You can listen to the audio of the sermon here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/697261/8153278
“Everyday Treasure”
[IMAGE] Things people owned that they didn’t realize were very valuable. (https://www.boredpanda.com/old-items-that-turned-out-to-be-worth-a-fortune/)
We started with fake watches last week. Let’s start today with a watch that no thought was worth anything.
At times our walk with Jesus can become somewhat routine. Even the disciples had time get distracted by extraneous questions.
When we come to the part of the gospels where Jesus goes to a mountaintop and is transfigured, we may ask ourselves what in the world this is all about. Why did this happen?
Context:
Certainly to encourage Jesus for what was to come. This the turning point for the 2nd half of the gospel story.
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Mark 10:32 NLT
32 They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe, and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear. Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus once more began to describe everything that was about to happen to him.
The focus, however, is on the experience and reaction of his disciples.
Clearly, this event was to reinforce and expand what Jesus had just confirmed in the last chapter:
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Mark 8:27–30 NLT
27 Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
28 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.”
29 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.”
30 But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
They didn’t get what he was saying.
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Mark 8:31–32 NLT
31 Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. 32 As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things.
Jesus takes his core leaders to a mountaintop to get a glimpse of what was to come.
Mountaintops With Jesus
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Mark 9:2 NLT
2 Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed,
Luke 9 tells us that they went up there to pray. Usually Jesus went alone but this time the core leaders are with him.
What were they thinking as they climbed that mountain? Sometimes Jesus came down and miracles happened.
Or, they may have just wondered why they had to go all the way up there.
I wonder if we don’t sometimes ask ourselves why all the fuss and bother in the Christian life...
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Matthew 19:27–30 NLT
27 Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”
28 Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.
I can’t imagine, however, that what happened was what they expected.
Fireworks
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Mark 9:2–3 NLT
2 Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed, 3 and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them.
Everyday Jesus is transformed into someone extraordinary and completely outside their experience.
It’s a lot like pulling that old watch or blanket out of storage and discovering it is a priceless treasure.
Jesus’ ultimate mission of reconciliation of creation to God is glimpsed.
Who HE is here, shows us who we will become someday.
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Romans 8:19–20 NLT
19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope,
VIPs
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Mark 9:4 NLT
4 Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus.
If a glorious transcendent Jesus isn’t enough, two “rock stars” of the Jewish faith show up.
Moses and Elijah appear to talk with Jesus.
The content of that conversation isn’t recorded other than to say that they discussed Jesus upcoming trial and death.
Lots of speculation on why these particular giants of Jewish faith were there. Most straightforward explanation has to do with both men having met God on mountaintops in their ministries as well as representing both the Law and prophets. Or, perhaps, the establishment of Jewish nation and its restoration.
Speechless
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Mark 9:5–6 NLT
5 Peter exclaimed, “Rabbi, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 He said this because he didn’t really know what else to say, for they were all terrified.
Peter seems to get all the speaking lines. He reps for the disciples.
Tongue-tied and bumfuzzled, he falls back on tradition to attempt some way of getting a grasp on the situation.
Tabernacles, tents so the “big 3” can have their meeting.
He is clearly still stuck in the “traditional Messiah” frame of mind.
He still sees Jesus in an everyday (sort of) way. Jesus in not yet Lord of Lords and King of Kings in his mind.
Once again, familiarity may cause us to take Him a bit for granted.
Jesus gets lumped in with all the other priorities in life.
It can take a strong experience to knock us loose from that familiar routine.
Get Your Head IN The Clouds
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Mark 9:7–8 NLT
7 Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.” 8 Suddenly, when they looked around, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus with them.
Now God the Father interjects (which doesn’t happen everyday, either!). God’s presence is manifest in the cloud. Reminding them and us of the Presence in the desert before the Tabernacle.
For only the 2nd time in the gospels, God speaks audibly. This is always a significant message.
Peter has demonstrated that, while he could understand Jesus as Messiah, he still did not comprehend the full truth that the everyday Jesus he knew and followed was so much more.
He is, in fact, the only begotten Son of God.
Listen to Him in priority to any other voice.
Don’t take it for granted.
Conclusion:
[IMAGE] Here’s an old blanket. Used by generations of a California family. Tossed in boxes, closets, over the years.
The owner passed away and the grandkids didn’t really want it. One, however, decided to hang on to it since it had been his grandmothers.
Watching Antiques Roadshow. Saw identical Navajo blanket estimated value of $500K. Mr. Krytzer had his blanket appraised and it sold at auction for $1.5 million.
We need to be wise, aware, listening to the Master to understand what He really means to us.
