The Gospel of Mark: A Preview of Coming Attractions!

If you’ve ever been to a movie theater during the last 100 years, you have seen what the movie industry still refers to as a movie trailer. We know them better as previews of coming attractions. But in 1913 when the very first movie trailer was shown in a Loew movie theater in Lincoln, Nebraska, it has shown after the feature film, hence the name that has stuck ... movie trailer. Very quickly they were moved to precede the feature film because once the film credits started rolling, the audience left. Now they are a staple and take up twenty minutes of theater time. Now even DVDs and Blurays come with previews of other films the producers hope you will want to watch.

The event that James, John, and Peter experience in our text for this evening is preview of coming Kingdom attractions. We call it the transfiguration, and next to the resurrection, is the most fascinating event in the life of Jesus.

If you don’t know it, Mark 8:27-30 is the high-water-mark of Mark’s gospel. It comes as Peter’s answer to Christ’s question, “But who do you think I am?” to which the Apostle responds, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Everything in Mark that came before Peter’s confession leads up to it; everything that follows in Mark’s Gospel flows from that confession.

The time line, and circumstances of this passage have always intrigued me. As your read through it, hindsight tells us that Jesus is setting up James, and John, and Peter for a unique experience.

He’s taken them to Caesarea Philippi, perhaps the most pagan, idolatrous region of Israel. It’s mostly a gentile region. The city was located near a large spring at the foot of Mount Herman, and the cave that the spring gushed forth from was considered a gateway to the underworld. Hence there were a plethora of pagan temples and shrines in the area.

It was in the bastion of pagan falsehood that Jesus asks his question, Who do you think I am?

Over the next several days, Mark 8:31 says he began to teach them. One of the things he began to teach them was that “ ... the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, ... .” (Mark 8:31–32, NIV84)

Peter rebukes him. The disciples looked forward to Jesus’ kingdom and their glory with him in that kingdom — in fact, they regularly argued about which disciple would be the greatest in Christ’s kingdom — but they are unprepared for the scandal of the cross that must precede his kingdom. Jesus delivers a stinging rebuke of his own to Peter.

Jesus continues to teach them defining what it takes to be a disciple. He ends this teaching moment saying, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”” (Mark 8:38, NIV84). Jesus doesn’t pull any punches.

Then we come to a curious statement. “And he said to them, “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.”” (Mark 9:1, NIV84). I think the disciple just nodded and smiled, and thought to themselves, “Yes, yes. Soon Jesus will officially announce his Messiahship. Israel will flock to him. The angels will escort Rome legions out of the country, and the ancient Davidic Kingdom will be restored. Christ will be crowned king in Jerusalem, and we will help him reign.” They were clueless as to what was about to happen.

I. THE VISION OF THE GLORIOUS CHRIST

Mark 9:2 "And six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up to a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them."

1. this is were we pick up the text for this evening

a. Jesus has taken Peter, James and John, up onto a high mountain for a time of solitude

b. Luke's Gospel tells us they were going there "to pray"

ILLUS. Christian tradition places the Mount of Transfiguration in eastern Galilee and is known as Mt. Tabor. Most likely, however, the mountain they climbed is Mount Herman. It's the closest large mountain in proximity to Caesarea Philippi, where Jesus was ministering. Herman's peaks rise some 11,000 feet above the Jordan valley. From Jerusalem to Tyre, its snow-clad slopes can be seen on a clear day.

c. because of the length of such a climb, it was early evening as they began their prayer meeting

2. evening had fallen, and they were in prayer

a. Luke’s Gospel tells us that as the prayer meeting continued, His disciples became very sleepy and that they eventually dozed off

3. but then something amazing suddenly happened

a. Jesus was transfigured in their midst

1) that woke ‘em up!

2) the Scripture doesn't tell us who woke up first, but whoever it was, I'm sure he instantly awakened the other two

A. THE TRANSFIGURATION REVEALED THE INNER GLORY OF JESUS AS THE CHRIST

vv. 2c-3 "And He was transfigured before them; and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them."

1. there on top of that mountain, with the only backdrop being a blanket of dark night, lit only by the summer stars, the inner glory of Jesus Christ was revealed

a.it revealed the inner glory of his divinity that had been there since the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary’s womb and humanity and Godhood miraculously came together

2. His clothing began to glow brightly white

a. the word radiant can be translated dazzling or glittering

b. Luke’s Gospel says that His garments became a brilliant white, like the light

c. Matthew’s Gospel says that His face shone like the sun

3. like a caterpillar hides the glory of the butterfly, so the humanity of Jesus hid His divinity

a. now it was breaking through

b. in fact, the word we translate at transfigured, is literally metamorphoo from which we get our word metamorphosis

ILLUS. In his commentary on Mark’s Gospel, Kent Hughes writes, "For a brief moment the veil of His humanity was lifted and His true essence was allowed to shine through. The glory which was always in the depths of His being rose to the surface for that one time in His earthly life. Or, put another way, He slipped back into eternity to His pre-human glory. It was a glance back and a look forward into His future glory!"

c. I’m sure the disciples were absolutely spellbound and speechless

4. as if Jesus' transfiguration were not enough to blow them away, I'm sure the appearance of Moses and Elijah was

Mark 9:4 "And Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were conversing with Jesus."

a. these were two of the greatest figures in all of Israel's history

1) they were mighty men of God

b. Moses and Elijah were also no strangers to mountaintops

c. both meet God at Mount Horeb where they experienced God's glory

5. in these two figures we see a symbol of the law and the prophets

a. and together they were talking with Jesus

1) Luke tells us they were "speaking of His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem."

