THE GLORY OF GOD THE SON (Luke 9:28-36) Sunday, September 30, 2018 Series: The Gospel of Luke, Message #41 - Summit EFC - Pastor Doug Corlew Luke 9:28-36 28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah not knowing what he said. 34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him! 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen. Earlier this week I spent a couple days at Hidden Acres, our district camp in Dayton, IA. I love spending time there, because the camp has been significant in my life and ministry over the years, whether bringing a group, or speaking, or just attending. So on Monday I took a walk all around the grounds, just reminiscing and giving thanks to God for His faithfulness over the years. After a while, you associate certain places at camp with special times when God made Himself known. And one sacred spot at Hidden Acres, for many people, is the Prayer Tree, a white oak where district leaders knelt in prayer back in 1979, asking the Lord to provide those 660 acres of land for a camp. Sadly, the tree s been dying, so earlier this year they had a great idea, and turned the Prayer Tree into a Prayer Cross. And it s still a popular destination for people who want to take a short hike. The Cross sits at the edge of a bluff, so especially when the leaves fall, you can see a long ways. It s not a mountain, but you do feel like you re up high, as you look down into the ravine. The site is set up to encourage you to stay awhile for prayer and meditation. They built a shelter, maybe 20 yards from the Cross. And there s a marker to commemorate the lives of Dave & Carol Martin. He was a Superintendent in the district. Now they re both with the Lord. However, everything is arranged so that your attention is focused on Christ. Several benches are spread out, all facing the Cross. And as I sat down, I opened up today s text, read it a few times, and thought to myself Hmm. A few disciples are with Jesus on a mountain, for prayer, and it turns out to be a spiritual high point in their lives which they ll never forget. A couple great spiritual leaders from the past make an appearance. Peter says, Let s build shelters so we can stay awhile and enjoy this time. And a voice from heaven keeps them focused on Jesus and the cross: This is My Son, My Chosen One. Listen to Him! Obviously the event was significant for Peter, John, and James. But as we ll see, it s also relevant to us, as we walk with Jesus today, because 1
1 st, it s A PREVIEW OF HIS COMING GLORY (v 28-29). The scene is set in v 28 - Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. About a week has passed since these sayings what sayings? In v 21-27, Jesus has just announced His approaching death, and warned the disciples of the cost of following Him. The Son of Man must suffer and be rejected and be killed and be raised. And if anyone would come after me, let him take up his cross and follow me. Those were hard words hard to understand and hard to accept. How is it that the Christ of God, the Messiah, would suffer and die? And why would He call His followers to do the same? This was confusing and unsettling. So Jesus gives them some incentives to follow Him, promising that this is the only pathway to salvation. Lose your life for My sake. Surrender yourself, unashamed to do My will. Otherwise, I ll be ashamed of you when I come again in glory. But, Jesus adds in v 27, There are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God. Now, about a week later, Jesus invites Peter and John and James to join Him for prayer. They go up on some mountain, we re not told the exact location. But in that place, the kingdom of God and the glory of Jesus become brilliantly visible to them. This is confirmation from heaven that Jesus truly is the Christ of God Peter had just confessed Him to be. And it s a signal that suffering and glory are not incompatible. The way may be hard, suffering is sure to come, but the cross will be followed by the crown. And it s interesting how Luke once again highlights the priority of prayer in this whole encounter. We ve seen that whenever prayer is present, something significant usually follows. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus prays before each new phase of ministry. 29 - And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. Wouldn t you like to know more? What did Jesus look like? The other gospels say, He was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun (Matt 17:2); his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them (Mark 9:2-3). That must have been incredible! The three disciples see a blinding display of light, as if they re suddenly transported into heaven, and the glory of Jesus is revealed to them in all of its splendor. We think of John 17:5 where Jesus prayed, And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. Throughout His earthly lifetime, this divine glory was hidden behind Jesus humanity. But on that mountain, the disciples witness the true glory of Jesus shining forth as it has from all eternity. It was a reminder that this world is not all there is. There is more to reality than meets the eye. Beyond this seen and temporal world there is another world, unseen and eternal. When Jesus comes again, that unseen and eternal world will break into our conscious experience, just as it did for these three disciples, when they got a preview of it on the mountain. Later in John 17:24, Jesus prayed for us, and what did He request of the Father? That we would be where He is, to see His glory, the glory He s had from before the foundation of the world! Peter and John and James saw it. And Jesus wants you to see His glory also. But for any of us to see His glory, it was necessary for Jesus to fulfill His mission 2
