WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:09.279 Have you ever had a moment where you thought you knew what was coming in life, and then you realize you didn't at all? 00:00:09.839 --> 00:00:18.559 I think life has a way of doing that where or when things feel really steady and really predictable, and then suddenly everything shifts. 00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:22.719 And if we're honest, following Jesus can sometimes feel like that. 00:00:22.879 --> 00:00:28.399 We know that there are promises in his word to believe in him, to trust him. 00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:37.200 But when various trials come and we realize that this road can be harder than expected, we're caught off guard. 00:00:37.679 --> 00:00:44.079 Now, this morning in our passage, the disciples were kind of dealing with that themselves. 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:50.399 A couple of weeks ago, we were looking at this cost that Jesus said it would take to follow him. 00:00:50.719 --> 00:01:00.799 After revealing to his disciples and others that he was about to be put to death, he mentions that it was about to get hard for those who chose to continue following him. 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:07.599 And after about eight days, Luke tells us that Jesus takes three of the disciples up to a mountain to pray. 00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:15.599 And it is there where we get this incredible story of Jesus revealing himself to them in glory. 00:01:15.920 --> 00:01:24.480 The transfiguration, which is what this passage is often called, is really one of the most fascinating stories in all of Scripture. 00:01:25.120 --> 00:01:28.319 It really has it has everything. 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:30.560 I mean, the scene has it all. 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:35.040 It has Jesus transfiguring or changing his image and glory. 00:01:35.120 --> 00:01:39.040 It has dead men rising and speaking to him. 00:01:39.280 --> 00:01:42.000 It has God, a voice speaking from heaven. 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:47.519 It even has a little comedy with the disciples sleeping through part of this spectacular event. 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:50.480 But what are we to make of all of this? 00:01:50.799 --> 00:01:58.879 Is this just an amazing story of God's glory and power on display, or is there a deeper meaning behind it all? 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:09.520 Well, I want to show us this morning why what happened on the top of that mountain was God's plan to comfort and assure Peter, James, and John. 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:19.199 I titled this sermon, His Glory, Our Assurance, because the glory of Christ brought these men on that mountain some assurance that day. 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:24.800 They were about to experience some hardships that I don't think they initially signed up for. 00:02:24.960 --> 00:02:38.479 They had no idea what the cost would be to follow Jesus and how much it would be, but Jesus wanted to assure them that they would have everything that they needed for what was ahead. 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:47.360 And I believe he continues giving his followers, which is us, his disciples, assurance for our difficulties as well. 00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:59.199 He who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, continues to reveal himself to us, to comfort us and to assure us through various trials and hardships of our own. 00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:04.879 As we look at this passage, I want to point out four means by which assurance comes to us. 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:08.960 And I know we use that word assurance when talking about assurance of our salvation. 00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:09.759 I don't mean that. 00:03:09.919 --> 00:03:16.080 I mean assurance of our protection, assurance of our security in Christ, assurance of his promises. 00:03:16.240 --> 00:03:22.719 How can the Christians gain assurance that God will be with us through difficulty? 00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:25.280 And I want to just again want to point out these four. 00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:27.680 Number one, assurance comes through prayer. 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:33.439 Number two, assurance comes by being reminded of God's power. 00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:37.280 Number three, assurance comes by obedience. 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:41.680 And number four, assurance comes through the presence of Christ. 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:44.159 Assurance comes through prayer. 00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:47.919 Assurance comes by being reminded of God's power. 00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:52.879 Assurance comes by obedience, and assurance comes through the presence of Christ. 00:03:53.039 --> 00:03:54.159 Let's look at that first point. 00:03:54.319 --> 00:03:56.400 Assurance comes through prayer. 00:03:56.560 --> 00:04:07.840 Let's go back to verse 28 of the passage, where it says, Now about eight days after these sayings, he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:17.199 So Luke reminds us that it was around eight days after Jesus had revealed his death and told them that following him would be costly. 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:25.680 So about a week after this, Jesus singles out Peter, James, and John to take them up to this mountain to pray. 00:04:25.920 --> 00:04:29.040 These were the three who seemed to be in his inner circle. 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:33.519 And they were also, if you know the book of Acts, were key figures in the early church. 