If you would open up your Bibles to Matthew chapter 17, this morning we're going to be
looking at the transfiguration.
And what I want you to help you to see is that the transfiguration is not just an historical
event, it's a motivational event.
And so would you turn now to Matthew 17?
I'm actually going to start in verse 24 of 16.
Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay
each person according to what he has done.
Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see
the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.
And after six days, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, his brother, and led them
up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes
became white as light.
And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah talking with him.
And Peter said to Jesus, Lord, it is good that we are here.
If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.
He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the
cloud said, this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.
Listen to him.
When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying, rise and have no fear.
And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, tell no one the vision
until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.
And the disciples asked him, then why do the scribes say that this first Elijah must come?
And Jesus answered, Elijah does come, and he will restore all things.
But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him
whatever they pleased.
So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.
Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
Every day you must ask yourself a question.
Who matters most today?
Who matters most?
According to what Jesus is calling to at the end of Matthew 16, Jesus is saying, today you
have a choice.
Either you're going to live for yourself in this world which is passing away, or you're
going to live for me, the Christ, and his kingdom which goes on forever and will one day culminate
in the restoration of all things.
Choose this day who you will follow, yourself or the Christ.
And so in Matthew 16, 24, Jesus says, if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
And then what we see in verses 25 through 28 is Christ's rationale for it.
Remember at the end of the sermon last week, I pointed you to those three fours in verse 25.
Verse 25, do you see that in chapter 16?
You read the word, for whoever would save his life will lose it.
In other words, whoever will live his life now will lose it then.
And then you see a four in verse 26.
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?
Let's say you gather all the money and all the possessions in this life, and then Jesus comes back,
and on that day you forfeit your soul.
What was the benefit of everything you acquired?
And then he goes on to say, it culminates in verse 27, the last four, he says,
for the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father,
and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
And so he's saying, I'm going to come back someday, and I'm going to judge everyone.
I'm going to repay them.
So if you live this life now for yourself, I will repay you accordingly.
But on that day when I come back, if you live this life now for me, I will repay you.
You will find life.
And then in verse 28, he says, truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death
until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.
What I want you to see is the connection between verse 28 and chapter 16 and verse 1 of chapter 17.
Truly, I say to you, some of you here are not going to die until you see me a certain way.
And then Matthew says in 17.1, six days later.
The transfiguration is very much connected to this call to follow Jesus.
It's part of Jesus' rationale to come after him.
He's saying, come after me because I'm coming back.
There's a future glory, and let me give you a glimpse of this glory now.
The transfiguration is motivation to live for Christ.
Getting a glimpse of the glory of Christ compels us to follow him in all of our life for all of our days.
And so the transfiguration is not just a historical event.
It's purposed by God to motivate you to follow Jesus.
It gives you a glimpse of his glory.
So for us, here's what this means.
The transfiguration took place almost 2,000 years ago,
and God intends it to have an effect on us today in 2017.
To be followers of Jesus.
It's fuel for followership.
And so this one who calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him,
he's the glorious one.
He's breathtaking.
He's overwhelming.
And what we're going to see is his full glory,
accompanied by an anticipation of a fullness of suffering,
that's all designed to accomplish a full salvation,
the restoration of all things.
And it results in you fully following him.
So here's how we're going to proceed.
We're going to walk through verses 1 through 13 of chapter 17,
and then I'm going to bring it to a point and ask you two questions,
and then we'll bring it to bear, say amen, sing a song, and go follow him.
All right.
If you would look at chapter 17, verse 1,
and after six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John,
his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
Now here's what you've got to be aware of right away.
Matthew, you really doesn't talk that much in terms of specific times.
And so when he gets very specific about six days,
it should catch your attention.
Like, Matthew, why are you being so specific?
It's because he's making a connection.
He wants us to understand that what Jesus says in verse 28
finds its fulfillment in what happens on this mountaintop six days later.
And notice that Jesus is bringing with him three of his disciples.
These are, it's the inner group.
It's Peter, James, and John.
James and John are the sons of Zebedee.
