Matthew 17:1-5
And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart,
And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with him.
Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him.
Some time ago, one of the best selling books on the market was one like no other that has ever been written.
It not only created a lot of conversation, but even was made into a movie.
The book, entitled, “The Horse Whisperer”, tells the story of a man who has learned how to train unbroken horses by talking to them.
I have a friend who recently went to such a demonstration, she watched a man training an untamed horse that had never been ridden.
The man was successful in riding the horse within a few hours simply by talking to the horse in easy, whispering tones.
It is amazing what words can do.
Words have a way of affecting us.
Words can hurt or enliven.
They can either bind or release you.
Words can strengthen or tear down.
Words can worry you or set you free.
The power of a few words are amazing.
That’s why I feel it so important to analyze the story of the Mount of Transfiguration.
Notice something very important as you look into what happened with Jesus and three disciples.
I read through the story of the transfiguration and found a question I had never given much thought about.
Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him to the mountain for a special event in their lives.
Something was scheduled to happen that had never happened and these three men are about to meet two others that they had never seen.
What was the real reason for this dramatic scene?
How did Jesus expect to speak to his disciples through such an experience like this?
If you and I had been there, we would have probably done what the disciples did and started the process of erecting a monument, that would have allowed the world to have known not only what had happened, but who had been a part of it.
I really don’t think the reason for the transfiguration was to get the disciples attention as to who he was.
They already knew this.
Peter had within hours of this scene recognized him and proclaimed him the Christ, the Son of the living God.
I don’t think the reason was to display his power.
It had already been displayed in such a great way, because a few days earlier he had fed the multitude with the loaves and fish.
I don’t really think it was so that the disciples could be mesmerized by his glory. His glory was radiant in the miracles and wonders everywhere he went.
I attempted to analyze this and quickly was drawn to something important.
There appeared to them a bright cloud overshadowing them.
Out of the cloud came a voice which made a proclamation of great importance.
“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; Hear ye him.”
Why did the voice speak these words?
The voice could have said anything at this point.
Any word stated at this point would have been reveled by the disciples, yet he chose these simple phrases.
Not only did He have a message for the Disciples, but he also was trying to get our attention.
The voice spoke and the voice gave direction.
The purpose, was simply that we might know we could hear him.
This transfigured man was not just a normal man, but he was the Son of God.
He was not just flesh and blood, but inside him was the divine spirit of the Almighty.
He did not just have great knowledge, but he knew the end from the beginning.
He was not just a great instructor, but he was to be the savior of the world.
So the greatest instruction the heavenly Father could provide to us was that we could hear him.
We should hear him.
We must hear him.
In this hour, we need to hear from God and listen to his voice.
It is necessary for our salvation that we hear him and follow the direction of his voice.
The world has been affected in many ways as a result of people’s voices.
Hitler motivated a generation of young man to fight in an un-win-able war as he cast a spell of inspiration on them with his message one day.
The great communicator of the 20th century, Ronald Reagan, could stand before a nation in chaos and turmoil and at the sound of his reassuring voice, a world would become calm and trusting.
All because of a voice.
Jesus was standing with the disciples one day and speaking to the crowd about relationship and discipleship.
He said that to be close to him, a person would have to partake of his life.
That would not be easy and as a result, the crowds began to disperse.
Finally, Jesus looked around and saw only the faithful twelve.
He in frustration said, “will ye also go away?
Peter, who was always quick to speak responded, bellowed out these words.
“To whom shall we go. Thou hast the words of eternal life.”
Oh, how outstanding.
What significant inspiration.
‘Peter you don’t realize what you have just stated.’
This person has words that will get you out of this world.
The person standing before you can speak words that will turn your world around when it is topsy turvy.
This holy man can say things that will remove the doubts and fears that normally creep in a life.
His words can provide you with great joy and wonderful peace.
Listen to him!
Stop and take the time to follow through with the words of our Lord and savior.
We live in a busy generation.
