WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:01.439 So turn in your Bibles. 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:04.400 If you have your Bibles with you, we are in the Gospel of Mark. 00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:06.400 We've been going through the Gospel of Mark. 00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:08.800 We're calling it the messy gospel. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:14.080 The Gospel of Mark is at a transition point. 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:18.320 I know some of you haven't been with us, but this is a big transition. 00:00:18.800 --> 00:00:30.320 This is the second half of the book starting really last week and this week, in that Jesus knows that his time is short. 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:34.240 And he's changing his message here in Mark. 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:39.439 And just so you know a little bit of the background of Mark, Mark is a disciple of Peter. 00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:45.119 And it's going to be important tonight because there's some really interesting stuff here in our passage about Peter. 00:00:45.280 --> 00:01:05.599 But Peter is probably dictating information to Mark that he's using in the gospel, which is interesting because Peter, in our chapter we're going to look at, has this one part where he really says some dumb stuff, which is very typical of Peter. 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:12.959 But the fact that it's in there tells you something about the humility of Peter because Mark is getting his information from Peter. 00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:15.280 Anyway, there's this change. 00:01:16.319 --> 00:01:18.000 And here's the change. 00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:20.239 Jesus has been doing miracles. 00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:22.159 He's a miracle worker. 00:01:22.799 --> 00:01:24.319 He's a prophet. 00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:28.319 And he's starting to ask the question: who do people say that I am? 00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:32.560 And he asks his apostles, and they give some information. 00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:35.680 And Peter's the only one who says, You are the Christ. 00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:40.159 And then he compliments him, you know, only flesh and blood. 00:01:40.799 --> 00:01:46.560 Your flesh and blood could not have revealed this to you, but only the Holy Spirit could have revealed this to you. 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:50.000 And then he goes and he says, Well, I'm getting ready to go to Jerusalem and die. 00:01:50.159 --> 00:01:55.519 And then Peter, the one who gave the confession, turns him to the side and says, Lord, that can't happen to you. 00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:57.359 And I think it's out of compassion. 00:01:57.599 --> 00:01:59.040 But then you remember what Jesus said. 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:00.000 We looked at it last week. 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:02.159 He said, Get behind me, Satan. 00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:11.199 So Jesus is preparing his disciples for his identity and his suffering, his identity and his suffering. 00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:13.120 And we come to chapter 9. 00:02:13.199 --> 00:02:17.120 So we're in chapter 9 of the Gospel of Mark. 00:02:18.800 --> 00:02:20.639 Not Luke, Paul. 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:24.719 So thank you for last week helping me know where I was supposed to be. 00:02:25.360 --> 00:02:37.280 And he said to them, Assuredly I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power. 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:44.319 Now he's about, he's talking about his transfiguration, which is about to happen in a few minutes. 00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:57.759 But I love this because he says, you are not going to die until you see the coming of the kingdom of God with power. 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:03.120 When we've had all these indications of the kingdom of God coming in power. 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:18.080 This is a huge bridge into the second half of Mark's gospel. 00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:27.439 Now, after six days, and I always wonder when I read something like that, what did they do for six days? 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:29.680 I mean, did they go fishing? 00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:31.680 That's what I would have done. 00:03:31.919 --> 00:03:33.520 Did they go fly fishing? 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:37.199 Um bait fishing? 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:41.680 I wonder what they did during that time. 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:43.919 It says after six days. 00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:49.280 I think they rested because Jesus, as you know, has been really on the move up to this point. 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:55.360 Jesus took not everybody, but he took Peter, James, and John. 00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:56.479 Let's stop there. 00:03:57.759 --> 00:03:58.080 Men. 00:03:58.400 --> 00:03:59.680 Let me talk to you. 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:05.759 You need a Peter, James, and John in your life. 