Refocusing

Refocusing Refocusing Michael Morse / General CrossFit / Theophany; Transfiguration; Mount of Transfiguration; Glory / Luke 9:28-36 Luke recounts the events given about the Mount of Transfiguration. The significance of this event is the revealing of the glory of not only Jesus but of Moses and Elijah - this is the promise of what we shall be. Seeing Christ in glory reminds us of who He is which refocuses our minds to be able to work the mission at hand, as ministry and life can sometimes cause us to lose focus on who Christ is and what the mission is. Introduction 1. Sometimes in the journey of fitness we begin to lose focus a. We either veer off course due to distraction, boredom or burnout or we lose focus due to lack of progress or results i. Not losing weight - stuck at current level or went backwards ii. Lost sight of goals and stopped doing the things to achieve those goals b. This can be a serious issue and must be fixed or where you end up wont be where you envisioned ending up i. In order to fix this you must refocus - put your attention or vision on something new or different. ii. Sometimes a vision or picture of the end game or goal of how things will turn out will help to inspire you to staying focused. 1. You can perhaps run further, lift more etc 2. Spiritually we fall into the same trap of losing focus - either on what we are doing or on what matters or on where our hope is a. The only way to fix this is to continue to evaluate where your focus is i. A vision of the end game spiritually - can help us to endure more, love more, to sacrifice more b. Sometimes we need to refocus to be kingdom minded or to remember who Jesus really is - Luke tells us how to do that › SLIDE Luke 9:28-31 CSB 28 About eight days after this conversation, he took along Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly, two men were talking with him-Moses and Elijah. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem. › SLIDE Luke 9:32-33 CSB 32 Peter and those with him were in a deep sleep, and when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men who were standing with him. 33 As the two men were departing from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it's good for us to be here. Let's set up three shelters: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"-not knowing what he was saying. › SLIDE Luke 9:34-36 CSB 34 While he was saying this, a cloud appeared and overshadowed them. They became afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 Then a voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, the Chosen One; listen to him!" 36 After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They kept silent, and at that time told no one what they had seen. › SLIDE See Him As He Really Is › SLIDE Luke 9:28-29 CSB 28 About eight days after this conversation, he took along Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. › SLIDE Christian Standard Bible Chapter 9 32 Peter and those with him were in a deep sleep,,x and when they became fully awake, they saw his glory 1. This comes from intimate time with Jesus a. Jesus takes Peter, John and James with Him and went up on the mountain i. These three disciples are the inner circle of the Apostles - these three are always found in the more intimate settings with Jesus ii. The four of them went up on the mountain top together 1. Mount Tabor - Mount Hermon (Cesarea Philippi) or Mount Carmel (the Mount where Elijah faced the prophets of Baal) iii. They went up the mountain top for the alone time and intimacy - to get away from the crowd and have an extended amount of time alone. › SLIDE Find your mountain top to be with Jesus - it can be anywhere where you can spend extended time alone with Jesus intimately b. They went up specifically to pray i. Jesus is recorded time and time again spending time in prayer to His Father, so much so I believe the inspiration of scripture tells us that prayer is necessary for us! ii. As Jesus was praying His appearance was changed 1. The appearance of His face and even His clothing was changed 2. The word used for changed means a change in appearance that comes from within - we get our English word metamorphosis from this. 3. The other two Gospel accounts of Matthew and Mark both us the word transfigured › SLIDE Matthew 17:2 CSB 2 He was transfigured in front of them, and his face shone like the sun; his clothes became as white as the light. Mark 9:2 CSB 2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain by themselves to be alone. He was transfigured in front of them, 2. The disciples - like us - spent time in prayer but fall to the weakness of the flesh - they fell into a deep sleep a. Luke is the only one who includes the detail that the disciples fell asleep i. The idea is that they spent hours praying - after spending how ever long reaching the mountain top - they were tired out. ii. Sometimes the spiritual work and the physical work is exhausting - sometimes the daily rut can wear us out - and though we fight against it - like the disciples we begin to fall asleep b. It was when they awoke that