09/08/24 Mark 9:2-13 Pastor Cody

I [Music] I [Music] in [Music] well good morning church you mind closing that door thanks well good morning church it's good seeing each and every single one of you here on this Lord's day it's a blessing to be here got a couple of things for you but before we do that Welcome to our church my name is Cody I'm the pastor here if you could do us a huge favor if you know you're new or maybe you just want some connection or something like that there is a card in the chair in front of you or around you if you could take that out fill it out drop it in the offering plate that would be huge in us being able to connect with you we'd love to do that and also if you have prayer requests and things that I can and the staff can pray for you about we want to pray for you and it's our honor and our privilege to do that couple announcements real quick Tuesday from 2: to 7:00 we've got our vision 316 eyeglass washing Clinic and so if you can take half an hour or two or three hours to come up here and just help get those eyeglasses prepared and ready to be measured so that way we can have tons of eyeglasses as we go on the mission trip to Mexico that would be huge in us being able to do that it's very age appropriate for even little ones and so that helps us to take ey glasses to Mexico as we do that Ministry so once again that's this Tuesday from 2 to 7 next Sunday it's going to be a big Sunday for us we got three baptisms that we're going to be celebrating so praise the Lord for that amen also we're going to be taking up the Missouri missions offering and that goes to support missions all around the

State of Missouri and all sorts of Ministries so it's going to be a great week planed to be here as we celebrate what God is doing in the lives of people in our congregation also at the end of the month we have our joy group fish fry that's always a big deal tons of crappie and it's going to be fantastic at se September 24th is going to be the date of the event it's $10 it's going to be taking place that evening you can get more information by going onto the church Center app or by calling the church office in order to sign up signups really do help it is going to be potluck style so you know we're providing all the fish you bring something to share cost is $10 that's also going to help pay for the presentation that Dr Neil Franks from the Missouri Baptist Foundation is going to be giving at that time and so once again if you want to sign up you can call the church office or sign up on Church Center lastly the lamine Baptist Association is hosting A discipleship conference here at the end of the month that's going to be September 27th and 28th it's 10 bucks that includes all your meals and it features speakers from local churches as well from the Missouri Baptist convention so if you're interested in making disciples what it means to make disciples how to make disciples strategies for discipleship making you need to be here and it's going to be a great time you can find out more information on Facebook and get plugged in that way other than that I think that's going to do it for us I want to invite PJ Gart to come up and pray over our service as we prepare ourselves to Worship the Lord PR father God I thank you and praise you for each one that is here on this campus morning I pray Lord for each intricate part of this service as we enter into worship for those on security those in

Child care and nursery I pray for each person each individual that Lord we would just honor you with our time with our just entering into this time of just worship giving worth back to you for what you've done for us through the gift of your son Jesus I pray that Lord you would just settle our hearts help us to be released from distraction from things that just take up our mind and heart and help us just to be centered on just who you are and what you desire to accomplish in our hearts this morning we ask this in your name amen good morning I know this is going to be a surprise to you but the world is out there to distract you away from what we're doing this morning if you've come not if you've come with burdens and concerns and worries and cares and I encourage you now I challenge you this morning to lay those aside we have one purpose this morning and that is to worship a great holy God and he desires that of you this morning so put all that other stuff away it'll still be there when you get done I promise so this morning the Scripture says we are to come into the house and to worship him so I encourage you to do that this morning if you'll stand as you can and let's just lift our voices and worship to a great holy God [Music] to God be the glory great things he has done so loved he the world that he gave us his son who he his life and atonement for S and the go praise the Lord praise the Lord let the Earth hear his prise the praise the let people to the father through Jesus the son and give him the glory great things he has [Music] done oh perfect Redemption the purchase of blood to every belever the promise of God the Defender who truly believes that moment from Jesus A