as it s highlighted in v 30-31, in A DISCUSSION OF HIS SAVING DEATH. 30-31 - And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. These are fascinating verses because they remind us that life does go on after death. Moses died 1400 years before Christ, and Elijah died 900 years before Christ. But they re still very much alive and well, kept by God, and engaged in vital relationships, just like all those through the centuries who have died in the Lord. But why were Moses and Elijah chosen for this honor, to appear with Christ in glory on the mountain? Because together, they basically represent the entire Old Testament. Moses received the law at Mount Sinai. Elijah was one of the great prophets of Israel. In those days, people referred to the Old Testament as the Law and the Prophets. So together, Moses and Elijah stood for the whole thing. Remember, Jesus said He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17). He was the culmination of everything promised in the Old Testament. After His resurrection, on the road to Emmaus, Jesus said, Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself (Luke 24:26-27). I wonder if that post-resurrection sermon was the fruit of His Transfiguration Day discussion with Moses and Elijah. Did they discuss how it was necessary that the Christ should suffer and then enter glory? Yes, they did! v 31 says they spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. In the Bible, a person s death is sometimes referred to as a departure (2 Peter 1:15), because death is not the end; it s just a transition. It s a change of address, a journey to our new home. Both Moses and Elijah had famous departures from this earth: Elijah was taken up into heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11), and Moses was buried by the Lord (Deuteronomy 34:6). Both of them would have interesting stories to tell about their departures to glory. But the subject of the conversation was not their own deaths, but the impending death of Jesus. And here in Luke 9, the word departure has even greater significance, because it translates the Greek word, exodus. And what does that bring to mind? Of course, that s the great Old Testament story of salvation: Israel s exodus from Egypt. Under Moses leadership, the people of God were delivered from their bondage. And by His death, His exodus, Jesus is about to deliver His people from a far worse bondage. He will deliver them from sin, and lead them to the promised land of glory. The death of Jesus was central to this mission: He came to offer up His life as a payment for our sins, and Moses and Elijah are there to bear witness to this. They knew their ministries ultimately pointed to Jesus. And their own salvation depended on Jesus finishing the work He came from heaven to do. Like us, Moses and Elijah are saved by grace through faith in Christ s atonement. They looked forward in faith; we look backward in faith. But the cross is the sole basis of anyone s acceptance before God. If you want to see His glory, trust in the cross of His Son. 3
But 3 rd, at the transfiguration, we can also learn from an unsolicited comment by Peter. Let s call it A SUGGESTION FROM HIS SLEEPY DISCIPLES (v 32-33). So a three-way conversation is taking place. It s like a small group Bible Study focused on the gospel, involving Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. Sound interesting, and very exciting, right? Yeah, well look at v 32a Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep. Look at the person next to you and see if that s how they look too! That s OK. If the disciples slept through Jesus talk, I won t be offended if they sleep through mine! There were some things the disciples just couldn t do, but sleeping wasn t one of them. They were good at this! And this won t be the last time they snooze when they shouldn t (21:45). Since the disciples eyes are heavy with sleep, they miss half the conversation. But it s hard to stay asleep when you re in the presence of someone whose face is shining like the sun, and whose clothes are giving off brilliant light! So gradually the disciples open their eyes. And in v 32b - when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. That must have been quite a shock. They re thinking, Wait a minute, is this a dream or is it real? Sometimes when we wake up, it takes a few minutes to get our bearings, especially if we re not at home. That s when it s probably best to pause, and not blurt out the first thing that comes to your mind 33 - And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah not knowing what he said. You gotta love that! Peter is half asleep, and half terrified. He has no idea what he s talking about! Actually, if there was ever a time for silence, this was it! But Peter was a man who could always find something to say, even when nothing could or should be said. So when Moses and Elijah begin to leave, Peter offers his suggestion. Jesus, Master, we like it here with you three. They don t have to leave now, do they? Surely we can make the glory last longer! Keep shining, Jesus! Let s hold on to this mountaintop experience! We can understand Peter s response. It s like I felt as a kid, at the end of a week of camp. Such a great spiritual environment with Christian friends, and the Lord was so near. I wished it could go and on never seemed to last long enough. Peter wants to prolong his experience by making tents. Maybe he s thinking of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, when they camped out in leafy shelters or huts, They did this to commemorate God s provision during their wilderness wandering, and to anticipate the future kingdom and God s ultimate deliverance. Or maybe Peter is thinking of the worship tabernacle that Moses built in the wilderness. That was the place where God s glory dwelled. So why not build three more tabernacles now, right here on the mountain, to celebrate and extend their experience of the glory? Why not? Why does Luke say that Peter didn t know what he was talking about? To begin with, Peter is putting Moses and Elijah on the same level with Jesus. He wants to honor each of them with a tabernacle. Except a week before, he confessed that Jesus was not Elijah or one of the prophets, but was in fact, the Christ (v 19-20). Apparently he didn t fully comprehend that just yet. 4