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:11.199 You're not going to grow as a believer without other men in your life. 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:13.360 And you don't need a lot, but you need a few. 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:22.240 And I think three good friends outside of your family, outside of your wife is huge. 00:04:23.439 --> 00:04:24.879 You need three good men. 00:04:25.920 --> 00:04:28.879 And here at The Road, we believe in discipling men. 00:04:30.879 --> 00:04:38.160 And I'm going to tell you, I think it's here for more than just the fact that Jesus had three good friends, but that you need three good friends. 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:58.000 And I would challenge you in 2015 to ask God to give you three good men in your life that you can unload with, that you can share with, that you can hang out with, that are that are believers, that are spirit-filled, that are spirit-empowered men, because you know you're up to no good without them. 00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:00.079 You guys are. 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:02.800 Everybody go like this if you have a clue what I'm talking about. 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:03.839 You know it's true. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:06.720 You guys are up to no good if you don't have some men in your life. 00:05:06.879 --> 00:05:08.079 And guess what? 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:12.079 I don't know that this is typical because we're the road. 00:05:12.399 --> 00:05:15.279 I think we're atypical in this regard because we've talked so much about it. 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:22.959 But I would say nine out of ten Christian men can't tell you three men like I just described in their life. 00:05:23.279 --> 00:05:26.480 So if you're saying, well, that's me, and you go, then welcome to the party. 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:28.240 I mean, that's where most men are at. 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:30.319 I'm telling you, man, you need three good men. 00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:42.399 So Jesus had three good men, Peter, James, and John, and he led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves, and he was transfigured, metamorphoo, before them. 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:45.279 We believe it was Mount Hermon. 00:05:45.920 --> 00:05:50.879 Right in that area is Mount Hermon, the highest peak, 9,230 feet. 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:54.800 Doesn't seem very high to us here in Colorado, but that's starting at sea level. 00:05:54.959 --> 00:05:57.120 And so starting at sea level, that's huge. 00:05:57.199 --> 00:05:58.000 That's massive. 00:05:58.160 --> 00:05:58.959 I've been there. 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:03.519 I haven't been on Mount Herman, but we've looked at it when we were in the Goline Heights. 00:06:03.600 --> 00:06:06.639 And it's right on the edge of Lebanon, Syria, and the Golan Heights. 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:12.319 Actually, the UN actually has a force up there, the highest uh force in the world. 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:16.079 It's the highest level force uh in the world, the UN up there. 00:06:16.160 --> 00:06:27.360 It's a very, very disputed territory, but the southern the southern uh ridges of uh Mount Hermon is in Israel, in the Golan Heights, in that area. 00:06:27.519 --> 00:06:31.199 It's actually a ski resort, and 80% of the year it's covered in snow. 00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:35.040 So there's a good chance that as they went up there, it's getting chilly. 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:40.879 And they're going up there, and um and and Jesus is transfigured. 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:56.879 And it's interesting, the word in Greek is metamorphu, where we get the word metamorphosis, and the idea the idea behind uh metamorphu is a transfiguration or a translation from the inside out. 00:06:56.959 --> 00:06:58.240 Guess what's the opposite word? 00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:05.920 The opposite word is where we get the word hypocrite or masquerade, hypocrito, which is the idea of outside in. 00:07:06.079 --> 00:07:10.240 So everything about Jesus in his character is revealed here. 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:13.040 Listen, from the inside out. 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:22.879 It's the opposite of a hypocrite, which is all about face, posing, and masked. 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:29.279 The word hypocrite is where we get the word mask in the Greek drama. 00:07:30.399 --> 00:07:42.800 And Jesus is revealing himself from the inside out, and it's shining, it's shining. 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:55.600 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launder on earth can whiten them. 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:59.199 Now I want you to imagine this for a moment with me, church. 00:07:59.519 --> 00:08:03.680 There's probably snow on the ground where this occurred. 00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:08.959 So he's saying it's whiter than snow. 00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:17.279 In other words, the contrast to snow is how how streaming out with shining white this is. 00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:18.240 Can you imagine that? 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:24.079 I mean, I don't know about you, but I went, like, you know, when you go snow skiing, I wear sunglasses, don't you? 