Part praise the praise the let the Earth hear his voice praise the Lord praise the Lord let the people rej oh come to the father through Jesus the son and give him the glory great things he has done great things he has taugh us great things he has done and great our rejoicing through Jesus the son pure and higher and greater will be our Wonder our transports when Jesus we see praise the Lord praise the Lord let the Earth hear his voice praise the Lord praise the Lord let the people Rejoice oh come to the father through Jesus the son and give him the glory great things he has done praise the Lord praise the let the Earth hear his voice praise the Lord praise the Lord let the people rej oh come to the father through Jesus the son and give him the glory great things he has done praise the Lord his Mercy is stronger than Darkness you every morning our sins they are many his Mercy is more but love could remember NOS we have done all knowing he counts not their into US St with the botom or our s they are many his Mercy is more praise the Lord his Mercy is Bor stronger than Darkness new every for sins they are many his Mercy is more what patience would wait as we constantly Ro what father so tender is calling us home Hees the weakest of the poor our they are many his Mercy is more praise the Lord his Mercy is stronger than Darkness new every BN our sins they are many his Mercy is [Applause] more but rich of kindness he lavished on us his blood was the payment his life was theost we stood in the death we could never aford our sins they are many his Mercy

More praise the Lord his Mercy is more stronger than Darkness every our s they are many his Mercy is more praise the Lord his Mercy is Bor stronger than Darkness to every morning our sins they are many his Mercy more they are many his [Music] mercy good morning church hope everybody's doing well we continue on in our worship time in a time of just trusting the Lord to provide for the ministries of the church through the people of the church let's pray Father in heaven we thank you Lord for your goodness and your grace we thank you Father for the work the jobs the different ways that you provide for us Lord we just thank you for that and God as we continue our worship today of taking some of what you have provided for us and providing it for the ministries of the church we pray God that you would use these Monies to reach out to those who don't know you to encourage those in growth that do know you and we thank you Lord in Jesus name amen this morning I'm going to read from Hebrews chap 1 verses 1-4 long ago at many times and in many ways days God spoke to our fathers by the prophets but in these last days he has spoken to us by his son whom he appointed the heir of all things through whom he also created the world he is the radiance of the glory of God in the exact imprint of his nature and he upholds the universe by the word of his power after making purification for sins he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on High having become as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs thus is the reading of God's word all I once held dear Built My Life all this world bre there

And Wars to own all I once that gain I have counted lost spent and worthless now compared to this knowing you Jesus knowing you there is no greater thing you're my all you're the best you're my joy my righteous and I love you Lord now my heart J is to know you more to be found in you and known as yours to possess by faith what I could not earn all surpassing GI of rightousness knowing you Jesus KN you there is no greater thing you're my all you're the best you're my joy my righteousness and I love you Lord oh to know the power of your K and life and to know you in your sufferings to become like you in your death my Lord so with you to live and never die knowing you Jesus knowing you there is no [Music] greater you're my all you're the best you're my joy my rightous and I love you Lord [Music] I Love You Lord knowing you Jesus KN [Music] you that one up again

Who has hel the O in his hands who hased every grain of sand kings and Nations tremble at his voice all creation Rises to re Behold our God Seated on his throne come let us adore him Behold our King nothing can compare come let us adore [Music] GI counsel to the Lord who can question any of his words who can teach the one who knows all things who can all his wondrous deed Behold our God Seated on his throne come let us adore him behold King nothing can come compare come let who has felt the nails upon his hands caring all the guilt of sinful man God Eternal humble to the Grave Jus Savior risen now to rain Behold our God Seated on his throne come let us adore him behold oh dark King nothing can compare come let us

Adore [Music] him you will R Your Glory fill the Earth Let Your Glory Glory fill the Earth Let Your Glory fill the [Music] heart Let Your Glory F the [Music] heart Let Your Glory the Earth Let Your Glory Be oh God Seated on his throne come let us adore him Behold our King nothing can compare come let us adore [Music] [Applause] [Music] father God we come to you this morning and ask that you would bless this time not because of who we are father because of who you are great holy God thank you for being our God thank you for allowing us the opportunity to come into this building today Father and to worship you father as you present as the word is presented this morning Father just ask that you would hide Cody behind the cross that the words that he speaks would come directly from you and that you and you alone would be glorified in it thank you for all those that are here this morning Father open our hearts help us to have Tender Hearts to your words for us this morning that you would be glorified in all that's said and done thank you God in Jesus precious holy name I pray amen well praise the Lord