And Jesus brings them with them up on the top of this mountain.
And these are the same three guys that in Matthew 26,
Jesus is going to pull them aside in the Garden of Gethsemane.
They played a special role.
So Jesus brings them up onto this mountaintop.
Now, if you're familiar with mountaintops and the Bible,
you'll quickly remember that throughout the Old Testament,
a lot of revelation of God's glory happens on mountaintops.
And so Moses on the mountaintop in Exodus 19 and 24 and 34,
God meets him there and reveals himself to him.
And Elijah on the mountaintop in 1 Kings 19,
when he squares off against the prophets of Baal,
and God shows up in awesome, awesome ways.
And so Jesus is very purposefully,
in verse 1, bringing these three disciples
up onto this mountaintop
so that they would behold his glory,
so that they would follow him.
In Luke chapter 9, we learned that during this whole episode,
the disciples were really sleepy.
And chances are this all happened at night,
which is important for what's about to happen.
So here's what I want you to see so far.
Right now, in verse 1,
Jesus is bringing his disciples up to the mountaintop.
And he's just being faithful to what he said he would do in verse 28.
So already, Jesus is being faithful to his word.
And now in verse 2,
we have this Christological light show that takes place.
Do you like laser shows?
Have you been to a planetarium thing at night?
You know, dark lights.
Been to fireworks recently.
What happens on this mountaintop
supersedes them all.
We read in verse 2,
Jesus is transfigured.
And we get our word metamorphosis from that word transfigured.
He was dramatically changed in his appearance before his disciples.
His face shone like the sun.
Have you recently tried to look at the sun around midday?
You can't.
Maybe for a little glimpse,
and then your eyes get that kind of like,
I can't see anything now for a little bit.
That's what's going on here.
Jesus has been transfigured,
and now there is a brilliance coming out of him.
His face shone like the sun,
and his clothes became white as light.
Do you know what to bedazzle means?
You know, there's this like bedazzling.
Ladies will bedazzle their purses.
Bedazzle your jeans.
Kind of bedazzle hats.
I've seen bedazzled fingernails.
They're kind of glimmer.
And so Jesus,
his clothes were bedazzled
from the glory that he was emanating.
Kind of harkens back to Revelation chapter 1
where John, the son of Zebedee,
has another vision of the glorified Christ,
and he sees him in his brilliant glory.
And in verse 17, he drops as a dead man.
Here we have on this mountaintop,
Jesus' brilliance on display.
And I just want to pause here and ask a question.
What kind of brilliance are we talking about?
On a full moon,
I can walk around my neighborhood
because it's basically lit up.
I can see pretty well.
The moon is brilliant.
It's a reflected brilliance
because we all know that the moon
does not generate its own brilliance.
That the moon is simply reflecting
the brilliance of the sun.
But when it comes to the sun,
the splendor of the sun,
it is essential to its nature.
The sun generates its own heat and light.
And so the brilliance that we see here
in verse 2 of chapter 17,
it's not a reflected brilliance.
Remember when Moses came down off the mountain
and he had to veil his face
because he was reflecting the glory of God?
It's not that kind of brilliance.
The brilliance on display here
is a brilliance of God himself
emanating outwards.
It is a radiating glory.
What we see happening here
are the disciples are getting a glimpse
of the unveiled essential splendor
of the second person of the Trinity.
This is the way he's always been like.
His pre-incarnate glory,
this is the way he's always existed.
And when he comes back someday
in Revelation 21 and 22,
do you remember the light source
of the new Jerusalem?
Doesn't need the sun anymore.
Jesus is lighting up the place
because of his essential glory
on display.
Who is this guy?
Who is this guy on this mountaintop?
He's true to his word
and we have an unveiling of his glory.
This past Wednesday night,
I was coming back from being here
at the building.
Brian Whittington had just taught
another installment
in his apologetics class
and I was coming back
and it was, you know,
this rainy craziness
that's been happening
and so it's been pretty dark
and I live by Lincoln Park
so I'm driving by Lincoln Park
and there's been this whole
kind of softball tournament
going on all week
at Lincoln Park
but it got rained out
but the lights were still on
and so I'm driving down 22nd Avenue
and I see this glory
coming over Lincoln Park.
