Mk 9: 1-19
Mr 9:1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
Mr 9:2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.
Mr 9:3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
Mr 9:4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
Mr 9:5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
Mr 9:6 For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.
Mr 9:7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
Mr 9:8 And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.
Mr 9:9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.
Mr 9:10 And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.
Mr 9:11 And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?
Mr 9:12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.
Mr 9:13 But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.
Getting in the Presence of God
1. Getting Away (1-4)
2. Get a New Perspective (5-8)
3. Get to Work (9-13)
The word Transfiguration means a changing of appearance or form. In Christianity The Transfiguration is a miraculous event in the Synoptic Gospel accounts of Jesus (Matthew 17:1–6, Mark 9:1–8, Luke 9:28–36): Jesus led three of his apostles, Peter, John, and James, to pray at the top of a mountain, where he became transfigured, with his face shining like the sun, and with brilliant white clothes; Elijah and Moses appeared with Jesus, and talked with him, and then a bright cloud appeared overhead, and a voice from cloud proclaimed, "This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him." According to Luke, Moses and Elijah also appeared in "glorious splendor", and Jesus spoke with them concerning his upcoming death.
Eugene Peterson
Speaking of our culture’s quest for the spirituality life. They are in search of something but no one knows what it looks like or where it is located. In "our meaning-hungry, spirit-thirsty, God-curious world" we are flooded with "spiritualites" that are in search of something. Fundamental to the Christian task is to tell the world that we have a guidebook that tells us not only where we are going but how to get there. While the Holy Spirit through Scripture provides us with a comprehensive map
Today’s scripture takes place late in the ministry of Jesus. From the larger group of disciples, he has already selected the twelve men who would be members of his inner circle. They have seen him feed 5000 people using just 5 loaves of bread and two fish and 4000 people with just 7 loaves. They were terrified when he calmed a storm and stood in amazement when he walked on water. They listened attentively but often with confusion as he taught them new insight into how to apply the law to their daily lives. They had watched the religious become increasing agitated by his teaching. They could feel the tension escalating. They were still not certain what it all meant until Jesus asked Peter that one question. "Who do you say that I am?" They still remember Peter’s response, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Of course, they should have all been able to say those words. Peter is truly a model disciple. In one moment he stands as a stalwart of faith and in the very next he cowers in doubt. In one moment to walks in courage and in the next, he runs in fear. In one moment he displays wisdom but in less than a breath stupidity and unbelief. The man who would become the leader of the Church shared the same struggles that you and I wrestle with each day.
Six days after his statement of faith, Peter joins the sons of Zebedee, James and John, one a short excursion with Jesus. The mention of the number six may hold symbolic value. In Jewish thought, the number, six represented incompleteness. Mark may have been making a theological statement. The life of discipleship is never complete. It is ongoing process. Throughout our lives, we display faith and commitment but also foolishness and doubt. Like Peter, we have not arrived. We are on a journey. We have no reason to be filled with pride for our achievements or shame for our failures. We are a work in progress. God is truly not yet finished with us.
Six days after Peter makes his proclamation of faith and his daft statement of ignorance, Jesus takes this impulsive disciple along with James and John up the mountain. By his actions, Jesus reminds us that the first step in the spiritual life is always initiated by God.
In our take charge make it happen world, we are uncomfortable with the suggestion that we are not in control. However, God is the One who initiates, directs, and controls our spiritual life. Peter, James, and John were taken up the mountain by Jesus. They did not ask. They did not make an appointment. They responded in obedience.
1. Getting Away (1-4)
a. Mr 9:1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
b. FBN - prepares them for all needful labors, hardships, and sacrifices in his cause.
c. MHC - He had begun to give notice to his disciples of his death and sufferings; and, to prevent their offence at that, he gives them this glimpse of his glory, to show that his sufferings were voluntary
d. Jesus had pulled Peter, James & John to the side up to the mountain to get away from all the crowd.
e. Mike Rickman - Sometimes you just need to get away from everything in order to refresh yourself. That is the invitation that Jesus extends to Peter, James and John in the passage today. The gospel of Mark is a gospel of action. It moves from one story to another and even if you spread it out over a period of three and a half years, it is apparent that Jesus and His disciples were busy people. In the events preceding this passage we see in chapter 7 verse 31 they were in Tyre and Sidon. Then they moved to Decapolis and the Sea of Galilee, then to Dalmanutha, Bethsaida, and Caesarea Philippi. They traveled (by foot) and by reading the gospel you can see the number of people they ministered to. Ministry is work and when you see something wonderful happen in the spiritual realm it takes something out of you.
Jesus realized the need to get away so He invited Peter, James and John to go up on a high mountain with Him. The purpose is to take some time to be refreshed.
f. ACC - This was one of the mountains of Galilee: some say Hermon, some Tabor. likely to be near Cesarea Philippi.
g. GBN - The heavenly glory of Christ, occurred before three of his disciples, who are witnesses against whom there is no objection.
h. JWN - By themselves-That is, separate from the multitude:
and was transfigured-The Greek word seems to refer to the form of God, and the form of a servant.
i. TFG - The three apostles could identify Moses and Elijah by the course of this conversation, though it is possible that miraculous knowledge may have accompanied miraculous sight.
Getting away helps our perspective.
2. Get a New Perspective (5-8)
a. It is told of a pastor who had been spending extended time daily in his devotions. The church was growing and he felt he no longer had that kind of time, so he had scaled his daily devotions back. A friend stopped by to visit. During the conversation the friend said, "Oh, by the way the Lord says, ’"He is missing you."’