2) think about it ... Jesus is having a conversation with Moses and Elijah about his impending death, burial, and resurrection

6. the Transfiguration was the "Great Divide" in the life of our Lord

a. He stood there in the perfect, spotless holiness of his manhood; then he turned his back on the glory and came down from the Mount to be identified with sin

B. THE TRANSFIGURATION REVEALED THE INNER CONFUSION OF THE DISCIPLES

Mark 9:5-6 "And Peter answered and said to Jesus, 'Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.' For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified.”

1. as Jesus' inner glory was revealed, their disciples are trying to conceal their inner confusion

a. even the attempt to conceal their confusion it made it all the more obvious

2. the disciples were simply overwhelmed

a. what they were witnessing was an otherworldly, terrifying experience

1) they stared in stunned silence

b. what was there to say?

1) they had nothing to say, and Peter said it!

2) he volunteered to build three tabernacles, one for each of them

c. like many modern Christian, Peter felt a response to the event was to do something religious

1) he was uncomfortable with the silence

2) all too often, like Peter, we are uncomfortable being silent in the presence of God

II. THE VOICE OF THE SOVEREIGN CREATOR

Luke 9:7 "Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, 'This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!'"

1. if these disciples are stupefied now, the show is about to get a whole lot better

2. what happens next?

a. the cloud of God’s Shekinah glory appeared on that mountaintop

1) Shekinah comes from a Hebrew root which means to dwell

b. the Shekinah glory of God was the manifestation of the presence of God

1) in the Old Testament, God appeared in a luminous cloud and a pillar of fire in order to lead Israel through the wilderness

2) in Exodus 33 we see this cloud passing by Moses as Moses was covered in the cleft of the rock by God's hand

3) when the Tabernacle was finished, this cloud descended upon it in such a manifestation of God's glory that Moses himself could not even enter it

4) when Solomon's Temple was completed, the cloud again descended so that the priests could not enter

c. the cloud symbolized the dwelling of God among men

3. this shekinah glory of God had not been seen is Israel for six hundred years

a. but now, this luminous cloud not only came, but it enveloped all of them

1) the entire top of the mountain was covered by the glory of God

4. out of the cloud of God’s shekina glory comes the voice of Jehovah – "This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him!"

a. don’t you know that Peter immediately put his hands over his mouth?

1) at that point He must feel that God is speaking directly to him: "Enough. My Son is here. Close your mouth and listen to Him."

5. suddenly, Moses and Elijah were gone

Mark 9: 8 "And all at once they looked around and saw no one with them any more, except Jesus only."

a. God had spoken and He had singled out His Son

1) the sudden absence of Moses and Elijah make it clear that God’s Son was of supreme significance

2) all the other things point to Him

6. so often we are guilty of being captivated by peripheral things

a. the issue has been and always will be Jesus

1) He is the one to whom our allegiance is due

2) He is the one to whom we should listen

b. Peter had to learn that, and we need to learn it, too

1) the Apostle Peter would later write:

“We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.” (2 Peter 1:16–18, NIV84)

III. LESSONS

A. WHEN WE MEET JESUS ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP, DON’T DO SOMETHING . . . JUST STAND THERE

1. most of us have heard the admonition: “Don’t just stand there ... DO something!”

2. I submit to you that there are times as Christians that we need to reverse that admonition: “Don’t do something ... JUST stand there!”

a. there are times in our relationship with God that we don’t need to do anything

b. we simply need to stand, (or sit or kneel) in His presence and experience his radiant glory

B. WHEN YOU’RE ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP, LISTEN FOR THE VOICE OF GOD

1. and if we will put our eyes on Jesus and get them off of other things, we, too, will hear the voice of God and experience His glory

2. He then gives us the power to go back down the mountain to the valley where we live, changed more into His image

2 Corinthians 3:18 says, "But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just from the Lord, the Spirit."

a. beholding Jesus changes us

b. beholding Jesus allows us to get a little of the mountain into the valley

C. AS WE FOLLOW JESUS, HE WILL PREPARE US TO FACE THE NEXT SITUATION IN OUR LIVES

1. He is the great I AM who is for us and will be with us

2. in the same way that he was preparing the disciples for what was going to happen in their lives, even though they were not able to fully grasp it, Jesus is constantly preparing us for what is in the days before us

D. LIFE IS BIGGER THAN WHAT OUR EYES CAN SEE

1. when Peter and James and John thought kingdom they’re thinking earthly kingdom

a. but Moses, Elijah, and Jesus have a little chat about what God is going to do in Jerusalem through Jesus

2. they needed to abandon their little petty life agendas and turn their attention toward the greater work that God is doing

a. we need to catch a glimpse of God’s bigger picture