Amen if you have your Bible in I hope that you do please turn with me to Mark chapter n Mark chapter N9 we're going to be starting in verses verse two we're talking about the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ Christ today the Transfiguration it's a it's a key event in the Gospels it's where Jesus he unveils his divine nature his true nature to a select few of his disciples three to be exact and you think about it you kind of wonder why not the other nine at that point in time why so specific with Peter James and John wish that I knew I don't but God he still works in that same way where he reveals very specific truths about himself to some people through the circumstances that they're in and other times he withholds that Revelation a little bit but we do know that God has fully revealed himself to us through his word which is given to us by the spirit of God so we can understand and we can comprehend a little bit more about God and yet by his grace he continues to show us more and more to know the truths that we find in Scripture about him more fully in our lives and so we're going to look at the Transfiguration of Christ today if you would stand with me in honor of God's word as we read Mark chap 9 verses 2 through1 13 God's word it says this 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 and his clothes became radiant intensely white as no one on earth could bleach them and there appeared to them Elijah with Moses and they were talking with Jesus Jesus and Peter said to Jesus Rabbi it is good that we are here let us make three tents one for you one for Moses

One for Elijah for he did not know what to say for they were terrified and a cloud overshadowed them and a voice came out of the cloud this is my beloved Son listen to him and suddenly looking around they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only and as they were coming down the mountain he charged them to tell no one what they had seen until the son of man had risen from the dead so they kept the matter to themselves questioning what this rising from the dead might mean they asked him why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come and he said to them Elijah does come first to restore all things and how is it written of the son of man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt but I tell you that Elijah has come and they did to him whatever they pleased as it is written of him and so Lord we do thank you for your word today pray that you would just move us God to behold more about you and your glory majesty we ask that you would give us spiritual eyes to see more of you at work in our lives and that you would give us understanding on how to rightly apply your word to our lives that we would be growing in our relationship with you we thank you for the hope that we have through your son Jesus that you have already qualified US you have already done all the work Lord and we thank you that now we have that job of abiding in you and growing in you Lord help us to do so and I pray for The Souls of people that are here that maybe don't know you and I pray and plead that you would move in their lives in such a real and Powerful way that today they would be born again by your spirit father we thank you for this time we pray for the many needs of the Saints in the church we want to continually bring before you Denny and Janet Lord we just pray that you

Would work in their lives and the many others that we know that are in need of healing and the souls that we know that are family members that need to be saved I just pray that you would work and give us opportunities to share we love you in Jesus J name amen well our passage this week begins with six days after the teaching of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ six days remember that the previous teaching was about the Messiah the that the fact that he would have to come and he would suffer and he would die and he would be buried and rise again on the third day and then he went ahead and he started talking about what messiahship actually meant it didn't mean being a military conqueror it didn't mean that he was going to be the greatest politician of all time although he will be the he is the greatest king of all time what it meant was that the Messiah was going to suffer and if we are followers of the Messiah that we were going to suffer as well we have to deny oursel take up our cross follow Jesus and six days after that event that we find ourselves on the mountain there's a lot of parallels between this mountain and the mountain of si if we if we look real quick we see that Jesus he takes up three disciples up onto the mountain Moses goes with three named persons plus 70 of the elders up the mountain Jesus he is transfigured and his clothes become radiantly white Moses's skin shines when he descends from the mountain after talking and being in the presence of the Lord God Appears in a veiled form in an overshadowing cloud and the same thing happens on Mount siai a voice speaks from the cloud here at the Transfiguration and the same thing happened back in Exodus the people were

Astonished when they saw Jesus the people they were afraid to come near Moses once he descended down the mountain they just put a blanket over his face so you know we don't know which mountain Jesus was on okay there's a lot of speculation but we do know that this event it takes place in the evening when you look at the parallel passages Luke says that they were heavy with sleep they were tired they were drowsy they were perhaps even asleep when this event began and it's probably incorrect to call this the Transfiguration I know that's what we call it as church and church history and things like that it's definitely a transformation we know it as the event that Christ he Reveals His true nature but the real Transfiguration took place when the word became flesh there in Bethlehem when God stepped down and was born in a small town to a small family with no Fanfare This Side of Heaven but what happens in this P passage is that Jesus he is transfigured in front of Peter and James and John and now the word that we get in the Greek is that he is transfigured metamorphosized right that's where we get that word from a metamorphous a complete change Jesus's face it shines like the sun according to Matthew his clothes become radiantly white and unlike Moses who simply ref reflected the glory of the Lord Christ he was emanating it he was shining with the full glory of God it's the difference between a light bulb and a wall reflecting that light that's the difference and so what is Jesus doing here big point if you take notes write this down is that Jesus he is revealing the deity of the Messiah of himself he is displaying for their eyes alone his nature and his Holiness and his goodness and it's a transformation it's

