WEBVTT

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 So join me as I read to you Mark chapter 9 verses 1 through 13.

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 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

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 And Peter said to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good that we are here.

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 Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.

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 For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified.

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 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud,

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 This is my beloved son. Listen to him.

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 And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

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 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen

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 until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

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 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean.

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 And they asked him, Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?

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 And he said to them, Elijah does come first to restore all things.

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 And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt?

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 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.

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 This is God's word to us.

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 It was written for his glory and for our good.

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 We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.

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 Let's pray together.

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 Father God, we are always at all times in desperate need of you.

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 But Father, it's in times like this that I feel that most.

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 And I need you.

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 I desperately need you to come and to help me preach the word of God accurately and poignantly this day.

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 And Father, we all need you to work by your Spirit to apply your word to us to our hearts,

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 that they might be changed from one degree of glory to another.

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 Father, this day do not neglect your people.

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 Make us in greater degrees into the image of Christ that we might glorify your name.

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 And we pray this in Jesus Christ's name.

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 Amen.

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 So, we've come to a rather exciting part of Mark's Gospel account.

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 In fact, the beginning of eight and a half chapters really kind of seem to be an introduction

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 to where we've arrived so far as we came to verse 29,

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 excuse me, yep, 29,

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 where Jesus asks the question of the disciples,

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 but who do you say that I am?

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 And Peter answers him with this massive proclamation,

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 you are the Christ, the anointed one of God,

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 the prophet, priest, and king who reigns forever.

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 But we see very quickly that he had a misunderstanding.

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 In fact, we're going to see a couple of other passion predictions on Jesus' part.

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 We find those in the following, verse 31 and verse 32.

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 And there's always a misunderstanding response on the behalf of the disciples.

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 But we begin the great teaching period as Jesus is making his journey toward Jerusalem.

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 We're about six months out from the crucifixion at this point,

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 and he's spent quite a few years now with the disciples.

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 And they're just now starting to grasp who he is and what the kingdom of God will look like.

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 We see the misunderstanding on Peter's part in verse 32 as he takes him aside and rebukes him

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 to say to him,

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 how could it possibly be that you are the Christ and that you will suffer and die?

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 May it never be.

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 Peter had yet to understand what the kingdom was really going to look like,

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 that was coming in spirit for now,

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 not in the physical realm,

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 but in the spiritual realm for this period of time.

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 And Jesus' response to him is a scathing one.

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 He says to him,

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 get behind me, Satan,

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 for you are not setting your mind on the things of God,

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 but on the things of man.

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 And he goes on, as we spoke last week,

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 to raise the bar for what discipleship would look like.

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 He says to them,

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 if anyone would come after me,

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 let him deny himself,

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 take up his cross,

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 and follow me.

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 That is,

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 deny himself,

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 set aside his self-governing,

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 his very being,

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 in order to follow Jesus.

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 Verse 35,

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 whoever would save his life,

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 will lose it.

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 Whatever loses his life for my sake and the gospels,

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 will save it.

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 He's beginning to explain to the disciples,

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 and I hope that we're seeing very clearly,

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 the way in which he came to serve the world.

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 This apparent paradox that seems to exist,

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 that he would come and reign by first becoming a servant,

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 by emptying himself,

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 and dying on behalf of the church.

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 It's incredible.

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 Absolutely incredible.

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 And we see on the heels of Peter's great proclamation,

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 you are the Christ.

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 We have not followed you in vain.

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 You are the anointed one.

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 You are going to come,

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 and you are going to reign.

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 And then Jesus says to him,

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 but first,

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 I'm going to die.

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 And if you want to follow me,

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 you're going to do the same.

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 You're also going to suffer and die.

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 Jesus,

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 in his great compassion,

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 brings along a beautiful encouragement to the disciples.

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 And he says this to them in verse 1 of chapter 9.

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 Truly I say to you,

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 there are some standing here,

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 those who he was speaking to,

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 who will not taste death

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 until they see the kingdom of God

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 after it has come with power.

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 And there's a lot of different opinions

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 about what Jesus meant.

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 All of them,

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 save the right opinion,

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 seem crazy to me.

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 Because then,

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 something happens.

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 Immediately following this statement,

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 six days later,

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 but after this,

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 the record is,

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 the transfiguration occurred.

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 So he's saying to the disciples,

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 some of you,

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 who are standing here,

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 are going to get to see me transfigured.

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 You're going to get to get a glimpse of my glory.

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 You're going to get to see the kingdom

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 in its power

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 before you die.

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 This was a great act of encouragement to them.

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 To take some of the disciples up onto the mountain

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 and say,

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 see,

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 it's worth following me.

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 I am God's visible glory.

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 Watch this.

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 He's said things to them now.

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 Now he's going to show them something.

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 Something that they can hold on to

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 and they can take

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 through the next six months

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 and the years that would follow

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 to their very own deaths

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 in pursuit of the gospel

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 of the kingdom of God.

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 It's a beautiful,

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 precious thing

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 that Jesus does for them there

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 in this

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 incredible miracle.

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 This is by far

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 the greatest miracle

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 he's performed so far

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 and you probably will never see this

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 in a list of

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 Jesus' miracles

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 but the transfiguration

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 is amazing.

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 Next to only maybe

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 the resurrection itself,

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 this is the greatest,

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 it could be argued,

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 of miracles.

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 But before we get into

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 the particulars

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 of the transfiguration itself,

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 I first want to deal with

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 verses 11,

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 12,

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 and 13.

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 So if you'll allow me,

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 we're going to jump to the end

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 of our text for the day,

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 look at 11,

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 12,

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 and 13

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 and we'll back back up

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 to verse 2.

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 So they're coming down the mountain

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 having seen this

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 miraculous transfiguration,

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 this conversation

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 that takes place

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 between Jesus,

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 Elijah,

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 and Moses,

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 having God cover them

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 with a cloud

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 and speak out of heaven

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 to them.

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 And they're coming down

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 the mountain

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 and they say,

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 why do the scribes say

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 that first Elijah must come?

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 And then Jesus gives

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 explanation to that.

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 He gives some explanation

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 to the fact that

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 Elijah has in fact come.

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 Rightly,

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 the scribes,

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 which were the religious elite,

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 the studious religious

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 of that day,

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 say that Elijah must come first

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 and they get this

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 from Malachi chapter 4,

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 the last of the prophets

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 before God goes silent

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 for 400 years.

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 Malachi said in chapter 4,

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 verse 5 and 6,

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 Behold,

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 I will send you Elijah,

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 the prophet,

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 before the great and awesome

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 day of the Lord comes.

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 And he will turn the hearts

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 of fathers to their children

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 and the hearts of children

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 to their fathers,

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 lest I come and strike the land

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 with the decree

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 of utter destruction.

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 So they believed

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 that Elijah was going to come

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 reincarnate.

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 He was going to come

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 back to life.

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 In fact,

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 one of the great differences

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 between the Pharisees

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 and the Sadducees

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 is that the Pharisees

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 believed in the resurrection

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 of the dead.

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 This was part of that reason.

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 They were waiting for Elijah

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 to be resurrected

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 and to come back

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 and do this,

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 be the heralder of Jesus,

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 the Lord who would come

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 and reign,

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 the Christ.

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 Mark records that a number

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 of people thought

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 that Jesus was Elijah,

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 that it was possible

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 that he was the forerunner

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 of the Christ.

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 We see that in Mark 6,

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 15 and 8,

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 28.

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 The prophecy that Elijah

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 would precede Jesus

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 is fulfilled by John the Baptizer.

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 Look at Mark's introductory statements

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 concerning John the Baptizer

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 in chapter 1, verse 2

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 from Isaiah.

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 They're incredibly similar

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 to a previous prophecy

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 of Malachi in chapter 3

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 where he says,

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 Behold, I send my messenger

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 and he will prepare the way

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 before me.

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 How do we know for sure

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 that Jesus was saying

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 that John the Baptizer

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 was the predicted Elijah?

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 How can we know that for sure?

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 The Bible tells us for sure.

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 In the same account,

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 Matthew chapter 17,

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 verse 13,

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 Matthew records,

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 Then the disciples understood

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 that he was speaking to them

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 of John the Baptist.

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 So John the Baptist

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 is the Elijah

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 that they're speaking of.

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 He is the forerunner.

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 He is the fulfillment

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 of the Old Testament

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 prophecy of Malachi.

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 Therefore,

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 Jesus is

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 the Christ.

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 Isn't it incredible

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 as we look at the lives

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 of these disciples

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 that they have spent

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 all this time

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 with Jesus,

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 we see his words,

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 we read them,

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 and their response,

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 the faithlessness

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 on their part.

