How Do You See Jesus Christ? Series

How Do You See Jesus Christ?

The Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 17:1-9

Sermon by Rick Crandall

(Prepared September 16, 2022)

BACKGROUND:

*Please open your Bibles to Matthew 17. By this time, Jesus was in the 3rd year of His ministry. J. Vernon McGee estimated the Lord was only six months away from the cross, and the Lord was viciously opposed by four evil groups: Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians.

*Normally, the scribes and Pharisees hated the Sadducees and Herodians, and the feeling was mutual. But these Christ rejecters had come together in their murderous hatred of Jesus. They were obsessed with His destruction, and had been plotting His death for months.

*That's why in chapter 16, Jesus withdrew to the non-Jewish region of Caesarea Philippi. It was 25 miles northeast of the Sea of Galilee. John Phillips explained that there on the edge of the Gentile world, the Lord tarried with His disciples for about a week. There Jesus began to speak plainly about His cross. And for the first time, He spoke about His Church. That's why Phillips called chapter 16 "the great divide" of Matthew's Gospel. (1)

*In Matthew 16:16 we saw Peter's great declaration of faith, as he told Jesus, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'' But in vs. 21-23 we also saw Peter's great fumble, as he tried to steer Jesus away from the cross.

*Jesus strongly rebuked Peter, and then in Matthew 16:24, the Lord spoke of the high standards He established for His disciples. There Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."

*We must understand that the original word for "disciple" means "student," "learner," "follower," "imitator." And in that sense, all Christians are called to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Yes Christians, we are citizens of Heaven, children of God, friends of God, and much more, but we are also called to be the Lord's disciples. (2)

*Here in Matthew 17:1-9, Jesus led Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain, and there the Lord was miraculously transfigured before them. This great miracle is also recorded in Mark 9 and Luke 9. It was as if Jesus pulled back the curtain and gave them a glimpse of His glory, so as we read today's Scripture, please think about how we should see Jesus Christ.

MESSAGE:

*How do you see Jesus Christ? Our popular culture certainly sees Him in a warped way. Their Jesus was on an episode of "The Simpsons." He often appeared on "South Park" doing battle with Satan. In the movie, "Talladega Nights," actor Will Farrell played a NASCAR driver who liked to pray to an 8-pound, 6-ounce baby Jesus wearing a golden-fleece diaper. (3)

*That's how much of our mocking media elite sees Jesus. How do you see the Lord? Mark Driscoll tells us that: "Jehovah's Witnesses say Jesus was merely Michael the archangel, a created being that became a man. Mormonism teaches that Jesus was not God but only a man who became one of many gods. Mormonism also teaches that Jesus was a polygamist and a half-brother of Lucifer.

*Universalism teaches that Jesus was not God, but rather that he was a great man to be respected solely for his teaching and love. Muslims think Jesus was a prophet, but one who was inferior to Mohammed." (4)

*These are the ways much of the world sees Jesus. But let's look into God's Word to see the real Jesus.

1. FIRST, WE SHOULD SEE JESUS SHINING IN THE LIGHT OF HIS GLORY.

*Verses 1-2 give us this revelation of our Lord: "Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, brought them up on a high mountain by themselves, and was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light." Luke 9:28-29 adds that Jesus took those disciples up on that mountain to pray. "And as He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening."

*What Peter, James, and John saw that day was a small glimpse of the glory of Jesus Christ. If they had seen all of His glory, they would have died on the spot. But they saw a small portion of the glory of God. And they saw the glory of God in Jesus Christ, because He IS Almighty God, one with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.

*Jesus' face shined like the sun! Can you imagine that? They must have shielded their eyes from His face, because no one can look at the sun for more than a moment without going blind.

*Why did Jesus do that? Why did He reveal His glory like that? -- Because He wanted His disciples, and all the world to know that Jesus is Lord of all!