Seeing Jesus in all his Glory – The Transfiguration - Luke 9:28-36
Gladstone Baptist Church – 15/1/06 pm
Pray
Last week we came back to Luke’s Gospel to perhaps what is the Bible’s 64 Million Dollar Question. “Who is Jesus?” Remember the disciples were asked who others thought Jesus was and they told him Elijah or a reincarnation of John the Baptist or another Great teacher. But when Jesus pressed the question and asked “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered for the rest with 2 words … “The Messiah.”
What a conclusion to come to – this poor carpenter from the back blocks of Israel was the Messiah. He didn’t look like a mighty warrior and he certainly didn’t act like it. He didn’t come from an influential family and he lived in poverty. But on the other side, he wasn’t any ordinary man either – he healed people, set them free from demons and had so much authority in his teaching. Peter and possibly some of the other disciples had concluded that Jesus was the Messiah and they would have been fairly buoyant as a result.
How did Jesus respond to this affirmation of his role? He started to talk about his death. His Death of all things.
9:22 “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
That deflated the disciples a bit and then there was all the stuff that followed …
9:23-25 ““If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?”
That absolutely crushed them. By this stage the disciples might have begun to wonder whether Jesus was going to the Messiah they were expecting. I’m sure that it generated a lot of discussion among them in the next couple of days, but then something happened that left at least 3 of them in no doubt what so ever that Jesus was the Messiah – The Transfiguration.
Have a look at this passage with me and follow along with me Luke 9:28-36…
28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, 31 appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)
34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen.
We read that about 8 days afterwards (Mark & Matthew both remember it as 6 days afterwards, but that is not a real issue) Jesus takes 3 of his disciples – Peter, John & James - away from everyone else. They climb high up on a mountain says Mark to pray. From the accounts, it probably is likely that they climbed up during the afternoon and the events recorded took place at night. We know that the disciples were very sleepy and had to wake up out of their slumber. So the dark night makes what is about to happen even more brilliant.
All of a sudden, Jesus’ face changes – Matthew said “His face shone like the sun”. His clothes change also – Mark says “His cloths became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.” Luke says “His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.” Have you ever been looking out a window in the middle of a thunderstorm and lightning hits nearby and just lights everything up like daylight. That is what Luke says it was like!!! AWESOME. I’ll talk a bit more about that soon.
But that wasn’t it. Then 2 others appeared – Elijah and Moses. Again Luke says they appeared in glorious splendor. Don’t ask me how the Disciples knew it was these two guys, but they did and Elijah and Moses had a good old chat with Jesus about of all things – his death!!! Talk about his death was becoming all too common an occurance for the disciples.
Then as the disciples watched, a cloud appeared and enveloped them. Matthew writes that the cloud shone brightly and from it a voice came – the voice of God. “this is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”
Then the cloud and Moses and Elijah disappeared and the disciples were left with Jesus. Mark records that “Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.”
What an awesome event – nothing like I’ve ever seen before – nothing like the disciples had ever seen before.
There were 7 participants at the Transfiguration. 6 visible people and the invisible God who spoke from heaven. Tonight I want to look at these 7 and consider what their role in the events of the Transfiguration has to teach us.
1. The Privilege of the Three (Peter, James and John).
Peter, James and John are often considered as the inner circle of Jesus’ disciples. In actual fact, there are only 3 occasions where they are singled to be alone with Jesus away from the other disciples.
1) the raising of Jairus’ daughter
2) the Transfiguration
3) the Garden of Gethsemane
It is interesting that in each of these instances, death is a focus.
1) Jesus raised Jairus’ Daughter from the dead. On that occasion he showed that he had POWER OVER DEATH. He could conquer death and rescue us from the ultimate reality that we would all die.
2) The transfiguration was the watershed when Jesus began to speak openly about his death. We’ve already said that this would have shocked the disciples and shaken their confidence in him as Messiah. But in the transfiguration, they see that even with an imminent death looming, Jesus is glorified. I don’t know whether the disciples realised it, but JESUS WAS GOING TO BE GLORIFIED IN HIS DEATH.
3) Then we have the garden of Gethsemane where Jesus is preparing to die. It is where he is wrestling with the thought of the agony that awaited him and where he SURRENDERED TO DEATH.
Death is a key theme and Jesus was keen for these three disciples to understand that death was not the end of things. It was the beginning. These three were privileged to catch a glimpse of who Jesus really was and it left an indelible mark on them. It TRANSFORMED them.