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 And I just want to remind you

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 as we walk through

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 these next couple of chapters together,

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 the reason that Mark records

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 the healing of the blind man

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 at Bethsaida,

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 we find that in verse 20 through to 26,

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 is to show us

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 that Jesus is the Lord

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 over spiritual,

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 excuse me,

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 physical sight

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 as well as spiritual sight.

00:11:18.280 --> 00:11:19.120
 So we saw a miracle

00:11:19.120 --> 00:11:20.680
 where he healed a man

00:11:20.680 --> 00:11:21.760
 of his physical blindness

00:11:21.760 --> 00:11:22.480
 in degrees,

00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:23.920
 and now we're seeing him

00:11:23.920 --> 00:11:24.740
 do the same

00:11:24.740 --> 00:11:25.960
 in degrees

00:11:25.960 --> 00:11:27.340
 with the disciples.

00:11:27.340 --> 00:11:29.040
 It's beyond me.

00:11:29.139 --> 00:11:30.000
 Sometimes you read this

00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:30.300
 and you go,

00:11:30.379 --> 00:11:31.680
 how could you not get this?

00:11:31.820 --> 00:11:33.680
 How can you not understand?

00:11:34.460 --> 00:11:36.120
 But the spiritual scales

00:11:36.120 --> 00:11:36.639
 were being lifted

00:11:36.639 --> 00:11:37.280
 from their eyes.

00:11:37.340 --> 00:11:39.040
 It was being unfolded for them.

00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:40.879
 They were getting it in part

00:11:40.879 --> 00:11:41.680
 and they would get it

00:11:41.680 --> 00:11:42.639
 more completely

00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:44.420
 as Jesus' death

00:11:44.420 --> 00:11:46.220
 and resurrection occurs.

00:11:48.040 --> 00:11:49.160
 So back to verse 2.

00:11:49.720 --> 00:11:50.460
 Jump back up there

00:11:50.460 --> 00:11:51.120
 to verse 2.

00:11:52.560 --> 00:11:53.780
 Now remember that they have

00:11:53.780 --> 00:11:55.060
 traveled from Bethsaida

00:11:55.060 --> 00:11:56.740
 to the region of Caesarea Philippi.

00:11:57.340 --> 00:11:59.519
 There's been some teaching

00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:00.379
 happening here

00:12:00.379 --> 00:12:02.240
 and then there's this statement,

00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:03.100
 truly I say to you,

00:12:03.160 --> 00:12:03.860
 there's some standing here

00:12:03.860 --> 00:12:04.519
 who will not taste death

00:12:04.519 --> 00:12:05.399
 until they see the kingdom of God

00:12:05.399 --> 00:12:06.500
 after it's come with power

00:12:06.500 --> 00:12:07.899
 and then six days.

00:12:08.820 --> 00:12:09.700
 Six days happens.

00:12:09.820 --> 00:12:10.840
 We don't know exactly

00:12:10.840 --> 00:12:11.680
 where they went to.

00:12:11.740 --> 00:12:12.300
 I'm going to tell you

00:12:12.300 --> 00:12:14.399
 a bit about the high mountain

00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:15.220
 and where I believe

00:12:15.220 --> 00:12:16.360
 they headed off to.

00:12:16.740 --> 00:12:17.560
 But we see a record

00:12:17.560 --> 00:12:19.879
 that six days has passed.

00:12:20.540 --> 00:12:22.000
 If you study this further later,

00:12:22.120 --> 00:12:23.000
 you also will note

00:12:23.000 --> 00:12:23.700
 that in Luke,

00:12:23.800 --> 00:12:25.420
 Luke records that eight days

00:12:25.419 --> 00:12:26.179
 have passed.

00:12:26.279 --> 00:12:26.839
 And I don't want you

00:12:26.839 --> 00:12:27.699
 to think at this point

00:12:27.699 --> 00:12:28.519
 that the scripture

00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:30.379
 has failed to be inerrant.

00:12:30.860 --> 00:12:32.439
 It was common in this day

00:12:32.439 --> 00:12:33.459
 to measure time

00:12:33.459 --> 00:12:34.579
 in two different ways.

00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:36.219
 Here we see in Matthew

00:12:36.219 --> 00:12:37.039
 and in Mark,

00:12:37.479 --> 00:12:38.419
 they started counting

00:12:38.419 --> 00:12:39.599
 on the next day

00:12:39.599 --> 00:12:41.039
 and they counted the days

00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:42.599
 up to the day prior

00:12:42.599 --> 00:12:44.019
 to the transfiguration.

00:12:44.259 --> 00:12:44.819
 Six days.

00:12:45.860 --> 00:12:46.419
 Luke instead

00:12:46.419 --> 00:12:47.199
 counted the day

00:12:47.199 --> 00:12:47.879
 he said it

00:12:47.879 --> 00:12:49.019
 as well as the day

00:12:49.019 --> 00:12:50.120
 the transfiguration happened.

00:12:50.439 --> 00:12:50.699
 Therefore,

00:12:51.099 --> 00:12:51.559
 eight days.

00:12:51.639 --> 00:12:52.299
 Very common.

00:12:52.299 --> 00:12:53.219
 And interchangeable

00:12:53.219 --> 00:12:54.219
 in that way.

00:12:54.679 --> 00:12:55.899
 So six or eight,

00:12:56.059 --> 00:12:56.519
 whichever way

00:12:56.519 --> 00:12:57.279
 you want to count it.

00:12:57.979 --> 00:12:58.779
 I might even count that

00:12:58.779 --> 00:13:00.479
 as seven personally.

00:13:01.779 --> 00:13:03.120
 Roughly a week later,

00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:04.379
 they take a bit

00:13:04.379 --> 00:13:05.339
 of a retreat.

00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:07.139
 And he goes away

00:13:07.139 --> 00:13:08.620
 with some closer buddies.

00:13:08.859 --> 00:13:09.339
 This was kind of

00:13:09.339 --> 00:13:10.039
 the inner circle

00:13:10.039 --> 00:13:11.259
 in Jesus' day.

00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:13.399
 In his humanity,

00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:15.939
 he had a limited capacity

00:13:15.939 --> 00:13:17.419
 for personal relationship.

00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:18.419
 He had his twelve

00:13:18.419 --> 00:13:19.199
 and within his twelve

00:13:19.199 --> 00:13:20.240
 he had three.

00:13:20.379 --> 00:13:21.419
 And we see this consistently.

00:13:21.419 --> 00:13:22.019
 These are the ones

00:13:22.019 --> 00:13:22.459
 that went and prayed

00:13:22.459 --> 00:13:23.500
 with him in the Garden

00:13:23.500 --> 00:13:24.139
 of Gethsemane

00:13:24.139 --> 00:13:25.279
 before his crucifixion.

00:13:25.579 --> 00:13:27.199
 Peter and James and John,

00:13:27.299 --> 00:13:28.000
 the brothers,

00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:29.079
 James and John,

00:13:29.139 --> 00:13:31.139
 the sons of Zebedee.

00:13:31.339 --> 00:13:32.279
 And he leads them up

00:13:32.279 --> 00:13:34.299
 onto a high mountain

00:13:34.299 --> 00:13:35.959
 by themselves.

00:13:37.539 --> 00:13:38.519
 Now the high mountain

00:13:38.519 --> 00:13:39.839
 tradition holds

00:13:39.839 --> 00:13:41.299
 that the mountain

00:13:41.299 --> 00:13:42.719
 is Mount Tabor,

00:13:42.939 --> 00:13:43.559
 which is down

00:13:43.559 --> 00:13:44.939
 on the western side

00:13:44.939 --> 00:13:45.860
 of the Sea of Galilee.

00:13:47.099 --> 00:13:48.539
 Could have been traveled to.

00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:49.579
 A lot of the speculation

00:13:49.579 --> 00:13:50.799
 is because of the days

00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:51.779
 that had passed.

00:13:52.259 --> 00:13:52.719
 They may have been

00:13:52.719 --> 00:13:54.179
 traveling in those days

00:13:54.179 --> 00:13:55.639
 and traveled to

00:13:55.639 --> 00:13:57.339
 Mount Tabor.

00:13:58.240 --> 00:13:58.719
 Although,

00:13:59.799 --> 00:14:00.679
 the record is that

00:14:00.679 --> 00:14:02.240
 it's a high mountain

00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:03.639
 and Mount Tabor

00:14:03.639 --> 00:14:05.259
 is not all that much taller

00:14:05.259 --> 00:14:06.500
 than the other mountains

00:14:06.500 --> 00:14:07.000
 in the region.