We need a different perspective sometimes
Fortuneteller, gazing into crystal ball, to frog: You are going to meet a beautiful young woman. From the moment she sets eyes on you she will have an insatiable desire to know all about you. She will be compelled to get close to you--you’ll fascinate her." Frog: "Where am I? At a singles club?" Fortuneteller: "Biology class."...
It is all in the perspective we have….there are times we need to get away and catch a fresh perspective of our situation.
Get a fresh perspective of what God is doing in our live. Get a fresh perspective of what God is doing in our Church. Get a fresh perspective of what God can do in our community.
b. Mr 9:5 Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles
TFG - Peter’s fears overcame his discretion, but did not silence his tongue. Though he trembled at the fellowship of Moses and Elijah, he also realized the blessedness of it and could not let them depart without an effort to detain them, though the best inducement that he could offer was to build three booths for their and Christ’s accommodation.
A lot of people give Peter a hard time, due to him seemingly to speak his mind or “mouth in motion, before Mind in Gear” type of talk. Peter in this instance didn’t know what to say….I can relate….there are times in our services when the spirit of God comes, I as pastor enjoy it, and don’t want to quench the spirit of God. I would imagine this is where Peter was at this moment, but he was like a lot of us……didn’t know when to hush. You have to say something because no one else is saying anything.
c. Mr 9:7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
d. TFG - Clouds often roll against the sides of Mt. Hermon, but the brightness of this cloud and the fear which it produced suggests that it was the Shekinah, or cloud of glory, which was the symbol of God’s peculiar presence
They were experiencing something like they never had before……oh to see the Shekinah Glory….in our services.
e. This is my beloved Son: hear ye him. This command contains the chief significance of the entire scene. Spoken in the presence of Moses and Elijah, it gave Jesus that pre-eminence which a son has over servants. He is to be heard.
f. Mt 17:8 Speaks of this….And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.
g. Matthew has it "lifting up their eyes." Mark is more graphic. The sudden glance around on the mountain side when the cloud with Moses and Elijah was gone. Jesus only with themselves. Mark shows their surprise at the situation. They were sore afraid.
Lets get the picture of what has happened here…..Peter, James and John has been pulled aside from all the other disciples, they were pulled upon the mountain to get away from all the hustle and bustle of there journey. Kind of a renewing, Jesus knew what was going to be happening with the death and such. Jesus was giving Peter, James and John a closer look at his power….letting them try to understand how powerful he was….but like most of us…They didn’t really seem to catch on to what was happening. We serve a POWERFUL GOD
3. Get to Work (9-13)
a. Mr 9:9 He charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.
b. RWP - merely says that they told no man any of these things. It was a high and holy secret experience that the chosen three had had for their future good and for the good of all.
c. Mike Rickman explains Verse 9 as this , “Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.” Once Christ’s work of redemption was completed, their understanding of what they had seen would become more complete. They were all excited, but still didn’t understand what had taken place. I remember my first sale as I was working at a furniture store. I was all excited about selling to the people, but I didn’t understand all the features about what I was selling. I didn’t really have an understanding. Excitement only gets you so far….
2 Corinthians 3:18, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” God’s revelation of Himself to His people is not completed as a one-time event. He reveals Himself to us gradually – from glory to glory – and transforms us by His Spirit into the image given by that gradual revelation. If we got it all at once, 1) We would be afraid of it, 2) We couldn’t understand it; 3) we couldn’t live it.
d. Mr 9:10 And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.
e. FBN - What the rising from the dead should mean; though Christ had clearly foretold his resurrection from the dead, his disciples appear not to have understood, or not to have believed it.
f. Rickman goes on to say, the mountaintop experience has now brought the disciples to the point where they are meditating on the Word and asking questions. How do we find the answer to the questions we have? By continuing in the word. By the quickening of our spirits by the Holy Spirit concerning the Word. By God speaking truth into us through His Word. The ultimate purpose is for strengthening us in our faith to do work.
There is a time and places to tell others about Jesus….I have run into some people that shove Jesus down everyone’s throat. I am not saying we need to hold it in, but what I am saying is; we need to show it in our lives, speak Jesus to others when the time is right, when we feel prompted to say something….that way we won’t be saying our thoughts instead of following God’s desires.
Jesus wanted the Peter, James and John to hold it in until the time was right…..until they understood what was really happening. But when the time is right….we need to get to work.
God has been working in peoples lives that are connected to this church. We have and are having good spirit in our services. I am not saying that we have had a “mountain top” experience but what I am saying is…..each of us know what we need to do for Christ….live our lives for him, tell others about him, and give him all our praise and glory.
Are you needing a mountain top experience to refuel your fire, to give you a different perspective. Sometimes it seems we are overwhelmed with life’s problems, heartaches, burdens….when God just wants to pull us aside and show us his power.
When is the last time you have knelt at an altar just to show God you want whatever he has for you. Just a refreshing of his glory….his presence….his moving on your life.
As we stand …… I am asking you….are you wanting a refueling of his power on your life. This is an open invitation….its for everyone….is there a burden your carrying? Is there anything in your life you’re struggling with? Come lay it at the feet of Jesus. Young – Old….no matter who or what you are…the altar is not only for the Sinner…it is here to help and encourage the saint.
We need to get away…..and get a new perspective…and then we are prepared to get to work for God.
Peter, James and John didn’t really understand all that happened on the mountain, and we don’t understand all that God is doing, but they had this experience on the mountain to prepare them for what was to come……let’s prepare ourselves for the work to come….a renewing of God’s presence.
Remember:
The word Transfiguration means a changing of appearance or form. In Christianity The Transfiguration is a miraculous event.
Are you serious about wanting God to really do something miraculous in your life, and our church?
