WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:02.799 Alrighty, I'm gonna pray in just a moment. 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:05.200 And there's lots of seats on the front row. 00:00:05.280 --> 00:00:12.160 So if you're in the back and you hate the being a back row Baptist and you want to move up front, uh love to have you. 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:16.640 If you've got a Bible, open up to Mark chapter 9. 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:21.600 Mark chapter 9, let me pray while you turn there. 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:25.120 Lord, thank you for this church. 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:31.359 Thank you for the people that are sitting here this morning listening to you. 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:38.799 Uh people online listening, speak through me as a vessel for your glory, for our good. 00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:40.320 We pray all this in Christ's name. 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:41.119 Amen. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:43.359 Mark chapter 9. 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:46.719 Think about this while you turn there. 00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:49.759 Where in life are you suffering the most right now? 00:00:50.399 --> 00:00:53.520 Uh what's the hardest burden maybe that you're having to bear? 00:00:53.679 --> 00:01:02.560 Whether that's more physical and tangible, something health-related, or maybe it's more spiritual and intangible, but still heavy on your heart. 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:11.359 Maybe there's a situation where you're having to wait for something and there seems to be no end in sight, no light at the end of the tunnel. 00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:16.400 You know, or maybe you're in one of those situations you're like, I think there's a light at the end of the tunnel, but I think it's a train that's about to run me over. 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:17.840 That's what it feels like. 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:23.840 Even our best days on planet Earth, there's hardening, there's hardship, there's pain. 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:30.640 I mean, none of none of us living on planet earth today can say everything is perfect, everything is right. 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:32.400 There's always a problem. 00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:38.079 I'm going to look at a passage of scripture that I think helps us understand how to respond to those types of situations. 00:01:38.239 --> 00:01:42.079 Now, the context is this uh we're basically at the turning point of Mark. 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:44.640 Last week, we kind of hit the middle part. 00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:53.120 Uh, Jesus is trying to concentrate his time to spend more and more focused time with the 12, training them. 00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:57.439 And the main lesson number one was this I am the Messiah. 00:01:57.599 --> 00:01:59.439 And it seems like they have gotten that. 00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:06.799 So now, in a sense, he is shifting into lesson number two, which is what kind of Messiah am I? 00:02:07.439 --> 00:02:16.319 Let me tear down all of your preconceived notions about who the Messiah was supposed to be, what he was supposed to do, and who I really am. 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:33.199 And in some sense, what we're gonna see Jesus doing is he is simultaneously raising their conception of the anointed one that was supposed to come, but also lowering their expectation of what that man was going to have to do, what he was gonna have to suffer. 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:41.599 And guys, their circuits had already been blown because as soon as Peter and the other 12 got it right, you're the Christ. 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:46.639 He said, Good job, you got it, and now let me explain to you, lesson two, I've got to die. 00:02:46.719 --> 00:02:52.240 And they they had they had no concept of a Messiah that would die. 00:02:52.960 --> 00:02:58.000 And we're gonna pick up right after that conversation, Mark chapter 9, verse 1. 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:10.000 And he said to them, Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power. 00:03:10.560 --> 00:03:27.680 And after six days, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain by themselves, and he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:32.240 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:37.919 And Peter said to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good that we are here. 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:50.800 Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses, and one for Elijah, for he did not know what to say, for they were terrified, and a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud. 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:54.719 This is my beloved son, listen to him. 00:03:54.960 --> 00:04:01.680 And suddenly looking around, they no longer saw anyone but with them, but Jesus only. 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:11.599 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:17.600 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. 00:04:17.839 --> 00:04:22.079 And they asked him, Why did the scribes say that Elijah must come? 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:26.639 And he said to them, Elijah does come first to restore all things. 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:33.680 And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 00:04:33.839 --> 00:04:40.720 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him. 