00:14:07.099 --> 00:14:08.139
 It's not really a high mountain.

00:14:08.199 --> 00:14:08.759
 It's just a mountain.

00:14:08.859 --> 00:14:09.679
 If you look at pictures of it,

00:14:09.699 --> 00:14:10.379
 it looks really more

00:14:10.379 --> 00:14:11.339
 like a hill.

00:14:11.500 --> 00:14:12.899
 It's 1,800 feet

00:14:12.899 --> 00:14:14.479
 above sea level.

00:14:15.719 --> 00:14:16.500
 More likely,

00:14:16.620 --> 00:14:17.339
 I would say to you,

00:14:17.399 --> 00:14:18.179
 that the high mountain

00:14:18.179 --> 00:14:19.699
 is Mount Hermon,

00:14:20.500 --> 00:14:21.559
 which is just north

00:14:21.559 --> 00:14:22.000
 of the region

00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:22.919
 of Caesarea Philippi.

00:14:23.839 --> 00:14:24.439
 In fact,

00:14:24.500 --> 00:14:25.019
 it would have taken

00:14:25.019 --> 00:14:26.079
 quite some time

00:14:26.079 --> 00:14:26.459
 to climb

00:14:26.459 --> 00:14:28.079
 because it's 9,200 feet

00:14:28.079 --> 00:14:28.959
 above sea level.

00:14:29.019 --> 00:14:29.899
 It has snow on it

00:14:29.899 --> 00:14:31.339
 much of the year

00:14:31.339 --> 00:14:32.199
 in this region.

00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:33.419
 Either way,

00:14:33.439 --> 00:14:34.099
 it doesn't really matter.

00:14:34.199 --> 00:14:35.339
 They're up on a high mountain

00:14:35.339 --> 00:14:36.639
 by themselves

00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:38.239
 and they go up there

00:14:38.239 --> 00:14:39.219
 in order

00:14:39.219 --> 00:14:40.539
 to pray.

00:14:41.959 --> 00:14:43.079
 Luke 9, 28

00:14:43.079 --> 00:14:44.579
 states that they went up

00:14:44.579 --> 00:14:44.919
 on the mountain

00:14:44.919 --> 00:14:45.299
 to pray.

00:14:45.299 --> 00:14:46.139
 And in verse 32,

00:14:46.279 --> 00:14:47.579
 it says that they were

00:14:47.579 --> 00:14:50.159
 heavy with sleep.

00:14:51.079 --> 00:14:51.839
 They were heavy

00:14:51.839 --> 00:14:53.059
 with sleep.

00:14:54.039 --> 00:14:54.879
 It's likely

00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:55.839
 in Luke's account

00:14:55.839 --> 00:14:57.519
 that as they went up

00:14:57.519 --> 00:14:58.199
 there to pray together,

00:14:58.259 --> 00:14:59.019
 just like they did

00:14:59.019 --> 00:15:00.039
 in the Garden of Gethsemane,

00:15:00.179 --> 00:15:02.240
 they fell asleep.

00:15:02.939 --> 00:15:04.299
 And in our Garden of Gethsemane

00:15:04.299 --> 00:15:04.839
 account,

00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:06.059
 they're asleep

00:15:06.059 --> 00:15:07.519
 with sorrow.

00:15:08.759 --> 00:15:09.599
 Have you ever been

00:15:09.599 --> 00:15:11.159
 in such a sorrowful situation,

00:15:12.059 --> 00:15:13.059
 lamenting something

00:15:13.059 --> 00:15:13.559
 that's happened

00:15:13.559 --> 00:15:14.000
 in your life

00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:15.059
 that all you want

00:15:15.059 --> 00:15:15.500
 to do

00:15:15.500 --> 00:15:16.559
 is go to sleep?

00:15:17.339 --> 00:15:18.019
 I have.

00:15:18.459 --> 00:15:19.099
 Seems to be a bit

00:15:19.099 --> 00:15:19.719
 of a salve

00:15:19.719 --> 00:15:22.039
 for the tender heart.

00:15:22.819 --> 00:15:23.459
 Forget about

00:15:23.459 --> 00:15:24.099
 the troubles

00:15:24.099 --> 00:15:24.719
 of the day

00:15:24.719 --> 00:15:27.079
 and just go to sleep.

00:15:27.259 --> 00:15:28.000
 And so it's likely

00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:29.119
 that as he takes them

00:15:29.119 --> 00:15:30.000
 up onto the mountain

00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:31.159
 that they're sorrowful.

00:15:31.639 --> 00:15:32.599
 They have followed him,

00:15:32.659 --> 00:15:33.479
 they have recognized him

00:15:33.479 --> 00:15:34.059
 to be the Christ,

00:15:34.119 --> 00:15:34.979
 but they have also seen

00:15:34.979 --> 00:15:35.419
 that he's going

00:15:35.419 --> 00:15:36.319
 to suffer and die

00:15:36.319 --> 00:15:37.719
 and that they're going

00:15:37.719 --> 00:15:38.359
 to as well

00:15:38.359 --> 00:15:38.799
 if they're going

00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:39.379
 to continue

00:15:39.379 --> 00:15:40.939
 to follow him.

00:15:40.940 --> 00:15:43.020
 And then we see

00:15:43.020 --> 00:15:43.580
 this miracle.

00:15:44.600 --> 00:15:45.180
 He was

00:15:45.180 --> 00:15:46.840
 transfigured

00:15:46.840 --> 00:15:48.600
 before them.

00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:51.340
 Mark, to this point,

00:15:51.380 --> 00:15:52.600
 has been so brief,

00:15:52.820 --> 00:15:53.700
 so punchy,

00:15:53.820 --> 00:15:54.600
 moved us along

00:15:54.600 --> 00:15:55.500
 so quickly,

00:15:55.740 --> 00:15:56.840
 and I believe

00:15:56.840 --> 00:15:57.920
 that he's doing so

00:15:57.920 --> 00:15:59.120
 to get us to this point,

00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:00.060
 to get us to the last

00:16:00.060 --> 00:16:01.280
 half of chapter 8

00:16:01.280 --> 00:16:02.800
 and get us into chapter 9.

00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:03.540
 This is kind of

00:16:03.540 --> 00:16:04.680
 the watershed moment.

00:16:04.800 --> 00:16:05.600
 He's pumped everything

00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:06.400
 up to this point.

00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:07.820
 Now everything flows away

00:16:07.820 --> 00:16:08.760
 from this point

00:16:08.760 --> 00:16:11.260
 in his record here,

00:16:11.620 --> 00:16:13.520
 and he says to us,

00:16:13.640 --> 00:16:14.620
 and he was

00:16:14.620 --> 00:16:15.840
 transfigured

00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:17.160
 before them.

00:16:17.560 --> 00:16:18.560
 It's a simple,

00:16:18.740 --> 00:16:19.320
 punchy statement.

00:16:19.460 --> 00:16:20.300
 Come on, Mark.

00:16:20.500 --> 00:16:21.379
 It's a little more.

00:16:21.720 --> 00:16:22.560
 What actually

00:16:22.560 --> 00:16:23.640
 happened here?

00:16:24.660 --> 00:16:26.000
 We don't really know.

00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:26.840
 In fact,

00:16:26.920 --> 00:16:27.540
 Matthew and Luke

00:16:27.540 --> 00:16:28.020
 don't give us

00:16:28.020 --> 00:16:29.460
 a lot more detail.

00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:31.360
 The word transfigured

00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:31.840
 in the Greek

00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:33.020
 is metamorpho.

00:16:33.020 --> 00:16:33.680
 It's where we get

00:16:33.680 --> 00:16:34.700
 metamorphosis from.

00:16:34.840 --> 00:16:35.840
 It means literally

00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:37.840
 changed in figure.

00:16:38.519 --> 00:16:39.320
 His character,

00:16:39.700 --> 00:16:40.480
 his essence,

00:16:40.600 --> 00:16:41.560
 his being didn't change,

00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:43.100
 but the way he looked

00:16:43.100 --> 00:16:44.300
 changed.

00:16:45.300 --> 00:16:46.080
 The account in Mark

00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:46.720
 is his clothes

00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:47.600
 became radiant,

00:16:47.960 --> 00:16:49.060
 intensely white,

00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:50.720
 as no one on earth

00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:51.759
 could bleach them.

00:16:52.100 --> 00:16:52.920
 There were people

00:16:52.920 --> 00:16:53.360
 in this day

00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:54.519
 that bleached clothing.

00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:55.720
 No one could have

00:16:55.720 --> 00:16:56.340
 accomplished this.

