THE LORD of GLORY REVEALED (CC)
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LET US RISE FOR THE READING OF
THIS MORNING'S SERMON TEXT
RECORDED FOR US BY LUKE WHERE
WE READ FROM HIS GOSPEL
CHAPTER 9, BEGINNING WITH
VERSE 28:
ABOUT EIGHT DAYS AFTER JESUS
SAID THIS,
HE TOOK PETER, JOHN AND JAMES
WITH HIM AND
WENT UP ONTO A MOUNTAIN TO
PRAY. AS HE WAS
PRAYING, THE APPEARANCE
OF HIS FACE CHANGED,
AND HIS CLOTHES BECAME AS
BRIGHT AS A FLASH OF
LIGHTENING. TWO MEN, MOSES
AND ELIJAH, APPEARED IN
GLORIOUS SPLENDOR; TALKING
WITH JESUS.
THEY SPOKE ABOUT HIS
DEPARTURE,
WHICH HE WAS ABOUT TO BRING
TO FULFILLMENT AT JERUSALEM.
PETER AND HIS COMPANIONS WERE
VERY SLEEPY,
BUT WHEN THEY BECAME FULLY
AWAKE,
THEY SAW HIS GLORY AND THE
TWO MEN STANDING WITH HIM.
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.)
WHILE HE WAS SPEAKING, A CLOUD
APPEARED AND COVERED THEM,
AND THEY WERE AFRAID AS THEY
ENTERED THE CLOUD.
A VOICE CAME FROM THE CLOUD,
SAYING, "THIS IS MY SON,
WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN; LISTEN
TO HIM."
WHEN THE VOICE HAD SPOKEN,
THEY FOUND THAT JESUS
WAS ALONE. THE DISCIPLES KEPT
THIS TO THEMSELVES
AND DID NOT TELL ANYONE AT
THAT TIME
WHAT THEY HAD SEEN.
THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR LORD.
LET US PRAY:
GLORIOUS AND GRACIOUS GOD, MAY
THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE
MEDITATION OF EACH OF OUR
HEARTS BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR
SIGHT, OUR ONLY SOURCE OF HOPE
AND COMFORT.
AMEN.
[TEXT TAKEN FROM
THE HOLY BIBLE,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
1973, 1978, 1984, 2011
BY BIBLICA, INC.]
DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD
AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST:
HAVE YOU NOTICED AN
INTERESTING
REOCCURRING PATTERN
WITH THE DISCIPLES AND JESUS?
JESUS WANTS TO TAKE THEM
ASIDE FROM ALL OF THE PEOPLE
AND THE ATTENTION
TO SPEND SOME TIME IN PRAYER.
SO THAT THEY COULD BE
REFRESHED AND HAVE TIME
WITH THE LORD. I THINK WHAT'S
REALLY KIND OF INTERESTING
ABOUT THAT TIME IS -- WHILE
JESUS WAS PRAYING,
WHAT WERE THE DISCIPLES DOING?
MOST OF THE TIME THEY WERE
SO TIRED,
THEY FELL ASLEEP.
JESUS HAD TO COME AND WAKE
THEM UP, EVEN IN THE GARDEN
OF GETHSEMANE.
IT'S INTERESTING THAT THE
DISCIPLES,
SEEMED TO BE RATHER WEAK
IN WHAT WAS GOING ON IN
JESUS' LIFE.
AND IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE
BEFORE US THIS MORNING,
HAS TO BE ONE OF THE MOST
SPECTACULAR TIMES
WHEN JESUS REVEALS HIMSELF
AS THE SON OF GOD.
HE TAKES PETER, JAMES
AND JOHN WITH HIM UP ONTO
A MOUNTAIN
AND WHILE THEY'RE PRAYING,
HE IS TRANSFIGURED
BEFORE THEM. ALL OF
THE GLORY OF THE LORD
SHINES THROUGH HIM
AS HE IS THE SON OF GOD.
THERE IN ALL OF HIS
SPLENDOR - LIKE HIS CLOTHES
LIKE A FLASH OF LIGHTENING!
