There were three sisters – ages 92, 94, and 96 – who lived together. One night, the 96-year-old drew a bath. She put one foot in, then paused. “Was I getting in the tub or out?” she yelled.
The 94-year-old hollered back, “I don't know, I'll come and see.” She started up the stairs, but stopped on the first one. She shouted, “Was I going up or coming down?”
The 92-year-old was sitting at the kitchen having tea, listening to her sisters with a smirk on her face. She shook her head and said, “I sure hope I never get that forgetful,” and knocked on wood for good measure. Then she yelled, “I'll come up and help both of you as soon as I see who's at the door.” (Van Morris, Mount Washington, Kentucky; www.PreachingToday.com)
Sometimes life gets so confusing we don’t know if we’re coming or going even if we don’t have any dementia. Even so, it sure helps to know WHERE you’re going in those times.
In Mark 8, Jesus warned his followers that there were going to be hard and confusing times ahead, but He also gave them a way to endure the hardship. He gave them a way to get through the tough times with joy.
If you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Mark 9, Mark 9, where Jesus shows us how.
Mark 9:1 And he said to them, “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.” (NIV)
Now, you have to remember that Jesus just told His disciples that they will suffer for His sake, that a cross awaits them. But that’s not all! There is a Kingdom on the other side of that cross, and Jesus tells them that some of them will see a powerful display of that Kingdom before they die. They will see the glory that awaits them after the pain. Well, they didn’t have to wait long.
Mark 9:2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. (NIV)
On that glorious and majestic Mount Herman, towering into the sky just north of Caesarea Philippi, on a mountain that many pagans in the area considered to be the home of the gods, there, in that place, Jesus was “transfigured.” He was changed right before their very eyes. The Greek word is metamorphothay, from which we get our word, metamorphosis. In other words, just like a worm changes into a butterfly, so Jesus’ appearance changed on that mountain.
Mark 9:3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. (NIV)
Jesus shone like the sun! It was as if the costume of His humanity was lifted, and the bright light of His deity shown through.
Later in life, Peter would recall this occasion and write, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Peter 1:16).
Towards the end of his life, John too would see Jesus like this again in all His glory. In the book of Revelation, John records that appearance of Christ before him personally and says, “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace… (Revelation 1:14-15). Later, in the book of Revelation, John describes Christ’s appearance before the entire world at His second coming. He writes, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True… His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns” (Revelation 19:11-12).
You see, Peter, James and John, on this Mount of Transfiguration, caught a glimpse of what Jesus would look like when He returns to this earth to set up His Kingdom. They caught a glimpse of the glory ahead. But that’s not all.
Mark 9:4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. (NIV)
They saw the premier law-giver, Moses, and they saw the premier prophet, Elijah, talking with Jesus. In other words, they saw “the Kingdom of God come with power,” where the believers from all the ages will gather, and that’s what we need to see, if we’re going to endure the hard times with grace and joy. By faith, we need to see what’s coming for all of us who choose to follow Jesus. We need to…
GLIMPSE THE GLORY AHEAD.
We need to understand not just the pain, but the power to come. We need to appreciate not just the hard times, but the victory ahead. We need to grasp not just the cross, but the crown to follow.
On September 2, 1945, the Japanese and designated representatives of allied nations signed the documents of surrender officially ending World War II. General Douglas MacArthur officiated at the ceremony aboard the USS Missouri and was the last to sign on behalf of the United States.
MacArthur, with his military colleagues at his side, took his Parker fountain pen and simply signed his first name “Douglas.” He then passed the pen to General Wainwright, who signed “Mac.” Then MacArthur handed the pen to General Percival, who signed “Arthur.”
This unusual procedure was MacArthur's way of honoring the two United States generals who had suffered severe persecution as prisoners of war. They had persevered, and now they were allowed to share in the glory of victory. (Greg Asimakoupoulos; www.PreachingToday.com)
It’s the anticipation of that “glory of victory” that helps us to persevere in the hard times. It’s the assurance of that coming crown that helps us bear our cross today.