00:16:56.379 --> 00:16:57.680
 It was a supernatural thing.

00:16:57.920 --> 00:16:58.420
 His clothes,

00:16:58.580 --> 00:16:58.920
 radiant,

00:16:59.139 --> 00:16:59.940
 intensely white.

00:17:00.060 --> 00:17:01.300
 Matthew 17, 2

00:17:01.300 --> 00:17:02.280
 says his face

00:17:02.280 --> 00:17:03.820
 shone like the sun

00:17:03.820 --> 00:17:04.880
 and his clothes

00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:05.660
 became white,

00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:06.559
 as light.

00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:08.319
 And Luke 9, 22

00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:09.339
 says the appearance

00:17:09.339 --> 00:17:10.099
 of his face

00:17:10.099 --> 00:17:10.879
 was altered

00:17:10.879 --> 00:17:12.279
 and his clothing

00:17:12.279 --> 00:17:14.839
 became dazzling white.

00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:16.639
 And that's our explanation

00:17:16.639 --> 00:17:18.119
 of what the transfiguration

00:17:18.119 --> 00:17:19.919
 looked like.

00:17:20.919 --> 00:17:21.539
 But,

00:17:21.679 --> 00:17:22.720
 you have to note

00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:23.539
 these words,

00:17:24.119 --> 00:17:24.500
 radiant,

00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:25.939
 intensely white,

00:17:26.039 --> 00:17:26.639
 whiter than anybody

00:17:26.639 --> 00:17:27.220
 could bleat them,

00:17:27.399 --> 00:17:28.500
 face like the sun,

00:17:28.919 --> 00:17:30.399
 white as light.

00:17:31.119 --> 00:17:31.799
 Clothing became

00:17:31.799 --> 00:17:33.500
 dazzling white.

00:17:33.500 --> 00:17:35.779
 Jesus' radiance here

00:17:35.779 --> 00:17:37.220
 is very key.

00:17:37.720 --> 00:17:38.640
 The way in which

00:17:38.640 --> 00:17:39.660
 he was transfigured

00:17:39.660 --> 00:17:41.359
 was very key

00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:42.380
 to the encouragement

00:17:42.380 --> 00:17:43.460
 of the disciples

00:17:43.460 --> 00:17:44.319
 because

00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:47.559
 whenever God appears

00:17:47.559 --> 00:17:48.400
 to his people

00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:49.279
 in the Old Testament,

00:17:50.039 --> 00:17:51.500
 he appears in some sort

00:17:51.500 --> 00:17:53.180
 of light phenomenon,

00:17:53.420 --> 00:17:54.740
 some sort of appearance

00:17:54.740 --> 00:17:55.900
 of light.

00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:57.220
 His disciples were Jews.

00:17:57.339 --> 00:17:57.920
 They knew this.

00:17:57.980 --> 00:17:58.859
 They knew their Old Testament.

00:17:58.980 --> 00:17:59.839
 They knew that when God

00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:00.379
 showed up,

00:18:00.659 --> 00:18:01.559
 this was how

00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:03.559
 he showed up.

00:18:04.119 --> 00:18:05.199
 A couple of examples

00:18:05.199 --> 00:18:05.579
 of that.

00:18:05.639 --> 00:18:06.179
 At the initiation

00:18:06.179 --> 00:18:07.179
 of the priestly service

00:18:07.179 --> 00:18:08.139
 in Leviticus 9,

00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:09.339
 God appears as light.

00:18:09.819 --> 00:18:10.740
 In Exodus 24,

00:18:11.199 --> 00:18:12.500
 God appears to Moses

00:18:12.500 --> 00:18:13.720
 as light.

00:18:14.379 --> 00:18:15.439
 In Exodus 40,

00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:16.740
 verses 34 and 35,

00:18:16.939 --> 00:18:17.619
 the tabernacle

00:18:17.619 --> 00:18:18.199
 is completed

00:18:18.199 --> 00:18:19.480
 and God begins

00:18:19.480 --> 00:18:20.399
 to dwell there

00:18:20.399 --> 00:18:21.899
 as light,

00:18:22.220 --> 00:18:22.879
 just above

00:18:22.879 --> 00:18:23.819
 the Ark of the Covenant.

00:18:23.819 --> 00:18:25.079
 We know this

00:18:25.079 --> 00:18:25.959
 as God's

00:18:25.959 --> 00:18:26.779
 Shekinah glory,

00:18:26.899 --> 00:18:27.399
 which just means

00:18:27.399 --> 00:18:27.939
 dwelling,

00:18:28.600 --> 00:18:29.480
 the Shekinah glory

00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:29.940
 of God.

00:18:30.019 --> 00:18:30.559
 It dwelt

00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:32.519
 in the tabernacle.

00:18:33.460 --> 00:18:34.059
 In Ezekiel,

00:18:34.120 --> 00:18:34.580
 we can see where

00:18:34.580 --> 00:18:35.680
 God's Shekinah glory

00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:37.420
 leaves the temple,

00:18:37.779 --> 00:18:39.019
 travels up to a hill

00:18:39.019 --> 00:18:40.240
 and departs

00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:41.279
 to heaven.

00:18:42.059 --> 00:18:42.960
 So it's very key

00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:44.059
 that Jesus showed up

00:18:44.059 --> 00:18:44.660
 in light.

00:18:44.779 --> 00:18:45.580
 He transfigures

00:18:45.580 --> 00:18:46.220
 in that way.

00:18:46.340 --> 00:18:47.360
 It was a message

00:18:47.360 --> 00:18:48.240
 to them that he is

00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:48.880
 in fact who he says

00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:49.180
 he was.

00:18:49.340 --> 00:18:50.059
 All the miracles,

00:18:50.059 --> 00:18:50.680
 all the things

00:18:50.680 --> 00:18:51.140
 that he's performed

00:18:51.140 --> 00:18:51.680
 up to this point

00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:52.799
 had yet to give them

00:18:52.799 --> 00:18:53.580
 the faith they needed

00:18:53.580 --> 00:18:54.180
 to persevere.

00:18:54.460 --> 00:18:55.360
 And here he shows up

00:18:55.360 --> 00:18:57.380
 as God himself.

00:18:57.380 --> 00:18:58.320
 He's radiant

00:18:58.320 --> 00:18:59.260
 with light.

00:19:00.520 --> 00:19:02.360
 Hebrews 1, 3a

00:19:02.360 --> 00:19:03.760
 says he is the radiance

00:19:03.760 --> 00:19:04.980
 of the glory

00:19:04.980 --> 00:19:06.220
 of God.

00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:08.380
 2 Corinthians 4, 6

00:19:08.380 --> 00:19:09.400
 Paul writes,

00:19:09.500 --> 00:19:10.140
 God who said

00:19:10.140 --> 00:19:11.160
 let light shine out

00:19:11.160 --> 00:19:11.560
 of darkness

00:19:11.560 --> 00:19:12.700
 has shown in our hearts

00:19:12.700 --> 00:19:13.600
 to give the light

00:19:13.600 --> 00:19:14.880
 of the knowledge

00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:15.920
 of the glory of God

00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:16.780
 in the face

00:19:16.780 --> 00:19:18.900
 of Jesus Christ.

00:19:19.500 --> 00:19:20.420
 Jesus Christ

00:19:20.420 --> 00:19:21.520
 is often called

00:19:21.520 --> 00:19:22.540
 the glory

00:19:22.540 --> 00:19:23.820
 of God.

00:19:24.360 --> 00:19:25.380
 The way that we

00:19:25.380 --> 00:19:26.300
 can witness

00:19:26.300 --> 00:19:27.220
 the glory

00:19:27.220 --> 00:19:27.880
 of God.

00:19:28.760 --> 00:19:29.600
 Moses asked

00:19:29.600 --> 00:19:30.580
 to see God's glory

00:19:30.580 --> 00:19:31.000
 as they were

00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:31.520
 in the desert

00:19:31.520 --> 00:19:32.120
 and God showed

00:19:32.120 --> 00:19:32.760
 him his back.

00:19:33.120 --> 00:19:34.040
 We get to behold

00:19:34.040 --> 00:19:34.840
 Jesus,

00:19:35.340 --> 00:19:36.000
 the Christ.

00:19:36.100 --> 00:19:36.880
 We get to see him

00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:38.680
 fully for who he is.

00:19:38.760 --> 00:19:39.680
 We have record

00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:40.280
 and account

00:19:40.280 --> 00:19:40.960
 and we get to hold

00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:41.660
 this in our hands.