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:25.680 I mean, you, it's so bright. 00:08:25.839 --> 00:08:36.159 Today, Liz and I were alpine skiing on our property, and I needed, I didn't, I wore them, I wore sunglasses because it was bright in the sunny parts and everything. 00:08:36.320 --> 00:08:47.039 But imagine such a shining coming from Christ that it even it even outshines the snow. 00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:50.000 And this is during the day, it appears. 00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:51.519 Appears that it's during the day. 00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:56.559 So sun shining on snow, it's that much more bright. 00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:07.440 And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:10.240 Now, how do they know these guys? 00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:14.559 There's no movie clips back then, there's no picture books. 00:09:14.799 --> 00:09:16.480 Oh, this is what Moses looked like. 00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:18.480 This is what Elijah looked like. 00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:27.840 I believe what happened is there was a touch, listen, there was a touch of heaven coming down because he said it's gonna be the kingdom of God. 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:32.080 You're gonna see the kingdom of God with power coming down. 00:09:32.399 --> 00:09:34.320 They're seeing a glimpse of heaven. 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:41.519 Elijah, who you remember, was translated through a chariot of fire, so he never lost his physical body. 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:47.679 Moses, we know from Jude that Satan disputed over the body of Moses. 00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:49.200 We don't know how Moses died. 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:50.559 It just said he died. 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:51.919 We don't know how he died. 00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:55.200 Obviously, he also did not have a decomposed body. 00:09:55.279 --> 00:10:00.559 So he has a physical body, Elijah has a physical body, Moses a physical body in heaven. 00:10:00.639 --> 00:10:02.639 Right now, they have a physical body. 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:06.399 The kingdom comes down and they just know. 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:12.480 They just know it's Elijah and Moses. 00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:16.720 I think it answers a big question that kids ask all the time. 00:10:16.879 --> 00:10:19.759 You know, what's it gonna be like in heaven? 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:22.159 Will we know each other? 00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:29.679 Okay, or because it seems like you'll be, you know, Jesus says at one point, it'll be like the angels of heaven. 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:31.279 So what is that? 00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:33.679 I believe you know. 00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:35.519 I think you're just gonna know, gang. 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:37.759 I think you're gonna know everybody. 00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:41.759 If you have trouble with names on the earth, you won't have trouble with names up there. 00:10:42.159 --> 00:10:43.519 Isn't that good good news? 00:10:43.759 --> 00:10:50.720 You won't have to have a daytime or anything where you're trying to remember, oh, it's it's the girl with glasses with dimples. 00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:51.600 Oh, that's Susan. 00:10:51.679 --> 00:10:53.120 Okay, you know, whatever. 00:10:54.399 --> 00:10:55.279 You're gonna know. 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:56.799 And so they knew. 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:06.080 And then, and then why Elijah and Moses? 00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:07.919 Why them? 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:17.360 I believe because of my study of Revelation, some of you have been a part of that when we did the study of Revelation. 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:29.039 Revelation chapter 11, it mentions two witnesses who will come to the earth and do signs and wonders for a period of three and a half years, and then they'll be martyred. 00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:31.440 But it doesn't tell you who they are. 00:11:31.679 --> 00:11:33.759 And I believe it will be Elijah and Moses. 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:34.720 Here's why. 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:47.519 Because, first of all, they never lost their bodies, so they're gonna come down in physical form because they still have the same bodies in heaven that they had on earth, and they'll be transported into Jerusalem to preach for three and a half years during the reign of the Antichrist. 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:49.440 So this will be during the reign of the Antichrist. 00:11:49.519 --> 00:12:02.399 The temple will be rebuilt, and out there will be the two witnesses preaching, and it'll be Elijah and Moses, and the signs and wonders that both of them did read exactly like the signs and wonders in Revelation chapter 11. 00:12:02.480 --> 00:12:03.039 Check it out. 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:03.600 Check it out. 