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:50.480 So Jesus says to the twelve, and probably the crowds were still there, some of you, before you die, you're gonna see God's kingdom start to come in power on earth. 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:53.279 What you pray for in the Lord's Prayer, you're gonna get to taste some of it. 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:54.480 Now, this is very interesting. 00:04:54.639 --> 00:04:58.879 Uh, this shows up in Matthew, Mark, and Luke in the exact same order. 00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:02.879 This teaching, Jesus says that, then the transfiguration happens that we're about to look at. 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:05.839 But commentators really debate what exactly did Jesus mean. 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:09.759 And some people say, well, the obvious thing is he's talking about the transfiguration that we're about to see. 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:13.120 And other people say, no, it couldn't mean just that. 00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:14.000 It must mean more. 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:16.319 It might, it maybe it refers to the resurrection. 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:21.199 Maybe it refers to Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out and Peter preached and 3,000 were saved. 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:26.000 Maybe it refers to the global expansion of the church that happened in the first few decades. 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:28.959 And probably he means all of that. 00:05:29.439 --> 00:05:38.399 And then he takes the three up on the mountain to say, I'm going to give you three a little foretaste of glory divine, of who I am and what's coming. 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:42.639 So he takes them up onto the mountain and he is transfigured. 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:49.759 And literally, it's like he's a normal human man based on what you could see or touch. 00:05:50.079 --> 00:05:55.920 And then, you know, in the Old Testament, sometimes it talks about God shows up and it's like a cloud or fire. 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:59.759 And sometimes the Jews would talk about that as it's the Shekinah glory. 00:05:59.839 --> 00:06:07.519 I mean, there was this luminous, bright display, and it's like all of a sudden that is radiating out of Jesus' body and clothes. 00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:08.560 And it's supernatural. 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:13.439 It's like, I don't care how good laundry detergent you have, you could not get anything this white. 00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:16.639 It's like the sunshine started blazing right in front of them. 00:06:16.800 --> 00:06:18.480 This is glorious miracle. 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:22.319 And then Moses and Elijah show up and are talking with Jesus. 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:33.199 And it's funny, I used to teach a uh Christology class in a seminary, and a question I would always get on this passage would be this How do these guys know that this was Moses and Elijah? 00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:33.600 Right? 00:06:33.680 --> 00:06:35.120 It's not like you had pictures back then. 00:06:35.199 --> 00:06:36.720 That's what Moses looks like, big beard. 00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:37.519 That's what Elijah. 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:39.279 We don't know for sure. 00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:41.920 Probably they were overhearing the conversation. 00:06:42.160 --> 00:06:46.079 So based on what the conversation was saying, maybe even Jesus called them by name. 00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:47.519 Or maybe it was afterwards. 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:48.639 They were like, Who are those guys? 00:06:48.720 --> 00:06:50.959 And Jesus explained to them, Moses and Elijah. 00:06:51.040 --> 00:06:56.160 But Moses and Elijah physically show up standing there and just having a conversation with Jesus. 00:06:56.319 --> 00:06:57.360 Now this is weird. 00:06:57.519 --> 00:06:58.720 Why these two? 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:08.399 A lot of times when Jewish people wanted to refer to the Old Testament, the way they would do it, the shorthand was Moses and the prophets. 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:12.879 Because Moses wrote the first five books, a lot of the other books were written by prophets. 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:18.160 Elijah, he didn't write anything down that we know of, but he was the greatest of the Jewish prophets. 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:21.680 So that's probably part of it to say, the Old Testament, you know what it was all about? 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:24.240 You know what Moses and all the prophets were writing about? 00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:25.759 They're writing about Jesus. 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:27.439 This is what they had planned. 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:30.720 Moses and Elijah were two of the great heroes of the Jewish faith. 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:35.839 They had both had experiences where they had met God on a mountain. 00:07:36.240 --> 00:07:42.720 God had come close in a cloud and spoke audibly to Elijah, to Moses. 00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:47.360 And now this is happening again with the Lord Jesus Christ sitting there. 