The Transfiguration

Intro: Last week we looked into the account of Peter’s confession of Jesus Christ as The Messiah and Lord. We saw while Jesus pathway in Messiahship went through the death on the cross. In the same way our pathway of discipleship comes through dying to oneself.

Then today we come to another account. This account is not meant to be read separate from last weeks but rather they are intimately connected. Today we come to the transfiguration.

Matthew 17:1–13 CSB

1 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 He was transfigured in front of them, and his face shone like the sun; his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it’s good for us to be here. If you want, I will set up three shelters here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased. Listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown and were terrified. 7 Jesus came up, touched them, and said, “Get up; don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up they saw no one except Jesus alone. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone about the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 10 So the disciples asked him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 “Elijah is coming and will restore everything,” he replied. 12 “But I tell you: Elijah has already come, and they didn’t recognize him. On the contrary, they did whatever they pleased to him. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he had spoken to them about John the Baptist.

The word used for “transfiguration” is similar to the word we use for when a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. It isn’t that a caterpillar and butterfly are two different species but rather it’s the caterpillers true form is realized. In the same way we see this very thing in this account.

Trans: The first thing I want you to notice is the when of the transfiguration

Matthew 17:1 CSB

1 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.

the phrase “after six day” is significant because the wording ties this account to the preceding chapter. Now in Luke’s account it is recorded about 8 days had past. This is not a disagreement between the texts but rather Luke is using a greek idiom. This phrase is used in the same way we would say “in about a week or so” meaning around 6-8 days from now.

In all three synoptic gospels we see that this account is connected to the previous account of Peter’s Confession.

Trans: So when did the disciple see a glimpse of God’s true glory?

I. They didn’t truly see Jesus glory until they first recognized him as the Messiah.

So often the skeptics want it the other way.

We see this same attitude from the soldiers at Christ Crucifixion.

Matthew 27:42 CSB

42 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.

People often claim they first want to see God’s glory before they will believe.

The only time a skeptic will see the glory of God will be at the great white throne judgement when God cast the rebellious into eternal hell.

It is a foolish thing for a skeptic to request to see God’s glory before he will believe. For at the time of judgement he will believe but for him it will be to late.

We will not see the glory of the Messiah on this earth until we have confessed Him as Messiah and Lord.

The next thing I want you to see is there nature of the transfiguration.

Matthew 17:2–3 CSB

2 He was transfigured in front of them, and his face shone like the sun; his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him.

Throughout scripture we see this consistent imagery.

Revelation 1:16 CSB

16 He had seven stars in his right hand; a sharp double-edged sword came from his mouth, and his face was shining like the sun at full strength.

Daniel 7:9 CSB

9 “As I kept watching, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was white like snow, and the hair of his head like whitest wool. His throne was flaming fire; its wheels were blazing fire.

Psalm 104:2 CSB

2 He wraps himself in light as if it were a robe, spreading out the sky like a canopy,

Twice in the Old Testament Moses as a result of being God’s presence his face shone bright.

In these experiences both Moses and the disciples were getting a small glimpse of the glory of God.

Trans: when man comes into contact with the glory of God, it is to much for them to handle.

When Moses encountered God at the burning bush he hid his face.

When Moses recieved the 10 commandments he had to hid himself in the cleft of the rock to keep from dying because God’s glory is overwhelming.

When Isaiah encountered God he immediatly was overwhelmed by his presence and believed his life to be lost and exclaimed whoa is me for I am a man of unclean lips.

Now in this account we see

II. The Disciples reaction to the Glory of God

Matthew 17:4–6 CSB

4 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it’s good for us to be here. If you want, I will set up three shelters here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased. Listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown and were terrified.

We see three reactions to this glimpse of God’s glory

A. Workmanship

When Peter encountered the image of God in the savior his reaction was to do something.

A believer does not encounter God and have no desire to serve him. Even though Peter’s idea was not what God had called him to accomplish, Peter was so overwhelmed by the savior he had to do something about it.

B. Worship

When the Shekina glory cloud came down and surrounded them they fell on their faces.

Every shred of dignity and pride was stripped away before the presence of the Lord.

You don’t see this internal conflict happening.

Imagine with me for a minute if the story went something like this instead:

Then the disciples felt God’s presence, heard his voice and then looked at the other disciples to see if they were going to worship.

You see when we encounter the presence of God , there is no hesitancy in worship. There is no worrying if my neighbor can hear me sing or if someone thinks I weird for raising my hands or kneeling in worship.

When one recognizes God’s glory, he or she is always overwhelmed by it.

C. Fear.

The last reaction we see is fear.

Matthew 17:6 CSB

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown and were terrified.

Now for the believer we have heard the fear of God means to respect him. While this is true in a sense, we have become to casual in our understanding of the nature of God.

A well known pastor put it this way:

the New Testament treats the fear of God as a motive for not turning away from him. We should fear in the sense that we seek refuge from God away from God’s terrible wrath. God’s grace in Christ is the refuge from God’s wrath outside Christ. There is terror outside of Christ, and there is a different kind of trembling inside of Christ.

When we encounter God there is not the fear that drives us from him but rather the fear that drives us to him.

Throughout scripture God is described as awe-powerful, a consuming fire, a great and terrible judge.

It is with this knowledge that we run to him though Jesus Christ.

But yet in the church today we have become to casual with the idea of God.

God is not your coach, buddy, or grandfather.

He is an all-powerful being who can both create life and destroy it with by simply uttering a word.

He brought salvation through His Son Jesus Christ and he will reign down wrath and judgement on those who reject him.

He will bring those who repent into heaven and he will cast the unrepentant into eternal hell.

He does not exist for your pleasure, but we for his.

To fear God means that we are in awe and reverence of his nature and power. Their is nothing casual about our relationship to Him.

Why does the church look so much like the lost world today? Because Jesus has become more like a good buddy in our minds than the Lord of all creation. We have lost our amazement, awe, and reverence of God.

When our limited minds glimpse God’s glory, We will worship, We will serve, and we will both love and fear his name.