Finding Assurance in Jesus

I’m talking of the times when we have so many projects needing completion that we can hardly keep track of them all. You’re working on completing one task, but you know there isn’t much joy to be gained when you finish it, because of the hundred things following it which need to be done right now.

The times when this feels particularly suffocating is when there is no apparent end in sight. You look at your calendar, and for months ahead there is no let up in sight.

What generally helps with the situation though, is when you can see a time when things will ease off.

It’s what we generally refer to as the light at the end of the tunnel.

But that light is something that we need to treat cautiously. You see, if you focus too much on this light at the end of the tunnel, the danger is you lose sight of what you are supposed to be doing, and more than likely make a big mess of it. On the other hand, if you don’t observe the light at all, the danger is that you can be so swamped with what you are doing that you lose all hope and become aimless.

Now in some ways, our Christian walk can be like this. You see, one thing you learn quite quickly after you become a Christian is that becoming a Christian is not the silver bullet to all the suffering in this life.

In fact, to the contrary, there can be an expectation that you will receive suffering.

Now there is a lot to be said about this suffering, such as the growth that we can gain through it, but I’ll leave that discussion for another day, because what I want to focus on this morning is actually the light that we can see at the end of the tunnel.

The Christian’s end goal

You see, as Christians, we’re actually not just aimlessly wandering with no direction. The Bible gives us direction.

In fact, you could look at the entire Bible pushing us in this direction.

You see if I were to summarize the Bible in one sentence, I might say something like - the Bible reveals God’s plan to reconcile fallen humanity to himself.

The direction therefore is towards God. The end goal therefore is to be in glory with him.

As we dig into individual sections of the Bible, we will find different aspects of this ongoing journey.

But from time to time, as we read through scripture, we get these little glimpses. These glimpses come in a number of different forms throughout the bible, but they are glimpses of the glory that will happen at the end. The passage that we have before us today serves as one such glimpse.

Being a glimpse, we’re not going to be able to reconstruct a full picture of the glory to come, rather what I want to take from it instead is actually an assurance of something better to come.

In this way, it is like that light at the end of the tunnel. As we’ll explore, it’s not a promise that our sufferings are now over, rather we’ll explore some of the cross overs between suffering and glory.

Context

But first, let’s take a step back and look at how this fits into Mark’s gospel.

Now, I don’t expect you all to remember this, but in early 2017, we actually did a series on the first eight chapters of Mark’s gospel.

There is actually a common thread that holds these chapters together and it feeds into the whole structure of the book.

You see, these eight chapters effectively asks the question: who is Jesus? In the early chapters we get a number of different answers. He is someone who the spirits respond to. He is someone who can forgive sins. He can heal people, even death. He has control over nature. He can multiply food to feed thousands.

But all of that culminates in chapter 8, with Jesus asking his disciples: “who do you say I am?”

It is at this point that Peter speaks up and ties it all together - “you are the Messiah!”

It really was a profound statement, and from this point in the book, we get a new direction. Instead of answering, who is Jesus, now the focus turns to the what it means to follow Jesus.

In fact, it is quite a sudden shift in Mark’s Gospel.

If you look back in chapter 8, you’ll see in the little section between verses 27 and 30 we get that exchange involving Peter’s confession.

And then in the very next verse, Jesus starts talking about his death.

You see, what becomes very clear is that if you are to follow Jesus, then that means following him to the cross. That doesn’t mean we will be crucified - Jesus did that for us, but we are to share in the suffering - in fact the suffering can be counted as a blessing, knowing that we are suffering with Christ.

Just look from verse 34 when Jesus calls a crowd to him - he says: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it”

There is no denying - if you want to follow Jesus, then in this life, there will be suffering.

Structure of Mark

Now before I get into the transfiguration, it’s worth pointing out a bit more of the structure of this gospel.

You see, chapters 9 and 10 move

I’ve already mentioned about the transition in theme, but with this transition is also a geographical transition. You see, interestingly, the first eight chapters are all set around the Sea of Galilee, which is a few day walk north of Jerusalem.

In chapters 9 and 10 however we see a journey from this area, down to Jerusalem.

It is interesting to see how Jesus geographically gets closer to Jerusalem and the cross, we also learn what it means to take up your cross.

As we then move into chapter 11, we are then taken into Jerusalem - and this also becomes the final week before the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus.