00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:58.879 Now, Peter, I wonder if any of you have a friend or a kid or yourself that your modus operandi is when in doubt, talk. 00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:02.800 That's what Peter's like. 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:05.279 Nobody's talking to Peter. 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:08.240 But Peter just feels like I gotta say something. 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:10.319 So he's like, This is good. 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:11.920 I like this God. 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:15.759 Uh how about I build three tents and we just hang out? 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:20.720 I mean, Moses, Elijah, Jesus, they're big dogs, they deserve a tent. 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:23.439 The other three of us, we're just happy to be here. 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:24.959 We'll sleep in the grass. 00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:26.160 But let's stay here forever. 00:08:26.240 --> 00:08:27.279 I mean, what's happening? 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:30.240 This is the greatest of all time mountaintop experience. 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:33.440 You know, people talk about I went to summer camp and had a mountaintop experience. 00:08:33.519 --> 00:08:35.039 It doesn't trump this one. 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:38.159 And Peter's like, I'd like to stay here forever, Lord. 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:48.799 While he's talking, God the Father shows up in the cloud, the luminous cloud, and God speaks audibly. 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:55.840 Again, he'd done this at the very beginning at Jesus' baptism, said something very simple, this is my beloved son, and he does it again. 00:08:55.919 --> 00:08:59.440 And it there's a little bit like, hey, Peter, you need to shut your mouth. 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:01.759 This is the time to be listening, not talking. 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:10.799 And God the Father, again, speaking of Christ, says, This is my one and only unique, very beloved Son. 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:12.399 Listen to him. 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:17.200 Listen to what he is trying to teach you and tell you. 00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:20.320 They hide their faces. 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:22.799 Later they peek up and notice. 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:29.919 Cloud is gone, Elijah's gone, Moses is gone, the glory is gone. 00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:36.720 And there's this 30-something-year-old Jewish carpenter still standing there. 00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:38.879 Looks very normal again. 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:42.240 They start walking down the mountain. 00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:48.320 And Jesus says, Hey guys, don't tell anybody about this one until I rise from the dead. 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:54.159 You know, and all through the gospel mark up this point, he's been telling people, don't tell anybody, and basically nobody listens to him. 00:09:54.399 --> 00:09:56.320 But it's like this time they get it. 00:09:57.039 --> 00:09:58.960 They're like, Yeah, we're not talking about this one. 00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:01.279 Maybe because, like, nobody believes us anyway. 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:03.519 We got no proof. 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:08.000 But it does say they hang on to this phrase until after you rise from the dead. 00:10:08.159 --> 00:10:09.840 What in the world does that mean? 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:12.639 Again, they had no conception for it. 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:16.240 So they're kind of debating it, but they're reading good. 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:18.639 They're wrestling with what they knew about the Bible. 00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:22.000 And they're like, we know the scribes teach there's this passage right in Malachi. 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:23.279 You can go look at it later if you want to. 00:10:23.440 --> 00:10:25.600 Malachi chapter 4, verses 5 and 6. 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:27.360 And you're like, where the heck is Malachi? 00:10:27.759 --> 00:10:30.960 Go to Matthew and just go backwards, and you're in Malachi, okay? 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:40.000 Malachi was the last prophet to preach and write something down before about 430 years of silence before John the Baptist came on the scene. 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:46.480 And one of the very last things Malachi said is, before the Messiah comes, Elijah will come again. 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:55.200 And so they're like, hey, we thought you were the Messiah, and we just saw Elijah, but we thought Elijah was supposed to come first. 00:10:55.279 --> 00:10:56.159 So they're doing that. 00:10:56.240 --> 00:11:04.080 They're wrestling with the scripture, they're talking to Jesus, they're asking questions, and Jesus says, Well, you're right, Elijah is supposed to come first. 00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:08.480 And he's referring to John the Baptist, who was a second type. 00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:11.120 It's not Elijah reincarnated or anything weird like that. 00:11:11.200 --> 00:11:14.879 It's just John the Baptist had a very similar ministry to Elijah. 