Sermon Tone Analysis

The Mount of Transfiguration - the other Exodus preview

After some events in life nothing is ever the same.

School, graduation

Births, deaths

Major moves, major decisions

Employment or lack thereof

Tornado

When Champion was sold to Volvo - plant closed

Crisis, catastrophes, disasters

Tornado

Champion sold to Volvo and eventual plant closing

Marriages- ours and those dear to us

Seeing, really seeing Jesus - conversion, discipleship and following Him

Milestones - how some of these are remembered depends on how they impact us

“Protestant” Reformation - to some extent the difference depends on whether we are being moved and transformed by the reformation or resist it.

Revival

Among these events, some are more noteworthy than others and from then on serve as milestones for the present and glimpses of the future.

Mark’s record of the Mount of Transfiguration provides us both the many facets of this milestone and insights as to how to accurately remember and mark milestones.

Facets of the Mount of Transfiguration Milestone/Exodus -

Before we consider the facets as such, most of you are probably wondering about my suggesting that the events on the Mount of Transfiguration are in any way parallel with the Exodus.

Exodus:

Greek word - departure

“The movement of a group people - Cambridge English Dictionary

Book of Exodus

Recreation of the State of Israel - 1948

In some Exodus instances - we are shown the Exodus to come - Moses - waters of Meribah, where the people quarrelled with the Lord - tell the rock to yield water - instead Moses struck the rock with the staff twice -

Transitional event after crossing the Red Sea but before they crossed the River Jordan.

Deut 3:23-

Deut

Deut

SOMETIMES, GOD GRACIOUSLY GIVES US A GLIMPSE OF WHERE HE IS TAKING US.

When the curtain is pulled back, we always face some choices:

In considering what God as shown us, do we camp where we are and continue to celebrate the moment?

Or with the clearer glimpse of where we and what it prepared for us, do we move on with renewed vigor and resolve?

Facets of the Mount of Transfiguration Milestones/Exodus -

The events recorded by Mark suggest a transition from Christ’s ministry of preaching/teaching & discipling, to heading directly toward Jerusalem and with that in mind, a more concentrated discipling.

Peter’s declaration at Caesarea Philippi - Jesus’ plain explanation of what He came to do - 1st of three plain explanations.

Change in methodology

First 1/2 - crisscrossed Galilee caring for those in need and large crowds - disciples failed to fully understand Jesus - Messiah - Son of Man

Outside of Israel - Tyre, Sidon, Decapolis, Caesarea Philippi

Ends with a tentative confession of Christ

The scandal of the cross

Second 1/2 -

Ends with the full confession of the Roman centurion that truly this man was the Son of God -

Journey toward Jerusalem - concentrated time with disciples but still time for people - Zacchaeus , blind Bartimaeus

With the transfiguration, the disciples are shown the true nature of Jesus - the living Christ - in all of His glory

Truly - true remember this - 10:29; 11:23; 12:43

Mount Hermon - 9,200 ft - 3,000 meters - probable - Mt Tabor suggested by some but not that high and too far south.

Timing & those involved

After 6 days - thus far does Mark note time so specifically - later did - ,

Peter, James & John - inner circle - - healing of Jairus’ daughter- - private questions on the Mt of Olives re the temple and future events - - prayer in Gethsemane

Events and details confirmed by 2 or 3 witnesses - Duet 17:6

Events

Transfigured - form of verb - metamorphoo - always in the context of a radical transformation - Matthew used the same word -

Christ’s nature could not change but His divine nature became clear when the veil of His humanity was pulled back.

Face became different -

Face shone like the sun - ;

Clothes - radiant - exceedingly white - lit - flash and gleam like lighting - blazing glory probably awakened the 3 -

Jesus had this glory for all of eternity

Elijah & Moses - had not ceased to exist but were in heaven - Abraham’s bosom

Therefore no basis for “soul sleep” or “souls continue only in the mind of God” or “at death we cease to be” & with that “no everlasting heaven or hell.”

Now in glorified bodies - - glorified bodies not only for Jesus

Moses - honored leader - led the exodus - rescued the nation from captivity - human author of the Pentateuch - delivered the law - proclaimed God’s truth - like a priest interceded for his people - authority of a king but never had a throne

Elijah - one of greatest of the prophets - defended the law and truth - preached against those rejected God - validated by miracle - ;

Would have been introduced to the 3

Spoke with Jesus of His death and what He would accomplish in Jerusalem

Lk 9:

Marking the Mount of Transfiguration:

Peter and the other 2 disciples’ perspective

As the 2 men were leaving -

It’s good for us to be here - didn’t know what to say - terrified

Let’s make 3 tabernacles - KJV, NASB - tents - ESV - skenas - tent, hut, humble temporary dwelling

So as to make this permanent

Perhaps Peter thought the millennial kingdom was about to begin - coming day of the Lord would include keeping the feast of booths.

Perhaps Peter saw this as connected with Jesus promised that some would see the kingdom come with power -

Moses and Elijah might also lead

Father’s perspective

Cloud overshadowed them, a voice came out of the cloud - shekinah - symbol of God’s presence - ; -45; ; ; Deut 1:33

God promised to come with clouds of glory

Dan

Rev

This is my beloved Son - chosen one - - with whom I am well pleased -

Father’s affirm

Listen to Him!

Command/rebuke

Jesus, the one of whom the law and the prophets spoke - disciples to listen and obey

Deut

Peter remembered what he heard - quoting ; cc - listening to Jesus = listening to the Father - therefore need to repent.

Acts 3:17-

“And suddenly, looking around, they no longer they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.” -

Preview of the kingdom over - what had witnessed not a vision of the mind but an experience of God’s actual presence that apart for a couple of other instances - burning bush, commander of the Lord’s army - - this was unprecedented since the garden of Eden.

Although they would stumble at times, their faith and focus on Jesus would stabilize.

Central to this would their focus on JESUS.

2. Remembering and Marking this & other Milestones -

As they came down Jesus charged them to tell no one UNTIL the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Reminder re what the Son of Man must do -

After His resurrection, they tell others His death, burial and resurrection.

They understood that and obeyed.

On the day of Pentecost Peter explained -

Later he expanded on that.