Jesus Wants To Help Us Understand Series

Jesus Wants to Help Us Understand

The Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 17:9-23

Sermon by Rick Crandall

(Prepared September 22, 2022)

BACKGROUND:

*Please open your Bibles to Matthew 17. By this time Jesus was in the 3rd year of His ministry, and J. Vernon McGee estimated that the Lord was only six months away from the cross. (1)

*The chapter opens with a miraculous revelation of Jesus Christ. 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! 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 reveal His glory like that? -- Because He wanted His disciples, and all the world to know that He is not just an ordinary man. Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, only Savior of the world, and Lord of all!

*Colossians 1:15-17 tells us that, Jesus "is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist (or hold together)."

*In Jesus Christ, all things hold together. This means on some level that we can't understand, Jesus literally holds the whole universe together moment by moment. And He can do it, because Colossians 2:9 tells us that all the fullness of the Godhead lives in the body of Jesus Christ!

*We can never overestimate the infinite power of the Lord. But thank God, He also has infinite goodness. Jesus is perfect in every way. God the Father confirmed this great truth on the mount of transfiguration. Matthew 17:4-5 says:

4. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.''

5. While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!''

*Jesus Christ is the only person who ever lived a perfect life! He is the only person who always pleased our Heavenly Father in every way. As a man, Jesus is the only sinless, spotless Lamb of God, and that is why He is the only man who could have ever died for our sins.

*Then in vs. 6-8:

6. . . When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.

7. But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid.''

8. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

*In today's Scripture, the Lord and these 3 disciples headed back down the mountain, and Jesus began to help them understand some the most important things we need to know. Please think about this as we read Matthew 17:9-23.

MESSAGE:

*When I was a senior in high school, I took a trip with some friends over to Myrtle Beach South Carolina. We were headed east on the interstate, going up a long hill, when suddenly the cars started acting very strange on the other side. People were weaving, waving, yelling, flashing their lights, blowing their horns.

*We wondered what in the world was wrong with those people. Then we topped the hill and saw this man who was driving down the wrong side of the interstate. Thank the Lord, we had just moved over to the right lane, or we would have been killed for sure. That man had no idea he was on the wrong side of the road, so he was putting himself and other people in great danger.