00:11:14.960 --> 00:11:16.320 Now think about it with me for a second. 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:22.000 If you remember the story of Elijah, Israel was basically apostate. 00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:35.519 You had a wicked king, a wicked queen, Ahab and Jezebel, and you had all these false prophets in Israel that are dominating, telling people to worship this false God called Baal. 00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:38.720 And Elijah has the showdown on the mountain. 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:39.600 You remember this one? 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:42.000 Hey, Baal prophets, all 450 of you. 00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:47.200 Y'all get over there and cry and scream, cut yourself, do whatever you want to do, and see if your God will answer by fire. 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:53.360 And then little old me, all by myself, I'll just pray one prayer to Yahweh, and the fire will fall. 00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:54.879 And it does. 00:11:55.200 --> 00:12:01.919 And all the people, seemingly all the nation of Israel that had come out to watch this showdown, wouldn't you, if you'd heard this was going on? 00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:05.120 They fall down and they say, The Lord, He is God. 00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:07.120 Yahweh, He is the only one. 00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:08.720 There's a revival. 00:12:09.039 --> 00:12:11.600 Then they slaughter all the false prophets. 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:14.639 You know, you get to do that kind of stuff in the Old Testament. 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:17.200 But do you remember this? 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:20.960 Even when that happened, and listen, there had been no rain. 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:32.240 There had been a drought for three and a half years in the Old Testament in the nation of Israel because Elijah had said, Ahab, Jezebel, y'all are so wicked, I'm shutting the whole economy down. 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:36.480 And then after that, he says, It's gonna rain again. 00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:40.720 Ahab and Jezebel, the leaders, they still didn't believe. 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:43.120 They still wanted to kill Elijah. 00:12:43.279 --> 00:12:48.399 And Elijah ran up on the mountain to talk to God because he was depressed and he's like, I'm just ready to die. 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:53.440 Now, John the Baptist, very similar. 00:12:53.679 --> 00:12:56.159 Think about the similarities between Elijah and John the Baptist. 00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:57.759 John the Baptist comes on the scene. 00:12:57.840 --> 00:13:05.840 We saw this in Mark chapter 1, and he's preaching this like everybody from Judea was coming out to him and getting baptized and repenting. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:08.480 That was a national revival. 00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:13.919 But Herod, the king of the Jews, he didn't repent. 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:17.759 Herodias, his wife, certainly didn't repent. 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:20.639 They threw old John the Baptist in the dungeon. 00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:30.639 And he got, remember, John the Baptist had moments of doubt where he sent some of his disciples to Jesus to say, Are you really the one? 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:33.200 Because I mean the whole revival bit was really cool. 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:35.039 Thank you that I got to lead that. 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:38.000 The baptism, the dove, the voice, loved all that. 00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:42.960 This whole dying in a dungeon, I didn't know I was signing up for that. 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:46.000 And he gets his head chopped off. 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:53.679 And Jesus says, guys, yeah, Elijah came, John the Baptist, and look what happened to him. 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:57.519 Now, what in the world is going on here? 00:13:58.240 --> 00:14:03.120 First thing is this life is a pattern of pain and power. 00:14:04.080 --> 00:14:05.519 Pain and power. 00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:07.120 Think about this. 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:10.080 All human beings are created in the image of God. 00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:12.080 There is a sense of power. 00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:20.000 You may feel like the smallest, weakest, most vulnerable person sitting in this congregation this morning. 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:22.399 But you are made in the image of God. 00:14:22.799 --> 00:14:25.600 There is power, there is significance. 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:27.919 You are important. 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:35.519 Something about you and your life and your body shows the glory of the one true God. 00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:36.879 That's amazing. 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:49.039 And yet we all, the happiest, the healthiest person, the richest person sitting in this room right now, we all got some kind of pain, right? 00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:50.399 It's a mixture. 