Just one year after her husband was slain in Ecuador, along with five other Missionaries, Elisabeth Elliot wrote, “We have proved beyond any doubt that He means what He says – His grace is sufficient, nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. We pray that if any, anywhere, are fearing that the cost of discipleship is too great, that they may be given to glimpse that treasure in heaven promised to all who forsake.” (Christianity Today, Vol. 1, reprinted Vol. 40, no. 10; www.PreachingToday. com)
Let me tell you: when we see the treasure ahead, it helps us bear the trials today. When we know the victory that awaits, it helps us persevere through the pain. When we glimpse the glory, then we can…
CARRY THE CROSS.
We can bear the burden. We can handle the hard times when they come; because indeed they will come, and there is nothing we can do to avoid them no matter how hard we try. Peter tried to avoid the cross, but it didn’t do him any good.
Mark 9:5-6 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) (NIV)
Now, there are some people who have something to say; and then, there are just those people who have to say something. That’s Peter here. He’s so scared, he has to say something. Only, what he has to say is contrary to what God said.
You see, he wants to build “shelters” or tabernacles on the mountain. He’s thinking about the prophecy in Zechariah 14, which talks about the coming of the Lord in power to Jerusalem. Zechariah 14 says that when He comes, His feet will touch the Mount of Olives. That mountain will split in two, and the Lord will destroy all of Israel’s enemies. Then He will reign over all the earth from His throne in Jerusalem. At that time, according to Zechariah’s prophecy, the people will also celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. That is to say they will build little shelters (or tents) to commemorate God’s care for them during the 40 years they wandered in the wilderness before coming into the Promised Land.
Well, that’s what Peter wants to do right here in Mark 9. He wants to build those little shelters right now, because in his mind the Kingdom has already come. He’s forgotten that Jesus talked about a cross to come before the crown. Or more likely, he just wants to bypass the pain that Jesus said must come before the power. So how does God feel about Peter’s plan?
Mark 9:7-8 Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. (NIV)
The words of Christ surpass the words of Moses and the Law. The words of Christ exceed the words of Elijah and the Prophets. The words of Christ trump all that was said in the Old Testament, because there is no one left to listen to but Jesus Himself.
That’s not to say that the Old Testament isn’t true, by no means. It’s just that Jesus came along to show us a better way. The Law said, “Obey and you will be blessed.” The Prophets said, “Disobey and you will be cursed.” The problem is none of us could obey so we were all cursed.
Then Jesus came along and said, “Just stick with me. Just follow me. There’s glory ahead for any sinner who trusts me, guaranteed! You don’t have to fear the curse. Blessing WILL come. But first there is a cross.” Jesus came to die on a cross to bear the curse for our sin, so we could be blessed by God.
In His book, Cure for the Common Life, Max Lucado talks about the time the bank sent him an overdraft notice on the checking account of one of his daughters. He says, “I encourage my college-age girls to monitor their accounts. Even so, they sometimes overspend.
“What should I do?” he asks. “Send her an angry letter? Admonition might help her later, but it won't satisfy the bank. Phone and tell her to make a deposit? Might as well tell a fish to fly. I know her liquidity,” Lucado says. “Zero.”
“What should I do?” Lucado asks. “Transfer the money from my account to hers? Seemed to be the best option.” Lucado says, “I could replenish her account and pay the overdraft fee as well. Since she calls me Dad,” Lucado said, “I did what dads do. I covered my daughter's mistake.”
When he told her she was overdrawn, she said she was sorry. Still, she offered no deposit. She was broke. She had one option, “Dad, could you…”
“Honey,” Lucado interrupted, “I already have.” He met her need before she knew she had one.
So it is with our Heavenly Father. Long before we knew we needed grace, He did the same for us. He made an ample deposit. Before we knew we needed a Savior, we had one. And when we ask him for mercy, he answers, “Dear child. I've already given it.” (Max Lucado, Cure for the Common Life, Thomas Nelson, 2008, pp. 69-70; www.PreachingToday.com)
That’s what the cross is all about. It was God paying our sin-debt even before we knew we were in trouble. You see, the better way that Jesus showed us was the way of the cross – not 10 principles to success; not 7 habits of highly effective people; not even 3 points and a poem. Jesus demonstrated God’s love on a cross when He died in our place so we could live with Him forever.