THE PURITY
OF HIS HOLINESS SHINING
FORTH
AND THE DISCIPLES HAD TO
BECOME
FULLY AWAKE.
MAYBE IT WAS THE FACT THAT
THEY HEARD OTHER VOICES
THAT OF MOSES AND ELIJAH
THEY'RE TALKING WITH JESUS;
HAVING A VERY SERIOUS
DISCUSSION
ABOUT JESUS' DEPARTURE
FROM THIS EARTH ... ABOUT
HOW ALL OF THAT WAS GOING TO
COME TO FULFILLMENT WHEN THEY
WENT UP TO
JERUSALEM. IMPORTANT
INFORMATION,
WOULDN'T YOU THINK?
PREPARING THE DISCIPLES FOR
WHAT WAS GOING TO BE WHAT WE
CALL "HOLY WEEK".
BUT FOR THEM, WAS ONE
DAY AFTER ANOTHER OF
DIFFICULTY AND
TRYING TIMES; DISSENSION
AND DIFFICULTIES.
BUT MOSES AND ELIJAH CARRY ON
THIS
CONVERSATION WITH JESUS. AND
THE DISCIPLES
FINALLY BECOME FULLY AWAKE
TO THIS WONDERFUL EVENT.
THAT JESUS IS TRANSFIGURED
BEFORE THEM. SHINING
WITH ALL OF HIS GLORY. AND
WHEN MOSES AND ELIJAH ARE
ABOUT TO LEAVE, PETER FINALLY
FEELS LIKE HE NEEDS TO
SAY SOMETHING. AND HE SAYS:
IT'S SO GOOD FOR US TO
BE HERE. WE NEED TO BUILD AN
ALTAR FOR THEM AND
FOR EACH OF YOU. ONE FOR YOU
AND ONE FOR MOSES
AND ONE FOR ELIJAH. AND IT'S
INTERESTING
THAT LUKE SAYS: HE DIDN'T
EVEN KNOW
WHAT HE WAS SAYING.
WAS HE GRASPING WHAT WAS
GOING ON?
AND THEN THIS CLOUD DESCENDS
ON THEM.
THIS CLOUD
ENVELOPS THEM.
AND THE VOICE OF GOD
SPEAKS TO THEM:
"THIS IS MY SON,
WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN;
LISTEN
TO HIM."
WHAT AMAZING WORDS
THAT WE SHOULD HEAR THE
DISCIPLES OF TODAY AS WELL AS
PETER, JAMES AND JOHN
BECAUSE JESUS 'IS'
THE SON OF GOD!
THE CHOSEN ONE! THAT WE ARE
TO
LISTEN TO HIM!
BECAUSE HOW EASY, EVEN IN
OUR OWN LIVES, CAN WE BECOME
LIKE THE DISCIPLES WHERE WE
BECOME TIRED ... WHERE WE
BECOME WEARY. WHERE WE THINK
IT'S EASY ENOUGH THAT WE CAN
CATCH UP WITH THAT CHURCH
STUFF AFTER I TAKE A NAP.
OR AFTER I HAVE MY "ME" TIME.
WE CAN BECOME VERY
SELF-CENTERED
ABOUT HOW WE DEAL WITH OUR
FAITH
AND WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US.
HOW EASY TO PUT IT ON OUR
TERMS.
BUT THE AMAZING THING ABOUT
SCRIPTURE, AS WE WERE REMINDED
EVEN IN OUR EPISTLE LESSON FOR
TODAY IS, IT ISN'T ABOUT US!
WE'RE NOT HERE PREACHING "US".
WE ARE HERE PROCLAIMING
JESUS CHRIST.
THE CHOSEN ONE OF GOD
IN WHOM ALL OF THE FULLNESS
OF THE DEITY DWELLS.
WHO CAME INTO THIS WORLD
TO BE OUR SAVIOR.
TO BE THE ONE WHO WOULD
RESTORE
OUR BROKEN RELATIONSHIP WITH
THE LORD.
OUR RELATIONSHIP BROKEN
BECAUSE OF SIN.
SIN THAT WE INHERITED FROM
OUR PARENTS.