00:14:51.039 --> 00:14:52.240 That is the world we live in. 00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:53.759 You can't get away from it. 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:59.600 I heard John Piper one time, he referred to America as the Disneyland of the universe. 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:00.799 Here's what he meant. 00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:10.320 He's like, basically, we we have so many blessings, so much prosperity, so much protection, so much health care, and on and on. 00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:12.720 Listen, that's not a bad thing. 00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:14.240 That's a good thing. 00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:16.879 Don't feel guilty, feel glad. 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:19.440 But here is the danger. 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:21.039 Here's the danger. 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:24.639 It's easy to get addicted to all this stuff, isn't it? 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:27.600 And to start to feel kind of entitled. 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:33.679 And when some of them get taken away from us providentially, to get really angry. 00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:36.320 That's the danger. 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:42.960 Enjoy the blessings of God when you have them, but don't be shocked when they're taken away. 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:52.159 Guys, again, to some degree, we are always experiencing some of the goodness from God and some of the hardship of this life. 00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:54.879 And we have a choice in how we respond. 00:15:55.679 --> 00:16:06.000 I can choose to focus more on good things and thus be grateful to God, and I probably will have a glad, happy heart. 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:09.039 I mean, there's a lot of secular psychologists that write about this. 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:09.919 Just be thankful. 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:17.440 Now they may not know to be thankful to, but focusing on the real blessings you have in your life, it will lead to more happiness. 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:19.039 But we all have bad things. 00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:27.120 And if we choose to focus more on the bad things and the hard things in our life and become bitter, you probably are gonna be an angry person. 00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:31.360 And not many people are gonna like you, and you're probably not gonna like yourself. 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:37.039 Much better to say, you know what, I may have 10 bad things, I may only have three good things right now. 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:40.639 Focus on those, be glad, rejoice in them. 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:47.120 Second thing I'd say is this experiences of glory in this life are short-lived. 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:55.360 I mean, there are times where Jesus will bless his people in unusual ways. 00:16:55.679 --> 00:17:01.440 And when you get to experience some of those blessings in this life, guys, enjoy it. 00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:02.799 Drink them in deeply. 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:08.319 God is such a kind, tender, patient, understanding, perfect Father. 00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:13.119 He loves to give good gifts to his kids, and we should enjoy them. 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:16.640 But what are the purposes of experiences like this? 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:28.160 Blessings to help us know and love him more and then to prepare and sustain us for the coming hardship. 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:35.680 Because you may be on the mountaintop right now, as long as you're on planet Earth, it's just a matter of time before you're back in the valley. 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:40.720 So drink in deeply whatever good things God may be doing for you, with you. 00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:53.519 Enjoy them so that when you might get into a future dark night of the soul, you're prepared to keep trusting Him, even when it seems like everything around you is falling apart because of what you saw, what you heard in the good times. 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:58.240 Don't grasp on to them, don't demand them, but when you have them, enjoy them. 00:17:58.480 --> 00:17:58.799 Okay? 00:17:59.119 --> 00:18:00.079 God loves to do this. 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:02.160 And listen, guys, this can happen. 00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:10.960 You sitting in your house at 5 a.m., drinking your coffee, reading your Bible, and sometimes it's like, today was different than most days. 00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:12.960 I don't know, God showed up. 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:14.799 I felt close to God. 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:20.160 I feel like the spiritual taste buds of my heart were tasting and seeing something, glory of God. 00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:33.680 It might be you driving down the highway and there's a beautiful sunset, and I don't know, your favorite worship song comes on, you're listening to the corner room, and it's all of a sudden you're like, man, I felt like, I mean, I'm a Presbyterian, but I felt like the Holy Spirit was in the car with me. 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:35.519 Enjoy. 