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:40.959 And Jesus felt that it was necessary for these three to see what he was about to show them on that mountain. 00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:45.680 But even before revealing his glory to them, notice where it all starts. 00:04:45.920 --> 00:04:48.160 It all starts with prayer. 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:58.639 You know, prayer is a theme that's found in Luke's gospel as he shows us that prayer is something that happens before a major event. 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:05.680 You may remember Christ sets a time, set aside a time to pray before he begins his ministry and his baptism. 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:10.000 Before he chose the twelve, he says he spends the entire night in prayer. 00:05:10.240 --> 00:05:15.120 Earlier, before Peter's confession that he is Christ, he spent time alone in prayer. 00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:21.439 And here again, he's about to reveal his glory to them, but first they must pray. 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:27.439 Now, in Scripture, the mountain is a motif where heaven and earth meet. 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:30.800 It's where God often speaks or reveals something to men. 00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:36.800 At Mount Moriah in the Old Testament, God tests Abraham's faith on a mountain. 00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:42.000 At Mount Sinai, God speaks to Moses and gives him the law on a mountain. 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:45.759 At Mount Carmel, God answers Elijah with fire on a mountain. 00:05:45.839 --> 00:05:51.600 And here Jesus takes these three on top of the mountain where God again will reveal himself to man. 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:56.560 But notice why they are going to the top of the mountain in the first place. 00:05:56.800 --> 00:05:58.800 It was simply to pray. 00:05:59.040 --> 00:06:03.360 Peter, James, and John had no idea of what God was about to do. 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:06.000 Jesus didn't tell them what was about to happen. 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:10.079 They were just following Jesus and doing what Jesus often did. 00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:15.199 Going someplace where he can be alone to spend some time in prayer. 00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:21.199 It was in the ordinary where God was about to reveal the extraordinary. 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:34.480 God was about to reveal something to them and show them something extraordinary that will strengthen their faith and build them up while they were doing the ordinary daily discipline of prayer. 00:06:34.800 --> 00:06:37.680 This is often how God works to strengthen us. 00:06:37.839 --> 00:06:43.279 Whenever we need strength or assurance from God, sometimes we're looking for this big sign. 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:45.199 Lord, show me something. 00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:46.399 Show me something big. 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:48.000 Show me something spectacular. 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:53.279 Show me something out of the ordinary to prove that you are with me in this. 00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:55.279 And sometimes he does. 00:06:55.439 --> 00:06:59.439 But if he does, it's usually not going to come without prayer. 00:06:59.680 --> 00:07:02.959 In fact, nothing usually comes without prayer. 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:14.560 Prayer is one of the means by which God accomplishes his things and his purposes in our world, not only in the world without, but also in our hearts, also within us. 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:18.399 What is it that often moves us to pray? 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:20.800 What is it that often drives us to pray? 00:07:21.040 --> 00:07:24.480 It's usually our circumstances, our problems, our issues. 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:29.839 We want God to do something for us or to answer one of our prayer requests. 00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:34.160 So it's often need that drives us to prayer. 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:39.439 But what about when there is a need that we don't even see yet? 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:42.480 What about if there's a need that is coming around the corner? 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:46.959 See, Peter, James, and John had no idea of what was ahead of them. 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:49.680 They had no idea of what was in store for their lives. 00:07:49.839 --> 00:08:02.319 They were starting to understand a little and they knew more than they did before, but they didn't know the extent of the hardships and the sufferings they were about to endure for the name of Christ. 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:08.879 They couldn't necessarily pray for what was ahead of them because they really didn't know all that was ahead of them. 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:19.439 But through prayer, God was about to give them strength for something they didn't even fully know they needed, which is what God often does when we pray. 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:34.559 In prayer, a sovereign God who knows all, who knows things that we don't know, who knows tomorrow, a sovereign God will often answer prayer requests that we don't even have, but that we desperately need. 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:42.080 As Romans 8 says, the Spirit intercedes when we don't know what to pray for. 00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:46.480 Because the Spirit knows our needs better than we do. 00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:52.720 Peter, James, and John were surely not praying for God's glory to be revealed. 