You Need A Long ‘exposure’ To Jesus

YOU NEED A LONG ‘EXPOSURE’ TO JESUS

Lk. 9:28-36

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. Two friends ran into each other. One was so down and miserable that the other said, "What's wrong, brother?"

2. "I'll tell you what's wrong. Three weeks ago my uncle died and left me $40,000. Then two weeks ago by long lost cousin died and left me $85,000 and last week my business partner died and left me $250,000.

3. His friend replied, "Wow! So why are you so depressed?" "Well," said the guy, "this week -- Nothing!"

B. TEXT

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.

C. VISION & SHUTTER SPEED

1. The disciples had known Jesus for three years. But their perception of Jesus was too limited. They had barely grasped His being the Messiah, but little more. They needed a new & deeper revelation of Jesus! So do we!

2. SIGHT (DEF.)

a. THE POWER or faculty OF SEEING; perception by use of the eyes; vision. [some people are physically blind; others can’t see spiritual things, or only very dimly].

b. Sight involves ONE’S RANGE OF VISION. [Some can only see things near at hand, nearsighted; other’s the opposite. What is our “range” of spiritual vision? Can we believe for a small miracle? Can God change our country’s direction?]

c. Sight can be a FULL VIEW OR ONLY A GLIMPSE. Many have only gotten a glimpse of Jesus and never have taken the time to “gaze” – a prolonged look that lets the full image of Jesus into our souls.

3. SHUTTER SPEED.

a. An analogy is the “shutter speed” on a camera; how fast it opens and closes, and how much light is let in. The longer the exposure, the more concrete the image will be on the photographic film or sensor.

b. It’s the same with Jesus in our souls! The longer we look at Him, the more clear the ‘image’ of Jesus will be reproduced in us.

c. The Transfiguration was a LONG EXPOSURE of Peter, James, and John to the Person of Jesus. An indelible impression was made on their souls.

D. THESIS

1. We’re going to look at the 3 segments of this exposure to Jesus: the manifestation of the Kingdom of God; the Transfiguration of Jesus; and the Cloud & the Voice.

2. The title of this message is, “You Need A Long Exposure To Jesus!”

I. THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD

A. EVENTS OF THE DAY ALLUDED TO

1. “About eight days after Jesus said this…” (vs. 1). There was a monumental day (8 days earlier) where an unusual number of pivotal events took place (see Lk. 8):

a. Peter’s Great Confession (vss. 18-20).

b. Jesus’ first announcement of His suffering (22).

c. The disciples were devastated (Mt. 16:22; Mk. 8:32).

d. Promise: “Some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Kingdom of God come with power” (vs 27).

2. HUMOR. Now these disciples really needed something; they needed a lot of character tweaking.

a. At times they were pompous, like the deacon who was endeavoring to impress upon a class of Sunday school boys the importance of living the Christian life.

b. "Why do people call me a Christian?" the man asked. After a moment’s pause, one youngster said, "Maybe it’s because they don’t know you." We all need perfecting!

B. HOW DOES THE KINGDOM COME?

1. PEOPLE ASSUME IT WILL PHYSICALLY COME. Luke 19:11, “…He was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. Acts 1:6, “So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"