00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:38.799 Hopefully that happens sometimes on Sunday morning. 00:18:39.359 --> 00:18:46.400 Maybe you come and take communion, and in a special way, there's a sense of God drawing near. 00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:49.279 Listen, pray for those experiences. 00:18:49.599 --> 00:18:51.039 Enjoy those experiences. 00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:53.359 Feed off of those experiences. 00:18:53.680 --> 00:18:56.799 But don't expect and demand that those experiences always last. 00:18:56.960 --> 00:18:59.200 Because you're just not going to in this life. 00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:01.119 Third thing. 00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:06.799 The way to thrive in the tension of life is through listening to God's word. 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:11.680 Now here's where I really want us to really think together for just a second, okay? 00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:13.680 This is easier said than done. 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:24.400 But we all, especially in the hard times of life, and I would also say in the boring and mundane times of life, those might be the most dangerous times of life for some of us. 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:24.799 Right? 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:35.039 Because when life is really maybe hard and painful and we can feel assaulted, sometimes it forces us to cling deeply to Christ and His Word, does it not? 00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:49.039 But what about when I'm not on a mountaintop experience and I'm not in the valley in the dark night, so I'm just in normal, everyday, boring, mundane, change diapers, wash dishes, go to work, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:54.880 It's very easy to get bored and numb and then to get into sin. 00:19:55.839 --> 00:20:04.480 And so in those times, I have to be doing what the disciples were doing listening, reading, thinking, wrestling with the word of God. 00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:08.319 Now, some of you are like, well, they didn't have a Bible, they weren't reading. 00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:09.039 What are you talking about? 00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:13.759 Keep your finger here, we're coming back, but flip over near the end of the New Testament to 2 Peter. 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:17.200 2 Peter chapter 1. 00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:20.160 And while you turn there, I want you to think about this. 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:24.720 Imagine if God spoke to you audibly. 00:20:25.279 --> 00:20:26.640 Again, you're like, I don't believe in that. 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:28.000 Well, he did it anyway. 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:29.680 He spoke to you audibly. 00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:33.839 He said, tomorrow morning at 3:30 a.m. 00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:40.960 in your living room, Jesus Christ is going to make a personal appearance. 00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:44.960 He's going to bring Moses and Elijah with him just for kicks and giggles. 00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:47.200 God the Father will make an appearance. 00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:50.799 You can't look at him, but cloud, glory, audible voice. 00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:52.559 It's going to be amazing. 00:20:54.079 --> 00:20:56.160 Anyone think you'd miss that one? 00:20:56.880 --> 00:20:58.880 You're like, I'm a night owl, you know, three thirds. 00:20:59.039 --> 00:21:00.000 I don't do that. 00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:02.799 I think he might make an exception. 00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:06.720 You know, there's this new Netflix show out. 00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:08.720 Me and my wife are binging it right now. 00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:10.720 Lord, can we postpone this to next? 00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:11.279 Let me get. 00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:13.759 Nothing would stand in your way. 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:27.920 I want us to see, Peter, about 30 plus years later, probably right before he's gonna get crucified upside down, because he wouldn't quit preaching about this Christ. 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:33.200 Look at what he says when he thinks back on that experience three plus decades later. 00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:36.640 2 Peter chapter 1, verse 16. 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:49.279 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 to his majesty. 00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:59.440 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. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:05.680 We ourselves heard this very voice born from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. 00:22:05.759 --> 00:22:07.279 So he's talking about this experience. 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:08.799 Look at the next verse. 00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:13.200 And we have something more sure. 00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:17.119 Guys, if you underline your Bible, underline that phrase. 00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:21.119 If you don't underline your Bible, throw it away, get a new one that you can underline in. 00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:34.000 And we have something more sure, the prophetic word 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 heart. 