A metamorphosis that takes place that word metamorphosis it means to be changed completely unrecognizable it's why you can tell the difference between a caterpillar and a butterfly it's a metamorphosis it's a word that occurs only four times in the New Testament here in the parallel passage in Matthew and in Romans 12:2 in 2 Corinthians 3:18 let's look at what they say 2 Corinthians 3:18 it says and we all with unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord are being transformed metamorphosized right into the same image the image of what the image of God the image of Christ from one degree of Glory to another for this comes from the Lord who is Spirit In other words when we come to Christ there is a transformation of our nature that takes place and it's an ongoing transformation a growing in our love for the Lord a growing of our obedience the increasing in Grace increasing in victory over sin in our own lives in Romans 122 it points it out do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that's the process the renewing of our minds that by testing you may discern what is the will of God what is good and acceptable and perfect transformation is the Mark of a Christian I've used this illustration before but I'll use it again if I were to tell you guys that I'm was on my way to church this morning and I got a flat tire and I was out there and I was changing the tire and a logging truck came by and it just mowed me down on the side of the road and here I am what would you guys say to me he miss he missed me yeah he missed me I there's no evidence I would be pulp on the side of the road now I pray that never happens but you know there there's no there's no evidence of it in the same way a an untransformed Christian is not a

Christian you don't get to keep your nature we talked about that last week we must deny ourselves take up our cross follow Christ if we are to be his disciples we're not conformed to this world any longer now I love Independence Day not the movie The Day okay the movie is great too but I love I love celebrating the United States I love spending time with friends blowing stuff up I love of reminding my kids of the story of our independence the freedoms that we have I love that kind of stuff my favorite time though is when the sky is all illuminated all around the lake with all the pops of colors of gold and red and green and blue and purple and silver and everything's just going on but I don't like seeing the lights you know what I like seeing I like seeing my kids looking up at the lights right and seeing the like my daughter's face turn Green in the light and then you know on my other kid red and purple and they're just reflecting the glory of that light as Christians we are called to reflect the glory of God the glow of Moses's face was simply a reflection of being in the presence of God remember God he is light not that light is God but God is light in Christ he is not rebounding the presence of God from his flesh he was shining and radiating the Divine person that he is in other words Peter James and John they awoke and they found themselves in the very presence of God Almighty this is what the Scriptures say that we have seen his glory as of the only son from the father full of grace and truth that's John that's one of the witness to this event Craig he read from Hebrews 1 saying that Jesus he is the brightness of his glory and the express image of person because Jesus he doesn't reflect the light of God he is the light of the

Glory of God we believe that the father is fully God the son is fully God the Holy Spirit is fully God co-eternal co-equal United in their Divine Essence but distin in their personhood the son is not lesser than the father God is one and they are united in their Essence three persons of the godhead and they are holy which is why he radiated because he is Holy that's why his clothes were white so white that no one on earth could ever bleach them any cleaner than what they were because he is Holy Herman Melville in his book Moby Dick there's a whole chapter just devoted to the whiteness of the whale and in that chapter he talks about how white is used to represent all sorts of objects and movements and things in history and religion and in nature and yet whitness is also described or used to describe like elusiveness ghastliness horror as well as something that's sweet and pure and lovely and good and the thing is that the whale embodied all of those things that's why he was the white whale okay that's why he was so mysterious he was V he was horrible he was excellent he was pure he was powerful and in the same way horror descended upon the disciples Horror in the absolute best sense by the way horror at ourselves because we're Sinners if we stand in the presence of God we will be eviscerated we have no power to stand in the presence of God we are weak we are sinners that lay exposed at the very sight of God and yet how pure and how wonderful it is for us to behold God face to face in Jesus he revealed himself he had no spot he had no wrinkle he was perfect and