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:05.200 CNN will be there. 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:14.320 No, CNN probably won't be there because its ratings are dropping so quickly that it may not be on the air much longer. 00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:16.559 But Fox News will be there. 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:21.440 Anyway, it says the whole world will see them. 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:24.799 The whole world will see. 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:27.039 And is that hard to believe today? 00:12:27.279 --> 00:12:31.360 I mean, when we look at what's happening with any kind of a natural disaster, we see it. 00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:33.360 It's right there, it's live. 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:42.639 And so and so in those latter days, in the rise of the Antichrist, it's not hard to believe that everybody in the earth will see these two preachers, these guys. 00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:44.639 So I believe it's Elijah and Moses. 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:48.799 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, and this is what I mean. 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:53.440 This is this is Peter, Peter, it says, then Peter answered. 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:55.759 Does some of your Bibles say that? 00:12:56.879 --> 00:12:59.519 He hasn't been asked a question yet. 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:08.960 I mean, if you feel like an idiot sometimes, you've really got a counterpart right here in Scripture with Peter. 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:12.159 He hasn't even been asked a question and he answers. 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:15.600 This guy hates silence. 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:17.919 He really does. 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:25.759 By the way, if you have a young man or young woman in your home that hates silence and they're always talking, there just might be leadership potential on them. 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:27.360 Give them a lot of grace. 00:13:27.679 --> 00:13:31.279 The school teachers may not, but you need to give them a little grace at home. 00:13:31.679 --> 00:13:36.399 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. 00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:39.039 In other words, it's we we are your men. 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:40.960 We are so glad you brought us along. 00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:42.320 We're here to comfort you. 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:45.200 Actually, one of the accounts says they fell asleep. 00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:48.240 Okay, that was left out by Mark. 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:57.600 Rabbi, it is good for us to be here, and let us make three, and you might add this in, equal tabernacles. 00:13:58.159 --> 00:14:03.360 One for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:05.120 What an idiot. 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:14.000 He's putting Jesus on the same level as Moses and Elijah in just six days ago. 00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:18.480 He said, You are the Christ, the Son of God. 00:14:18.960 --> 00:14:23.759 He already forgot, and he's answering a question that he hasn't even been asked. 00:14:27.919 --> 00:14:35.039 So I believe Mark, when when Peter's telling him the story, Mark goes, You said what? 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:40.879 And so I think Mark added verse six out of compassion for Peter. 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:47.600 Because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:49.360 Thank you, Mark. 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:52.159 That's the kind of that's one of your three friends you need to have. 00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:54.559 That kind of covers for your idiocy. 00:14:54.799 --> 00:14:57.120 Because I can really relate to this. 00:14:58.240 --> 00:14:59.279 Can't you? 00:14:59.600 --> 00:15:03.039 I mean, Peter's so, so human. 00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:05.120 Verse 7. 00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:13.360 And a cloud came and overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud saying, This is my beloved son. 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:15.200 Hear him. 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:32.480 Second time that Jesus has been encouraged by his father, that he is his beloved son, first at his baptism, and now at another baptism. 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:38.240 The first baptism was a baptism into life. 00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:40.720 His public ministry was just beginning. 00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:52.960 But now he's about to go through another baptism in the next six months, and it's a baptism of fire, and a baptism of crucifixion, and a baptism of death. 00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:57.279 And men and women, you're gonna go through baptisms in your life. 00:15:57.360 --> 00:15:59.759 You're gonna go through baptisms of fire. 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:04.799 And the Father says to you, You're my beloved son. 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:09.360 You're my beloved daughter, in whom I'm well pleased. 