Sunday March 12, 2000
New Tribes Mission is a pioneer missionary organization. They target tribes who have never before heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One of their primary aims has been to translate the Word of God into the language of the tribe. Thirty years ago, a missionary would go out into the jungle and would translate John’s Gospel as quickly as possible into the local dialect. There was moderate success but many of those early situations died out after the first generation of Christians. Today a totally different format is followed. Start with Genesis and move through Bible. You can’t understand the gospel and the New Testament without an understanding of the Old Testament. They have had amazing results. Too often we forget the Old Testament.
To explain our passage this morning we need to go back to the Old Testament to set a groundwork. . .
1) The Old Testament Background
Exodus 13:21-22
40:33-38
Ezekiel 9:3
10:18-19
11:22-23
2) The New Testament Revelation Luke 9:28-36
a) The context Luke 9:28 (9:20-27)
Just after revelation of him as the Christ & of his coming death and resurrection.
b) The revelation Luke 9:29-31
The appearance of Christ - only OT similarity - Moses
Why Moses and Elijah - representatives - OT law and the Prophets - interesting - both of these men left incomplete work to a follower - Joshua and Elisha - Elisha -- El + Joshua
Jesus = Joshua
The works of both men were to find fulfillment in Jesus
What were they talking about - 31 - his departure
c) The awkward interuption 9:32-33
Well meaning Peter - open mouth insert foot
let’s stay here - but serves an important point
indirectly avoid the cross
indirectly makes the three equal
d) The Heavenly Response 9:34-36
The cloud of God’s Glory
The voice of God speaks approval upon Christ and his mission.
The glory, absent for 600 years is now present in Christ and approves of his mission - including his death.
One of Satan’s biggest lies - Jesus was a good man who unwittingly fell foul of the authorities of his day. He was a good guy but he didn’t see how the crowds would turn against him.
The Point
2 Peter 1:16-18
(1:10-11)
