Mark 9:1-8
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Big Idea:
Big Idea:
The transfiguration reveals God’s commitment to restoring our personal relationship with Him.
Intro:
Intro:
Hi Church Online! Thanks for joining us.
Well, Summer is coming! Many of us step outside and feel the heat (and humidity) starting to rise, revealing warmer days are ahead. And that brings a sense of excitement with it.
Kids are excited because that means school’s out!
Families are excited because vacations are on the horizon.
And we’re just glad it’s not cold anymore!
But Summer, at least here in New England, brings its own set of challenges.
Bugs - like everyone’s favorites: Ticks and mosquitoes.
High electric bills - because the A/C is always on.
It even has unique church challenges - again, at least in our New England Church context… Janelle and I have now lived in Connecticut for almost 7 years and we’ve noticed a spiritual rhythm that seems to sync with the seasons...
In the Fall, everyone is busy. However, that busyness includes getting back to business: Going back to school, getting back on teams as youth sports start up again, and even getting back to church. Church activity is typically high in Fall. I love it.
Winter is interesting. It kinda has two options:
1) Since New Englanders are very independent and, “No one tells the architects of American Independence what to do! Not even the weather!” that even in a blizzard, New Englanders are going out! Even to church - I’m cool with that!
2) The other option is, “It’s too cold. We ain’t going no where. See you in Spring.”
However, overall we’ve noticed Winter is a very faithful discipleship season. People are willing to invest in their spiritual growth, whether at church or in homes.
Spring, like Fall, is also a busy church season. Easter’s coming. It’s getting warmer. People are back to church.
…however, in Summer, everyone is GONE! Especially in a town like Glastonbury! And it’s a difficult season for the church.
Attendance is down so the room looks empty.
Giving goes down (because people are gone or using funds for vacation) and that makes it hard to pay the bills.
And our ministry teams run on a skeleton crew because everyone on vacation is hitting the “decline” response in Planning Center.
And even for a church like ours, which is currently experiencing a season of solid growth (both numerically and spiritually), Summer is scary...
What if no one shows up this week?
What if we can’t meet our financial obligations?
What if we lose the spiritual momentum our church is experiencing pre-Summer?
What if people become spiritually unhealthy as their participation becomes less consistent?
All of these are valid concerns for any church that wants to see God’s Kingdom spread and people experience abundant life in Jesus! However, during COVID, God began to speak to me with a fresh perspective. He challenged me with, “What if Summer wasn’t a season of decline, but a season of sending?”
What if we used the seasons of winter and spring (more consistent and faithful seasons) to equip people and strengthen their faith in anticipation for Summer?
What if we stopped trying to fight the natural rhythm of our community (people enjoying summer) and started seeing it as an opportunity to SEND people out into the world to share Jesus wherever they went?
What if Summer no longer was a season of church-worry, but church-confidence?
… because the truth is, whether Summer or not, whether people are in church on Sunday or not, we should ALWAYS be CONFIDENT in the power of the gospel.
In Jesus’s plan to save the world.
In the power of the Holy Spirit working in and thru the people in our church, regardless of their location on Sunday morning!
And it’s this kind of confidence that Jesus reveals to His disciples in this our passage. Today, we’ll see that we have every reason to be confident in Jesus, our personal faith, and our church family. But before we jump into our passage, I must clarify something about my Summer comments… because people get mad and jump to conclusions when I rock the boat of church-attendance...
I fully believe corporate worship is biblical and of upmost importance to the Christian life. I believe every healthy Christian will long for, and participate in, the gathered worship of the church family that typically happens on Sunday morning, at a designated time and place.
I also believe it is necessary to practice your faith in community, meaning faith in isolation often leads to spiritually unhealthy places. A healthy Christian will prioritize being with their spiritual family for worship. When they are unable to do that on Sunday, then they will find other opportunities - like Life Groups or Discipleship groups - to stay connected to God and their church family - to keep growing in their faith!
I am NOT saying, “Hey, it’s Summer, who cares about Jesus and Church. Go have fun. Do whatever you want. Be confident in the grace of God for the next 3 months. See you in September.” While we should be confident in the grace of God, and His ability to preserve the saints based on the finished work of the Cross, that’s an unwise and unhealthy perspective. And you’d likely show up in September a spiritual wreck (if you showed up at all).