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:56.559 The fact that they were asleep during it all shows us that. 00:08:57.039 --> 00:09:01.919 But surely they spent some time praying for something. 00:09:02.240 --> 00:09:12.320 You know, one thing that often keeps the believer away from prayer is believing that we don't know how to pray. 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:15.120 Or we don't know what to pray for. 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:20.639 But again, God is not looking for these grand, extraordinary prayers. 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:24.080 He often works in the ordinary ones. 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:28.240 You know, sometimes you'll hear people say, pray big prayers, pray bold prayers. 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:28.799 And I get that. 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:31.679 We want to pray for God to do big things. 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:36.399 But God is not asking for us to pray long, deep, complex prayers. 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:39.440 He's just asking us to pray. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:45.679 When the disciples asked Jesus, teach us to pray, notice he didn't give them a 400-page book. 00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:52.320 In just a few verses, he taught them the simplicity of what it looks like to talk to God. 00:09:52.480 --> 00:10:05.679 And it is in often in that simplicity where God often works out these difficult things in our lives, doing the simple, daily discipline of prayer. 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:24.000 Philippians 4, 6 tells us, do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:33.759 When we are anxious about some things, we often think that a change in our circumstance will bring us exactly what we need. 00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:41.039 For example, if we're anxious about a doctor's report, we believe that once we get that good report, we'll be calm. 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:42.799 That'll calm our anxiety. 00:10:42.960 --> 00:10:47.679 Or if we're anxious about our finances, we believe that once we have some money, we'll be okay. 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:49.440 It'll calm our anxiety. 00:10:49.519 --> 00:11:01.279 But notice how the text here in Philippians doesn't say through prayer and supplications, let your request be known to God, and your prayers will be answered the exact way you asked them. 00:11:01.679 --> 00:11:09.200 It says, Let your request be known, and the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds. 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:15.200 In other words, the real problem is not the circumstance that we're worried or anxious about. 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:19.440 The real problem is that we're uncertain. 00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:25.120 And that our minds are starting to drift from faith to fear. 00:11:25.919 --> 00:11:29.440 But prayer has a way of centering us back on the right thing. 00:11:29.759 --> 00:11:35.200 The disciples were about to get put in some very anxious situations. 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:43.360 And through prayer, God would guard their hearts and their minds and give them the peace that they needed. 00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:47.120 So, number one, assurance comes to us through prayer. 00:11:47.279 --> 00:11:50.240 Number two, assurance comes through being reminded of God's power. 00:11:50.399 --> 00:11:51.840 Look at verse 29. 00:11:52.639 --> 00:12:07.440 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white, and behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:16.399 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. 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:28.559 Now you may remember, if you know your Bible, in the Old Testament, Moses, after speaking to God on the mountain, he comes down, and the Bible says his face was shining. 00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:31.600 The NIV says that his face was radiant. 00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:32.240 Why? 00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:36.879 Because he was speaking to God and he got to witness the glory. 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:42.960 However, here it was Jesus whose face was radiant, and his clothes became dazzling white. 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:46.799 Not because Jesus encountered God, but because Jesus was God. 00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:52.960 In other words, this wasn't Jesus being affected by being close or near to the glory. 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:55.840 This was Jesus exposing his glory. 00:12:56.080 --> 00:12:58.480 Moses and Elijah also appeared with him. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:01.200 And I'll get to the significance of these two in a moment. 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:09.519 But here they appear talking with Jesus, and it says they spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem. 00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:11.440 What does that mean, departure? 00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:19.200 Well, departure in the original language has a sense of being taken away. 00:13:19.840 --> 00:13:24.000 Leaving, not necessarily leaving on your own, but actually being taken away. 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:32.000 In other words, they were talking with Jesus about what he was about to experience in Jerusalem when he would be handed over to die. 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:39.440 So they came discussing what was about to happen to Jesus, his death, his burial, his resurrection. 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:44.799 They must have somehow known a little, but they wanted a fuller sense of what was about to happen. 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:46.480 They wanted to ask him questions. 00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:52.240 Maybe ask Jesus how he felt, if he was ready, could he tell them how this was all going to happen? 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:53.759 Can you imagine the scene? 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:55.440 What an amazing scene. 00:13:55.919 --> 00:13:58.000 What a wonderful thing to behold. 00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:01.600 And while all this was going on, notice what the disciples were doing. 00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:02.720 They were missing it. 00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:04.559 They were doing what they did best. 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:05.759 They were sleeping. 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:09.519 Up to this point, the disciples didn't really excel at much. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:12.320 But one thing they were great at was falling asleep while praying. 00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:15.360 Some of us might have that spiritual gift as well. 00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:19.759 But when they wake up, this is what they see. 00:14:19.919 --> 00:14:21.120 This is what they witness. 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:28.879 Jesus, Moses, and Elijah having this conversation with Jesus, having this conversation together in glory. 00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:40.000 The glory of the Lord appearing in spectacular form was something that these men who knew a little scripture were certainly aware of. 00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:44.799 They were students of the scriptures as most Jews were. 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:53.600 And they knew that whenever the glory of God was revealed, there was visible evidence of the power of God. 00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:56.559 In other words, the glory was often revealed with the power. 00:14:56.720 --> 00:15:07.039 Whether it was through a cloud or whether it was a fire or an earthquake or a thick presence, they knew that God's glory didn't come silently. 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:19.279 So when they saw Jesus' face being altered and his clothes dazzling white, they knew that God was manifesting his presence with his power and his glory. 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:20.639 But why? 00:15:20.879 --> 00:15:21.759 Why here? 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:23.039 Why now? 00:15:23.840 --> 00:15:33.519 Well, again, it seems that Jesus wanted to reveal his glory and his power to assure them that they had nothing to fear. 00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:36.399 Who do you fear, Peter? 00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:37.759 Who do you fear, James? 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:38.720 Who do you fear, John? 00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:40.000 Do you fear the Romans? 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:41.360 Do you fear the Jews? 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:43.360 Do you fear the power of man? 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:46.000 Well, let me show you who is for you. 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:48.960 Let me show you the power of God. 00:15:49.120 --> 00:15:54.720 Let me assure you that what you might fear is no match for my glory. 00:15:55.519 --> 00:16:01.679 There's a story in the Old Testament where the prophet Elisha upsets the king of Syria. 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:05.039 And the king sends an army to the city to go and seize him. 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:10.000 And when Elisha's servant saw the army coming for him, he was afraid. 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:18.399 So Elisha prays to God that God would open the eyes of his servant so that his servant would see what Elijah saw. 00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:30.000 And when God opened the eyes of the servant, he saw the army of God in chariots of fire surrounding the Syrian army. 00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:36.639 Elijah's servant was afraid when he looked up and saw the Syrian army. 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:41.200 But he was assured when he saw the army of God. 00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:47.919 Elijah's prayer was for God to open his servant's eyes so that he can see what was really there. 00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:54.559 That this Syrian army was no match for God's army. 00:16:54.879 --> 00:16:58.159 And sometimes we have to be reminded of this ourselves. 00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:05.680 That the power on our side is infinitely greater than the power on the other side. 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:12.640 That all of the strength and all of the forces that are against us is no match for the one who is for us. 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:14.160 1 John 4, 4. 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:18.400 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them. 00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:23.920 For he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 00:17:24.319 --> 00:17:31.839 You know, whenever Scripture uses this word world, it's usually speaking of those things that are opposed to God. 00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:39.440 Not the world as in traveling the world, but the world as in that which stands in opposition to God. 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:46.960 And if you are in Christ, then you belong to God, which means that the world stands in opposition to you. 00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:50.880 And we feel that every day, don't we? 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:57.680 We feel the attacks and the pressures of the world which stand in opposition to us. 00:17:57.839 --> 00:18:08.079 That's why we have to be reminded of the power of God and how He can do in an instant what man can't even do in a lifetime. 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:18.079 You know, we can spend our entire lives trying to weave and duck and shield ourselves from the attack of the enemy, or we can trust the power of God. 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:32.960 Or we can trust that he, God, is greater than he, Satan, or sickness, or doubt, or fear, or loss, or anxiety, or depression, or whatever name he comes by for you in this world. 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:40.880 Jesus thought the disciples needed to see his glory and his power so that they could be assured. 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:45.519 I believe he still wants us to be assured by this glory and his power. 00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:48.799 Let it remind you that there is nothing greater. 00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:54.079 And one of the ways that he assures us and reminds us is through his word. 00:18:54.480 --> 00:19:01.519 It's by reminding us of his power, which is confirmed to us in the scriptures. 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:09.519 Out of all the figures in the Old Testament, it's interesting that it's Moses and Elijah who appear. 00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:18.559 Not Abraham, the father of their faith and of the race, not David, the great king and their nation's history. 00:19:19.119 --> 00:19:22.319 But Moses and Elijah. 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:24.480 What is the significance here? 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:30.880 Well, to the Jews at this time, Moses represented the law books of their scriptures. 00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:36.960 He was believed to be the author of what most of what they would call, most Jews would call the Torah. 00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:41.519 And Elijah was known as the great prophet of the Old Testament. 00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:46.400 The Jews would speak, often speak of the scriptures as the law and the prophets. 00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:52.160 Well, here Moses represents the law and Elijah represents the prophets. 00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:59.119 Together they represent the totality of the scriptures that Peter, James, and John would have known. 00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:08.000 God wanted them to see that Jesus is confirmed and affirmed by the scriptures. 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:21.279 This must have been assuring to them because if they ever doubted that this Jesus, who they left some things behind to follow, wasn't the Messiah, they can put those doubts to bed. 00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:26.160 Because here is Moses and Elijah affirming that Jesus is the one. 00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:35.519 The power of God manifested in glory is confirmed by the scriptures that they believed and trusted in. 00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:51.920 And it's the same way we can be assured through whatever difficulty that we might face, through uncertainty, God wants us to find assurance of his strength and of his love and of his promises in the scriptures. 00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:52.960 In his word. 00:20:58.160 --> 00:21:05.839 Romans 15, 4 says, it was written so that through its encouragement we might have hope. 00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:22.799 We find them in the Bible. 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:36.240 And they are there to remind us and to assure us that through whatever trial or temptation or tribulation or valley that we might find ourselves in, he will hold us fast. 00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:42.640 And the hands of the ones that hold us are mighty and powerful. 00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:47.519 Next, assurance comes through obedience. 00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:49.119 Look at verse 33. 00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:57.599 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is good that we are here. 00:21:57.920 --> 00:22:03.279 Let us make three tents one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah, not knowing what he said. 00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:11.279 And he was saying these things, as he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:18.079 And a voice came out of the cloud saying, This is my son, my chosen one, listen to him. 00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:28.960 So after witnessing this glory that was upon Jesus and Moses and Elijah, Peter, as he often does, speaks without thinking. 00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:35.519 He says to Jesus, Let me make these three tents, one for each of you. 00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:40.720 This was in reference to what the Jews celebrated during the Feast of Tabernacles. 00:22:40.880 --> 00:22:48.799 This was a Jewish feast where they would remember the time when they dwelt in tents after they were rescued out of Egypt. 00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:59.039 Jews would often, in remembrance of this, would often build these temporary shelters or booths to remember God dwelling with Israel in the wilderness. 00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:02.880 Now, Peter's mistake here was twofold. 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:10.079 First, he mistakenly places Moses and Elijah on the same level as Jesus. 