Blameless and when Christ was transfigured his glory was unveiled for a few moments his divinity showed through that veil of the Flesh and they saw the glory of the Messiah and here's another note for you guys is that when we see Christ when we behold Christ that means that we behold God Almighty Colossians chapter 1 it says he is the image of the invisible God the firstborn of all creation that doesn't mean that he was created it means that he has preeminence that he is the highest of highs that he's the most wonderful of wonderful for by him all things were created he is the uncreated creator in heaven and on Earth visible and invisible whether Thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things were created through him and for him and he is before all things and in and in him all things hold together Paul goes on to say this in Colossians 2 for in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily in verse four going back over to Mark chapter 9 in verse four there's more than just four people on that mountain okay you go to sleep and there's you know apparently they were praying if you look at the parallel Passage that's what was happening it was Peter James and John and Jesus but then you wake up and the glory of the Lord's around you and there's also two other people Elijah and Moses there's not one that was like Elijah not one that was like Moses It Was Elijah and Moses they were there too and according to the Book of Luke they were talking to Jesus about Jesus's departure which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem they're talking about the crucifixion Betrayal they're talking about the death the burial the resurrection and how did they know what

Was happening well don't forget that according to Peter their whole Ministry was geared towards you and I and those Believers as they prophesied look at what Peter says concerning this salvation the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully inquiring what person or time the spirit of Christ in them was indicated when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories it was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you in the things that have been now announced to you through those who preach the good news to you by the Holy Spirit Sent From Heaven things into which Angels long to look the prophets they knew about Christ and yet under inspiration of the Holy Spirit they didn't lay out all the specifics but they did exactly what the spirit of God prompted them to do but why Elijah and Moses why not Isaiah and Malachi why not Samuel or Hosea or Jeremiah or one of the other Pro prophets there's a lot of speculation and we're not going to go into all the speculation but one things we should note is that Moses he was the greatest leader in Israel's history okay he oversaw The Exodus out of Egypt he led the nation to the promised land he gave them the law from God he wasn't allowed to enter the promised land he was a prophet he was a judge he was a priest he wrote the first five books of the Old Testament Moses spent time with God it's probably a pretty good reason why Moses was there but then you have Elijah as well and Elijah he was a prophet and a defender of the Lord he dealt with Israel's idolatry and he brought powerful messages and demands of repentance upon the people of God and his ministry was highlighted by Miracles and the clear hand of God together these men they met the Lord on the mountain in both of their

Ministries they suffered for obedience to God they were rejected by the people of God and they were Vindicated by God as well and both of these men they stood out as some of the most exemplary Witnesses in the Old Testament a Jewish man could not ask for better Witnesses but what would you be thinking if you experienced something like this how would you react if you woke up in your bed one night and you were surrounded by the glory of the Lord what would your response be I know I know Peter he gets a really bad rap for what he says here it's like how can you be so stupid but you know people say dumb things when they're in a panic I know I do Peter he was at a lost for words and so he just speaks up he says Rabbi Matthew he records the word Lord in Luke it's recorded as Master that's a three-fold confession if you ask me and he says we it is good that we are here if you wish we could make three tents for you one for one for you one for Moses one for Elijah and Mark he records this and he's not saying like Peter's an idiot or anything like that it's not that he's speaking out of turn it's just that he doesn't know what to say and he's terrified he's terrified of being in the presence of God he's at a loss for words but there is a principle that we can learn about here is that when God reveals more about himself we should just be quiet and think on it record it meditate on it look to the Scriptures see if it's accurate because your thoughts are not the end all figure out why it's important but note that not just a loss of words that the disciples experienced it's also it's also Terror it's the word e Phobos it's like Supreme fear we know that in the presence of God