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:18.639 Just like Luke and choosing the song we sang, he holds on to you as you go through baptisms of fire. 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:24.559 And so even Jesus, the Son of God, needed that kind of encouragement from his father. 00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:28.320 Maybe tonight you need that kind of encouragement in your life. 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:32.559 You're his beloved son, you're his beloved daughter. 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:34.080 You are beloved. 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:43.279 Not by anything that you've done or that you will do, but because he so loves you. 00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:49.360 Creating his image a part of his family. 00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:54.879 That he's there with you, he stands with you, and he loves you, and he's beside you. 00:16:56.639 --> 00:17:03.679 And suddenly, when they looked around, they saw no one anymore. 00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:05.920 But only Jesus with himself. 00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:13.119 And as they came down from the mountain, he commanded them that they should tell no one the things that they had seen. 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:19.119 Any guess why he needed to tell them, tell no one? 00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:22.240 Big mouth Peter in the group. 00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:25.119 In other words, it wasn't the right time, you guys. 00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:27.119 You know, there's a right time. 00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:35.119 You know, I've been asked over the last few months why, I mean, we can't find you anywhere. 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:42.960 You know, you change your phone number, you change your website, you change your email, and I love it. 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:47.519 There was a period of months there where I didn't want to be found. 00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:53.519 And it's kind of really cool to sort of feel like you're just like only your friends know where you are. 00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:56.400 I think there's a timing to things, guys. 00:17:56.640 --> 00:18:00.960 You know, there's a timing for revealing stuff. 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:05.440 And there's a timing for God's work in your life. 00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:08.240 And so Jesus is saying, look, it's not the right time. 00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:13.599 I don't want the nation of Israel to know that I'm the Messiah. 00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:25.039 So he commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen till the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:27.039 That was going to be the right time. 00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:34.559 So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant. 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:36.880 Now let me explain something. 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:41.680 The Jews at that time, this is pre-New Testament, okay, gang? 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:46.480 This is, if you look at the Old Testament, there's some cryptic passages that would indicate this. 00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:57.359 In the Psalms, there's some cryptic passages that indicate that the Jews believed at that time in one general resurrection of the dead. 00:18:59.039 --> 00:19:10.319 But Jesus is about to do something that's going to defy the theology that the scribes have been teaching actually for thousands of years. 00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:13.839 He's going to rise from the grave and only him. 00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:21.119 Because there was no understanding of a first resurrection or second resurrection like you read about in Revelation. 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:23.359 Remember, Revelation hasn't been written yet. 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:25.279 The New Testament hasn't been written yet. 00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:35.279 And so they're like trying to get their heads around oh, is there going to be a general resurrection of everybody that's died up to now? 00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:40.400 They don't know what Jesus means. 00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:44.480 And he and he and he feels like there's no need for them to understand yet. 00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:49.759 Because he will show them in the next six months what he means. 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:51.839 Verse 11. 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:58.559 And they asked him, saying, Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first? 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:15.279 Now this is interesting because he's talking about Elijah, the prophet, coming first, which, if you go back to the last book, the last book of authoritative scripture to a Jew was Malachi. 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:32.640 And in Malachi, in the last part of Malachi, before the silence of 400 years called the intertestamental period, Malachi says, in the great and final days of the Lord, in the coming of the Lord, Elijah will come back. 00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:34.240 That's what they're quoting. 