Jesus said...
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Healthy Christians are always connected to their church family. That being said, we always have reason to be confident about Jesus and what He’s doing in our life and community!
And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”
Okay, here at The River Church, we highly value the Bible. We believe it’s God’s perfect Word. We believe it’s alive and speaks to us and instructs us on how to live for Jesus. I also attempt to teach the Bible simply. I do this because I believe it’s important for everyone to understand what I’m preaching. But I also teach it simply to hopefully give you confidence in reading the Bible on your own. Because that’s gonna be key to growing in your faith, especially if you’re planning on away during Summer.
But in addition to teaching the Bible simply, I also want to give you some simple tips for understanding it, which is something I plan on doing in today’s sermon. For example, a good practice for understanding a Bible verse is to read the context - read the verses before and after. Because like verse 1, in isolation, we kinda have no idea what’s going on...
Now, if you were here at last week, you know we’re going thru the Book of Mark, and the story before this talks about...
Peter (one of Jesus’ closest disciples) making a profound declaration of faith. He says, “Jesus, You’re the Christ - the Savior!”
Jesus is like, “Okay, you guys are finally starting to get it. But now, let me share this… in order for me to save you, I need to die on the cross. Don’t worry, I’ll rise again.”
Peter (and the disciples don’t get it) so they’re like, “No way! That can’t be the plan!”
But I picture Jesus saying, with a Mandalorian-type of tone, “This is the way.” Adding, “Trust Me! The Kingdom of God comes by way of the cross!”
So, that’s the context. And it’s at this point that Jesus says...
And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”
Put simply, Jesus says: I’m going to prove this is the way the Kingdom of God comes!”
And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them,
In keeping with the theme of “training you for Summer,” I’m going to share some details about these verses, that honestly, you really don’t need to know in order to get the point of what’s happening. But… by sharing them… it might add to your personal Bible reading skills...
Notice how it says, “after six days,” which is simply referring to the 7th day. Many times in Scripture, the seventh day has significance. Often, it’s a day when God reveals Himself to people.
Additionally, divine revelation often takes place on “high mountains.”
Why are these details included? Mark is helping us understand something special is happening. Divine revelation is taking place. God is revealing something about Himself and His plan.
And how does Jesus go about this revelation? By “Transfiguration.”
The Greek word for this is similar to our English word “metamorphosis.” However, it doesn’t necessarily mean Jesus turned into something radically different, like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. No, It means to “outwardly reveal one’s true nature.” It’s kinda like Clark Kent opening up his shirt to reveal who he really is...
and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them.
The sense is, during Jesus’ transfiguration, He revealed something about Himself that could not be attributed to anything in creation. His radiance was brilliant white, but it was like no white that could be replicated or borrowed. The light from the Summer sun would fall radically short in comparison.
Jesus is like, “You want me to prove the way of the Cross brings the Kingdom of God? You want me to prove you can trust Me? Watch this!”
And what exactly does the transfiguration reveal to Peter, John, and James? It showed them, “Jesus is God Almighty! Lord of all Creation. King of the Universe!”
And the reason the disciples canbelieve Jesus’ promises, even when they don’t understand or agree, is because Jesus is God. Meaning...
He is perfect in everything.
He has the power to do whatever He wants.
And His ways never fail.
Therefore, they could trust Him! They can be confident in Him and His plans - in the way of the cross!
And that’s exactly what happened. Many years later, Peter, writing about this event, said, “Because of that experience, we have even GREATER CONFIDENCE [in God’s word].” (2 Pet. 1:19). Peter was like...
I knew Jesus was the Savior.
But then He started talking crazy. How the Kingdom of God comes thru death and the cross. And I did not get it.
But then Jesus brought me up on a mountain and I received divine revelation. And it changed everything! I saw the glory of the Son of God! And it gave me supernatural confidence in His promises!
… and in the same way, this story should give us confidence too, because Peter goes onto write, speaking to other Christians (and us), “You [also] must pay close attention to what they wrote, for [God’s word is] like a lamp shining in a dark place - until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.” That is, this story has the ability to impact us in the same way it impacted Peter!