Transfiguration

But now that I’ve given you a quick run down of Mark’s gospel, I want to come back to our passage for this morning.

Now remember that I said that chapter 9 starts considering what it means to follow Jesus to the cross.

Well, while suffering is to be part of our experience, what we can be really thankful for is that fact that this is not the end.

I described before about the end goal of Christianity - that we are moving towards glory with God.

Well, today’s passage gives us that little glimpse.

But it is only Jesus’ three closest companions that get to see it.

It happens as they go up a high mountain. The mountain isn’t named, some have suggested, Mount Hermon, some Mount Tabor - but it probably doesn’t really matter.

From Luke’s account, we can learn that they are going up to pray, but while they are up there, something extraordinary happens. Jesus is transfigured before them.

Verse 3 describes what that looks like, it says: “His clothes became dazzling white, whited than anyone in the world could bleach them”.

And then in verse 4, we learn something else - with Jesus is also Elijah and Moses, and they were talking with each other.

Now, I’m going to come back to this and explore some of the theological significance, but let me just stick with a brief recounting of it all.

Peter’s remark

In verse 5 we get one of those classics from Peter. Now for anyone who is familiar with the Gospels, you’ll know that Peter is one of those characters that says and does some of the most profound things, but also says some of the most stupid things as well. (I think it’s a bit of a case of speak first, think second).

Well, Peter is in the middle of seeing one of the most remarkable things seen by man, and I think he must feel that he needs to say something - but what do you say in such a situation?

Well, maybe James and John had the better idea of not saying anything, but Peter instead speaks up, suggesting that it would be appropriate to build three shelters, for Jesus, Moses and Elijah.

Verse 6 however indicates that Peter has somewhat missed the mark with his suggestion - telling us he didn’t know what he was saying.

God’s voice

It would seem however that the off the mark suggestion is glossed over, and instead, through the clouds comes the voice of God: “This is my Son whom I love.” And that profound statement is followed by a command: “Listen to him!”

And then that’s it. Now a feature you’ll note in Mark’s gospel, he states things simply and doesn’t elaborate much. And so in verse 8, he tells us that suddenly they saw no one with them except Jesus.

They then come down the mountain discussing what they saw, but with Jesus telling them to keep it to themselves until he rises from the dead.

Theological reflection

Now, from verse 11 the discussion moves to the significance of Elijah, but I want to go back and explore some of the theological significance of what I have just recounted.

You see, one thing I love about the bible is how deep it is. As you study it you can discover layers upon layers, with lots of different connections with other parts of scripture.

We find themes develop and as you explore those themes in different parts of the Bible you will new levels of depth to your understanding.

I believe that certainly is the case in this passage.

Similarities with Exodus 24

One of the very clear connection in this passage, is to an experience that Moses has back in .

Now describes the momentous occasion when Moses goes up Mount Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments and other laws.

What I want to do is point out a few of the similarities between what happens with Moses, and the transfiguration.

Six days

The first thing to note is actually the six days that Mark starts with. Now this is interesting, particularly when you note that Mark very rarely gives precise time frames. One of the features of his writing is that he will start new accounts with “and then...” or “immediately...”

But on this occasion it would seem the six days is actually significant.

You see, it is six days of preparation, and then the significant event occurs. There’s a general theme here that you can see throughout the Bible, starting of course with the six days of creation, but it also links us with the event in , where in verse 16 we’re told how clouds covered the mountain for six days and only after that did Yahweh speak to Moses.

Three visitors

We then get another curious little connection. In the transfiguration, there are three disciples that go up the mountain. When Moses goes up, actually names three people along with another 70 elders, who go up at least part of the way.

Radiance

Then we get to the transfiguration itself. I mentioned before about the clothes becoming radiant white. Well, in the case of Moses, we’re actually told after he descended that his skin was so radiant he had to put a veil over his face.

Speaking through a cloud

And on both occasions, we see God speaking through a cloud.

Exploration of connections

Now we can ask, so what? Does it really matter if we can find a few similarities?

Well, it is possible to make too much from it, but on the other hand, we can see God making a very strong point. He is showing how Jesus is the culmination of what he has done.

Jesus is not just some new idea after his previous plan failed, rather God puts his mark on the whole matter, showing that this is all part of the plan.