00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:35.200 That's what they remember. 00:20:35.279 --> 00:20:40.880 So when they think latter days, they think Elijah's gonna lead out. 00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:43.359 Verse 12. 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:50.559 Then Jesus answered and told them, indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. 00:20:50.799 --> 00:21:02.079 Another reason why men and women we believe that in the latter days, in that first three and a half years of the tribulation period with the rise of the Antichrist, Elijah will come forth and bring signs and wonders. 00:21:02.400 --> 00:21:04.559 But we're talking about the first coming now. 00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:12.240 And how is it written concerning the Son of Man that he must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:15.599 Now he's quoting prophecies they don't understand yet. 00:21:16.079 --> 00:21:18.079 They don't understand Isaiah 53. 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:25.039 He's almost quoting Isaiah 53 about the suffering Messiah. 00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:29.039 Their idea is a political leader that's going to come forth. 00:21:29.119 --> 00:21:32.000 So they're super confused theologically right now. 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:36.160 But I say to you that Elijah has also come. 00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:38.799 So he hasn't come, but he has come. 00:21:40.160 --> 00:21:44.640 And they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him. 00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:49.200 And so he's speaking now of John the Baptist. 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:59.599 So John the Baptist came in the power of Elijah, but not literally in the physical form of Elijah because he's John. 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:02.240 Born from Zachariah. 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:13.759 Now, I could wax on for an hour on prophecy about why this is significant, but let me just briefly explain one thing. 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:22.240 Prophecy has a present tense nature and a future tense nature to it. 00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:31.759 So when we read a prophetic word, let's take something like Isaiah 53, written hundreds of years before Christ. 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:46.000 There is a purpose for that at the time by Isaiah, but it's Isaiah 53 that's also prophetically drawing our hearts toward a fulfillment that we're not going to understand until the fulfillment. 00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:50.160 And it's going to be that way in the latter days, folks, with the rise of the Antichrist. 00:22:50.240 --> 00:23:00.319 Now we we have aspects of that that I'm sure we don't completely understand from Matthew 24, Book of Revelation, Daniel, Ezekiel, places like that. 00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:14.960 But we have an idea, we have intelligence from the Lord about what is going to happen so that we're not completely surprised in those days. 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:20.720 And we're getting a glimpse of that here with Elijah and Moses being a part of the transfiguration. 00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:27.440 When he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude around them and scribes disputing with them. 00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:35.759 Immediately when they saw him, this is really interesting, all the people were greatly amazed. 00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:43.119 One translation says they were dazzled and running to him and greeting him. 00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:44.799 What is going on here? 00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:47.599 They've been with Jesus, they've seen Jesus. 00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:53.759 But it says they're amazed, and one translation says they were dazzled, they're shocked. 00:23:54.480 --> 00:23:58.640 And I'll give you my theory, and it's only a theory. 00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:06.000 My theory is that the transfiguration of Jesus is still on Jesus. 00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:22.240 That the dazzling transfiguro, the transfiguration where even his clothes are shining, there's still vestiges of that on him, just like with Moses when he came down from Mount Sinai. 00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:33.759 Remember in Mount when he came down from Mount Sinai, he had to put a netting, he had to put a shield over his face because the shine was so bright over the people. 00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:42.000 And so I wonder if the shine of Jesus' face, his skin, is dazzling to people. 00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:45.759 Verse 16. 00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:49.599 And he asked the scribes, What are you discussing with them? 00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:56.640 Then one of the crowd answered and said, Teacher, I brought you my son, who has a mute spirit. 00:24:57.440 --> 00:25:01.279 And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down. 00:25:01.759 --> 00:25:08.079 He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. 00:25:08.160 --> 00:25:10.559 So this guy's having seizures. 