Jesus Only Series

ESSENTIAL KING JESUS: Jesus Only

MARK 9:2-8

#kingjesus

USE AUDIO BIBLE: Mark Chapter 9:1-50 [6:13]

https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/Mark.9

INTRODUCTION… “Last Man Standing” (wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Man_Standing)

The phrase ‘Last Man Standing’ is one that is applied to many TV shows, albums, and movies. It is a phrase that means ‘the sole survivor of a battle’ or commonly means someone who outlives all others or after all others have failed… the one who wins.

In music, ‘Last Man Standing’ is the 39th album released by rock and roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis in September 2006 who began his career in 1949. The title derives from the generation of 1950s Sun Studios recording artists such as Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley, all of whom have died, leaving Lewis the ‘last man standing.’

There is a biography of Jamie Dimon titled ‘Last Man Standing’ that came out in 2009 who is a billionaire and the CEO of JPMorgan Chase. His net worth is 1.8 billion.

In TV, there are 5 TV series with the name which includes Tim Allen’s comedy which just finished its run on FOX. It refers to Allen’s character who is the father of 3 daughters and pitches him as the last one holding on to what he values most.

There are 3 movies with the title ‘Last Man Standing.’ I’ve only seen 1 of them which is a Bruce Willis movie that came out in 1996 and was a box office bomb. It has a lot of similarities to Clint Eastwood’s ‘Fist Full of Dollars’ so I recall liking it.

I also noticed that there is an enduro off-road motorcycle race in Bulcher, Texas which has 300 riders racing over 40 miles in one lap. 2 laps are during the day and 2 laps are at night. Just for fun, I looked up Bulcher, Texas… it is a community with 6 residents and it has nothing but the 2,500 acre off-road park. The one who wins the race, sponsored by Red Bull, is crowned ‘The Last Man Standing.’

The phrase comes to mind as we read the passage from Mark 9 today. We see this miraculous event in the life of Jesus Christ and in the end, it is just Jesus standing there. He is the last and only Man standing. Just Jesus. Jesus only.

READ MARK 9:2-8 (ESV)

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, 3 and His clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 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.” 6 For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son; listen to Him.” 8 And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

ESSENTIAL KING JESUS

We are making our way through the Gospel of Mark that I’ve themed ‘Essential King Jesus.’ Each week we are taking a look at one passage in a chapter. Each week I want to share with one essential truth that is important for us to believe and then also communicate to others about Jesus. We are focusing on the Essential King Jesus. The Essential King Jesus in Mark 9 is: Jesus only.

SITUATION: TRANSFIGURATION

The passage that we are looking at today happened 6 days after the passage we looked at last week. In Mark 8, Jesus asked the disciples Who they thought He was. Peter confesses in Mark 8:29, “You are the Christ.” That confession marks a turning point in the ministry of Jesus. Jesus foretells of His death and His resurrection even though they really are not sure what He is talking about.

Six days later Jesus takes Peter, James, and John with Him for a little field trip. This field trip underscores the confession that “Jesus is the Christ” (8:29) and also underscores Jesus’ comment in Mark 9:1 about some of the disciples seeing the Kingdom of God coming in power.

Peter goes with Jesus. Who is Peter? Peter, also known as Simon Peter, is the most-of-the-time leader of the disciples. He is always listed first when disciples are listed. He is the one who jumped out of the boat when Jesus was walking on the water (Matthew 14). He is the one who made the confession about Jesus being the Christ in the last chapter (Mark 8). He is also the one who denied Jesus three times once Jesus was arrested (Luke 22). Simon Peter also stood and gave the first Christian sermon at the birth of the Church on Pentecost (Acts 2). Peter wrote 1 & 2 Peter and is in the background of the Gospel of Mark.