SIN THAT IS ACTIVE IN OUR
LIVES. SIN THAT IS A PART
OF OUR THOUGHTS, IN OUR
HEARTS, THAT WE CAN'T
GET RID OF. AND BECAUSE WE
CAN'T
GET RID OF IT, WE PAY THE
WAGES OF THAT SIN
AND THAT IS DEATH.
AND DAMNATION OUTSIDE OF THE
BLESSINGS OF GOD.
BUT GOD CLEARLY
GIVES US IN HIS WORD, WHICH
POINTS
TO US OF JESUS CHRIST
WHOM GOD SAID: HE WILL
CARRY THE SACRIFICE FOR THEIR
SIN. I WILL PUT
THAT BURDEN OF THEIR SIN
ON HIM.
AND HE WILL
TAKE IT TO THE CROSS OF
CALVARY.
THERE HE WILL SACRIFICE
HIMSELF AND SHED HIS BLOOD.
SO THAT THERE SINS CAN BE
WASHED AWAY.
THAT THERE PAYMENT FOR SIN
WILL BE MADE.
AND THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO
BELIEVE
IN WHAT JESUS CHRIST HAS DONE
AND THEIR CREATOR FATHER
WILL BE RESTORED.
TO BE BROUGHT INTO THE FAMILY
OF GOD
AS SONS AND DAUGHTERS;
BEARERS OF
ETERNAL LIFE!
BECAUSE JESUS ROSE FROM THE
DEAD.
AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS WERE
ABOUT TO HAPPEN
IN JESUS' LIFE
AT THIS TIME OF OUR READING.
HE WAS GOING UP TO JERUSALEM
TO FULFILL WHAT GOD HAD
CHOSEN
HIM TO DO.
NO WONDER HE
WANTED TO SPEND TIME IN PRAYER
KNOWING WHAT
WOULD BE ASKED OF HIM. NO
WONDER HE WANTED HIS CLOSEST
FRIENDS WITH HIM TO BE WITH
HIM AND SUPPORT HIM AND
TO PRAY FOR HIM.
BECAUSE IT CERTAINLY
WAS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT
DAYS.
BUT THE FATHER WANTED THE
DISCIPLES' DIRECTIONS
PLACED ON CHRIST.
KNOWING WHO HE IS
AND WHAT HE WAS GOING TO
ACCOMPLISH.
AND THAT'S FOR US AS WELL.
WE CAN'T
SAVE OURSELVES AND THAT WE
KNOW, BUT HOW OFTEN
DON'T WE THINK THERE'S A
LITTLE BIT IN US THAT
HELPS HIM ALONG.
THAT HELPS MAKE GOD LIKE US
AND LOVE US. OR TREAT US
IN A WAY THAT IS
ALWAYS FILLED WITH BLESSINGS
THAT SOMEHOW
NO HARDSHIP SHOULD COME TO US
BECAUSE WE ARE THE CHILDREN
OF GOD.
WE REALIZE
THAT SIN BRINGS SUFFERING IN
THIS WORLD.
WE KNOW THAT GOD HAS FORGIVEN
OUR SINS
ONLY THROUGH CHRIST.
NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT WE HAVE
DONE. BUT BECAUSE
OF HIS OFFERING OF HIS LIFE.
GOD CHOSE HIM
TO MAKE US CLEAN.
AND NOW WE STAND BEFORE GOD
IN HIS PRESENCE
FULLY REDEEMED, FULLY FORGIVEN.
AND WE REMIND OURSELVES OF
THAT
AND REJOICE IN THAT FACT.
BUT WE LIVE
IN A SINFUL WORLD.
A WORLD IN WHICH WE NEED
TO REMAIN ALERT. THAT WE
NEED TO ALSO
CONTINUALLY BE LISTENING TO
GOD'S VOICE.
BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY
OTHER THINGS
VYING FOR OUR ATTENTION.
SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT,
YES, SOMETIMES JUST LIKE THE
DISCIPLES ...
WE GET WEARY.