00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:36.079 You hear what Peter's saying? 00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:40.559 If I told you this and didn't show you a verse, you should think I was crazy. 00:22:40.720 --> 00:22:48.160 But he says, we were on the mountain with Jesus and saw him glorified and heard the audible voice of God the Father. 00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:49.039 It was awesome. 00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:50.559 I'm an eyewitness, I'm telling you. 00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:51.519 But you know what? 00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:56.720 The prophetic word is more trustworthy than that supernatural experience. 00:22:58.799 --> 00:23:00.960 Now listen, I don't get up at 3:30 a.m. 00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:04.640 and I think probably most people that do, unless you have a really good reason, you're crazy. 00:23:05.279 --> 00:23:16.720 I'm not trying to say that, but what I'm just trying to say, guys, every single Christian, what a privilege it is to have the Word of God in our own language and so accessible. 00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:23.920 And Peter says, this is more mature than an amazing, almost unbelievable supernatural. 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:31.440 Every day, guys, we should be reading and wanting to commune with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in His Word. 00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:39.680 And that's what's going to get us through the good times, the bad times, the hard times, and the mundane times. 00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:43.920 Now, very, very practically, why is this so important? 00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:45.279 Why is this so important? 00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:51.759 Because all of us, myself included, we don't fully understand God yet. 00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:54.480 We don't fully understand Jesus, the Holy Spirit. 00:23:54.559 --> 00:23:55.920 We don't fully understand the Bible. 00:23:56.079 --> 00:24:02.160 I don't care how many seminary degrees you got, we all still have some preconceived notions. 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:04.240 Listen to this quote by Tim Keller. 00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:06.240 It's a little bit long, but it's really good. 00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:15.839 Only relentless teaching on Jesus' part is going to make any dent in the prejudices of the disciples. 00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:19.200 They have a grid for how God's salvation will work. 00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:23.599 And no matter what he tells them, they listen to it through this grid. 00:24:23.839 --> 00:24:28.400 They discard or simply miss whatever Jesus says that doesn't fit into it. 00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:30.960 They are not truly listening to him. 00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:39.599 This means that we must not think that we have truly listened to Jesus just because we've acknowledged the principle of his authority. 00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:47.359 We must patiently study and listen to his teaching, always assuming that we are not getting it all. 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:56.799 Every time you come to church, every time you go to Bible study, every time you read the Bible, even if you're the godliest person in the room and you're like, I've been doing this for 65 years, there's more for you. 00:24:56.960 --> 00:25:01.200 And you say, Lord, if I have any wrong preconceived notions, tear them down, help me get it. 00:25:01.440 --> 00:25:04.559 Let me give you a very practical uh illustration. 00:25:04.640 --> 00:25:05.920 I think you'll understand. 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:07.839 I mean, this this is a true story. 00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:17.839 Two of my friends, um, I'm gonna call one of them Ken, one of them Bob, older than me with campus outreach, and uh came through college together, good friends. 00:25:17.920 --> 00:25:23.359 They both go on staff with campus outreach, work together, and one of them moved to Brazil to start a brand new work. 00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:28.799 There was no campus outreach in Brazil, and he went down there and started a thing, Campus Outreach Brazil. 00:25:28.960 --> 00:25:40.480 Okay, and one of his great friends, Bob, stayed here in America, was a national leader in America, and Bob was one of these guys that kind of had the view of missionaries like, hey, when you go to be a missionary, you pack your clothes in a coffin, right? 00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:42.160 Because you're only coming home when you're dead. 00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:43.759 That's kind of the way Bob fought. 00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:46.559 Uh Ken didn't necessarily think that way. 00:25:46.880 --> 00:25:49.680 Ken's in Brazil, I don't know, decade long or everything's going great. 00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:52.400 And at some point he starts told me, coming back home. 00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:56.319 Still work in ministry, but be back in America for various reasons. 00:25:56.480 --> 00:25:57.519 And he was talking about it. 00:25:57.599 --> 00:26:01.599 I was in meetings with these two guys where he would talk about when he was coming home and the new thing he was going to start. 00:26:02.000 --> 00:26:04.000 He's talking about it all the time, talking about it very plainly. 