I'm like, what's going on?
It was lit up!
And so if you were at the base
of this mountain
here at Matthew 17
at night
and you look up
and you see
this wonderful glory
happening on the top
of this mountain,
you'd be like,
what is going on?
Who is this guy?
Shining like the sun
on the mountaintop.
This is the one
who has called you
to deny yourself,
take up your cross
and follow him.
That's who this is.
He lights up your heart.
He compels you
to follow him.
Would he get a glimpse
of his glory?
You want to follow him.
In verse 3,
we realize
that this amazing event
on the mountaintop,
Jesus has some people
with him
besides the disciples.
Look at verse 3.
Who is this?
And behold,
there appeared to them
Moses and Elijah
talking with him.
If it weren't enough
that Jesus
is,
his glory
has been revealed
and he's lighting up
the place,
there are two other guys
with him,
Moses and Elijah.
Let me ask you
this question.
If you had to answer
who are the top
two presidents
of the United States
of America,
how would you answer?
It'd be interesting,
wouldn't it?
Mine would be
George Washington
and Abraham Lincoln.
George Washington
is known
for our first president.
He's the one
that started off
our nation,
right?
Abraham Lincoln,
16th president
and he's known
for the Emancipation
Proclamation
in which slaves
were delivered
from slavery.
The deliverer,
the establisher,
and the deliverer.
And so when we think
about George Washington
and Abraham Lincoln
in the history
of our nation,
we think certain things.
Moses.
Now when Jews
would think about
the key players
in Israel's history,
their minds
would go certain places.
Moses
led the people
out of Egypt.
On Mount Sinai
was given
the law.
He is the law giver.
When you hear
Moses,
you think law.
And then there's
Elijah.
Mount Carmel,
1st Corinthians 19,
defeats the prophets
of Baal.
He's early
2nd Kings.
He doesn't die.
He's taken up
in a chariot of fire.
In Malachi 4, 5,
there's this
prophecy
of Elijah.
That Elijah
will be sent
before the great
and awesome
day of the Lord.
And the understanding
is he would
usher in
the restoration
of all things.
He's a prophet.
When you hear
Moses,
you think law.
When you hear
Elijah,
you think
prophet.
So these
are heavy
hitters
from Israel's
past.
Representing
the law
and the prophets
and they're
in the presence
of Jesus
and they're
having a conversation.
Don't you wish
Matthew told us
what they were
talking about?
Wouldn't you
like to know?
I don't think
Jesus was saying,
Moses,
I don't think
you've ever met
Elijah.
This is Elijah.
Elijah,
this is Moses.
Seems like
that they're
having a conversation
well into it
that they knew
each other.
it's a good
thing that
Luke 9
tells us
what they
were talking
about.
Would you
flip over
there to
Luke chapter
9?
I hope
your heart
is starting
to beat
a little
faster.
Because in
Luke 9
we have a
very interesting
thing that's
being talked
about in
verses 30
and 31.
And behold,
two men
were talking
with him.
Who are
they?
Moses and
Elijah.
Verse 31,
who appeared
in glory and
spoke of his
departure.
So notice,
they've appeared
in glory too
and they're
speaking of his
departure.
Do you see a
little number
next to that
word departure
in your Bible?
It's from a
Greek word
that's called
exodus.
They were
speaking of his
exodus.
Now let's
look at the
next clause
that was
about to
which he was
about to
accomplish in
Jerusalem.
They're talking
about the
second exodus
Jesus was
about to
accomplish in
Jerusalem through
his suffering,
death, and
resurrection.
They're talking
about the
salvation that
he would
accomplish in
Jerusalem by
dying on the
cross and
being raised
from the
dead.
They were
talking about
him ushering
in the
kingdom of
him through
his death,
inaugurating the
kingdom that
would consummate
into the
restoration of
all things,
which means our
relationship with
God, our
relationship with
ourselves, our
relationship to
each other, and
even our
relationship to
this world, this
created place.