00:19:41.980 --> 00:19:42.620
 They got to stand

00:19:42.620 --> 00:19:43.120
 on the mountain

00:19:43.120 --> 00:19:43.540
 with him

00:19:43.540 --> 00:19:44.540
 and see him

00:19:44.540 --> 00:19:45.500
 transfigured,

00:19:45.580 --> 00:19:46.840
 see him shine

00:19:46.840 --> 00:19:48.820
 as light.

00:19:51.020 --> 00:19:52.000
 As I said before,

00:19:52.340 --> 00:19:53.240
 the brief account

00:19:53.240 --> 00:19:53.880
 of this is a bit

00:19:53.880 --> 00:19:54.700
 frustrating to me.

00:19:55.279 --> 00:19:55.819
 I believe that

00:19:55.819 --> 00:19:56.299
 the word of God

00:19:56.299 --> 00:19:56.839
 is inspired

00:19:56.839 --> 00:19:57.259
 and therefore

00:19:57.259 --> 00:19:58.279
 it was told this way

00:19:58.279 --> 00:19:59.599
 for this reason.

00:20:00.019 --> 00:20:00.759
 I want more.

00:20:00.900 --> 00:20:01.359
 I want to know

00:20:01.359 --> 00:20:01.940
 a little bit more

00:20:01.940 --> 00:20:02.920
 of what was going on.

00:20:03.140 --> 00:20:03.680
 We've got a couple

00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:05.480
 of other clues to it.

00:20:05.539 --> 00:20:06.259
 Not much.

00:20:06.940 --> 00:20:08.039
 John in his gospel,

00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:09.420
 chapter 1,

00:20:09.480 --> 00:20:10.099
 verse 4 says,

00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:11.000
 in him was life

00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:11.700
 and the life

00:20:11.700 --> 00:20:12.660
 was the light

00:20:12.660 --> 00:20:13.839
 of men.

00:20:14.859 --> 00:20:15.579
 2 Peter,

00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:16.359
 chapter 1,

00:20:16.700 --> 00:20:17.980
 verses 16 through 18,

00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:18.940
 Peter records,

00:20:19.539 --> 00:20:20.440
 for we did not follow

00:20:20.440 --> 00:20:21.579
 cleverly devised myths

00:20:21.579 --> 00:20:22.200
 when we made known

00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:22.880
 to you the power

00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:23.340
 and coming

00:20:23.340 --> 00:20:24.420
 of our Lord Jesus Christ.

00:20:24.920 --> 00:20:26.360
 But we were witnesses

00:20:26.360 --> 00:20:27.319
 of his majesty.

00:20:27.460 --> 00:20:28.039
 He's speaking here

00:20:28.039 --> 00:20:28.840
 of the transfiguration.

00:20:29.340 --> 00:20:30.580
 For when he received

00:20:30.580 --> 00:20:31.559
 honor and glory

00:20:31.559 --> 00:20:32.400
 from God the Father

00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:33.500
 and the voice

00:20:33.500 --> 00:20:34.519
 was born to him

00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:35.840
 by the majestic glory,

00:20:36.340 --> 00:20:37.519
 this is my beloved son

00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:39.200
 with whom I am well pleased,

00:20:39.799 --> 00:20:41.220
 we ourselves heard

00:20:41.220 --> 00:20:42.440
 this very voice

00:20:42.440 --> 00:20:43.460
 born from heaven

00:20:43.460 --> 00:20:44.900
 for we were with him

00:20:44.900 --> 00:20:46.220
 on the holy mountain.

00:20:46.779 --> 00:20:47.740
 And those are the accounts

00:20:47.740 --> 00:20:48.299
 that we get

00:20:48.299 --> 00:20:49.759
 of this amazing thing

00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:50.360
 that happened

00:20:50.360 --> 00:20:51.559
 in history.

00:20:52.200 --> 00:20:53.580
 And it seems to me

00:20:53.580 --> 00:20:54.259
 that they tend

00:20:54.259 --> 00:20:55.059
 to relegate

00:20:55.059 --> 00:20:56.039
 the miracle

00:20:56.039 --> 00:20:58.600
 in order to exalt

00:20:58.600 --> 00:20:59.420
 the person.

00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:00.880
 That they wanted

00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:01.539
 to set aside

00:21:01.539 --> 00:21:02.299
 the fact that he was

00:21:02.299 --> 00:21:03.559
 this shiny being,

00:21:03.640 --> 00:21:04.319
 that he becomes

00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:05.180
 something different

00:21:05.180 --> 00:21:06.460
 in vision

00:21:06.460 --> 00:21:07.620
 in order to exalt

00:21:07.620 --> 00:21:09.480
 him and the message

00:21:09.480 --> 00:21:10.100
 that he came

00:21:10.100 --> 00:21:10.900
 to preach.

00:21:11.700 --> 00:21:12.600
 Remember Mark,

00:21:12.660 --> 00:21:13.279
 chapter 1,

00:21:13.620 --> 00:21:14.420
 verse 15,

00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:15.299
 Jesus says,

00:21:15.299 --> 00:21:16.680
 the time is fulfilled

00:21:16.680 --> 00:21:17.700
 and the kingdom

00:21:17.700 --> 00:21:18.779
 of God is at hand.

00:21:19.299 --> 00:21:21.419
 Repent and believe

00:21:21.419 --> 00:21:22.619
 in the gospel.

00:21:23.659 --> 00:21:24.599
 And here we see,

00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:25.519
 rather than becoming

00:21:25.519 --> 00:21:26.919
 very mystical

00:21:26.919 --> 00:21:28.419
 and focusing on

00:21:28.419 --> 00:21:29.759
 this amazing thing,

00:21:29.799 --> 00:21:30.220
 it must have been

00:21:30.220 --> 00:21:31.519
 incredible to witness,

00:21:31.940 --> 00:21:32.919
 they want to drive us

00:21:32.919 --> 00:21:34.099
 back to the message.

00:21:34.339 --> 00:21:36.000
 Repent and believe

00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:37.419
 in the gospel.

00:21:37.639 --> 00:21:38.700
 Jesus is who he says he is.

00:21:38.940 --> 00:21:40.039
 He is the son of God,

00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:40.759
 the one who's come

00:21:40.759 --> 00:21:41.559
 to take away

00:21:41.559 --> 00:21:42.480
 the sins of the world,

00:21:42.539 --> 00:21:43.180
 the one who's come

00:21:43.180 --> 00:21:43.759
 to make remission

00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:44.940
 of sins for many.

00:21:45.120 --> 00:21:46.519
 Repent and believe

00:21:46.519 --> 00:21:47.740
 in the gospel.

00:21:48.200 --> 00:21:48.880
 So they relegate

00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:49.380
 the miracle

00:21:49.380 --> 00:21:50.299
 in order to exalt

00:21:50.299 --> 00:21:51.039
 the person

00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:53.680
 and the message.

00:21:55.080 --> 00:21:56.000
 In addition to

00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:57.259
 him transfiguring,

00:21:58.160 --> 00:21:59.759
 we see some other people

00:21:59.759 --> 00:22:00.960
 show up in glory.

00:22:01.160 --> 00:22:02.259
 They are Elijah

00:22:02.259 --> 00:22:02.960
 and Moses.

00:22:03.100 --> 00:22:03.720
 We see this in

00:22:03.720 --> 00:22:04.700
 verse 4.

00:22:04.820 --> 00:22:05.660
 And they were

00:22:05.660 --> 00:22:08.039
 talking with Jesus.

00:22:09.340 --> 00:22:10.380
 And why do you

00:22:10.380 --> 00:22:11.779
 suppose they showed up?

00:22:11.840 --> 00:22:12.660
 Why do we need

00:22:12.660 --> 00:22:13.580
 a couple of people

00:22:13.580 --> 00:22:14.640
 to show up?

00:22:15.160 --> 00:22:15.960
 Let me say to you

00:22:15.960 --> 00:22:16.600
 it's because,

00:22:16.759 --> 00:22:17.800
 consistently through

00:22:17.800 --> 00:22:18.279
 the scriptures,

00:22:19.000 --> 00:22:20.259
 two or three witnesses

00:22:20.259 --> 00:22:21.440
 were necessary

00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:22.960
 to give credence

00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:23.420
 to something,

00:22:23.560 --> 00:22:24.360
 to make something

00:22:24.360 --> 00:22:26.140
 final and true.

00:22:26.279 --> 00:22:27.480
 Deuteronomy 19.15,

00:22:27.560 --> 00:22:28.100
 the second half,

00:22:28.140 --> 00:22:29.380
 says only on the evidence

00:22:29.380 --> 00:22:30.720
 of two witnesses

00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:31.660
 or of three witnesses

00:22:31.660 --> 00:22:32.540
 shall a charge

00:22:32.540 --> 00:22:33.940
 be established.

