Meeting The With-Us God Series

For…

6. As our study in Matthew 17:1-8 demonstrates, we should worship Jesus with genuine enthusiasm because He meets our needs.

We call this story that we find in this text “The Transfiguration.”

(1) AFTER SIX DAYS JESUS TOOK WITH HIM PETER, JAMES AND JOHN THE BROTHER OF JAMES, AND LED THEM UP A HIGH MOUNTAIN BY THEMSELVES. (2) THERE HE WAS TRANSFIGURED BEFORE THEM. HIS FACE SHONE LIKE THE SUN, AND HIS CLOTHES BECAME AS WHITE AS THE LIGHT. (3) JUST THEN THERE APPEARED BEFORE THEM MOSES AND ELIJAH, TALKING WITH JESUS. (4) PETER SAID TO JESUS, “LORD, IT IS GOOD FOR US TO BE HERE. IF YOU WISH, I WILL PUT UP THREE SHELTERS-ONE FOR YOU, ONE FOR MOSES AND ONE FOR ELIJAH.” (5) WHILE HE WAS STILL SPEAKING, A BRIGHT CLOUD ENVELOPED THEM, AND A VOICE FROM THE CLOUD SAID, “THIS IS MY SON, WHOM I LOVE; WITH HIM I AM WELL PLEASED. LISTEN TO HIM!” (6) WHEN THE DISCIPLES HEARD THIS, THEY FELL FACEDOWN TO THE GROUND, TERRIFIED. (7) BUT JESUS CAME AND TOUCHED THEM. “GET UP,” HE SAID. “DON’T BE AFRAID.” (8) WHEN THEY LOOKED UP, THEY SAW NO ONE EXCEPT JESUS.

OUR STUDY:

I. The first need that Jesus meets is PERSPECTIVE (1-4).

And it is a lesson for our worship today because…

1. Jesus wants us to understand the reality of who He is.

At the mountain, Jesus is changed.

He is transformed into something different than what He was before.

The text tells us that His face shone like the sun and His clothes became white as light.

This was the reality of Jesus’ being.

The divine glory was shining through!

Here was the essence of God.

Now…can you imagine what this was like for Peter, James and John?

This had to be, at the very least, an intimidating experience.

Out of nowhere, here is Moses and Elijah, the giants of their national past.

As representatives of the Law and the Prophets, they have come from the other world to speak to their leader.

I think Peter’s response is great, even though one of the gospel texts tells us that he did not know what he was talking about.

Peter is caught rambling because he is not quite sure what to make of all of it.

But one thing he does know…this is great!

His advice…let’s make some tents and stay here!

He doesn’t know what to make of all of this, but he does know it is worth keeping!

I think true worship is like that…for…

2. The awareness of Jesus’ Presence will constantly give our worship new meaning.

We need to be struck with wonder regarding who He is.

I think Peter’s statement of, “it is good to be here,” is one we should share as well.

Have you ever been in worship that you thought and said, “I wish that could have gone on forever”?

We need to continue to be open to the experiences that God has for us so that we will have the perspective we need.

II. The second need that Jesus meets is DIRECTION (5).

You see…

1. With perspective comes instruction.

As the cloud surrounds them and separates them from one another, the voice of God comes.

If there had there been any doubt about Jesus, it did not exist anymore.

The voice of the Father says, “This is my Son!”

The Father makes the point that Jesus is identical in nature and essence with Himself.