Introduction

Ladies and Gentlemen, brothers and sisters in Christ, I greet you all today in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We gather here, not as mere spectators, but as participants in a grand symphony of faith, orchestrated by the Divine Conductor Himself. We are here, not by accident, but by divine appointment.

In the realm of faith, there are no coincidences, only providences. As we sit here, let us remember that we are not alone. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, both seen and unseen, cheering us on in this race of faith. We are part of a grand narrative, a story that began before the foundations of the world were laid and will continue long after the stars have ceased to shine.

As we gather to engage with God's Word today, let us heed the words of the respected Christian author, J.I. Packer, who once said, "The Bible appears like a symphony orchestra, with the Holy Ghost as its Toscanini, each instrument has been brought willingly, spontaneously, creatively, to play his notes just as the great conductor desired, though none of them could ever hear the music as a whole."

And so, let us open our Scriptures to Matthew 17:9 and John 7:6. Matthew 17:9 reads, "As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, 'Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.'" John 7:6, on the other hand, says, "Therefore Jesus told them, 'My time is not yet here; for you any time will do.'"

Both of these passages reveal a profound truth about the timing and purpose of God's revelation. They invite us to consider three main points: Discerning Divine Directions, Decoding Disciple Dynamics, and Distinguishing Disclosure Decisions.

Before we embark on this, would you bow your heads with me in prayer? Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word, which is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. We ask that You would open our hearts and minds to receive Your truth today. May Your Holy Spirit guide us into all truth and help us to apply Your Word to our lives. We ask this in the precious and powerful name of Jesus, amen.

Discerning Divine Directions

When we read the Bible, we often come across instances where God gives specific instructions to His people. These instructions, or divine directions, are not given arbitrarily. They are part of God's perfect plan and timing. In Matthew 17:9, Jesus instructs His disciples not to tell anyone about the transfiguration until after His resurrection. This directive may seem strange to us, but it was part of God's divine plan.

Now, let's think about this for a moment. Why would Jesus ask His disciples to keep such a monumental event a secret? It's because God's ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. He sees the bigger picture and knows the perfect timing for everything. This is a reminder for us to trust in God's timing and His plan for our lives. Even when we don't understand, we can trust that He is in control and He knows what He's doing. This brings us to our first point.

When God gives us a direction, it's important to obey, even if we don't fully understand why. The disciples didn't question Jesus' instruction. They didn't argue or try to convince Him otherwise. They simply obeyed. This is a lesson for us. When God gives us a direction, our job is to obey, not to question or doubt.

Next, let's look at how the disciples responded to Jesus' instruction. They didn't immediately go and tell everyone what they had seen. Instead, they waited until after Jesus' resurrection to share their experience. This shows us the importance of patience in following God's directions. Sometimes, God's timing is different from ours. We may want to rush ahead, but God often asks us to wait. Patience is a virtue that we need to cultivate as followers of Christ.

We also see that the disciples were selective in who they shared their experience with. They didn't broadcast it to everyone. They only shared it with those who were ready to hear it. This teaches us the importance of discernment in following God's directions. Not everyone is ready to hear what God has revealed to us. We need to be discerning in who we share our experiences with.

Lastly, we see that the disciples were faithful in following Jesus' instruction. They didn't forget about it or ignore it. They kept it in their hearts and waited for the right time to share it. This shows us the importance of faithfulness in following God's directions. We need to be faithful in carrying out God's instructions, even when it's difficult or doesn't make sense to us.

Transition. Discerning divine directions is about obedience, patience, discernment, and faithfulness. It's about trusting in God's plan and timing, even when we don't understand. It's about waiting patiently for God's timing, being discerning in who we share our experiences with, and being faithful in carrying out God's instructions.

Decoding Disciple Dynamics

In the heart of the disciples, we find a microcosm of the human condition ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO