THE LORD of GLORY REVEALED (CC)

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.