OR WE FIND OURSELVES
IN THE MIDDLE OF A SITUATION
THAT COMES UP
AND MAY BE AS DRASTIC
AS THAT ... AS WHAT HAPPENED
ON THE MOUNT OF
TRANSFIGURATION.
MAYBE IT'S AN ACCIDENT.
THAT HAPPENS IN THE BLINK
OF AN EYE.
AND WE CAN'T EVEN
BEGIN TO COMPREHEND IT.
DON'T KNOW WHAT TO PRAY FOR;
DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.
AND, YES, SOMETIMES WE ALL
ARE LIKE PETER AND SAY
THINGS THAT DON'T MAKE SENSE
THAT ARE SO INAPPROPRIATE
BECAUSE WE JUST CAN'T GET OUR
MINDS AROUND WHAT IS
HAPPENING.
MAYBE IT'S AT THE
DEATHBED OF A LOVED ONE.
THAT WE JUST FEEL
WE HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING.
AND WE KNOW THAT AT THOSE
TIMES,
GOD COMES TO US AND SAYS:
LISTEN
TO ME.
SOMETIMES WE CAN BE SO QUICK
TO SPEAK.
BUT JUST TO REST IN GOD.
TO HEAR HIS WORD, TO KNOW
WHAT
HE HAS TO SAY TO US.
TO BE COMFORTED
BY THE MESSAGE OF HOPE THAT
IS OURS.
TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE OUR GOD
HAS TAKEN CARE OF
OUR GREATEST NEED, HE IS
GOING TO BE WITH US THROUGH
ALL OF OUR NEEDS OF THIS LIFE.
THAT HE STANDS BY US IN THOSE
TIMES
WHEN WE ARE NOT FULLY AWARE
OF WHAT IS GOING ON
WHAT HE'S TRYING TO
ACCOMPLISH OR WHY
IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME.
BUT TO TAKE THE TIME TO
LISTEN -- TO GOD'S COMFORT.
YES, AND SOMETIMES
WE NEED TO HEAR HIS LAW
THAT COMES
INTO OUR HEARTS AND SAYS: WE
HAVE BEEN TOO FAR FROM GOD.
WE'VE PUSHED HIM AWAY.
AND WE'VE BEEN REMINDED TO
RETURN TO HIM.
BECAUSE HIS ARMS ARE OPEN.
AND HIS LOVE IS
THERE WAITING TO EMBRACE US
AND BLESS US
WITH EVERYTHING THAT HE HAS
TO OFFER.
WE HEAR HIM SAY TO HIS
DISCIPLES
BEFORE HE LEFT THIS WORLD:
I WILL BE WITH YOU
ALWAYS TO THE VERY
END OF THE AGE!
THAT'S A COMFORT
THAT WE SHOULD HEAR
AND LISTEN.
TO TAKE THOSE TIMES IN OUR
LIVES
TO BE WITH GOD.
TO REMAIN ALERT
FIGHTING AGAINST THE DEVIL AND
THE WORLD AT EVERY
OPPORTUNITY.
TO BE KEPT SAFE
IN THE ARMS OF OUR LORD.
BECAUSE THIS MORNING WE KNOW
WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR US.
WE HAVE SEEN THE FULFILLMENT
OF THESE WORDS, OF WHAT
CHRIST
WAS GOING TO DO AND THERE IS
OUR POWER AND OUR STRENGTH
FOR LIVING. WE LIVE AS THE
CHILDREN OF GOD,
BLESSED BY HIM EACH AND
EVERY DAY.
LET'S MAKE SURE WE DON'T GROW
TIRED.
OR WEARY.
OR NOT FALL ASLEEP.
OR NOT BE
FULLY AWARE OF WHAT'S
GOING ON.
LET'S BE AWAKE. AND
LISTEN TO HIM.
AMEN.
LET US RISE.
NOW MAY THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH
GOES BEYOND ALL OF OUR
UNDERSTANDING KEEP YOUR HEARTS
AND YOUR MINDS AND ESPECIALLY
YOUR LIVES IN THE ONE TRUE
FAITH UNTO LIFE EVERLASTING.
AMEN.