Moses and Elijah

And so, with this connection, I don’t think it’s particularly surprising that we find Moses with Jesus on this occasion.

This again is a them that appears throughout the Bible. Moses was a type of Christ, a type that always pointed towards Jesus.

But it’s not just Moses, Elijah is also there.

Now a number of commentators have tried to explore why Moses and Elijah were chosen out of all the other Biblical characters. Sometimes I think they actually try to dig too deep when the answer is more obvious.

Interestingly, if you were with us last year, we actually did a series of Elijah and Elisha. In one of those messages we actually explored the links between Moses to Joshua, Elijah to Elisha and John the Baptist to Jesus.

Without repeating every thing I said back then, I think it becomes clear. God is setting up a clear pattern, a pattern that will bring about restoration.

While I recognise that there are many great biblical characters that bring about restoration, these three periods come at critical points in the history of Israel. The first at the formation of Israel. The second at the turning point when it become clear that they couldn’t do it themselves. And the third when God’s plan came to a resolution.

I believe Moses, Elijah and Jesus were therefore very specifically chosen for being the three markers in God’s plan.

Significance of Elijah

In fact, they discuss Elijah’s significance as they come down the mountain.

In verse 11, the disciples ask Jesus why they say Elijah must come first.

Jesus’ answer in verse 12 is to point them to the fact that Elijah comes to restore all things.

In Mark’s gospel, the identification of this ‘Elijah’ remains somewhat of a mystery. But thankfully in Matthew’s gospel it is more clearly spelt out for us, and we learn that the Elijah who was to come, came in the form of John the Baptist.

The significance of Elijah however is in his role of restoration.

You might remember, one of the things I mentioned frequently in the Elijah and Elisha series was the fact that it was such a critical point in the history of Israel in that they had utterly rejected Yahweh.

While Elijah might not have completely restored thing, he turned Israel around to a point that they could see where they should be headed.

The Way of Suffering

Now we could continue to explore these other biblical themes, but instead I want to come back to Peter’s little interjection, because in this I believe we can find a problem that is easy for us as Christians.

You see, this picture is of something beautiful - it’s a powerful reminder that God’s plan is on track and that we can look forward to sharing in this glory.

However, as glorious as this is, in this age, that is to say, prior to Jesus’ return, we need to hold this picture with the picture of suffering. The glory is there, but we can’t dwell in this at the expense of not recognising the world we are in.

I believe essentially, this is the error Peter made.

While possibly he just didn’t know what he was saying at all, but I think that his instinct was to want to hold onto this glory.

That is why he suggested building three shelters. It may have been completely stupid, because how on earth did he think that he could suddenly build three shelters, but it was his way of saying, I want this to stay now.

But as I noted earlier, this comment gets glossed over without rebuke. And I think that is significant as well. You see, I think God knows that it is only natural that we want to dwell in this glory now. In fact it should be our hearts desire to want to be with God in his glory.

Thankfully, we can know that that time will come, but it’s not fully here yet.

Connection with Golgotha

I just made a connection between this mountain experience and the mount Sinai experience of Moses.

While we joyfully remember the similarities between these, we also know that Mark’s gospel ends with another mountain experience, but one that is actually marked by it’s contrast to this experience.

I’m talking about Golgotha.

Just consider some of these contrasting elements:

The private epiphany of the transfiguration, becomes a public spectacle at Golgotha.

The two prophets surrounding Jesus, become two thieves

The glistening garments, are now garments taken from him

Fascinatingly, the three males disciples are replaced by three female disciples

And the divine voice of God declaring Jesus God’s son, is curiously replaced by a Roman centurion acclaiming Jesus the son of God.

The point I want to make with that, is that we can too easily cling to Jesus in his glory. That will come. But right now, we need to cling to Jesus on the cross.

Conclusion

I believe the point of this account in the gospel, is for God to give a divine assurance of what is to come. He is about to show us the way of suffering, but he wants us to know that this is not the end.

In this way, I believe it really can be for us, the light at the end of the tunnel. It is the piece that says, you do not need to fear. As much struggle and torment that you have and will continue to receive, that will not be the end.

There is an end point to all of this.

Jesus has already entered glory. One day, we will fully embrace that with him.

But in the meantime, allow this picture to fill you with hope, but don’t make the error Peter made. This is not here fully now, but a picture of what we have to look forward to.