00:22:34.960 --> 00:22:36.000
 Matthew 18.16

00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:37.800
 says that dealing

00:22:37.800 --> 00:22:38.820
 with sins

00:22:38.820 --> 00:22:39.800
 in the church,

00:22:40.440 --> 00:22:41.220
 that we should do so

00:22:41.220 --> 00:22:42.680
 with two or three witnesses.

00:22:43.740 --> 00:22:44.700
 Paul tells the church

00:22:44.700 --> 00:22:45.180
 at Corinth

00:22:45.180 --> 00:22:46.000
 in his second letter

00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:47.319
 that he will bring

00:22:47.319 --> 00:22:48.600
 charges by the evidence

00:22:48.600 --> 00:22:49.460
 of two or three witnesses.

00:22:50.440 --> 00:22:51.559
 1 Timothy 5.19

00:22:51.559 --> 00:22:52.519
 says,

00:22:52.720 --> 00:22:53.259
 Do not admit

00:22:53.259 --> 00:22:53.819
 to charge

00:22:53.819 --> 00:22:54.559
 against an elder

00:22:54.559 --> 00:22:55.720
 except on the evidence

00:22:55.720 --> 00:22:58.519
 of two or three witnesses.

00:22:58.720 --> 00:22:59.920
 This was very common

00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:00.519
 of the day.

00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:01.460
 This was the way

00:23:01.460 --> 00:23:02.279
 in which you brought

00:23:02.279 --> 00:23:03.579
 charges against

00:23:03.579 --> 00:23:04.299
 or for

00:23:04.299 --> 00:23:05.460
 an individual.

00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:07.000
 And so Jesus

00:23:07.000 --> 00:23:07.640
 is joined

00:23:07.640 --> 00:23:10.560
 by two great witnesses,

00:23:11.620 --> 00:23:13.020
 Moses and Elijah.

00:23:14.360 --> 00:23:15.480
 Moses was,

00:23:15.880 --> 00:23:16.620
 arguably,

00:23:16.820 --> 00:23:17.380
 I believe,

00:23:17.580 --> 00:23:19.500
 Israel's greatest leader.

00:23:19.940 --> 00:23:21.840
 Led them out of captivity,

00:23:22.280 --> 00:23:24.180
 away from this symbolic

00:23:24.180 --> 00:23:26.160
 captivity to sin,

00:23:26.220 --> 00:23:27.340
 out of Egypt,

00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:28.620
 and into,

00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:29.320
 eventually,

00:23:29.600 --> 00:23:30.600
 with all the obstacles

00:23:30.600 --> 00:23:31.360
 that came in the way,

00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:33.200
 at least to the border

00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:34.580
 of the promised land.

00:23:34.579 --> 00:23:36.259
 It was Moses

00:23:36.259 --> 00:23:37.519
 who gave the law.

00:23:37.659 --> 00:23:38.379
 He was the

00:23:38.379 --> 00:23:39.759
 arbiter of that.

00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:40.579
 God gave it to him

00:23:40.579 --> 00:23:42.419
 and he gave it to Israel.

00:23:43.919 --> 00:23:44.439
 Elijah,

00:23:44.779 --> 00:23:45.059
 again,

00:23:45.179 --> 00:23:45.599
 arguably,

00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:46.399
 but Elijah,

00:23:46.539 --> 00:23:46.879
 I think,

00:23:46.939 --> 00:23:47.579
 was Israel's

00:23:47.579 --> 00:23:49.279
 greatest prophet.

00:23:49.859 --> 00:23:51.139
 As Moses gave the law,

00:23:51.500 --> 00:23:53.159
 Elijah guarded the law.

00:23:54.039 --> 00:23:54.819
 Elijah said

00:23:54.819 --> 00:23:55.960
 to the people of God

00:23:55.960 --> 00:23:56.980
 over and over

00:23:56.980 --> 00:23:58.079
 and over again,

00:23:58.500 --> 00:23:59.759
 keep the commandments

00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:01.159
 of God.

00:24:01.839 --> 00:24:02.439
 And now they're

00:24:02.439 --> 00:24:03.039
 in a conversation

00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:03.619
 with Jesus

00:24:03.619 --> 00:24:04.899
 who came and fulfilled

00:24:04.899 --> 00:24:06.159
 the law.

00:24:06.519 --> 00:24:07.379
 They were talking

00:24:07.379 --> 00:24:08.879
 with Jesus.

00:24:10.159 --> 00:24:10.799
 What were they

00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:11.379
 talking about?

00:24:12.139 --> 00:24:12.779
 What were they

00:24:12.779 --> 00:24:13.339
 talking about?

00:24:14.099 --> 00:24:14.859
 They were talking

00:24:14.859 --> 00:24:15.819
 about the crucifixion.

00:24:17.500 --> 00:24:17.899
 Again,

00:24:17.959 --> 00:24:18.699
 how do we know this?

00:24:18.959 --> 00:24:19.799
 The Bible tells us

00:24:19.799 --> 00:24:20.659
 what they were talking about.

00:24:21.019 --> 00:24:21.899
 In a different account,

00:24:22.039 --> 00:24:22.779
 Luke chapter 9,

00:24:22.859 --> 00:24:23.779
 verse 30 and 31,

00:24:24.899 --> 00:24:25.719
 And behold,

00:24:25.859 --> 00:24:26.639
 two men were talking

00:24:26.639 --> 00:24:27.019
 with him,

00:24:27.079 --> 00:24:29.139
 Moses and Elijah,

00:24:29.259 --> 00:24:30.199
 who appeared in glory

00:24:30.199 --> 00:24:31.539
 and spoke

00:24:31.539 --> 00:24:33.559
 of his departure.

00:24:33.619 --> 00:24:35.199
 which he was about

00:24:35.199 --> 00:24:35.919
 to accomplish

00:24:35.919 --> 00:24:37.019
 at Jerusalem.

00:24:37.819 --> 00:24:38.179
 This is what

00:24:38.179 --> 00:24:38.919
 they were talking about.

00:24:39.139 --> 00:24:39.899
 They were talking

00:24:39.899 --> 00:24:40.719
 about the very thing

00:24:40.719 --> 00:24:41.500
 that Jesus had said

00:24:41.500 --> 00:24:42.479
 was going to happen.

00:24:43.099 --> 00:24:44.319
 They're giving witness

00:24:44.319 --> 00:24:44.899
 to the fact

00:24:44.899 --> 00:24:45.939
 that as he's appearing,

00:24:46.199 --> 00:24:46.959
 transfigured,

00:24:47.219 --> 00:24:47.959
 he is the visible

00:24:47.959 --> 00:24:48.959
 glory of God.

00:24:49.159 --> 00:24:50.319
 The disciples can see this.

00:24:50.539 --> 00:24:51.039
 They're having

00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:51.659
 a conversation

00:24:51.659 --> 00:24:52.299
 about the fact

00:24:52.299 --> 00:24:52.839
 that he was going

00:24:52.839 --> 00:24:54.439
 to suffer and die

00:24:54.439 --> 00:24:55.279
 at the hands

00:24:55.279 --> 00:24:55.719
 of the scribes

00:24:55.719 --> 00:24:56.359
 and the Pharisees.

00:24:56.839 --> 00:24:57.639
 They're giving

00:24:57.639 --> 00:24:59.919
 account to the fact

00:24:59.919 --> 00:25:01.439
 that what Jesus said

00:25:01.439 --> 00:25:02.159
 was going to happen

00:25:02.160 --> 00:25:03.080
 is going to happen.

00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:04.340
 Elijah and Moses

00:25:04.340 --> 00:25:05.900
 join with him

00:25:05.900 --> 00:25:07.060
 in affirming

00:25:07.060 --> 00:25:08.980
 this great reality.

00:25:10.519 --> 00:25:11.480
 And then Peter

00:25:11.480 --> 00:25:11.980
 butts in.

00:25:15.320 --> 00:25:16.880
 If Jesus and Elijah

00:25:16.880 --> 00:25:17.340
 and Moses

00:25:17.340 --> 00:25:18.060
 showed up today,

00:25:18.320 --> 00:25:19.180
 please don't interrupt

00:25:19.180 --> 00:25:19.880
 the conversation

00:25:19.880 --> 00:25:20.519
 that they're having.

00:25:21.700 --> 00:25:22.240
 Peter,

00:25:22.360 --> 00:25:23.120
 always the spokesman,

00:25:23.220 --> 00:25:24.040
 says to Jesus,

00:25:24.940 --> 00:25:26.040
 Rabbi,

00:25:26.360 --> 00:25:27.080
 it's good

00:25:27.080 --> 00:25:27.640
 that we are here.