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:12.079 Notice what he says. 00:23:13.119 --> 00:23:14.079 Is it good? 00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:16.160 It is good that we are here. 00:23:18.400 --> 00:23:23.839 Let me make three tents, one for you and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. 00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:28.880 He was putting these three on equal footing. 00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:35.200 He wants to build these equal tents as if Jesus was no greater than Moses or Elijah, when in fact he was. 00:23:35.440 --> 00:23:40.720 Moses and Elijah were great men, but Jesus, he was the Son of God. 00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:43.519 And here's the second mistake Peter made. 00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:49.920 He wanted to harness the glory of God and preserve the moment for as long as he could. 00:23:50.160 --> 00:23:52.799 That's why he wanted to make the tents. 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:56.319 So they can dwell there, so they can stay there. 00:23:56.559 --> 00:24:01.119 And that that gl so that the glory could and would remain. 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:08.160 He was speaking without thinking, as he often does. 00:24:08.720 --> 00:24:11.519 He wanted things to be done his own way. 00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:19.039 After seeing the glory appear, the first thing that he does is consult himself for what to do next. 00:24:19.759 --> 00:24:34.720 Now, to be fair, in Matthew's account, he does ask for permission to build the tents, but he still seems to be leading by intuition rather than waiting for what to do next, waiting for God's word, waiting for Jesus to speak. 00:24:35.119 --> 00:24:43.440 Just then he and the others, they hear a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved son, listen to him. 00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:57.839 As if to say, Peter, rather than doing what you feel is right or what you think is right, follow and obey the words of my son because he is right. 00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:03.599 Just like at his baptism, the Father confirms that Jesus is his son. 00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:08.880 Up to this point, as we've been going through Luke, the demons and the angels confessed who he is. 00:25:09.039 --> 00:25:11.440 Peter earlier in the chapter confesses who he is. 00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:14.799 And once again, God, the Father, confesses who he is. 00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:19.359 This is my son, and you need to listen to him. 00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:27.519 God knew that these men were going to experience hardships of the likes they had never seen before. 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:40.880 And what they needed most was not to follow their own instinct or follow their own wisdom or their own intuition, but they needed to obey whatever Jesus told them or would tell them to do. 00:25:42.160 --> 00:25:45.920 During difficulty, we often react on impulse, just like Peter. 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:54.240 We do things without thinking, we say things without considering how they sound, because the pressures of life get to us. 00:25:54.559 --> 00:26:01.599 And we often, the pressures of life often make us respond in ways that aren't always helpful. 00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:06.480 And instead of making things better, we make things worse. 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:13.200 And we keep digging a hole for ourselves until we hit rock bottom and we we stop and we ask ourselves, how did we even get here? 00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:19.839 Well, the answer to that question is often by listening to myself instead of listening to God's word. 00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:31.759 And you know, when we're going through those things, we we don't trust anything, we're not sure of anything, and and and we question every decision and move that we make, wondering, is this the right move? 00:26:31.839 --> 00:26:32.559 Is that the right move? 00:26:32.640 --> 00:26:33.519 Is this the right decision? 00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:35.759 And am I going to make things better or worse? 00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:38.160 Again, what's the answer to all this? 00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:39.920 The answer is obedience. 00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:43.680 The answer is trusting God's ways over my own. 00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:49.200 It's obeying God and following his path instead of trying to carve out my own path. 00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:58.160 You know, we don't often connect obedience to the nearness of God, but scripture does. 00:26:58.240 --> 00:27:13.039 In John 14, 21, we read, Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me, and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. 00:27:14.240 --> 00:27:21.359 Jesus says that he will manifest himself to those who love and keep his commandments. 00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:25.920 To manifest is to make something visible, it's to make something evident. 00:27:26.160 --> 00:27:31.519 And no, that doesn't happen by the silly trend of visualizing what you want and bringing it into existence. 00:27:31.759 --> 00:27:44.480 In this case, Jesus said he will willfully manifest himself, make himself evident, make himself known in the lives of those who love him and keep his commandments. 00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:48.079 Love and obedience in Scripture are connected. 00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:52.640 Jesus said elsewhere, if you love me, you will keep my commandments. 00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:55.119 How do we know we love Jesus? 