Moses and Elijah didn t show up to say Jesus is equal with them, but to say that Jesus is the one and only Messiah. He s not a colleague; He s their Savior and God. And He alone deserves our worship and devotion. Also, Peter s suggestion shows that he hasn t yet grasped God s plan of salvation. Moses and Elijah and Jesus have been discussing His departure they re talking about the necessity of the cross for salvation to be accomplished. The Son of Man must suffer and be rejected and killed, before rising on the third day. Jesus still has urgent work to accomplish. The time for everlasting glory had not yet come. Suffering and death are next on Jesus agenda, but Peter is getting ahead of himself. It s hard to wait. We can be impatient like Peter. We d rather avoid the suffering and have the glory now. But Jesus knew He must come down from the mountain to finish His saving work first. And even for us, the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4:17 that our momentary light afflictions are producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. Finally, in v 34-36, Jesus receives AN ENDORSEMENT FROM HIS HEAVENLY FATHER. 34 - As (Peter) was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. So now, their experience becomes even more intense. There s an even greater manifestation of divine glory. Throughout the Bible, God s presence is often revealed in a cloud, known as the Shekinah glory, the glory Moses saw when the pillar of cloud led the Israelites through the wilderness (Exo 13:21-22), and when God descended on the tabernacle in a cloud of glory (Exo 40:34-35). As Jesus and the prophets are enveloped in this cloud, the disciples are seeing the glory of Almighty God! And that s not all v 35 says, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him! This must have been re-assuring to Jesus, who s about to go up to Jerusalem to die. The Father is setting His divine seal upon His Son, in approval of this step He s about to take. You ll recall how a voice from heaven said something like this at the baptism of Jesus in 3:22 except there it was in the second person; the words were directed toward Jesus: You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased. Here at the Transfiguration, it s third person: This is my Son, my Chosen One, listen to him! Because the disciples are the intended audience. They re the ones who benefit most from this testimony from the Father. They are the ones who need to recognize Jesus for who He really is: As the Son of God (Ps 2:7), Jesus has existed in eternal fellowship with the Father and the Holy Spirit. As God s Chosen One, Jesus is the promised Messiah, the chosen Servant of the Lord (42:1; 52:13 53:12). Isaiah said this Chosen Servant would be pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. So God the Father is confirming everything Jesus had said about His sufferings and His death. Then God tells the disciples to listen to Jesus. Listen to Him! (Deuteronomy 18:15-19) Jesus is not just another prophet. To listen to Jesus is to hear the voice of God. And when God speaks, people should listen. 5
36 - And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen. The prophets are gone, and the scene ends with Jesus as the center of attention. Jesus alone. Everything is back to normal. The sneak preview of glory has ended. And the disciples are speechless, even Peter. For now. In those days, they told no one. But eventually they did share. Three gospels tell the story. And Peter himself talks about it in the first chapter of his second epistle, a passage which makes a fitting conclusion to the Transfiguration story, as it relates to us. Let s turn there as we close. 2 Peter 1:16 19 - For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. At this point we might say, that s all very well and good for you, Peter, but how about us? It sure would be nice if we could see the shekinah glory and hear an audible voice from heaven. If God would speak directly to me like that, then I too could really have assurance about Jesus and the gospel. So Peter goes on to make this remarkable comment: 19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. What would you rather have: Your Bible, or Peter s experience on the Mount of Transfiguration? Peter says, Take the Bible! What Scripture says about Jesus is even more certain that what Peter heard and saw on the mountain! Everything we need to know about Jesus is right here, and it s permanent. Experiences are temporary and sporadic, and our memories fade. But God s Word is eternal and trustworthy. It never fades, and you can go back to your Bible again and again. The way for us to know Jesus and His glory is not to seek out some supernatural experience or vision, but to read and believe the Bible! If we pay attention to what the Bible says about Jesus, we ll see His glory for ourselves. Even here, in this darkened world, the radiance of Jesus will shine in our hearts, like the morning star. Has the morning star of salvation risen in your heart? Do you believe what God says about Jesus in the gospel? Let us all Listen to Him, and when He comes again, we too will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). We ll join the fellowship of Moses and Elijah and all the saints, and we ll see the everlasting glory of God the Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ of God. Amen. 6