"Funeral Arrangements For Life"

8 March 2009

Second Sunday in Lent

U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris

Fortress Chapel

Contingency Operation Site (C.O.S.) Sykes

Tall-afar, Iraq

BIG IDEA: The Synopsis Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) share with us Peter, James, and John’s Mountaintop Experience with Jesus, Moses and Elijah, but ONLY LUKE tells us WHAT they talked about.

REFERENCES: Matthew 5:17 (ESV) Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Romans 8:17 (KJV) And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together; Romans 4:24-25 (ESV) but for our also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification; 2 Peter 1:16-21 ESV (Peter speaks of Christ’s Glory and the Prophetic Word); Revelation 19:10 (ESV) Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy; Mark 8:31-38 (Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection); Mark 9:2-9 (The Transfiguration); Matthew 17:1-8 (The Transfiguration); Luke 9:28-36 (The Transfiguration); Psalm 22:23-31 (Why Have You Forsaken Me?); Deut. 34:6 ESV (and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor; but no one knows the place of his burial to this day); 2 Kings 2:11 (ESV) And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven; Exodus 34:30 (ESV) Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him;

I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Luke 9:28-36 (ESV)

II. READ THE PERICOPE: Luke 9:28-36 (ESV)

III. READ THE TEXT: Luke 9:30-31 (ESV) 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.

IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to affirm to others that Jesus spoke to Moses and Elijah about His departure and His Funeral Arrangements for Life.

V. SERMONIC THEME: “Funeral Arrangements for Life”

VI. INTRODUCTION:

I think everyone, in here, this morning can attest to the fact that “we are not going to live in this “shell of a body” forever. If this news comes as surprise to you. I apologize for sharing such morbid news with you. But, Job 14:1 (KJV) says: Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. In other words, we are not going to live forever on this side of heaven. So, we need to make “Funeral Arrangements for Life” . And this can be done by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior today.

Still, and rightfully so, funeral discussions aren’t very popular topics. Folk don’t like to talk about funerals. People don’t like to hang-out in funeral homes. And children don’t play in graveyards.

In fact, usually when discussions about funerals occur, it’s because someone has died or someone is going to die. People do not like to talk about dying.

Yet it’s something that many of us will experience. We will either be the subject of the conversation or we will be discussing the subject with the appropriate professionals.

In our Scripture today, we find the giver of life discussing death with individuals that are absent from the body and are present with God.

******** TAKE 5 BEATS *******

MOVE 1: We have heard the reading of God’s Word from the Book of Mark – Chapter 9, verses 2-9.

a. Many of you, this morning, may already be aware of a similar reading regarding the “Transfiguration” in Chapter 17 of The Gospel According to Matthew.

b. But, what you may not have known is that there is also a parallel reading of the “Transfiguration” in The Gospel According to Luke from which our text is taken.

c. All 3 Gospels share with us the “Mountaintop Experience” of Peter, James, and John. But, only Luke’s version of the “Transfiguration” shares what they discussed.

d. Please turn with me to the Book of Luke; Chapter 9; Verses 28-31. Listen to the Word of God from the English Standard Version of The Bible:

e. 28. Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31. Who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became full awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah” – not knowing what he said. 34. As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” 36. And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen. Now, our text is taken from Luke 9:30-31 (ESV). Listen as I re-read these verses: 30. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31. Who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.