00:26:04.160 --> 00:26:06.160 Bob will sit there and listen and nod. 00:26:06.400 --> 00:26:13.359 And then, like a year later, when it was time for Ken to finally get on a plane and come home, and Bob is like, no, you're just coming home for like six months, right? 00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:15.039 To help one of your kids get into college. 00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:19.119 And Ken's like, No, I've been, I'm coming home forever. 00:26:19.599 --> 00:26:24.960 And I remember just like Bob just sitting there, it's like, Ken, please don't leave Brazil. 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:28.799 And it it would have been funny, it was funny to me a little bit. 00:26:28.880 --> 00:26:38.720 I didn't laugh out loud, because I was like, dude, I have been sitting in meetings with you every other month for a year now, where Ken has been saying very clearly, I am coming home forever. 00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:39.920 I'm done. 00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:44.000 But Bob had preconceived notions, he just wasn't getting the message. 00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:45.279 You understand? 00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:49.119 And we've probably all had examples of something like that happening in our life. 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:55.839 How much more so when we're not talking about somebody's travel arrangements? 00:26:56.000 --> 00:27:09.039 We're talking about deep spiritual truths, and the Bible's very clear that there is a satanic being and demons, and their main job is to lie to us and confuse us. 00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:24.400 We have got to live in good biblical community, we have got to live in the word, and we have got to have humble hearts that say, God, wherever I have wrong prejudices, preconceived notions, grids that don't conform to the word of God, I'm not done yet. 00:27:24.480 --> 00:27:25.440 Please keep working on me. 00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:26.559 Speak to me. 00:27:27.359 --> 00:27:31.119 And sometimes, guys, the way that he speaks the loudest and the clearest. 00:27:31.359 --> 00:27:32.160 Thank you, C.S. 00:27:32.319 --> 00:27:35.599 Lewis, for teaching this so well is through pain. 00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:38.000 Why are you going through a hard time? 00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:45.440 I don't know, but maybe, maybe, God is trying to say something to you that you wouldn't hear otherwise. 00:27:46.319 --> 00:27:49.039 What is it God is trying to say to you right now? 00:27:49.440 --> 00:27:52.319 What grid of yours and mine is he trying to tear down? 00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:56.880 Where do I need to listen more carefully, more patiently? 00:27:57.839 --> 00:27:58.880 Fourth point. 00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:04.319 Experiencing a cross before the crown is always the Christian way. 00:28:05.519 --> 00:28:08.000 This may be the biggest lesson for all of us. 00:28:09.599 --> 00:28:11.440 Elijah was a great leader. 00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:16.319 He went through a lot of hardship before he saw the revival, and even afterwards. 00:28:16.559 --> 00:28:21.039 John the Baptist, Jesus said about John the Baptist, he was the greatest guy that ever lived up until this moment. 00:28:21.119 --> 00:28:22.799 I mean, that's a pretty big compliment. 00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:27.920 Saw a revival, then he got depressed, then he got his head chopped off. 00:28:34.240 --> 00:28:36.640 If it can happen to them, what could happen to us? 00:28:37.359 --> 00:28:44.880 I mean, Elijah and John the Baptist both had ideas about here's the way I think my life's gonna go. 00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:47.440 Here's the way I think my ministry's gonna go. 00:28:47.599 --> 00:28:49.839 Here's the way I think my career is gonna go. 00:28:50.079 --> 00:28:54.799 It's gonna be one revival, another revival, and just revival, revival, revival. 00:28:55.359 --> 00:28:59.039 And the plan was like, no, one revival and then a depression. 00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:04.240 One revival, then a depression, then a dungeon, then your head chopped off. 00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:11.039 God doesn't consult us about how we would like our life stories to go, he gives it to us. 00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:13.920 And we have to say, I trust you, like Job. 00:29:14.079 --> 00:29:18.799 I've quoted this before because it's so, though he slay me, yet will I trust him. 00:29:20.559 --> 00:29:27.440 So we may have a dream way that we wanted our marriage to go, our dating career to go. 00:29:29.200 --> 00:29:31.680 Our parenting path to go. 00:29:32.640 --> 00:29:39.680 Don't be surprised when God introduces some suffering into that path because that's just his normal way. 00:29:39.920 --> 00:29:41.599 Cross before the crown. 00:29:43.920 --> 00:29:46.480 One last passage I want us to look at, and we'll be done. 00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:48.400 And it's a very familiar passage. 00:29:48.720 --> 00:29:51.119 Middle of the New Testament, Philippians. 00:29:51.759 --> 00:29:54.960 Philippians chapter two, and some of you probably know where I'm going. 00:30:00.160 --> 00:30:03.119 Philippians chapter 2, let's start in verse five. 00:30:05.920 --> 00:30:28.319 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men, and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 00:30:28.559 --> 00:30:50.160 Therefore, God has highly exalted and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:56.880 The second person of Trinity is in heaven with all glory, and he laid it aside. 00:30:57.200 --> 00:31:00.240