00:25:28.560 --> 00:25:29.120
 Let us make

00:25:29.120 --> 00:25:29.560
 three tents,

00:25:29.640 --> 00:25:30.040
 one for you

00:25:30.039 --> 00:25:30.680
 and one for Moses,

00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:32.180
 one for Elijah,

00:25:32.599 --> 00:25:33.480
 for he did not know

00:25:33.480 --> 00:25:34.039
 what to say,

00:25:34.279 --> 00:25:35.119
 for they were terrified.

00:25:35.519 --> 00:25:37.659
 A good record

00:25:37.659 --> 00:25:38.139
 that you shouldn't

00:25:38.139 --> 00:25:39.200
 say anything at all.

00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:40.920
 At all.

00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:41.759
 However,

00:25:43.480 --> 00:25:44.220
 Peter was,

00:25:45.639 --> 00:25:46.399
 even though he was

00:25:46.399 --> 00:25:47.079
 a simple man,

00:25:47.740 --> 00:25:49.139
 he had his theology right.

00:25:50.099 --> 00:25:51.180
 He had his theology right.

00:25:51.960 --> 00:25:52.759
 The transfiguration

00:25:52.759 --> 00:25:53.940
 happened in the month

00:25:53.940 --> 00:25:55.139
 of Tishri,

00:25:55.980 --> 00:25:56.879
 which as I've said before,

00:25:56.879 --> 00:25:57.779
 was six months

00:25:57.779 --> 00:25:58.599
 before Passover.

00:25:58.599 --> 00:25:59.679
 And there was

00:25:59.679 --> 00:26:00.659
 something happening

00:26:00.659 --> 00:26:01.719
 at the very time

00:26:01.719 --> 00:26:02.419
 in Jerusalem

00:26:02.419 --> 00:26:03.359
 that they're up

00:26:03.359 --> 00:26:03.839
 on the mountain

00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:04.539
 and this is happening.

00:26:04.619 --> 00:26:04.919
 There was something

00:26:04.919 --> 00:26:05.299
 happening.

00:26:05.379 --> 00:26:06.079
 It's called the Feast

00:26:06.079 --> 00:26:07.159
 of Tabernacles.

00:26:08.059 --> 00:26:09.179
 And it was a feast

00:26:09.179 --> 00:26:11.019
 that came and happened

00:26:11.019 --> 00:26:12.159
 to commemorate

00:26:12.159 --> 00:26:13.039
 the Exodus.

00:26:13.459 --> 00:26:14.959
 Being led out of

00:26:14.959 --> 00:26:16.159
 one kingdom

00:26:16.159 --> 00:26:17.439
 to be free

00:26:17.439 --> 00:26:18.359
 in another kingdom.

00:26:18.599 --> 00:26:19.659
 This was the very thing

00:26:19.659 --> 00:26:20.740
 that they were doing.

00:26:21.879 --> 00:26:22.639
 But Peter's

00:26:22.639 --> 00:26:24.679
 desire to build

00:26:24.679 --> 00:26:25.059
 for them

00:26:25.059 --> 00:26:25.659
 Tabernacles

00:26:25.659 --> 00:26:27.119
 was to celebrate that.

00:26:27.119 --> 00:26:29.039
 He's now seeing

00:26:29.039 --> 00:26:29.979
 Christ

00:26:29.979 --> 00:26:31.319
 exalted,

00:26:31.879 --> 00:26:32.659
 transfigured,

00:26:33.059 --> 00:26:34.459
 shining in glory.

00:26:34.859 --> 00:26:35.359
 And Moses

00:26:35.359 --> 00:26:36.559
 and Elijah are there

00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:37.239
 and he's saying

00:26:37.239 --> 00:26:38.399
 it's time.

00:26:38.619 --> 00:26:39.379
 It's time to go.

00:26:39.500 --> 00:26:40.099
 It's time to get out

00:26:40.099 --> 00:26:40.659
 of this world

00:26:40.659 --> 00:26:41.899
 and go to the next world.

00:26:42.199 --> 00:26:43.359
 It's time for the kingdom

00:26:43.359 --> 00:26:44.879
 to come.

00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:45.419
 Can't you see

00:26:45.419 --> 00:26:46.139
 the misunderstanding

00:26:46.139 --> 00:26:47.439
 on this part?

00:26:47.539 --> 00:26:48.519
 It was not yet

00:26:48.519 --> 00:26:49.519
 the time.

00:26:50.479 --> 00:26:51.299
 Peter, James, and John

00:26:51.299 --> 00:26:52.339
 wanted to exit the world.

00:26:53.059 --> 00:26:53.939
 They wanted to

00:26:53.939 --> 00:26:55.539
 be spared the suffering

00:26:55.539 --> 00:26:56.740
 that Jesus had talked about.

00:26:57.460 --> 00:26:57.799
 They said,

00:26:58.079 --> 00:26:58.639
 we have the Christ,

00:26:58.740 --> 00:26:59.159
 we have Moses,

00:26:59.240 --> 00:26:59.859
 we have Elijah.

00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:01.559
 Let's get the glorious

00:27:01.559 --> 00:27:02.839
 kingdom started.

00:27:03.740 --> 00:27:04.559
 They wanted glory

00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:05.240
 without suffering.

00:27:05.359 --> 00:27:06.240
 They wanted exaltation

00:27:06.240 --> 00:27:06.960
 without humiliation.

00:27:07.500 --> 00:27:08.180
 They wanted Jesus

00:27:08.180 --> 00:27:09.539
 to be crowned king

00:27:09.539 --> 00:27:11.920
 without the cross.

00:27:13.639 --> 00:27:14.680
 This is not something

00:27:14.680 --> 00:27:15.359
 that could happen.

00:27:16.399 --> 00:27:17.920
 God's ordained plan

00:27:17.920 --> 00:27:19.720
 go all the way back

00:27:19.720 --> 00:27:21.279
 to the end of verse 33.

00:27:21.279 --> 00:27:23.619
 For you are not

00:27:23.619 --> 00:27:24.519
 setting your mind

00:27:24.519 --> 00:27:25.639
 on the things of God

00:27:25.639 --> 00:27:27.200
 but on the things of man.

00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:29.099
 The plan of God

00:27:29.099 --> 00:27:29.619
 was for Jesus

00:27:29.619 --> 00:27:30.399
 to go to the cross.

00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:31.480
 I'm glad he did it.

00:27:31.639 --> 00:27:33.079
 I hope you are too.

00:27:34.579 --> 00:27:36.160
 And as they say this,

00:27:36.819 --> 00:27:40.519
 a theologically informed

00:27:40.519 --> 00:27:42.240
 but wrong statement,

00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:43.660
 as they say this,

00:27:44.779 --> 00:27:46.319
 a third witness shows up.

00:27:46.539 --> 00:27:47.420
 Elijah and Moses,

00:27:47.759 --> 00:27:49.440
 one and two witnesses.

00:27:49.440 --> 00:27:51.740
 And now look who shows up.

00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:53.519
 A cloud overshadows them

00:27:53.519 --> 00:27:55.519
 and a voice came out

00:27:55.519 --> 00:27:56.059
 of the cloud.

00:27:56.940 --> 00:27:58.740
 This is my beloved son.

00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:00.720
 Listen to him.

00:28:01.700 --> 00:28:03.299
 The almighty shows up

00:28:03.299 --> 00:28:04.779
 and combines in chorus

00:28:04.779 --> 00:28:06.380
 with Elijah and with Moses

00:28:06.380 --> 00:28:07.620
 to give account

00:28:07.620 --> 00:28:08.600
 to the things that Jesus

00:28:08.600 --> 00:28:09.039
 has said.

00:28:09.100 --> 00:28:10.299
 I love the record of it

00:28:10.299 --> 00:28:11.360
 in Matthew chapter 17

00:28:11.360 --> 00:28:12.420
 verses 5 and 6.

00:28:13.080 --> 00:28:13.580
 It says,

00:28:13.680 --> 00:28:14.200
 verse 5,

00:28:14.940 --> 00:28:15.740
 speaking of Peter,

00:28:16.200 --> 00:28:17.340
 he was still speaking.

00:28:17.700 --> 00:28:18.299
 So I love that

00:28:18.299 --> 00:28:19.400
 because Peter's still talking

00:28:19.400 --> 00:28:20.380
 and then God comes

00:28:20.380 --> 00:28:21.820
 and shuts him down.