00:27:55.359 --> 00:27:58.960 By just saying it, by just telling others we do? 00:27:59.119 --> 00:28:04.079 No, by keeping his commandments, by obeying him, by following his word. 00:28:04.400 --> 00:28:09.440 And it is those, those who obey, who he will make himself evident to. 00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:16.720 And when Jesus is evident in our lives, and when we know that he's near, we fear very little. 00:28:17.519 --> 00:28:23.680 We aren't too worried about what's coming next when we know that Jesus is next to us. 00:28:24.319 --> 00:28:31.920 Robert Murray McShane once said, if I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. 00:28:32.079 --> 00:28:34.400 Yet distance makes no difference. 00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:36.480 He is praying for me. 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:40.240 It's truly a theme that is found in Scripture. 00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:43.839 We're told in James to draw near to God and he would draw near to us. 00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:47.200 In Ephesians, we are told to grieve not the Holy Spirit. 00:28:47.440 --> 00:28:53.759 Scripture seems to show us that our obedience will bring us closer to God and God to us. 00:28:53.920 --> 00:29:12.960 And when God is near us, his presence is near, and his love is near, and his peace is near, and his wisdom is near, and everything that we need for the moment, everything that we need to assure us that we are going to be okay in the hands of God is right there to comfort and console us. 00:29:13.279 --> 00:29:22.000 But those things are distant when we're walking in disobedience and when we choose to do things our way instead of God's way. 00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:36.640 You'll hear people say things like, Well, I meant well, or I'm just following my heart, or I'm just doing what I thought was right and what would make me happy. 00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:38.480 I didn't mean to disobey God. 00:29:38.640 --> 00:29:40.640 I was just doing what I thought was right. 00:29:41.359 --> 00:29:43.759 Peter thought the same thing, didn't he? 00:29:44.160 --> 00:29:48.000 He was sincere in wanting to build those tents. 00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:50.960 For all we know, he didn't have any wrong motives. 00:29:51.279 --> 00:29:54.079 But his problem wasn't his motives. 00:29:54.319 --> 00:29:58.079 His problem was not waiting for direction from God. 00:29:58.960 --> 00:30:08.160 Motives and sincerity are never an excuse for disobedience because those things can easily lead us down the wrong path. 00:30:09.039 --> 00:30:14.240 And before you think it's too hard to obey, I do want to point out the grace in all of this. 00:30:15.119 --> 00:30:21.680 Some of you might remember when Moses in the Old Testament went up to the mountain and received the law from God. 00:30:21.920 --> 00:30:26.559 And there God spoke to him, and the people heard his voice from heaven. 00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:32.160 There's a lot of similarities between that event and this one here in our passage this morning. 00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:39.680 There's a mountain, there's a cloud, there's a revealing of the glory of God, and there is a voice that is heard from heaven. 00:30:41.440 --> 00:30:44.720 Look what it says in Deuteronomy chapter 5, verse 22. 00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:56.160 These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain, out of the mist of the fire and the cloud and thick darkness, with a loud voice, and he added no more. 00:30:56.400 --> 00:30:59.599 And he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. 00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:08.000 And as soon as you heard the voice out of the mist of darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me all the heads of your tribes and your elders. 00:31:08.160 --> 00:31:15.839 And you said, Behold, the Lord our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. 00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:21.359 This day we have seen God speak with men, and men still live. 00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:23.599 Now therefore, why should we die? 00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:25.920 For this great fire will consume us. 00:31:26.160 --> 00:31:30.319 If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, we shall die. 00:31:30.720 --> 00:31:39.519 For who is there of all flesh that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire as we have, and as still live? 00:31:39.680 --> 00:31:48.799 Go near and hear all that the Lord our God will say, and speak to us, all that the Lord our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it. 00:31:50.000 --> 00:31:53.599 Now notice this is the old covenant, this is the old testament. 00:31:53.759 --> 00:32:05.519 Notice the people of Israel, they were terrified at hearing the voice of God, because they were sinners and they were in the presence of this holy and righteous God, and we all know that can be a frightening thing. 00:32:05.839 --> 00:32:07.759 They didn't even want God to speak to them. 00:32:07.920 --> 00:32:10.559 They said, No more, let us hear him no more. 00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:12.559 They wanted God to speak to Moses. 00:32:13.039 --> 00:32:17.680 God, you speak to Moses and let Moses speak to us, let him be the mediator. 00:32:17.839 --> 00:32:23.119 But but notice that Peter, James, and John didn't have this same reaction. 00:32:24.400 --> 00:32:25.039 They didn't fear. 00:32:25.119 --> 00:32:27.680 They didn't say, I don't, I don't want to hear from God. 00:32:28.079 --> 00:32:28.799 I'm afraid. 00:32:29.599 --> 00:32:31.279 Notice how their reaction was different. 00:32:31.440 --> 00:32:36.319 Instead, Peter actually wanted God's glory to remain. 00:32:36.559 --> 00:32:38.240 What was the difference? 00:32:38.640 --> 00:32:40.960 The difference was the mediator. 