00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:16.400 So I spoke to your disciples that they should cast it out, but they could not. 00:25:17.200 --> 00:25:32.000 Years ago, the first time I encountered a demon-possessed, demonized young man who was a Japanese, a student of ours, this was how the demons manifested themselves was with seizures. 00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:34.480 So he considered it epileptic seizures. 00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:40.000 So ever since I'd known him, for about two years, when he had come to know the Lord, he would have these epileptic seizures. 00:25:40.079 --> 00:25:52.480 So we'd be talking sometimes, and he would just start gritting his teeth, hold on to a desk or wherever we were sitting, coffee table or whatever, and it would just have shimmers, and then it would pass, and he would take something for the seizures. 00:25:53.680 --> 00:26:00.720 And so and so what happened was he began to have these suicidal thoughts when I was on furlough. 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:11.119 So I was in Georgia on sabbatical furlough with my family, and I was getting these letters from him, and back then you wrote letters. 00:26:11.359 --> 00:26:11.680 Okay? 00:26:12.160 --> 00:26:16.480 And you and you actually you actually you actually folded them. 00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:21.759 You folded the paper, and it fit into a thing called an envelope. 00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:23.920 E-N-V-E-L-O-P-E. 00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:24.960 Envelope. 00:26:25.119 --> 00:26:30.720 And you and you wrote the address and put a stamp on it and you mailed it to people, and that's how you communicated back then. 00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:33.759 I'm from Old Testament times. 00:26:34.240 --> 00:26:40.079 One time one of my kids asked Mama, asked Liz, said, Are you from New Testament times or Old Testament times? 00:26:40.880 --> 00:26:52.240 But um, so I started getting this, and I, so when we got back to Tokyo, we had him over for dinner, and this demon manifested. 00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:59.599 And it took us about three hours because we didn't know what we were doing, but we cast that demon out and cast three demons out of him. 00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:03.200 And all the seizures ended that night, he never had him again. 00:27:04.319 --> 00:27:06.720 So, so something like that is happening here. 00:27:06.880 --> 00:27:09.119 It's been since his birth, verse 19. 00:27:09.279 --> 00:27:13.039 He answered him and said, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:14.799 How long shall I bear with you? 00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:16.559 Bring him to me. 00:27:17.039 --> 00:27:21.920 So this is this is like Jesus, I think Jesus is actually exasperated here. 00:27:22.079 --> 00:27:23.279 I think he's taught it. 00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:27.599 Remember, we a few weeks ago we looked at Jesus taught his disciples to cast out demons. 00:27:27.759 --> 00:27:28.720 And they could do it. 00:27:28.799 --> 00:27:29.279 And they did it. 00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:33.680 And they came back, whoa! Even the demons are subject to us. 00:27:34.079 --> 00:27:37.279 And so that we this we've been through this. 00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:42.799 We went through demonization 101, and you guys passed the test. 00:27:43.839 --> 00:27:46.319 Why can't you handle this one? 00:27:47.039 --> 00:27:50.160 And he says, faithless generation. 00:27:51.839 --> 00:27:58.079 I don't know about you, but in 2015, I want to have more faith than I had in 2014. 00:27:58.480 --> 00:28:03.680 Because there are things that can't be done in your life if you don't have more faith. 00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:06.240 It's true. 00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:12.400 Unless you learn to trust God with your finances by faith, then you're gonna always struggle with your finances. 00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:19.119 If you don't learn how to trust your dating life to the Lord, you're always gonna struggle in your dating life. 00:28:21.200 --> 00:28:22.880 And so he's kind of exasperated. 00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:25.200 It's like, okay, this isn't new stuff. 00:28:25.519 --> 00:28:26.880 Why can't you guys do this? 00:28:26.960 --> 00:28:28.720 We're gonna find out in a second why. 00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:35.839 Then they brought him to him, and when he saw him, immediately the spirit convulsed him. 00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:37.519 A lot of hymns in here. 00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:43.279 And he fell on the ground, wallowed, foaming at the mouth. 00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:50.240 So this is a very vile, stubborn, violent, powerful spirit. 00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:53.519 Demons are that way. 00:28:55.279 --> 00:29:02.640 Some of you have got addictions in your life tonight and it's caused by a demon. 00:29:03.359 --> 00:29:08.480 Some of you have sex issues in your life and it's caused by a demon. 00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:16.079 Some of you have anger problems that you can't control and it's caused by a demon, even though you're a Jesus follower. 00:29:17.440 --> 00:29:25.359 Because when Jesus comes into our life, when his spirit comes in, it comes into our spirit, man, he doesn't reform your flesh. 