The facts are we have become so busy that we can’t even enjoy life!
But in the midst of all the many voices that speak, there is one of great value.
The voices of this world are making all type proclamations and statements.
Voices speak to you daily that attempt to sway you from the fold of Christianity.
Voices that discourage.
Voices that tear down.
Voices that certainly provide little encouragement in this way of life are many today.
You hear them on the job.
You will hear them at home.
But there is a voice that can speak to your soul.
When it seems your life is bombarded with question after question about your position with God and your soul is weary, all you need to do is listen to the voice that speaks clearly.
Another scene provides a description for our life.
The enemy was after Jesus.
They did not like what he was saying, nor the results he was getting from the many followers.
So the authorities sent soldiers to arrest him for questioning.
The soldiers were standing there with a warrant for his arrest when he said “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
They were holding the handcuffs when he said,
“Yet a little while and I am with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.”
The officers were contemplating his arrest when he said,
“If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
So as the crowd began to speak their feelings of him, the soldiers hesitated.
The Bible says, “and some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.”
“Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.”
There is something about his voice that stops you from doing what you have set out to do.
If anyone here today could get in tune with the voice of the heavens, rather than the voices that are screaming out from the world, you could find the solution for your troubled soul.
I know what I’m saying.
There is a turmoil going on inside the lives of many, including our children.
Our kids, young people are hearing conflicting voices.
Our homes are being filled with unnatural voices from Hollywood.
These voices will confuse and ultimately destroy.
That’s why the problems and the fighting and the arguing, and the tearing down.
You can’t take in the sound of these voices and not be affected.
You can see it in people’s eyes when they come to church.
One week the worship and praise will be evident.
The next time you see them, you see trouble in their eyes.
There are many voices that are grasping for our attention, but only one voice that calms the troubled waters of our soul.
We need to listen to the voice that calms the troubled waters of your soul.
There has been a drastic change in the lives and attitudes of people in recent months.
It is not the same.
The last decade has affected our lifestyle and is attempting to destroy all that is right and pure and holy.
Nothing seems to be solid anymore.
The voices of the world are proclaiming that it does not matter whether or not you commit adultery, just admit it and be forgiven.
The voices of the world tell us that you can pull the trigger on a gun and you won’t be held accountable because of the emotions that have been bottled up on the inside.
The voices of the world say that you can admit the gay to the pulpit and their lifestyle won’t affect the congregation.
These voices are promoting promiscuity, and abortion, and pornography, and unholy lifestyles.
The voices say you can say anything, or do anything and you will be all right in the end.
But those voices don’t do anything for the battle that rages on the inside.
If you and I don’t get a grip of the altar and find the mind of God as it speaks to us, we are going to lose a generation who will grow up to be unbelievers.
This generation is moving without direction.
This generation is motivated without God.
This generation is accepting anything without scripture.
We need some adults to hear from God for this generation.
We need to hear the call of all adults to find a position with God that will create a holy atmosphere for this selfish generation.
I can’t imagine not praying for children.
I can’t imagine a parent not standing up for right regardless of the tantrums that are displayed by their children.
I can’t imagine adults not grasping what is burning on the inside and saying that this house is going to serve the Lord regardless of what others do.
There is a voice that wishes to gives direction in these times.
And if we ever needed anything in our homes and lives it is certainly the direction of God.
That direction comes only by the voice of God.
Elisha was such an example.
His home was in shambles.
He felt horrible on the inside.
His spirit was trying to find a solution because he had done right and the voices he heard were unreasonable.
A voice of authority had spoken and as a result he was running for his life.
He had looked to his God and questioned the rationale for even existing.
Why not die and end it all?
No one else wanted to do right.
He was directed in his spirit to stand on the mountain.
The Lord then passed by and showed him the emotions of life and the world in which he lived.
He saw the wind, great and strong, tearing into the mountain.
He saw the results of an earthquake as the ground shook.
