INTRODUCTION
- Today's message marks the sixth in our series of sermons on the miracles of Jesus
- And I've got...a bit of a problem
- See- I'm not sure the event we're examining today should be classified as a miracle
- It was incredible- no doubt about it!
- But it was so different from the other miracles Jesus performed
- I mean- up to now the miracles we've talked about have been pretty straightforward
- Jesus does something that miraculously transcends the laws and processes of science and nature
- He-
- Changes water into wine
- Heals people of their illnesses and diseases
- Walks on water
- Feeds huge crowds with meager provisions of food
- Calms a raging storm
- But today's miracle- the miracle of the Transfiguration- isn't like that at all
- In this case- we're not talking about something Jesus did
- But something that happened to Him
- It's so important that it's recorded in Matthew, Mark & Luke
- Today we're going to examine Mark's account of this miracle
- So turn with me to Mark- chapter 9. We'll begin with the second verse
THE MIRACLE: WHAT HAPPENED
- Mark tells us this miracle happened after six days
- The question is: Six days after what?
- In this case it had been six days since Jesus told His disciples the most painful thing they'd ever heard
- It had happened at a place called Caesarea Philippi
- Has anyone ever told you something that was so shocking- so terrible- so beyond belief that your mind couldn't absorb it?
- I remember on September 11, 2001 Richard Kroenke called about 9:15 and told me I needed to turn on the television
- By that time both of the jumbo jets had crashed into the World Trade Center towers
- So I'm sitting in my office- listening to the news
- But it was like my mind didn't grasp the enormity of what I was seeing
- So for about 30-45 minutes I continued to work on whatever I was working on
- That sense of disbelief swept over the disciples when Jesus told them He was going to be killed in Jerusalem
- They couldn't accept it.
- It couldn't be.
- It made no sense
- Jesus was the Messiah- the Christ
- How could He be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and teachers of the law?
- And as for being killed- that was impossible! No harm could ever come to God's Chosen One
- It was so unbelievable Peter pulled Jesus to the side and chastised Him
- Stop talking like this Jesus! This is NEVER going to happen to YOU!
- We won't LET it happen! You're NOT going to be killed! Don't mention it again!
- Well you can imagine Peter's shock when Jesus turned and said: "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." (Mark 8:33)
- A few minutes earlier Jesus had praised Peter for recognizing that He was the Christ
- Now Jesus was calling Peter 'Satan'
- For 6 days those terrible words lingered like a festering wound
- The disciples unable- or unwilling- to believe that Jesus might have to die
- And Jesus- more determined than ever- to face His destiny on the Cross
- The Greek word translated as 'transfigured' is metamorphoo
- It's the same word that gives us our English word 'metamorphosis'
- It literally means 'to be changed into another form'
- Matthew adds this detail about Jesus' appearance: His face shone like the sun...
- Pretty amazing stuff
- Dazzling white clothes and a face that glowed like the sun
- But- come on- give me some real details
- What was going here?
- What was happening to Jesus?
- Well here's the thing:
- There are no words to describe what happened on the mountain that day
- It was incomprehensible- and it wasn't over yet!
- The appearance of Moses and Elijah is not coincidental- if you understand what these men represented to the Jews
- Moses represented the Old Testament Law in all its glory
- GOD'S Law
- The Law that established the system of sacrifice and atonement for sin
- Elijah represented all the prophets of the Old Testament
- The men who proclaimed God's truth
- Who foretold the Coming of God's Chosen One
- Given all that- it's not surprising to learn what Jesus, Moses and Elijah were talking about
- In other words: Moses and Elijah were talking to Jesus about His Crucifixion and Resurrection
- Everything the Old Testament Law and prophets had pointed to
- Was being fulfilled in the birth, life, death and Resurrection of Jesus!
- You know- at this point I'm surprised the disciples didn't drop dead of a heart attack
- They were seeing something that had never happened before- and has never happened since
- They were thunderstruck- they didn't know what to say or do
- Throughout the Old Testament God's presence is frequently described as being an enveloping cloud
- So to say a voice came from the cloud
- Means that God Himself was speaking to the disciples
- In that context- the phrase Read Him! is more than a suggestion
- It's an order- it's a direct commandment from God
- It means-
- Not only are you supposed to Read whatever Jesus says
- You're supposed to obey- and accept- whatever He says
- And that meant accepting the truth that Jesus was destined to die on the Cross of Calvary!
- As suddenly as the transfiguration began- it ended
- Jesus' appearance returned to normal
- Elijah and Moses disappeared
- And the voice in the cloud was no longer heard
THE MIRACLE: WHAT IT MEANS
- Earlier I said I wasn't sure if you should call the Transfiguration a miracle
- OK- I fudged a little
- Obviously- this was a miracle!
- No doubt about
- But what did it mean?