00:32:41.440 --> 00:32:44.799 It wasn't Moses, it was Jesus. 00:32:45.200 --> 00:32:50.480 God was revealing something on that mountain that day of the transfiguration. 00:32:50.799 --> 00:32:55.359 He was revealing a shift from the old covenant to the new. 00:32:55.599 --> 00:33:00.319 At Mount Sinai, God gave the law and said, obey it. 00:33:00.640 --> 00:33:05.359 Here, God gives his son and says, obey him. 00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:18.640 In other words, my blessing will no longer rely on what you do with the law, but it will now rely on what you do with Jesus, on what you do with my son. 00:33:19.200 --> 00:33:23.200 Moses is no longer the mediator of your obedience. 00:33:23.359 --> 00:33:25.039 Now Jesus is. 00:33:25.359 --> 00:33:26.480 Listen to him. 00:33:27.440 --> 00:33:37.440 There's grace in that because Jesus is not only the one we obey, but he is also the one in whom we obey through. 00:33:37.920 --> 00:33:41.599 He's the one who gives us the strength to obey. 00:33:41.839 --> 00:33:48.319 And when we obey him, we are following his way and his path. 00:33:48.559 --> 00:33:58.880 His path that was already traveled upon, his obedience that was already perfected, his ways which are sure and safe. 00:33:59.279 --> 00:34:03.119 We don't obey out of fear, we obey out of love. 00:34:03.680 --> 00:34:07.359 Because we love Christ and we want to follow our shepherd. 00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:10.639 And this is what God was showing Peter, James, and John. 00:34:10.800 --> 00:34:23.280 If you want to be assured that you're walking the right way and you're going the right path, if you want to be assured, even when the valley is the shadow of death, you need to listen to my son. 00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:25.199 You need to obey him. 00:34:25.760 --> 00:34:27.119 You need to keep your eyes on him. 00:34:27.599 --> 00:34:30.719 For he is the great shepherd that will lead you. 00:34:31.199 --> 00:34:32.559 Follow his voice. 00:34:33.360 --> 00:34:40.000 Our obedience will often come with the assurance that God is with us through Jesus Christ. 00:34:40.159 --> 00:34:40.639 Amen. 00:34:41.199 --> 00:34:45.039 And lastly, assurance comes through the presence of Christ. 00:34:45.360 --> 00:34:47.199 Verse 36. 00:34:47.920 --> 00:34:57.119 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. 00:34:59.119 --> 00:35:11.679 So after hearing the voice, and after witnessing the spectacular display of the glory of Christ, and after seeing Moses and Elijah on the mountain, they looked up, and the only one that is left is Jesus. 00:35:12.159 --> 00:35:17.199 Now surely they must have wondered, will he be taken away from us? 00:35:17.599 --> 00:35:20.000 I mean, they knew about Elijah. 00:35:20.320 --> 00:35:27.360 They knew that Elijah was in this whirlwind one time when he was on earth, and he was taken away. 00:35:27.519 --> 00:35:30.000 Can this be what was about to happen to Jesus? 00:35:30.320 --> 00:35:33.519 Will God take him away in glory? 00:35:36.320 --> 00:35:46.320 But though the glory was gone, and the cloud was gone, and Moses was gone, and Elijah was gone. 00:35:46.639 --> 00:35:48.000 Look who's still there. 00:35:48.639 --> 00:35:49.599 Jesus. 00:35:50.159 --> 00:35:51.760 Jesus was present. 00:35:52.079 --> 00:35:55.679 As if to say, I'm still with you. 00:35:56.159 --> 00:35:59.280 And I will always be with you. 00:36:00.079 --> 00:36:06.320 This must have been assuring for the disciples to see and for the disciples to behold. 00:36:06.880 --> 00:36:12.159 That Jesus was there, that Jesus remained with them. 00:36:12.480 --> 00:36:19.360 Now Luke only gives us the disciples' response as they kept silent, as it says, they kept silent and told no one what they had seen. 00:36:19.519 --> 00:36:26.320 But in Mark's account, we're told that Jesus tells them to not tell anyone until he had risen from the dead. 00:36:26.559 --> 00:36:33.599 Of course, the reason we know this story is because they eventually told someone and when it was written and recorded for our benefit. 00:36:33.760 --> 00:36:39.840 Yet in the immediate context, this happened to encourage these three men. 00:36:40.159 --> 00:36:45.280 It happened to encourage Peter, James, and John for what they were about to face. 00:36:46.079 --> 00:36:50.719 But in the fuller context, this happened to encourage you. 00:36:51.440 --> 00:37:02.239 It happened to encourage me, to assure us and to remind us that God has a way of preserving us and keeping us. 00:37:03.519 --> 00:37:07.679 Even through the face of trials and tribulations that we face in this world. 00:37:07.840 --> 00:37:20.320 And one of the most powerful ways that he does this is by reminding us that Christ is still there, that he hasn't gone anywhere, that he's still present. 00:37:21.280 --> 00:37:33.039 Just as the disciples knew that Christ was theirs, when they looked up and saw no one but him, we can know that he is ours, who are likewise his disciples, and believe in his name. 00:37:33.360 --> 00:37:36.559 Jesus will never abandon his own. 00:37:36.880 --> 00:37:40.079 In Matthew 28, we read about the Great Commission. 00:37:40.239 --> 00:37:44.960 Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. 00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:45.920 And what do we always say? 00:37:46.079 --> 00:37:47.840 We say that's for the church. 00:37:48.079 --> 00:37:52.000 That's not just for the disciples, that's for all disciples. 00:37:52.320 --> 00:38:00.320 Well, in the same passage, Jesus adds this promise that he will be with them always, even until the end of the age. 00:38:00.639 --> 00:38:07.119 If the Great Commission is for everyone, then the promise is for everyone. 00:38:07.280 --> 00:38:16.719 If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, if you are a follower of his, then you can rest in this same promise that he will be with you always. 00:38:17.119 --> 00:38:18.639 Not sometimes. 00:38:18.960 --> 00:38:30.559 Not only when things are going good, not only when things are going great and well, but even when life is giving you a beating, you will face nothing alone. 00:38:30.880 --> 00:38:32.639