That's what they
were talking about.
God's plan for
the fullness of
time.
Moses and
Elijah are
talking to
Jesus about
what he's
about to do
and accomplish
in Jerusalem.
What it gets
at is God's
plan of
salvation.
God has had a
plan from the
beginning of the
world.
And Moses and
Elijah, they
recognized they
were moving in a
direction that
would be fulfilled
in Jesus, the
Christ.
And so when
Jesus says in
Matthew 5, 17,
do not think that
I have come to
abolish the law
and the prophets.
I have not come to
abolish them, but to
fulfill them.
He's talking
about his work
of salvation on
the cross that
Moses and Elijah
and all the
prophets pointed
to.
Who is this
guy?
Who is this
guy?
He's faithful to
what he says.
He's shining like
the sun.
He's surrounded
by big hitters
like Moses and
Elijah who are
talking about what
he's about to do
in Jerusalem.
And then we
come across verse
four and it's a
bit bizarre.
Look at that
with me.
And Peter said
to Jesus, Lord,
it is good that
we are here.
If you wish, I
would make three
tents here, one
for you and one
for Moses and
one for Elijah.
And so here's
this grand display
of awesome things
and Peter starts
saying, Jesus,
I'll start making
tents, buddy.
What do you need
me to do?
In Mark 9, Mark
explains Peter's
behavior by saying
he didn't know
what to say for
they were all
terrified.
Luke says, not
knowing what he
said.
In other words,
he is speaking
without thinking,
which for Peter
is somewhat
normal.
So if you have
a rash person
who is terrified,
stupid things
typically happen,
don't you think?
That's my personal
experience with
myself.
Now, here's
what I do.
I imagine,
here's Peter
talking.
Can I make
tents for you
guys?
Moses looks
over at Jesus
and says,
are you sure
you want to
build your
church on him?
And then
Elijah is like,
he has a good
point.
And then
there's verse
five.
as Peter
is speaking,
we have
the introduction
of a whole
new thing.
A bright
cloud.
A bright
cloud
overshadowed
them.
Do you remember
when God
led his people
out of Egypt?
He led them
out as a
pillar of cloud
by day
and a pillar
of fire
by night.
If you were
listening carefully
to Rick
when he opened
up the service
in Exodus
chapter 34,
God came down
on the mountain
as a cloud
and met
with Moses.
When Solomon
dedicated the
temple in 1 Kings
8, a cloud
filled the
temple.
A cloud of
the glory of
God, his
presence.
temple
and then
Ezekiel
very tragically
that same
cloud
which was
in the
temple
gradually
departs
the temple
signifying
God's
judgment
and departure
from being
among his
people.
This bright
cloud is
the presence
of God
the Father
and it
says it
overshadowed
them
which is a
really interesting
way to talk
about it
because it's
a bright
cloud at
night so
maybe the
better word
would be
it over
brightened
them.
Whatever the
case it was
overwhelming
because then
if that
weren't
enough
a voice
is heard.
This is
my beloved
son with
whom I'm
well pleased.
It's the
Father speaking.
It's identical
language to
Matthew 3
17 after
Jesus has
been baptized.
This is my
beloved son with
whom I'm
well pleased.
What is
going on
here is
this.
In Matthew
16 16
Peter says
you are the
Christ the
son of the
living God
and now
God the
father on the
mountaintop
is saying
yep
that's my
boy
my beloved
one and I
am well
pleased in
him.
He's talking
about the
faithfulness of
Christ.
I'm delighting
in him and
he's delighting
in what
Christ has
made known
about himself
that he's
going to go
to Jerusalem
that he's
going to
suffer that
he's going
to be
crucified and
he's going
to be
raised.
That's
right.
That's
my son.
He's on
my plan
and I'm
delighting in
him.
with whom
I'm well
pleased is a
reference to
Isaiah 42
1 which is a
reference to
the suffering
servant my
son.
Peter,
James,
and John
hear this
voice of
God from
the cloud.
This is my
beloved son
with whom
I'm well
pleased and
they're undone.