He saw a fire as it burned and destroyed everything in its path.
All these things he saw as the Lord passed by, but the Bible was clear to say that the Lord was not in any of these things.
Then as he stood there wondering about the emotions that raged on the inside, he heard a still, small voice.
And the amazing thing was, the Lord was in it.
In spite of the world’s emotional upheaval, there is a voice that still speaks loud and clear to those who will listen.
There are various winds blowing in this generation that are tearing down truth.
There are upheavals among us that attempt to uproot the foundational doctrines we have stood for.
There are fires raging that try to burn the reality and security and hope of the Word of God.
But if you will not be side tracked by these noises, and stop long enough to listen to the voice that speaks out of the heavens, you will find that the inner turmoil will cease, and the peace of God will flood your heart.
There are voices tearing at the very fiber of our foundation. Where is the sold, the real, the sure?
In this world, it’s difficult to trust anyone.
Our leaders are lying.
Our friends are judging.
Who do we believe?
Who do we trust?
But there is a small voice that speaks with no static.
It says:
Trust me! Trust me!
There’s a voice speaking today that is calling us to him.
The song said, “There’s a voice calling me from an old rugged tree, and it whispers draw closer to me.”
In this generation there are voices that are calling us away from the altars and away from Calvary.
But the voice we need to hear is the voice that says,
“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heaven laden and I will give you rest.”
Some of you are so weary of life.
You are weary of the struggle and the pains.
You are weary of the cares that affect you daily.
You are weary of trying and failing and failing once again.
But the real voice says ‘come to me’!
Why is it so difficult to surrender it all?
We recognize that the world is collapsing and falling apart.
We, who have been a part of the church, understand this is the last days.
And yet we refrain, from lying before the Lord at an altar of repentance and pouring our hearts out to God.
We read the story of the end time in the daily paper.
We see the results of the prophecy in the daily news.
We see but don’t comprehend.
We realize but can’t change our ways.
We hesitate just long enough to get too busy with things which, in turn, hinder our relationship with God.
God knows we need to come to him for help.
He is our only hope.
I repeat myself by saying, that it is certain that we are in the end time.
During this end time there will be parallel churches according to the Revelator John.
John gave us the seven churches of Asia and described their position from a spiritual sense.
Each of these churches represent a physical time as well as a spiritual time.
When John got to the last period of time prior to the coming of the Lord, he described the Philadelphia church and the church of Laodicia.
To the Philadelphia church, which means brotherly love, he sat an open door of opportunity and gave great commendation because they did not remove themselves from the truth.
However, to the Laodician church, he, as you know, gave reprimand because they had lost something important.
They lost their fire and zeal for God.
They lost their dependency of God and found material things to replace this trust.
They lost their innocence by removing the garments of praise and worship.
They lost their sight of the holy things of God.
That’s when he stood at the door and began to knock. He knocked for someone to hear.
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
A voice is calling today.
A voice is trying to be heard above the roar of the world.
A voice is attempting to get our attention.
We’re going to lose it if we don’t listen.
We’re going to lose the valuables God has placed in our hands if we don’t stop long enough to hear his voice.
It does not matter what the voice of the world says.
It does not matter what the voice of friends say.
It does not matter what the voice of family says.
It does not matter what the voice of religion says.
We need to hear the one who speaks today loud and clear.
We need to listen to that still small voice on the inside of us that gives us a sense of security and direction.
His voice is calling us to righteousness and consecration.
He wants us to be close to him and the only way is to hear his voice speak to us.
When was the last time you felt him speak to you?
When was the last time you really touched God and knew it?
When was the last time you broke on the inside as God moved for you?
When was the last time you opened up to God and allowed him to communicate with you?
He is speaking today for each of you.
His voice is for you.
Listen and be changed.
Listen and be restored.
Listen and be given hope.
His voice is the only voice we need to hear in troubled and chaotic times.
Hear ye him!
Taken from a sermon by James Smith