...but, the story has a few more lessons to teach...
And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.
Not only does Jesus reveal His glorious nature, but two of God’s most powerful prophets supernaturally join the mountaintop experience. And the sense they start having this lengthy conversation with Jesus. But what were they talking about?
Well, Luke’s version of the story gives us these details...
…by the way, here’s another Bible reading tip (at least for reading the gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - the stories about Jesus). Many times, the gospel authors write about the same stores, just from a different (Holy Spirit inspired) perspective, which can give US details bringing deeper insight…
And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
What were they talking about? They were talking about God’s plan of salvation! His “departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” referred to the crucifixion - the act which paid for the sin of the world. The very thing Peter was doubting earlier. And here’s some more extra study details that you can add to your Bible reading tool box...
Moses is the one God gave the Law to - the 10 Commandments and all of the rules necessary for Israel to follow God.
Elijah is one of Israel’s most powerful prophets.
Together, they represent the Law and the Prophets, which is another way of referring to the Old Testament. And in this context, their presence communicates the truth that the Jewish Scriptures (the Law & Prophets) had always pointed to Jesus as God’s plan of Salvation!
Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
And again, Peter eventually got that. This mountaintop experience would give Him an unshakeable confidence in Jesus, the cross, and the coming Kingdom. But… that didn’t happen immediately, because look what he says...
And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
Here’s a helpful principle for us to understand: Even when we experience divine revelation, confident faith is developed over time.
Jesus gave Peter, James, and John a sneak peak into His divinity so they would confidently trust Him...
… but it still took time for them to truly get it. And before I explain what Peter said (and how he didn’t get it), let me encourage you…
If you’re still waiting for Jesus to reveal Himself to you...
If it’s still difficult for you to confidently trust Him, even though you want to...
If you’re still having trouble understanding God’s promises… hang in there.
You’re in good company. At this time, Peter and John literally saw God’s glory. They saw the Superman shirt under the suit… and they still didn’t get it. But over time and God’s grace, they transformed into men God used to change the world. God wants to do that in your life too!
Alright, let’s look at what Peter says...
When Peter says, “Let’s make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah,” he’s possibly...
Just wanting this miraculous moment to not end. I mentioned earlier that Jesus was having a long conversation with Elijah and Moses. Peter could simply be saying, “If we make a place to rest on the mountaintop, we can stay up here, and this amazing event can keep going!”
Or, the “three tents” could be translated “tabernacles.” And there could be a sense where Peter is saying something idolatrous and stupid. And while I want to believe the best for Peter, let me share why this later option is probable...
First off, Peter has a history of putting his foot in his mouth. He has a history of doing crazy things (like walking on water), and saying crazy things that result in Jesus calling him Satan.
But also… have you ever said (or heard someone say) crazy things when they’re sleeping or just waking up. Without naming names… I have a household full of sleepy-talkers. I hear some crazy things at night...
And once more… look at the detail of Luke’s account...
Peter and the others had fallen asleep. When they woke up, they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with him.
So, it’s very possible that Peter is asleep, wakes up, sees something he doesn’t understand, and in a sleepy discombobulation, was like, “Bruh, we should build 3 worship temples to memorialize this moment!” And I love how it says, “LET US make three tents...”
I could imagine John and James thinking, “Hey… uh uh… don’t drag us into this! We already up here on this high mountain. We ain’t trying to have God strike us with lightning!”
…And then, their fears comes true....
And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.”
Imagine waking up on a high mountain, being overwhelmed by seeing Jesus transfigured, Moses and Elijah, and then hearing stupid Peter say, “Let’s build three temples of worship! John and James will help me!” And then watch a heavy dark cloud roll over and cover everything, with a booming supernatural voice says in the likeness of angry Hulk, “This is my Son!!!!! Listen to Him!!!!!!!”
Couple things to point out about this verse:
First off, there’s a lesson here. In this life, when you don’t know what to say or do, the best practice is to “listen to Jesus.” Don’t try to make something up. When you’re confused, find out what Jesus has to say - listen to Him! Then, in response, act in faith and obedience. [Life Group invite? Answering tough questions?]
While a LITERAL reading of this verse seems to indicate a scary situation, I think something else is ACTUALLY happening here.