1 Pet 1: 16-18 - We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
John 1:14 - We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
This event was a transforming event for these three disciples. They saw Jesus and understood who he was. And this gave them the CONFIDENCE that they were following the right person. It also gave them COURAGE. Remember that Jesus was calling them to a hard life where they would have to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow him. Losing their lives was not something they would have looked forward to, but these disciples took on this calling without fear or regret, because they were transformed. They saw the glory of Jesus and recognised that Jesus was worthy of following. He was even worthy of giving up their lives.
We also need to be transformed like they were. That occurs when we see a glimpse of the real Jesus. The one who was God who gave up all his rights and powers and became a helpless baby who would grow up and give his life for us. When we grasp some of the awesomeness of Jesus, we too, will be radically changed like the disciples who went from plain old fishermen to defenders of the faith.
2. The Witness of the two (Moses & Elijah)
The next two characters in the story are Moses and Elijah. These are probably the 2 of the most significant characters in the Old Testament.
- Moses symbolized the LAW given to the people. He established the nation of Israel. He was a FOUNDER. This was Moses’ first visit to Israel. He died before he could enter it and God buried him somewhere.
- Elijah symbolized the PROPHETS who worked to call people back to the law. He was the messenger sent from heaven to a rebellious nation. He was a REFORMER.
In these 2 characters, the Law and the Prophets were united. The Law and the Prophets were the 2 main parts of the Old Testament and here they were talking to Jesus the one who FULFILLED both the law and the prophecies of the past and represented GOD’S TRUTH that the law and prophets pointed to. Moses and Elijah were there to point to the fact that Jesus was more important than what they represented. Jesus was superior to the law and the prophets in as much as he reinterpreted them and showed people everywhere how to live according to them.
I think it is significant that Moses and Elijah were talking to Jesus about his departure from this world. They were talking about Jesus’ “Exodus” from this earth. Fitting because both Moses and Elijah led their own exodus. Moses led a great exodus from the slavery IN EGYPT. Elijah led a great exodus from the slavery of SINFULNESS AND REBELLION. But the supreme exodus was to be led by Jesus. It was a spiritual exodus from the slavery of guilt and the POWER OF SIN. When Jesus died he would make a way for people to escape the condemnation of sin.
Moses and Elijah stand here and POINTING to the Messiah who would soon rescue his people from slavery of sin. That should be our role also. That is what evangelism is, that is what witnessing is. Telling others that Jesus can save them from guilt, from fear, from condemnation. Telling them that Jesus died to satisfy the law. Telling them that Jesus has fulfilled all the prophecies. Our role in Gladstone is to be a Moses or an Elijah and point people to Jesus.
3. The supremacy of the one (Jesus)
The next character we see on that mountain is Jesus himself. On that mountain, Jesus was seen as one who was greater than any other. That dark night, the disciples witnessed his GLORY. They saw Jesus’ face shine like the sun.
Moses when he met with God had a similar experience. Exod 34:29-34 Remember Moses went up to Mt Sinai to meet with God and get the 10 Commandments
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. 32Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai.
33 When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. 34 But whenever he entered the LORD’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out.
When Moses met with God, his face became radiant. You see, God is so Glorious, that his glory infected everything around it – even Moses. Moses REFLECTED God’s glory, But Jesus didn’t reflect God. He shone before the cloud symbolizing God’s presence arrived on the scene. Jesus was shining as the sun, RADIATING God’s Glory, because this is how he really is. HE IS GOD. He didn’t reflect the glory, HE WAS THE GLORY.
Too often we think that the really amazing transformation to Jesus’ appearance occurred on this mountain in the middle of the night when he started to glow. But that is completely wrong. The transformation that should amaze us happened when Jesus was born. When God – who is magnificent, awesome and totally brilliant – became an ordinary, plain little baby lying in a manger, he GAVE UP HIS GLORY – That’s amazing!!! This glimpse of Jesus at the transfiguration is a glimpse at his real self – a sneak peak at Jesus who is God. Jesus wasn’t just a man who did some pretty incredible miracles. He was GOD. GOD. Capital G - Capital O – Capital D. And that night Moses and Elijah pointed to it and the disciples saw it.
