-
The Kingdom Of God Series
Contributed by Allen Crosby on Sep 10, 2023 (message contributor)
Summary: The Kingdom of God Not only did the disciples, Peter, James and John experience the Kingdom of God in part, but we can experience Gods Kingdom through a Relationship with Jesus Christ. On day when Jesus comes back, we will experience the Kingdom of God to the Full.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Next
I. The Disciples saw Jesus Glorified
A. Jesus Was Transfigured
1. Peter James and John were with Jesus on the Mountain.
2. These 3 men belonged to his inner circle.
3. Peter was the point man for all the disciples and probably the oldest.
4. They see with their Eyes Jesus transfigured.
5. This was a glorious moment in the life of these disciples.
6. They were getting to see and be part of Something special.
7. The word Transfigured come from the Gk. Word metamorphoo or metamorphose.
8. “A change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means.”
9. Jesus had been through a lot of hardships with His disciples.
10. Some have suggested that He along with His clothes were probably very dirty by this time.
11. In 2nd Peter, Peter said that they were “Eyewitnesses of His Majesty.”
B. Jesus Cloths became radiant.
1. Tide washing powder could not get His garments this white.
2. The text says as white as snow.
3. “As no launderer on earth can whiten them.”
4. Jesus is not only being strengthened, but even His clothes are pure white.
5. In Matthew 17:2, His (Jesus) face shone like the sun and His clothes became as white as the light.
6. This is not the first time this has happened.
7. In the Old Testament, we see Moses descending off Mt. Sinai after meeting with God, we read, “Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.”
8. They had to put a veil over his face.
9. The Bible says in Is. 1:18, “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.”
10. When we come to Jesus for Salvation, we experience the soul cleansing Power of God.
11. No amount of good works can cleanse you from sin.
12. God can and will cleanse you of your sin and unrighteousness.
13. Some of you know Jesus as your Savior but your heart is not right with God.
14. You need to have transfiguration Experience.
15. The good news is, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” John 1:9
16. The disciple saw Jesus Glorified and they saw something else.
II. The Disciples saw Elijah and Moses
A. Elijah
1. Elijah Preached, Thus saith the lord.
2. He spoke the truth and often pronounced Judgement on the people.
3. You may recall that Elijah proclaimed a drought in the land.
4. We know a little bit about droughts.
5. Can you imagine 3 and ½ years of no Rain?
6. After 3.5 years, Elijah challenges Ahab the king and his 450 prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel.
7. Then Elijah called down the rain, “the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain.”
8. Later Elijah would be carried away by a whirlwind into heaven.
9. He never experienced death; God took him home.
10. You might say that Elijah represented all the Prophets.
11. Then we see in our text that Moses was there.
B. Moses
1. Moses was a great man of God.
2. He led the children of Israel out of Egyptian captivity.
3. Moses would in fact die on Mt. Nebo but he was the only one we know about that God buried.
4. No one knows where he was buried.
5. The Two of them, Moses and Elijah are on the Mt. of Transfiguration with Jesus.
6. Verse 4 tells us they were talking with Jesus.
7. Luke 9:30-31 NKJV – And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
8. They talk about Jesus’ death that was coming.
9. Decease means exodus, death or departing.
10. How did they know who these men were?
11. In that Kingdom moment which was only a glimpse of heaven.
12. Look at Mark 9:1…
13. The Apostle Paul declared, "Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12).
14. They knew exactly who these men were.
15. Right in front of them, the disciples saw evidence of life beyond this life.
16. When they saw Moses and Elijah, they knew that Moses had passed from this world 1,400 years before and Elijah had passed some 900 years before.
17. Yet there they were, alive in glory before them.
18. It gave them confidence in Jesus’ claim to resurrection.