Btw - a LITERAL reading of Scripture is a good place to start. It’s not always appropriate, but I’m CONFIDENT in the biblical scholarship of our trusted Bible translations. You don’t have to worry about decoding some mysterious ancient language. In most cases, you will significantly grow in your faith by simply reading the Bible literally.
However, there are times when we need help with interpretation. That’s when we can use resources like our pastor, our church family, RightNow Media, or even free online Bible commentaries like enduringword.com [How to read the Bible- poll/interest?].
When I study this passage, I believe God is not angry, even though Peter spoke out-of-pocket and the literal reading gives off that vibe. First off, the cloud overshadowing them doesn’t need to be a spooky sign of judgment, but rather a sign of shelter.
For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.
As one Bible scholar says, “The one who God hides in the cloud has a special relationship with Him.” Additionally, Matthew’s version of the story says, “But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.”
Combine that with Hebrews 1:3 that says, “[Jesus] radiates God’s own glory and express the very character (heart) of God...” And what we’re seeing in verse 7 isn’t a contrasting picture of an angry Heavenly Father and a compassionate Son of God, but rather Jesus revealing the Father’s heart, which further interprets the “overshadowing cloud” as a invitation into a special relationship. In this moment, the disciples (as dense as they are) are personally invited into the loving presence of the Father, who is with them and for them. It’s part of the divine revelation that will give them confidence to keep following Jesus!
And that’s the sense of our final verse...
And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.
The cloud clarified Christ and inspired confidence to follow Him. And for us as well, if we can develop a lifestyle that confidently focuses on Jesus (whether it’s Fall, Winter, Spring, or Summer), we will see God’s Kingdom come in power.
Response (How can we apply this to our lives):
Response (How can we apply this to our lives):
So, as we close, what does this all mean for us and how can we apply it to our lives?
Well, like the disciples, we too are waiting to see the Kingdom of God come in power. After Jesus rose from the dead, He returned to heaven, but He also promised to come again. And when He does, He is going to bring the Kingdom of God in all its fullness and power. But until then, we’re living in a world that requires us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. But that’s difficult and many times we’re confused about our how to live out our faith. And it’d be super helpful if Jesus appeared in glory to show us His Superman suit and increase our confidence. We need some divine revelation too!
Guess what… Jesus will give us that. It just looks differently now. I read this verse earlier...
Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.
You know what Peter is telling us? That the Scriptures (the Bible - the message the prophets wrote) has the same ability to give divine revelation as Jesus did on the Mount of Transfiguration. The same power that was revealed to Peter, James, and John, is the same power revealed to us when we read the Bible. So, if your faith requires some divine revelation to build your confidence, open up your Bible/app and read. The Son promises to shine in your heart the same way He shined on that mountain. It has the same impact! It gives the same confidence!
Additionally, it should give us radical confidence that God is for us...
What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
God loves you. Even when you doubt. Even when you say and do stupid things. He, by His grace, invites you into His glory cloud through Jesus, to find a personal relationship with Him. When you put your faith in the way of the Cross (repenting and putting your faith in Jesus and what He did on the Cross), your sins (what separated you from God) will be forgiven and will experience the Kingdom of God in power!
And when you belong to the Kingdom of God, it’ll be with you wherever you go.
At the football field during Fall.
At home during a Winter Blizzard.
At church on Sunday morning on a beautiful Spring day.
Or, wherever you choose to go with your family this Summer.
Here’s the point: When we focus on Jesus, we can confidently expect to see the Kingdom of God come with power. In ourselves. In our church. In our community. He is God and His plan to save our world will come to pass.
So, today...
Be confident in the Kingdom of God.
Trust the way of the Cross.
And focus on Jesus.
Let’s pray...
Father, would you show us Your glory. By your power, would you give us divine revelation that helps us see Jesus more clearly. That helps us confidently trust in Him, no matter where we are or what season it is. We want to see Your Kingdom come in power. We want our lives changed, our families changed, our church changed, and our community changed. We’re sorry for all the stupid things we’ve said and done. We thank You for your grace that still invites us into your presence and offers us an eternal relationship of love. God, there is none like you. We love you. In Jesus name, amen.
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