Seeing Jesus Transfigured is Critical
Mark 9:1-13
- Jesus is demonstrated in this book as a “servant”
-- Key verse: Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
- IMP: What God says to us here is critical application for living for Him
- Encouragement: When we encounter God’s truth, it should cause a change
-- We should feel uncomfortable in some areas of our life
-- Sometimes however, it IS our entire life that needs to change
-- The Gospel is not for the weak at heart, so count it an honor to be included
- Continuing in our study, we see Jesus performing more miracles/healings
-- His approach is direct, but sometimes the “why” is hidden from us
-- Let’s explore these passages and see if we can discover the “why” for ourselves
- Today we turn the page to see something very unique to Mark’s Gospel
-- The glory of God is revealed; as is the Christian’s glory in Him
-- In our service to God is where we SEE His glory revealed
- Read Mark 9:1-13
∆ Point 1 – Purity before God
- v1 is actually the ending of the story in chapter 8 which sets up the next events
-- When Jesus uses the word “some”, we must understand this meaning
-- Some literally means some, and not all (else Jesus would’ve said it)
-- APP: The promise here is that some will die naturally, and some won’t
-- That’s it – no special meaning behind it … it says what it says
- After this happened, Jesus and his inner circle made a side journey
-- God was about to reveal Himself in a powerful way to these men
-- Of interest is the length of 6 days: perhaps a nod to creation’s time?
-- There is no real reason for the wait, except that they went at that time
- While these men watching, something miraculous happens to Jesus
-- His transfiguration is literally a transformation of who he was
- Consider for a moment that they are walking everywhere they go
-- Surely his clothes were dirty and without a dry cleaning would be stained
-- However, before their eyes His clothes become dazzling white
- White is the color of purity which further reflects Jesus’ status before God
-- He is pure, without blemish, and reflecting the greatness of Christ
- When Moses and Elijah appear, they do so for one reason only
-- They represent the Old Testament; the Law of God; the prophecy of Christ
-- Elijah is the great restorer of all things; even though he failed often to stand
- TURN TO 1 Kings 19:5-18
- The call of Elisha, a young man available and positive to the Word and the Lord, and the 7,000 who had not bowed to Baal illustrates the other side of the coin. It showed Elijah that his ministry had not been in vain and that God’s Word does not return void no matter how things may look to us. The nation would not be totally exterminated and there were those who would carry on the work of the Lord.
-- APP: Why is this important? Because God provides for His Word to go forth!
- TRANS: When God calls us to be pure, He also gives us wisdom to see Jesus
∆ Point 2 – We Must Listen to Jesus
- In this situation of transfiguration, Peter decides to speak first (v5-6)
-- Whether it’s out of fear or rebellion, he decides something must be said
-- Some may say that he was celebrating and ready to rejoice
-- Except, for what he says really leads us to think otherwise
- What he suggests is typical of what happens to many of us when God acts
-- APP: Rather than celebrate, we build up walls and shut up the Spirit of God
- But what Peter does is miss who Jesus is and mistakenly group Him together
-- His suggestion that they build three altars suggests that each is equal
-- Each should be worshiped and celebrated and he misses Jesus!
- God then speaks to them and reminds them of that which they already know
-- Mark 1:11, “Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
-- APP: God has to remind them of who it is they are grouping together in worship
- IMP: Jesus is ABOVE all things, and all persons, and worshiped alone!
- God instructs them to LISTEN to HIM; because He is God’s Son with wisdom
-- When we listen, we hear; when we hear, we obey because we’ve understood
-- This is what God just instructed these men to do … and US as well!
-- Listen to Jesus, follow His teachings, He is worthy to be honored and followed
- However, Jesus has to rein them in a little bit (v9)
-- Don’t tell anyone … because this one might be really misunderstood by all
-- After the resurrection, you may tell whomever you want
- Let’s remember that God’s timing is perfect, always:
-- Galatians 4:4-5, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”
- TRANS:
∆ Point 3 – Jesus will be the Suffering Messiah
- As most men do, they try to decipher what Jesus meant by rising from dead
-- Jews often discussed this as they understood what it may have meant
- What they confused this with was resuscitation, not resurrection (raise from dead)
-- Abraham expected Isaac to be raised: Hebrews 11:17-19, “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.”
-- Elijah raised a widow’s son: 2 Kings 4:32-35, “When Elisha came into the house, there was the child, lying dead on his bed. He went in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the Lord. And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands; and he stretched himself out on the child, and the flesh of the child became warm. He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up and stretched himself out on him; then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.”
- Admitting he is the Messiah, they were in no way thinking He may suffer and die
- They thought He was above that, even though Jesus was telling them different
-- However, in v11 they ask Jesus a question, admitting that He is more knowing
- Jews believed that Elijah would appear before the Messiah, but they missed him
-- What Jesus is driving at here is a reference to John the Baptist
-- To them, John was the “Elijah” who would come and prepare the way
-- He made the path, he declared the truth to them, and they did away with him
- Jesus promised that He would suffer (Isaiah 53); and they had to be reminded
-- They had to be reminded that, “Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him” (v12)
-- But then … once they had done everything to Him: “the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected” (v12)
∆ Big Ideas
What we see out of this are three very important reminders for us today:
1) In the presence of God’s righteousness, all things are made pure
-- Jesus’ clothes are made pure, dazzling white, nothing sinful exists before God
-- This, joyously, even concerns things like dirt which soil our appearance
2) God’s instructions to us are that we LISTEN (& hear) what Jesus says
-- Even in their maturity, the inner circle of Jesus’ disciples needed reminders
-- If the disciples were reminded that they should listen, we are as well
3) Jesus predicts that He is the suffering Messiah, which we see now
-- There is a certain level of grace involved in seeing that today
- This is where we will pick up next week
- Pray
