in a still small voice - Both great deliverers now beside the Ultimate Deliverer - as if saying - “Here He is!”

both on Sinai - both saw and worked miracles. Both great deliverers now beside the Ultimate Deliverer - as if saying - “Here He is!”

Imagine the amazement, the fear, the wonder of the disciples - Jesus glorified! And, they don’t die! - when Moses saw God’s glory, it was just His backside, and he came down the mountain radiating. Disciples see Jesus face to face in His glory and they don’t die! (Jesus bridging the gap - makes a way to experience glory)

- Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah about His departure in Jersualem. His death! Speaking with two great deliverers - Jesus is the ultimate deliverer! He is the One Moses and Elijah point to! He is the One who finishes what Moses and Elijah started! Jesus told His disciples He was going to die - now talking to two great prophets about it. They’re seeing it - the glory of Jesus - they’re hearing it - what the glorious Christ is going to do for them! (What Peter had rebuked Jesus for talking about.)

Why does Jesus bring them to the top of a mountain for this experience? He wants His disciples to connect the dots - to know who He is - He wants them to be amazed at His glory!

Amazed by His power - This is God! He can do anything! (They’ve been seeing it!)

Amazed by His love - The God of all creation would come and give His life for them so they could be saved.

Amazed by His sacrifice - The all-powerful God chooses to die for His people so they can know His love - chooses to take the punishment that His people deserve upon Himself. That’s amazing! Glorious!

Amazed by His glory because they needed strength! Jesus would come off the mountain and make His way to Jerusalem to die on a cross. They needed to see He wasn’t simply a man - but God who had come to rescue them. When you see Jesus for who He is, and when you understand what He has come to accomplish, it gives you strength to make it through the valleys.

This morning, some of you need strength. Life has been hard. See the glory of Christ - be amazed by His power, His love, His sacrifice - because it will give you the strength to keep trusting, keep following, and to keep pressing on.

Be attentive to His voice

Imagine the disciples: this is what we’ve been waiting for! (Ill. - a bad day in Charleston - knew where glory was but couldn’t get to it… Peter, “Finally…) I can imagine what they’re thinking… Everyone needs to see this! If the Jews could see Jesus like this, surely they would believe He’s the Messiah. Maybe Peter thought, “If our enemies saw Jesus like this, surely they would believe He’s the Messiah.”

On the one hand, disciples afraid (vs. 6), on the other, their minds racing… This is it!

Minds racing, Peter doesn’t know what to say (vs. 6) - probably best to stay quiet - but blurts out: “Good to be here! (duh) Let’s build three tents - one for each of you!”

Three tents? Tabernacle - God among His people - Let’s build places of worship. We’ll bring people up here to see this. You can reign and rule right here from Mt. Hermon. It’s going to be great!

Problem: You don’t build a tabernacle for Jesus - He didn’t come to be confined to a mountain. He came to live, die, rise again, ascend to the Father and to send His very Spirit to dwell in us!

Forget the suffering! Reign and rule right now! But, without the cross, no forgiveness. Without the resurrection, no victory over sin.

A cloud overshadows (glory of the Father - led Israelites in the wilderness - cloud when temple dedicated in ) - Voice of the Father - “This is my beloved Son - (baptism of Jesus.) Listen to Him!”

- Jesus the One Moses prophesied about. “It is to Him you shall listen...” Jesus is the voice of God!

Moses and Elijah gone - Jesus alone - reminder - He is the One you listen to.

Be attentive to His voice. Jesus is communicating to you every time you open His Bible, every time you are taught His Scripture, every time you gather around His Word in an LCG. Are you listening? What keeps you from listening?

Your plans. (Peter’s problem.) Could it be that you are so fixated on what you think God should do for you that you refuse to listen?

Your fear. You don’t want to listen because you are scared of what God might tell you to do that you don’t want to do. You don’t realize He wants the best for you...

Your sin. Sin hinders us from hearing God’s Word. You know it - when you are walking in sin - you don’t want to hear because you might be convicted.

You don’t care. Lack of faith. Don’t believe His Word matters for your life. Not so fast! What if your soul really is at stake? Shouldn’t you listen?

If you refuse to listen, you miss the beauty of God’s glory. For Peter, the beauty of redemption.

Concert practice - trying to make me a better pianist - I had to listen

Be accepting of His plan

Coming off the mountain, told not to tell anyone until resurrection. Don’t want people to react the same way Peter did - to try to force him to be King without the cross.

Resurrection? Confused?

Elijah - - Before the awesome day of the Lord, isn’t Elijah supposed to come? Didn’t we just see Elijah? He’s here! Let’s get on with the show! Why aren’t you ruling? Why do you keep talking about death and resurrection when Elijah is here! It’s time for the Day of the Lord now!

Jesus turns it on them: “How can I be the Messiah if I don’t suffer? Isn’t that what’s written about me?” (What they missed) Listen. How many times do I have to tell you what’s going to happen? You’re so focused on what you think I should do that you’re missing what I’m telling you I’m going to do! Accept my plan! You think this was amazing? You ain’t seen nothing yet! The way to see my glory is not stay on a mountain but follow me to a cross!

Elijah has come (John the Baptist.) He suffered, and I’m going to suffer too - this is the way to real glory - to see my love poured out for you on the cross. Be amazed by my plan! You can’t accept my plan if you keep refusing to listen!

The death and resurrection is the ultimate display of the glory of Jesus - where justice and mercy collide - Jesus gets what you deserve so you can get what you don’t deserve. The resurrection - death defeated - so if you trust Him you will never die! Accept His plan! Trust Him! Turn from your sin!

Here we are, 2000 years later, and I wonder if your listening skills are just as poor as the disciples. Jesus is speaking loud and clear to you so you might know His glory, but you simply refuse to listen. How many times does He have to say it? Three reasons why you need to listen to His voice this morning:

Listen to understand - to understand His plan to save you from your sins. Some of us have little understanding of the God of all creation - we don’t understand what He’s up to in our world or in our lives. (You know about God but do you know God?)

Listen to obey - You can’t obey if you don’t know what He’s telling you. How is God calling you to respond to His voice right now?

Listen to grow - you can’t grow if you don’t know. You can’t grow if you’re not listening to His voice on a regular basis.

- this morning, let’s make a renewed commitment to listen to the voice of God so we might be amazed by His glory.