we see that they saw this transformation of Jesus i. They are recorded as being fully awake - this wasnt a dream and wasnt them sleepwalking ii. When they are fully awake they see His glory - described as a change in His very appearance and clothing 1. I tend to see this as not just when waking up but when their eyes were fully opened - they saw the glory of Jesus 2. It wasnt a miracle they saw but it was the pausing of an ongoing miracle - the suppression of His glory - and sometimes we focus on the suppressed person and it causes us to not see Jesus as He really is › SLIDE We tend to be amazed and stunned to consider seeing His glory - but what is truly amazing is that Jesus continued to hide it. c. When we spend intimate time with Jesus - He reveals His glory › SLIDE When we catch a glimpse of the glory of Christ we are refocused on who He really is › SLIDE See What Lies Ahead › SLIDE Luke 9:30-32 CSB 30 Suddenly, two men were talking with him-Moses and Elijah. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem. 32 Peter and those with him were in a deep sleep, and when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men who were standing with him. 1. Not only did the disciples witness the glory of Christ, but they also saw two men appear with Christ a. These two men appear and are talking with Christ and they are identified as Moses and Elijah i. Pay attention to this wonderful news - these two prophets - appear in glory - like Christ 1. This is how we are told in scripture that we will appear when Christ appears for the Rapture 2. When the Rapture occurs - the dead are raised and we who are alive are caught up with them in the air with Him! › SLIDE 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 CSB 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel's voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. › SLIDE 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 CSB 51 Listen, I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. ii. This is called glorification and is the final state for those saved in Jesus 1. Notice something - Moses and Elijah are recognizable - we will know and be known in eternity 2. Heaven doesnt require name tags b. I believe Moses and Elijah appeared here to be representative of the promise of the rapture as a way to refocus the disciples and us this morning on the Kingdom of God i. The kingdom of God promises eternal life - for all who believe in Jesus - whether we live or die ii. Moses and Elijah represent all of the Law and Prophets 1. Moses is one who died - but here he appears in glory 2. Elijah was caught up or raptured to heaven - but here he appears in glory 2. These two appeared in glory speaking with Jesus - about His departure a. Jesus departure is His death - the crucifixion in view here - it is a different word used here from verse 33 i. Speaking to Jesus and encouraging Him in the very thing Peter rebuked Him for ii. Jesus' death is referred to as a departure - Greek is exodus - a departure or a leaving from one place to another b. Also note that Jesus death is called an accomplishment i. Death wouldnt be something that happened "to" Jesus or something that just found Jesus › SLIDE Sometimes we need to refocus - Jesus' death was not an accident or a tragedy it would be and was an accomplishment ii. We need to refocus on this - because it is in this statement - we are reminded of the sufficiency of the Gospel to fix what nothing else on earth can - sin 1. Jesus accomplished in death what nothing else could › SLIDE Romans 1:16 CSB 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. › SLIDE 1 Corinthians 1:18 CSB 18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to us who are being saved. › SLIDE See That You Listen › SLIDE Luke 9:33-34 CSB 33 As the two men were departing from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it's good for us to be here. Let's set up three shelters: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"-not knowing what he was saying. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud appeared and overshadowed them. They became afraid as they entered the cloud. › SLIDE Luke 9:35-36 CSB 35 Then a voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, the Chosen One; listen to him!" 36 After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They kept silent, and at that time told no one what they had seen. 1. While seeing all this Peter has been silent until now a. In Peter fashion he speaks without understanding - Luke tells us he speaks not knowing what he was saying i. Speaks to Jesus saying Master - it is good that we are here - so good in fact lets setup 3 shelters - tents or tabernacles 1. One for you 2. One for Moses 3. One for Elijah ii. Jesus had just spoken to them 8 days ago about seeing the kingdom of God - perhaps He thought this is what that was 1. It was the time of the feast of booths or tabernacles - a feast of ingathering - which has an association with the coming kingdom › SLIDE Zechariah 14:16-21 CSB 16 Then all the survivors from the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of Armies, and to celebrate the Festival of Shelters. 