All we need to do is trust Him. All we need to do is ask Him for mercy. Then following Him is not so hard when you know the limitless grace He has shown and will show us in the future. Then following Him is not so hard even if it does involve rejection and pain, for indeed it will.
You see, Jesus was headed for the cross; and if we want to go with Him, there will be a cross for us as well. That’s what He reminds His disciples about in verse 9
Mark 9:9-10 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant. (NIV)
They couldn’t imagine their King dying, much less “rising from the dead,” so they change the subject.
Mark 9:11 And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” (NIV)
They say it because Malachi, the last Old Testament prophet, said it. In Malachi 4:5, he writes, “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.” It was one of the theological discussions of their day. Who is this Elijah? When will he come, and what will he do?
Mark 9:12 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? (NIV)
The disciples tried to change the subject, but Jesus brings them right back to the point He has been trying to make all along: There is a cross before the crown. Then He reminds them about John the Baptist, an Elijah like figure in their day, who lost his head because he dared to speak the truth.
Mark 9:13 But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.” (NIV)
Luke 1:17 says John the Baptist came “in the spirit and power of Elijah.” And what did they do to him? They cut off his head and served it on a platter (Mark 6). Again, it’s a reminder that following Christ is risky and that suffering will come.
Jesus makes it very clear: there is no avoiding the cross. Peter couldn’t avoid it, and neither can we.
Dave Dravecky was a professional baseball pitcher who lost his pitching arm to cancer. Soon after that horrible experience, he wrote a book and titled it When You Can’t Come Back. In that book, he said:
“One night…a woman came up to me and told me how she was once down-and-out with a drug addiction – until someone told her about Christ, and she became a Christian and was healed of her addiction. She told me that God wanted all his children to be 100% healthy.
“But does he?” Dravecky asks. “What would God’s children grow up to be like if all the bumps in the road ahead of them were made smooth?
Dravecky continues, “Cancer introduced me to suffering. And suffering is what strengthened my faith. Yet that woman implied I was suffering because I didn’t have enough faith.
“She seemed to be saying, ‘Have enough faith and get the life you want.’ “But,” Dravecky says, “that struck me as making God into some kind of cosmic vending machine, where, if you pushed the right button, you would get a sweet life, free of suffering.
“Someone once said that the difference between American Christianity and Christianity as it is practiced in the rest of the world has to do with how each views suffering. In America, Christians pray for the burden of suffering to be lifted from their backs. In the rest of the world, Christians pray for stronger backs so they can bear their suffering.
“That’s why we look away from the bag lady on the street and look to the displays in the store windows. That’s why we prefer going to movies instead of to hospitals and nursing homes.” (Dave Dravecky, When You Can’t Come Back)
Wow! That’s convicting but so true. Instead of praying for the burdens to be lifted from our backs, we need to be praying for stronger backs to bear the suffering. Because Jesus made it very clear: Suffering will come, but there is glory ahead!
Many years ago, a band of Chinese terrorists had captured Rev. and Mrs. Porteous, who were serving as missionaries in China with the old China Inland Mission. The terrorists led them to a lonely spot on a hill and declared, “This is the place!”
It was the place where they were to be executed, but when the executioner readied his long knife for the kill, the couple began to sing:
Face to face with Christ my Savior,
Face to face – what will it be
When with rapture I behold Him,
Jesus Christ who died for me?
Face to face I shall behold Him,
Far beyond the starry sky;
Face to face, in all His glory,
I shall see Him by and by.
The missionary couple awaited their execution, but to their surprise, no order was given. The executioner shouldered his axe-like knife and Mr. and Mrs. Porteous were released (Kenneth W. Osbeck, 101 More Hymn Stories, p.87).
They had anticipated seeing Jesus. They had anticipated the glory ahead, and it helped them face almost certain death; it helped them bear their cross. My friends, that’s how we can do it too. All we need to do is glimpse the glory that’s coming tomorrow. Then we will be able to carry the cross today.