Sometimes I don’t think we recognise the fact that Jesus is God. We see him more as a human being and forget completely that He was 100% God with all the power, majesty and might of God who created this world. While I think we can have a go at imagining what it cost Jesus to give his life on the cross, I don’t think we even come close to imagining what it cost Jesus to give up his power and majesty and take the form of a man. May we like the disciples come to understand Jesus in a new way and see the enormity of the sacrifice it was to come down to this earth as a man.
4. The Words of God
The last character we come across in this passage is God. He is not a visible character, but He is made visible in the cloud. God’s physical presence was often manifested through cloud, thunder and lightning. But his physical presence was a rare and awe-inspiring event.
From the cloud comes these words … “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him” God says 3 things here …
1) He answers the question that Jesus was asking of his disciples 8 days ago “Who do you say I am” God’s answer is this … “This is my Son.” He is not just a carpenter from Nazareth, or a teacher who attracts crowds, or a rabbi who heals the sick. “This is my son” says God. Mark and Matt record it as “This is my son who I love” .
2) the second thing he says is “Whom I have chosen.” God chose Jesus for this ministry and to the role as Messiah. Jesus was chosen to make a way for sinful people like you and I to once again have a relationship with God. There is no other way to get right with God. This is the way that God has chosen.
3) the last thing God says is “Listen to him.” God has done his part to bring about the salvation of the world. Now it is over to us to stop and listen to Jesus’ appeal to us.
We each have a choice to make to accept Jesus’ sacrifice or to reject it. We can be confident that Jesus’ sacrifice is sufficient because God has attested to it. We can save ourselves a lot of searching by accepting that Jesus’ death is God’s chosen means of salvation. There is no other way available to us. There is no Plan B. We either accept Plan A or we reject it.
When all was said, the Cloud and the witnesses disappeared and Jesus was left there alone with the three disciples. WOW – How could they not accept the truth.
Mark’s Gospel records how Jesus told Peter, James and John to keep it a secret until after the resurrection. It seems strange, but there was no way these guys could understand fully what had just gone on.
There was once a brilliant magician who was performing on an ocean liner. But every time he did a trick, the Captain’s parrot would yell, "It’s a trick. He’s a phony. That’s not magic." Then one evening during a storm, the ship sank while the magician was performing. The parrot and the magician ended up in the same lifeboat. For several days they just glared at each other, neither saying a word to the other. Finally the parrot said, "OK, I give up. What did you do with the ship?"
The parrot couldn’t explain that last trick! It was too much to comprehend. And I’m sure the disciples probably didn’t know exactly what to make of the transfiguration that night either. It was real, but at that point they hadn’t quite figured it out. Jesus told them to wait till the resurrection and the giving of the Holy Spirit who guide them into making sense of it all.
Looking back though after Jesus’ death and resurrection, the events of that single night had a profound affect on Peter, James and John. They saw Jesus’ glory and they heard God’s words. They accepted them and were transformed. After that night, they committed themselves to live as Jesus’ disciples and were willing to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Jesus because they understood that Jesus was actually God’s son who died for them. But the truths and lessons of the transfiguration are still applicable for us today. The question for us is what affect are they going to have in our lives?
In the transformation we see Jesus is God in human form. If he did not choose for it to remain hidden, his glory and power and majesty would explode from his physical form. Not only is Jesus God, but Jesus is the Messiah – chosen by God and destined to save the world. Will you see and hear this truth and accept Jesus as God’s son tonight? Will you be willing to be transformed by this fact and commit to follow him as a disciple? Will you be willing to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus also?
Peter, James and John determined to follow Jesus despite the hardships that would come. Peter was martyred – crucified upside down so tradition says. James was killed by Herod. John was imprisoned into his old age. They were willing to sacrifice their lives for the gospel because they were transformed by Jesus. Will we allow the same truths transform us and give us courage to live a life of sacrifice? To become Jesus disciples?
And then there is Moses and Elijah – They knew all this and stood pointing to Jesus as the fulfillment and culmination of all that had come before it. All the laws and standards, all the prophecies and predictions. Jesus was before it all and will be after it all and was the way of escape from the slavery of sin. Will we be a Moses and Elijah pointing others to Jesus who is at the same time God and human, a sacrifice and a saviour?
At his resurrection, Jesus took back the glory he had given up. He lives in heaven in all majesty and power and one day He’ll return to take back the world that is rightfully his. If we look, we can see Jesus’ glory and when we see it, I pray we’ll let it impact us the way it impacted the disciples.