They drop
prostrate face
down.
But before I
get there
there's a
difference between
what the
father says in
Matthew 3 and
Matthew 17.
There are
three words
difference.
Listen to
him.
This is my
beloved son
with whom
I'm well
pleased.
Listen to
him.
It's kind of
like an
immediate rebuke
of Peter who
is just kind
of talking
blah blah
blah.
Listen to
him.
But we need
to ask
ourselves the
question what
has Jesus
just said in
the gospel of
Matthew?
And what
he's just
called us
to is to
if anyone
would come
after me he
must deny
himself take
up his cross
and follow
me.
We must
listen to
him.
A disciple
listens to
his or her
master.
And so
when you
hear those
words listen
to him
here's what
you need to
understand.
He's saying
obey him.
Not just
to listen to
gain knowledge
but listen
to obey.
So for us
this is what
it means.
We need to
take to heart
what Jesus
has already
said all the
way back to
the Sermon on
the Mount.
Listen to
him.
Obey him.
And then to
hear this call
of disciples we
must listen to
him and obey
him.
And when we
get into
Matthew 18
and 19
where Jesus
starts telling
us about what
are the
kingdom norms.
What is
kingdom greatness?
It's humility.
We must listen
to him and
obey him.
What's kingdom
purity?
What are kingdom
marriages like?
What is kingdom
peacemaking like?
What are all
these things?
We listen to
him and obey
him.
If anyone
would come
after me let
him take up
his cross and
follow me.
Let him deny
himself.
Who is this
guy on this
mountaintop?
He's the one
who's faithful to
his word.
He's the one
shining like the
sun.
He's the one
who fulfills the
Old Testament and
he's hanging out
with big hitters
from Israel's
past.
He's beloved
by his father
because he's
doing the
father's will.
And all of a
sudden upon
hearing the
father's voice
the disciples
fall prostrate
terrified.
It's a
theophany.
It's an
appearing of
God.
It's not
unusual.
When God
shows up people
drop down on
their face
terrified.
They're
overwhelmed by
the voice of
God.
It's what
happened in
Exodus chapter
I think it's
20 or 21
where the
people hear the
voice of God
from the
mountaintop and
they plead with
Moses don't let
him say anything
to us anymore.
And in verse
7 we see Jesus
do something that I
hope does good to
your soul.
He sees them
drop.
He sees them
terrified.
And this
glorious one
shows how
gentle he is.
he goes to
them
touches them
and says
rise and have
no fear.
Now they're no
longer hearing the
voice from the
cloud.
They're hearing the
voice of their
master saying
fear not.
When they pick up
their heads it's
just Jesus.
the cloud is
gone.
Moses and
Elijah are
gone.
Jesus unveiled
brilliance is now
veiled.
It's just
normal.
Dark on a
mountaintop.
But it's not
normal.
These men have
seen the glory
of Christ.
They've been
changed.
If you want to
jot down if
you're taking
notes.
2 Peter chapter
1 verses 16
through 17.
It's Peter's
account of what
happened on the
mountaintop.
Jesus is alone
there.
Who is this
guy?
Who is this
guy?
He's the one
that calls you
to follow him.
He's the one
that calls you
to deny
yourself,
take up your
cross,
and follow
him.
In verses
9 through 13
Jesus and
his disciples
make their
way down
the mountain.
What we see
in verses
1 through
8 is the
glory of
Christ on
the mountain.
Christ in
full glory.
And then
going down
the mountain
Jesus speaks
of a
fullness
of suffering
that he
will experience.
Would you
please take a
look at what
he has to
say?
Verse 9
And as they
were coming
down the
mountain,
Jesus commanded
them,
tell no one
the vision
until the
Son of Man
is raised
from the
dead.
Now this
may sound
strange to
you.
Jesus is
saying,
keep it on
the down
low guys
that what
you just
saw.
Why would
he say
this?
Because he
didn't want
to distract
them.
There's this
frenzy going
on at the
time for a
Messiah, a
political figure
to take over.
And he doesn't
want them saying
anything until
after his
resurrection.
