JESUS’ TRANSFIGURATION IS REVEALING (Outline)
MARK 9:2-9 - February 6, 2005 - TRANSFIGURATION
INTRO: People often take note of the seasons that change. The signs can be very obvious. This past week provided days that seemed like spring. But a sudden snowstorm reminds us that we are still in the midst of winter. These are signs we do not ignore. Today, in the church, is a celebration of the changing of church seasons. We have been in Epiphany where Jesus is clearly seen as the Light of the world, God’s own Son. Transfiguration marks the move from the Epiphany season into the season of Lent. Dur-ing these 40 days before Easter we see Jesus as the Son of man. Jesus’ glory is moved to the background as his humility comes to the foreground. All of this we are privileged to learn and know as we gather around the word of God revealed in the Bible. We are privileged to learn God’s word by reading, study-ing, and gathering for worship. "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked"(PSALM 84:10). We gather around the word of the Lord to learn: JESUS’ TRANFIGURATION IS REVEALING.
I. Jesus reveals his divine glory, and II. Jesus prepares for sacrifice.
I. JESUS REVEALS DIVINE GLORY
A. Our text begins with a time frame. We are told: After six days Jesus took….
1. Turn back to the ending verses of chapter 8 of Mark. Jesus tells his disciples of Jerusalem.
2. Jesus must go to Jerusalem to suffer, die, and come back to life. The disciples disagree.
B. It is after this event, 6 days that Jesus took certain disciples on a mountain. Verse 2.
1. Jesus was alone with his disciples and was transfigured. Verse 3 defines this word.
2. Jesus’ clothing was changed – shining whiter than anyone could imagine.
C. There was also more that took place. Verse 4 says Moses and Elijah were also there with Jesus.
1. Moses had received the law of God from God. Elijah defended God’s law.
2. We have the meeting and agreement of God’s law with God’s Son. God’s Word is true.
3. God’s word in the law and the prophets is fulfilled in the divine glory of God’s only Son!
D. By faith, you and I and every believer, have also seen this glory of God’s divine son. We have Jesus’ glory with eyes that have read the Scriptures. The gospel of John accurately and fittingly describes the glory of Jesus in chapter 1. Just one verse from chapter one declares: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (JOHN 1:14). (Check the beginning verses of John 1 for more of Jesus’ glory.)
E. Many find it difficult to consider Jesus as anyone more than Joseph and Mary’s son. Many in this world only see Jesus as a carpenter of Nazareth. They think Jesus to be a good teacher, so-so preacher and part-time miracle worker. But, Jesus as the Son of God, that is a stretch to understand. God’s word clearly declares the divine glory of Jesus, Savior of mankind. "The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word" (HEBREWS 1:3a). What a comfort for every believer to realize Jesus is the same yesterday, today, forever and cares for us!
F. Seeing the glory of Jesus and believing that he is God’s own son does not depend on us. By God’s abundant grace he has worked faith in our hearts. We can rejoice and praise God that his love for us causes him to cause us to believe. "For God, who said, ’Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (2 CO-RINTHIANS 4:6). We who once sat in darkness now sit in the light of the glory of God in the face of Christ. All of this is ours not by our own efforts or merit but comes freely by the undeserved love of God.
TRANS: JESUS’ TRANSFIGURATION IS REVEALING. On that mountain Jesus’ clothes and ap-pearance is changed so that his disciples (then and today) see the reflected glory of God in Christ. Then
II. JESUS PREPARES FOR SACRIFICE
A. Remember that Peter, James, and John did not want to see Jesus go to Jerusalem to suffer and die.
1. All this worldly thinking was going to begin to change. Verse 5.
2. Peter feels it is good to be on this mountain. He wants to stay by building 3 shelters.
B. Verse 6. Peter spoke out of fear. The disciples in Matthew’s gospel fell down because of fear.
1. The eyes of the disciples were not mistaken. What they had seen would be confirmed.
2. Verse 7. God’s cloud of glory covered them. Recall the glory that le;d Israel from Egypt.
3. God’s voice reminded the disciples to listen to Jesus. Recall the voice at Jesus’ baptism.
C. That which the disciples had seen with their eyes they also heard with their ears.
1. The disciples and Jesus were now alone. Verse 8. It was not time to return from the mountain.
2. Verse 9. The disciples would wait until after the resurrection to tell of these events.
D. The sacrifice of Jesus out of love for saving sinful mankind is simply awesome. Here we have the very creator of the heavens and the earth becoming a part of creation by partaking of flesh and blood. Je-sus subdued his divine glory and majesty that he might endure the punishment of sin for mankind. "Christ Jesus made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!" (PHILIPPIANS 2:7,8). Jesus had to be flesh and blood so that he could face death.
E. This sacrifice was not just another person put to death by the torture of a cross. Even though flesh and blood Jesus was also still God’s own son. When Adam and Eve sinned and passed their sinfulness on to every generation God demanded a blood sacrifice. The only blood sacrifice good enough and perfect enough God demanded of himself. "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross" (COLOSSIANS 1:19,20).
F. What a privilege and blessing beyond compare to celebrate Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. We read of Christ’s atonement for our sins in the Scriptures. We experience God’s forgiveness in the sacraments. At baptism our sins are washed away by the power of God’s word used in connection with water. In the Lord’s Supper the Lord says, this is my body, … this is my blood. Very visibly, the believer sees, touches, tastes, and totally experiences God’s forgiveness through the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ, our Sav-ior! "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life" (1 JOHN 1:1).
CONCL: Transfiguration is a special day for believers. Transfiguration marks a change of seasons. We move from the season of Epiphany – Jesus as God’s son and light of the world, into the somber season Lent – Jesus as Son of man and sacrifice for mankind. Today we celebrate Jesus’ divine glory and his human sacrifice for our sins and the sins of the world. In the next 40 days (Lent) we will be privileged and blessed to study this sacrifice of Christ. We will be reminded again of the depth of the love of our Lord for his creatures. As we see Jesus during Lent, we will be reminded how Jesus’ sacrifice took place ac-cording to God’s plan and timeline. "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men--the testimony given in its proper time" (1 TIMOTHY 2:5,6). Jesus’ transfiguration is revealing. At Jesus’ transfiguration we have seen Jesus’ di-vine glory and Jesus has prepared us for sacrifice. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
TRANSFIGURATION 4 readings (ILCW – A): Exodus 24:12,15-18; 1 Peter 1:16-21; Matthew 17:1-9