There is fullness of joy but also there is fear we know from Proverbs that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom in the more that we should be led to the fear of God more that we grow in God the more that we understand his majesty and his Holiness and his goodness and his Purity the right response for us is worship and humility and smallness Matthew he says that Peter was still speaking when this Cloud overshadows them and they're afraid as they enter the cloud what is this Cloud well the cloud was not God the cloud was hiding the Lord veiling himself when we study the Old Testament and we see a glowing Cloud it's always a sign of the presence of God it's how the Lord chose to reveal himself to the nation of Israel as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of Fire by Night the cloud covered the Tabernacle in the same way at the end of the book of Exodus if we look there it says this then the cloud covered the tent of meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle and Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle later when Solomon dedicated the temple to the Lord in First Kings it says this and when the priests came out of the Holy place a cloud filled the house of the Lord so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord in the Book of Ezekiel he saw the glory of the Lord moving around from chapters 8 to 11 it's a progression of the Lord moving further and further away until he finally leaves the people of God and that was 600 years before this event on the Mount of transfiguration and no one had seen the shahan that is the glory The Dwelling Place of God and in this night the cloud

Overshadowed them for the first time it had been in the presence of Israel in 600 years and they found themselves in the very presence of God it's amazing to me that Moses was not allowed to be in the Tabernacle he couldn't stand it he couldn't be there he wasn't allowed he got a glimpse of the glory of the Lord as it passed by the high priest wasn't allowed to see the glory of the Lord none of the priests were they were driven out of the temple because of the glory of God the prophets they saw it from afar but the disciples were given the honor of being in the glory of God and why is that why do you think that is I believe that it's because they were followers of Jesus Christ they knew Jesus or perhaps better said he knew them and they could stand in the presence of God because without Jesus we will be destroyed by the very presence and the goodness of God we can't stand there and yet by his grace he protected them and this teaches us something that it's only those that have a relationship with Christ that can be in the presence of God what happened in the cloud well it says that a voice spoke it's the father's voice this is my beloved Son Luke he includes there My Chosen One Matthew it says with who I am well pleased at the beginning of Christ's Ministry he reveals himself at his baptism and the father spoke from Heaven this is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased and this totally confirms Peter's confession from a few sermons ago that it's that Jesus is the Messiah he is the Christ of God but it's a call for the disciples to be obedient as well to their Lord and Master because the voice said listen to him listen to him years later Peter he would write this we did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told

You about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty for he received honor and Glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the magic from The Majestic Glory saying this is my son whom I love with him I am well pleased we ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain and all of those passages include that command from the father to listen to him this is a command of love that we are called instructed to listen to Jesus Christ and how does Jesus speak to us today primarily it's through the word of God that's why regular Bible reading and study of his word is a Mark of spiritual maturity in a Believer you won't find fully developed disciples that don't have access to God's word which is why getting God's word into the languages of people is so important we believe in the authority of Scripture the inherency and sufficiency and infallibility we believe that all Scripture is God breathed from Genesis to revelation we believe that we want people to have a knowledge of God not just a knowledge about God but to know God intimately closely when the father says listen to him he's not saying hear my words instead he's saying this is my son and when he speaks it is with authority over our lives and so when Christ speaks and we don't obey we're in Disobedience to the father when the disciples heard this voice in Matthew it says they fell on their faces terrified and what happens is that the transformed Christ he reaches down to them he touches them and he tells them don't be afraid and stand up and when they look up everything's back to

Normal and everything's kind of got a Wonder did I just imagine that did that really just happen it's only a Jesus no one else is there there's not Elijah there's not Moses there's not that cloud no glory of God it was only Jesus and for so many Christians they long to go to those Mountaintop experiences where the glory of God is so really manifested they long for that feeling of closeness and intimacy with God and yet Jesus when he remains is enough when we get back to normal everyday quite frankly boring Christianity we may not feel like we have the presence of God like we had on that Mountaintop experience in our walk but we have the very real presence of Christ that is given to us by his indwelling spirit and that is enough Jesus he led the disciples down the mountain and what do you say after something like that how would you continue that conversation your perspective on this person has completely changed at that point in time and for Jesus what he says is don't tell anyone about what happened until I Rise Again from the dead now were wondering what does that rising from the dead even mean you see for us as Christians we live in a period of time of already not yet of the kingdom of God we've seen God's glory in our Salvation where he has transformed us from one form to another we were once slaves and enemies of God that dwelt in darkness now we are freed children of God that abide in the light and yet we await the fullness of the kingdom of God where everything's going to be made new and everything's going to be different in a very physical and real tangible way that will be accomplished at his at his return now the disciples they saw Elijah on the mountain and so they automatically have questions about Elijah because the scribes and the