17 Should any of the families of the earth not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of Armies, rain will not fall on them. 18 And if the people of Egypt will not go up and enter, then rain will not fall on them; this will be the plague the LORD inflicts on the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Shelters. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Shelters. 20 On that day, the words HOLY TO THE LORD will be on the bells of the horses. The pots in the house of the LORD will be like the sprinkling basins before the altar. 21 Every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the LORD of Armies. All who sacrifice will come and use the pots to cook in. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of Armies. 2. Peter didnt misunderstand necessarily what he was seeing - but his focus was off b. Peter is wanting to setup the shelters here and welcome in the kingdom - he was continuing to ignore that Jesus must suffer and die first before the kingdom comes 2. While Peter is still talking - a cloud appeared and overshadowed them a. The language is such that all 6 or just the three Jesus Moses and Elijah were enveloped in the cloud i. Whoever was in the cloud - we know that the disciples were the ones who began to be afraid ii. a cloud is often times representative of God's divine presence › SLIDE Exodus 13:21-22 CSB 21 The LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to lead them on their way during the day and in a pillar of fire to give them light at night, so that they could travel day or night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night never left its place in front of the people. › SLIDE Exodus 40:38 CSB 38 For the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and there was a fire inside the cloud by night, visible to the entire house of Israel throughout all the stages of their journey. iii. Most likely the fear was from an overwhelming sense of the presence of a Holy God - which is awe and dread › SLIDE Isaiah 6:5 CSB 5 Then I said: Woe is me for I am ruined because I am a man of unclean lips and live among a people of unclean lips, and because my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Armies. b. Then a voice spoke from the cloud - declaring " This is my Son, the Chosen One, listen to Him! i. Listen in all things - this will refocus you › SLIDE Deuteronomy 18:15 CSB 15 "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. 1. Even in His prediction of the necessity of His death 2. If they would listen, and if we would listen today - we would find great confidence in this - Jesus knows what He is doing, He promised that He would suffer, die and rise again - He is the King of Glory as revealed here and recorded and remembered for us today › SLIDE 2 Peter 1:16-18 CSB 16 For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; instead, 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 beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased!" 18 We ourselves heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain. › SLIDE John 1:14 CSB 14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. ii. After the voice Jesus was found alone › SLIDE We get out of focus when we listen to other voices - but it is the voice of Jesus that will refocus us Refocused by hearing that those who bear their cross would receive the glory Conclusion The transfiguration was not the outside in, but from the inside out - Jesus' person was transformed before His clothing. a. We can experience a spiritual transformation experience each day as we walk with the Lord - it is a process in which we surrender body mind and will and the Lord transforms us from the inside out - this process is sanctification We must refocus on prayer and staying awake - prayer changes things most of which is our own countenance and is the key of a transformed life. Spiritual sleepiness will keep many from experiencing the glory of God. Our prayer should include that He would keep us awake in Him We must refocus - by seeing Jesus death - described as a departure - it is a journey from one place to another it is not a cessation of existence - the end isnt the cross - the end is the glory of God and understand that the glory comes in spite of what sinful men may do Building tabernacles is not kingdom business - following Jesus to the cross is - Living crossfit means living in a way we cannot be comfortable -> we must do the things needed before we can rest in our reward As wonderful as experiences like this are they are not the basis of a consistent Christian walk - we must refocus to know that only comes from listening to the Word As impressive as this experience must have been - it in itself did not change the lives of the disciples as much as being born-again did - Guzik Being born again is the greatest miracle and the greatest display of God's glory ever - you can experience being born-again right now by placing your faith and trust in Jesus' death on the cross. Page . Exported from Logos Bible Software, 9:17 PM June 13, 2020.