It's the
resurrection that
will be the
greatest evidence
that he is the
Messiah.
And so he
tells them,
keep it on the
down low.
And as they're on
their way down,
verse 10,
the disciples
ask him,
then why do the
scribes say
that first
Elijah must
come?
What they're
asking is,
hey, we just
saw Elijah
with you.
The scribes
teach that they
must come
first.
What's up
with that?
And Jesus
essentially says
in verses
11 and 12,
Elijah,
yes, they're
right.
He does
come and he
will restore
all things.
He will
usher in the
kingdom of
restoring all
things.
He says,
they're right.
But they
missed him.
Verse 14,
but I tell
you that
Elijah has
already come
and they
did not
recognize him
but did
to him
whatever they
pleased.
So also
the son of
man will
certainly
suffer at
their hands.
And so
Jesus clears
up this
Elijah question.
The scribes
had been
teaching that
but they
missed
John the
Baptist
when they
came.
John the
Baptist
was the
fulfillment
of the
prophecy
in Malachi
4 or 5
of Elijah
coming before
the awesome
day of
the Lord.
But here's
what I want
you to
notice.
In
verse 9,
and as
they were
coming down
the mountain
Jesus
commanded
them,
tell no
one the
vision until
the son of
man is
raised from
the dead.
Coming
down to
reality.
me.
I'm
heading
towards
my
death
in
resurrection.
In
verse 12,
so also
the son
of man
will
certainly
suffer at
their hands.
As
John the
Baptist
went,
so will
the son
of man
go.
The
kingdom
will be
established
through
suffering.
So what
we see
going on
here is
this.
We have
God,
the glory
of Christ
on display
on the
mountaintop,
and then
on the
way
down,
Jesus
is back
talking
about
the
fullness
of
suffering
he will
experience
to accomplish
our
salvation
and restore
all things.
Who is
this guy?
He is
the all
glorious
one,
full of
glory,
and who
will suffer
fully to
accomplish a
fullness of
salvation and
give you
fullness of
grace that
will result
in you
fully
following
him.
He did
it for
you.
He did
it for
his glory.
Who is
this guy?
He's the
one who
keeps his
word.
He is
the one
shining like
the sun.
He's the
fulfiller of
the Old
Testament.
He is
beloved by
his father
because he
does the
father's
will.
He is
gentle.
Rise,
do not
fear.
And he
will suffer.
And he
will suffer
greatly in
order to
accomplish our
salvation.
So let's
bring it all
the way back.
If anyone
would come
after me,
who's the
me?
He's the
Christ,
the glorious
one.
the one
who would
suffer in
order to
save so
that we
could follow
him.
It's just
not a
historical
event,
this
transfiguration.
It's a
functional
event.
It compels
us as we
see his
glory to
follow him.
Let me
just make
this connection
for you.
if this
is Jesus,
if this
is truly
who he
is,
who we
see on
the
mountaintop
is who
he is
now.
This is
who he
is.
This is
the true
Jesus in
his glory.
He's worth
everything.
Every
minute of
your day,
every
square inch
of your
life,
every
penny in
your bank
account,
he is
worth it
all
because of
who he
is,
what he's
done,
and what
eventually
he will
do.
tomorrow
morning when
you wake
up,
I hope
you're
asking the
question
today,
who
matters
most?
And after
getting a
glimpse of
the glory
of Christ
here in
Matthew 17,
I hope
you gladly
say,
oh Lord
Jesus,
I will
gladly deny
myself,
and I
will take
up my
cross,
and I
will follow
you because
you alone
are glorious,
and you
alone are
worthy of
my life.
Let's
pray.
God in
heaven,
would you
take these
words of
yours in
Matthew 17,
especially this
glimpse of the
glory of Christ
on the
mountaintop,
and would
you press
that into
our hearts
so that
we will
never forget
it,
so that
we wake
up day
after day
with the
sense that
Lord Jesus,
you are the
glorious one,
and that
when you
come back,
we will
see you as
you are,
and we
will rejoice.
It's in your
name we pray.
Amen.