Pharisees they've taught about how Elijah must come before the son of man comes but then here's Jesus okay they believe him to be the Christ of God well what happened to that where why wasn't Elijah here did they get it wrong what does Jesus say he says that Elijah had come but they didn't recognize him Matthew provides some clarity it says then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist the people were looking for Elijah but God does not deal in reincarnation his plan it unfolds in surprising ways and ways that we don't expect it to and so we must trust his Sovereign will and his plan his plan included John the Baptist and his imprisonment and his beheading it included his persecution by the scribes and the Pharisees and we too must trust God's will and his plan for our lives which includes suffering and challenges that's been the theme that we've been co going over the last couple of weeks suffering never negates the goodness of God so what do we learn from this passage well we learned that the confirmation of Jesus Christ as the Messiah to his disciples it benefited Peter James and John to see Jesus revealed in such a mighty and Powerful way it affirmed God's love for his son passage also showed the Old Testament fulfillment of the Messiah and that Elijah had come it's good things but we also see that when everything on the mountain goes back Jesus remains remember that the entire Biblical narrative from Genesis to Revelation is about Jesus Christ Jesus he is the image of the invisible God which we see in this passage the Hebrews it goes on to point to him as our great high priest who understands and sympathizes with us in

Our sufferings and in our trials Jesus he is far greater than Elijah he is the greater Moses he is the king of kings and he is the Lord of lords but we also learn about the coming humiliation that's preceded by and succeeded by the glory and Majesty of God this ties directly to our Salvation because just as Christ shown in our hearts at our salvation and we continue in him we are guaranteed by the promises of God to receive glorified bodies when returns the God of all history he will make it happen because he's God he doesn't lie and he never fails in his promises and that's something that we can hold on to head heart hand and God he wants you to he wants you to know that knowing Jesus more and more leads to Greater humility and the fear of the Lord the disciples they fell down in fear one of these beholds Jesus Christ again and again in radiant Glory here's what one of the Observers of seeing Jesus he got to see the Risen Lord again in the Book of Revelation it says this when John saw him I fell at his feet as though dead but he laid his right hand on me saying fear not I am the first and the last and the living one I died and behold I am alive again forever more and I have the keys of death in Hades heart God he wants you to believe that by knowing Jesus it will prompt us to obey him more and more the Christian Life it is marked by growing obedience marked with repentance Jesus Christ he is the Son of God so listen to him in hand God wants you to consider the Lord Jesus think on him are you listening to him are you trusting him more and more what is it that you're going through take some time and find out what the word of God has to say about your

Trials and your circumstances and then bring yourself under his authority because Jesus is God Almighty let's pray father as we turn our hearts to responding to your word I just pray that you would move in our midst help us to understand more and more of the glory and the goodness of God I pray that above everything else that we would know you not in a superficial way not in a way that we know about athletes and their statistics but Lord that we would have intimacy and closeness with you God and I pray that for every every person that's here Lord if they don't know you I pray today would be that day they'd come to know you and that you would just work on their hearts God help them to behold you would see you clearly we ask that you would move Among Us God help us to adjust our lives to be in step with what you have for us God we ask that you would minister to our hearts today in Jesus name amen let's stand and let's worship together oh Soul are you wey and TR no light in the darkness you see there's life for a look at thei and life for abundant and free Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus the full in his wonderful face and the things of Earth will grow strangely D in the light of his glory and praise into life ever he pass and we follow him there over us in no more Domin than con We Heart Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus look fall in his wonderful face and the things of Earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his

Glory and praise [Music] if you got any questions about what it means to follow Christ grab a person that invited you or you can come up shake my hand say Cody let's talk about it I'd be happy to do that with you let me pray over us as we go from here father we do ask that you would watch over us today as we go as your ambassadors to be reflections of your light Lord to this dark world that desperately needs to know about the goodness and the glory of the Gospel of Jesus Christ father I pray and plead that you would continue to work in really cool ways we look forward to next week when we'll be baptizing some sisters Lord and to the I guess the kingdom of God Lord know that they know you and I thank you for that but Lord thank you for that public commitment where they're going to be doing that not just pray that from here until next Sunday that you would keep us that you would lead us God help us to come back to celebrate you more and more next week in Jesus name amen y'all go in peace [Music] for [Music] to