00:29:25.839 --> 00:29:28.240 And that's where the spirits of the enemy work. 00:29:28.319 --> 00:29:30.000 They work in our flesh. 00:29:30.880 --> 00:29:37.119 So just because you have the Holy Spirit doesn't mean you might not be packing a growler. 00:29:38.400 --> 00:29:39.359 Alright? 00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:47.839 So that's why there's more about spiritual warfare in the New Testament written to believers than to non-believers. 00:29:48.160 --> 00:29:51.200 Now there's a teaching out there, and I think it's from the devil. 00:29:51.359 --> 00:29:56.480 In some churches, well, you know, if you know, if you've got God, you you can't have a demon. 00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:59.279 I'm like, dude, what planet are you coming from? 00:30:00.240 --> 00:30:02.799 Because we all still struggle, don't we? 00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:04.640 We all struggle. 00:30:04.799 --> 00:30:16.240 And if you give yourself over to the enemy in an area, I'm telling you, be careful because there's a point where you can become demonized if you let it go on for too long. 00:30:16.559 --> 00:30:18.960 So that's a whole nother discussion. 00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:23.839 But the reality is this guy has had a demon, and this is a vile demon. 00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:27.440 So he asked his father, how long has this been happening to him? 00:30:27.599 --> 00:30:28.720 And he said, from chalet. 00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:37.359 And here's what I love about this he doesn't ask him how he got the demon, he asks him when he got the demon. 00:30:38.400 --> 00:30:43.279 I think Jesus is not gonna cast any blame here. 00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:54.400 Because I'm telling you, I believe when we look at scripture, that there's nothing more difficult for a father or a mother than a child who's struggling with something. 00:30:54.720 --> 00:30:56.319 And we tend to blame ourselves. 00:30:56.400 --> 00:31:03.119 And I'll bet your bottom dollar that this father blames himself because his son's cast got carrying a demon. 00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:16.240 And think about the think about the emotional trauma, it's from childhood, and probably it could be that something happened in childhood that brought on this demon, and it could have been through the dad. 00:31:16.480 --> 00:31:18.480 And Jesus doesn't care. 00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:22.400 Jesus just wants to set this little guy free. 00:31:22.559 --> 00:31:23.920 Isn't that great? 00:31:24.240 --> 00:31:26.160 So, you know, let's quit blaming. 00:31:26.400 --> 00:31:35.119 Let's quit blaming our parents about everything, let's quit blaming each other over stuff, and let's just go to Jesus and start letting Jesus do a healing in our life. 00:31:35.359 --> 00:31:36.559 He can do that. 00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:43.200 And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. 00:31:43.519 --> 00:31:47.759 But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. 00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:50.400 So he's just saying, help us, Lord. 00:31:50.640 --> 00:31:51.759 Verse 23. 00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:58.720 Jesus said to him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. 00:31:59.680 --> 00:32:08.720 If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. 00:32:10.640 --> 00:32:14.319 Now, church, there's a lot here. 00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:25.920 There's something about the power of the faith that we have in what God's power can do that can start setting us free. 00:32:27.839 --> 00:32:30.240 Not an intellectual belief. 00:32:31.039 --> 00:32:32.720 That's not faith. 00:32:34.480 --> 00:32:37.680 Even demons have an intellectual belief. 00:32:38.240 --> 00:32:40.559 He's talking about a heart faith. 00:32:40.720 --> 00:32:42.400 He's talking about a heart belief. 00:32:42.640 --> 00:32:43.599 Young people. 00:32:46.160 --> 00:33:00.640 You may not be getting this from any teacher or from any coach or people in authority around you, but I'll tell you, you can get it from us here at the road and from your pastor, and that is you've got to believe in the power of God working in your life. 00:33:00.720 --> 00:33:05.920 And don't let your parents or anybody limit what God can do through you. 00:33:06.319 --> 00:33:09.440 Some of you have greater faith than your parents. 00:33:11.759 --> 00:33:16.799 Because you're young and you're energetic and you're visionary, and that is awesome. 00:33:16.880 --> 00:33:21.119 And I want to encourage you to keep stoking that by doing PB and J. 00:33:22.000 --> 00:33:24.000 Prayer, Bible, and journal every day. 00:33:24.160 --> 00:33:25.680 Prayer, Bible, and journal every day. 00:33:25.839 --> 00:33:27.359 Prayer, Bible, and journal every day. 00:33:27.440 --> 00:33:28.799 It will build up your faith. 00:33:28.960 --> 00:33:31.759 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. 00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:39.279 And so as you spend time in God's Word, He's building you up, and you're going to go to school and your teachers are going to be dumbfounded because you're so smart. 00:33:39.839 --> 00:33:41.680 Because you're smarter than them. 00:33:42.160 --> 00:33:43.599 Because you're growing in faith. 00:33:43.680 --> 00:33:44.319 And guess what? 00:33:44.480 --> 00:33:48.400 When you grow in heart, faith, it actually renews your mind. 00:33:49.519 --> 00:33:52.880 You'll start to believe stuff you could never believe before. 00:33:53.200 --> 00:33:55.119 Because you're building up your heart. 00:33:55.359 --> 00:34:01.599