- What was it telling us about WHO Jesus was
- And WHY Jesus had come to Earth?
- I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record
- But this is another one of those places were you have to go back to Old Testament
- To understand the significance of something that happened in the New Testament
- In this case you have to go back to Moses' experience with God on Mt. Sinai. Turn with me to Exodus 33
- One of the unique aspects of Moses' relationship with God was its intimacy
- The Bible says Moses spoke to God like a man speaks with his friend
- In this case Moses is asking God to be with him- and give him the wisdom he needs to lead the children of Israel
- It's almost like Moses can't take 'Yes' for an answer
- God has promised that His holy power and presence would always be with Moses and the children of Israel
- And Moses is essentially saying: Prove it Lord!
- Folks- this is a truly audacious request
- Moses wants God to reveal Himself-
- In all His majesty
- In all His power
- In all His wonder
- In all His holiness
- In all His righteousness
- In all His justice
- In all His mercy and grace
- In other words: Moses wants to know EVERYTHING he can possibly know about God
- God's point is that He's going to pull back the curtain and reveal Himself to Moses
- With one important exception: you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live
- The point here is that no human being can comprehend the full glory of God
- If you ever did you'd be struck dead
- It would be more than you mind could absorb- more than your heart could handle
- Don't get hung-up on the references to God's hand- and His back- and His face
- The Bible teaches us that God is pure spirit. He doesn't have a physical body
- The idea here is that God is going to let Moses see a reflection of His power and glory
- It's kind of like viewing a total eclipse of the sun
- If you look at an eclipse directly the retina of your eye would be destroyed
- To be safe- what you have to do is look at a reflected image of the eclipse
- Moses had already learned God's chosen name at the Burning Bush
- The name- pronounced Yahweh or Jehovah- means 'I Am'
- Here God explains what His name means
- It means He is...
- Compassionate and gracious
- Slow to anger
- Abounding in love and faithfulness
- It says that while God is...
- The holy and righteous Judge of the Universe
- He's also ready, willing and able to offer forgiveness- and salvation- to anyone who calls on the name of Jesus!
- 1 John 1:8-9
- With all this in mind- let's see what happens in the aftermath of Moses' encounter with God
- How awesome is the glory of God?
- Moses had seen a reflection- just a fleeting glimpse- of God's glory and it left his face with a radioactive glow
- As for the Israelites-
- When they looked at Moses they were seeing a reflection of a reflection of God's glory
- And it overwhelmed- and terrified- them
- You know- sometimes Christians forget to treat God with the awe and reverence and respect He deserves
- Because we know Him as being perfect in love-
- We like to think of Him as some doting grandfather in the sky
- You'll even hear people talk about: The old man upstairs
- But in the glory of His holiness and righteousness and majesty God is much more than that
- The Bible says He's always clothed in light inaccessible- that He's a consuming fire
- A burning presence before whom human beings must bow in humble worship and adoration
- Read the way He's described in Psalm 18:6-13
- That's incredible stuff- and here's how it ties into the miracle of Jesus' Transfiguration
- On that mountain Peter and James and John had seen the full glory of God the Father revealed in Christ the Son
- There could no longer be any doubt. Jesus...
- Was more than just a man- a mother's pride and joy
- Was the only begotten Son of the Living and Holy God- the awesome and All-powerful Creator of the Universe!
- Many decades later- John is reflecting on that incredible experience and writes these words
- No wonder the disciples were terrified
- They'd seen the glory of God revealed in all its power and majesty
- Jesus had pulled back the curtain of His humanity
- And revealed the essence of His glory- the glory of God Himself!
- The impossible had happened!
- They had seen God
- And lived to tell others about Jesus!
CONCLUSION
- I know it's still two months away- but that's the miracle we celebrate at Christmas
- When you stand beside the manger
- You're not just seeing Mary's baby
- You're looking into the face of God
- Think about it. In the Old Testament.../ In the New Testament...
- God...
- Reveals Himself as an all-consuming fire
- Reveals Himself as an infant nursing at His mother's breast
- Moses.../ The shepherds...
- Is warned: 'You can not see My face and live'
- Are invited to come into the stable and see Jesus asleep in the manger
- God...
- Saves the children of Israel by freeing them from the bondage of Egyptian slavery
- Sends His own Son to die on a Cross to save us from sin and death
- It's the same God
- In the Old Testament God is revealed in terrifying power and majesty coupled with gentleness and love
- In the New Testament God is revealed in humble innocence and grace coupled with majestic holiness and righteousness
- Philippians 2:5-11
- Why can you be absolutely, positively, beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doubt certain of your salvation?
- Because Jesus was God in human flesh
- Because Jesus allowed Himself to be nailed to a Cross for your sin
- Because God the Father raised God the Son back to life three days later!
- Because God was in Christ Jesus reconciling the world unto Himself
- Let us pray
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