00:28:22.500 --> 00:28:23.300
 He's interrupted

00:28:23.300 --> 00:28:24.160
 by the divine.

00:28:25.460 --> 00:28:26.620
 When, behold,

00:28:26.700 --> 00:28:27.340
 a bright cloud

00:28:27.340 --> 00:28:28.120
 overshadowed them.

00:28:28.320 --> 00:28:30.380
 Again, you see the bright cloud

00:28:30.380 --> 00:28:31.280
 overshadowed them.

00:28:31.940 --> 00:28:33.519
 Shows up in a light phenomenon.

00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:35.600
 And a voice from the cloud said,

00:28:35.960 --> 00:28:37.060
 this is my beloved son

00:28:37.060 --> 00:28:38.700
 with whom I am well pleased.

00:28:39.080 --> 00:28:39.940
 Listen to him.

00:28:40.340 --> 00:28:41.360
 And I love verse 6.

00:28:41.780 --> 00:28:43.320
 When the disciples heard this,

00:28:43.320 --> 00:28:44.840
 they fell on their faces

00:28:44.839 --> 00:28:46.319
 and were terrified.

00:28:46.859 --> 00:28:47.599
 You better be

00:28:47.599 --> 00:28:48.559
 when you're interrupted

00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:49.439
 by the divine

00:28:49.439 --> 00:28:50.359
 and corrected.

00:28:51.220 --> 00:28:52.439
 The very thing that happened.

00:28:52.939 --> 00:28:54.139
 Jesus has spoken to you.

00:28:54.220 --> 00:28:55.139
 He has told you

00:28:55.139 --> 00:28:56.439
 what will come to pass.

00:28:56.679 --> 00:28:57.500
 And now you're trying

00:28:57.500 --> 00:28:58.439
 to establish a kingdom

00:28:58.439 --> 00:28:59.319
 by another way?

00:28:59.480 --> 00:29:00.639
 This is my beloved son.

00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:02.039
 Listen to him.

00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:02.619
 Right?

00:29:02.740 --> 00:29:03.980
 He knows the way of God.

00:29:04.500 --> 00:29:06.240
 Follow him in that way.

00:29:06.659 --> 00:29:07.899
 Even if it leads

00:29:07.899 --> 00:29:09.179
 to your own death.

00:29:09.299 --> 00:29:10.199
 Take up your cross.

00:29:10.759 --> 00:29:12.279
 Follow him.

00:29:12.279 --> 00:29:14.720
 And then suddenly,

00:29:15.240 --> 00:29:15.799
 verse 8,

00:29:16.339 --> 00:29:16.980
 suddenly,

00:29:17.119 --> 00:29:17.720
 looking around,

00:29:18.500 --> 00:29:21.440
 the whole scene vanished.

00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:23.519
 The kingdom preview,

00:29:23.920 --> 00:29:25.259
 this glimpse they got

00:29:25.259 --> 00:29:26.440
 of the coming glory of God

00:29:26.440 --> 00:29:27.920
 was gone.

00:29:28.139 --> 00:29:30.180
 And then plain old Jesus Christ

00:29:30.180 --> 00:29:31.680
 was standing before them

00:29:31.680 --> 00:29:32.799
 once again.

00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:34.660
 And he charged them

00:29:34.660 --> 00:29:35.160
 to tell no one

00:29:35.160 --> 00:29:35.779
 what they had seen,

00:29:35.879 --> 00:29:36.379
 verse 9,

00:29:37.000 --> 00:29:37.680
 until the Son of Man

00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:38.519
 had been risen from the dead.

00:29:38.539 --> 00:29:39.279
 And here we see again

00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:40.599
 they just don't seem to get it.

00:29:40.660 --> 00:29:41.399
 So they kept the matter

00:29:41.399 --> 00:29:42.019
 to themselves.

00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:44.440
 Until they recorded it later

00:29:44.440 --> 00:29:45.879
 for all of us to read.

00:29:46.660 --> 00:29:47.859
 Questioning what this

00:29:47.859 --> 00:29:50.000
 rising from the dead

00:29:50.000 --> 00:29:51.079
 might mean.

00:29:52.259 --> 00:29:55.039
 They just didn't get it.

00:29:55.559 --> 00:29:56.619
 The light is dawning

00:29:56.619 --> 00:29:57.899
 in their hearts and minds.

00:29:58.879 --> 00:30:00.639
 But it's yet to fully arrive.

00:30:00.839 --> 00:30:02.019
 They're starting to get it.

00:30:02.119 --> 00:30:03.420
 And they certainly would

00:30:03.420 --> 00:30:04.299
 one day.

00:30:04.339 --> 00:30:05.019
 We're going to see them

00:30:05.019 --> 00:30:06.160
 come to a greater realization

00:30:06.160 --> 00:30:06.700
 of this.

00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:08.379
 They would one day preach

00:30:08.379 --> 00:30:09.660
 Christ crucified and risen

00:30:09.660 --> 00:30:10.940
 in their messages.

00:30:11.900 --> 00:30:13.000
 Think of Peter's sermon

00:30:13.000 --> 00:30:13.980
 on the day of Pentecost

00:30:13.980 --> 00:30:15.120
 found in Acts chapter 2

00:30:15.120 --> 00:30:16.640
 verse 23 and 24.

00:30:17.519 --> 00:30:18.000
 He says,

00:30:18.380 --> 00:30:19.019
 This Jesus

00:30:19.019 --> 00:30:20.640
 delivered up according

00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:21.420
 to the definite plan

00:30:21.420 --> 00:30:22.360
 and foreknowledge of God,

00:30:22.580 --> 00:30:23.700
 you crucified and killed

00:30:23.700 --> 00:30:25.220
 by the hands of lawless men.

00:30:25.799 --> 00:30:27.000
 God raised him up,

00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:28.299
 loosing the pangs of death

00:30:28.299 --> 00:30:29.480
 because it was not possible

00:30:29.480 --> 00:30:30.519
 for him to be held

00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:31.180
 by it.

00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:32.640
 Christ crucified

00:30:32.640 --> 00:30:33.580
 and risen.

00:30:33.579 --> 00:30:35.960
 John devotes all

00:30:35.960 --> 00:30:36.819
 of chapter 19

00:30:36.819 --> 00:30:37.759
 and the first half

00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:38.439
 of chapter 20

00:30:38.439 --> 00:30:39.299
 of his gospel account

00:30:39.299 --> 00:30:39.679
 to the death

00:30:39.679 --> 00:30:40.079
 and resurrection

00:30:40.079 --> 00:30:40.740
 of Christ.

00:30:41.480 --> 00:30:42.799
 Later stating in

00:30:42.799 --> 00:30:43.659
 chapter 20

00:30:43.659 --> 00:30:44.679
 verse 30 and 31,

00:30:45.039 --> 00:30:46.399
 Now Jesus did many

00:30:46.399 --> 00:30:47.399
 other signs in the presence

00:30:47.399 --> 00:30:47.879
 of the disciples

00:30:47.879 --> 00:30:48.740
 which are not written

00:30:48.740 --> 00:30:49.299
 in this book,

00:30:49.619 --> 00:30:50.559
 but these are written

00:30:50.559 --> 00:30:51.579
 so that you may believe

00:30:51.579 --> 00:30:53.199
 that Jesus is the Christ,

00:30:53.279 --> 00:30:54.059
 the Son of God,

00:30:54.299 --> 00:30:55.359
 and that by believing

00:30:55.359 --> 00:30:56.539
 you may have

00:30:56.539 --> 00:30:58.819
 life in his name.

00:30:59.439 --> 00:31:00.819
 They preached Christ,

00:31:00.819 --> 00:31:03.159
 crucified and risen.

00:31:04.259 --> 00:31:05.240
 What happened to James?

00:31:05.359 --> 00:31:06.700
 James was the first martyr.

00:31:07.220 --> 00:31:08.700
 He was martyred in 44 AD.

00:31:09.000 --> 00:31:11.299
 He was pierced with swords

00:31:11.299 --> 00:31:13.159
 for preaching Christ

00:31:13.159 --> 00:31:14.960
 crucifies and raised

00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:15.519
 by Herod.

00:31:17.220 --> 00:31:18.539
 These men would someday

00:31:18.539 --> 00:31:20.019
 come to fully understand

00:31:20.019 --> 00:31:21.480
 what the transfiguration

00:31:21.480 --> 00:31:23.759
 meant for them.

00:31:25.200 --> 00:31:26.639
 But what does it mean for us?

00:31:28.460 --> 00:31:30.359
 Three men privy to this vision.

00:31:30.359 --> 00:31:31.299
 We didn't get to see it.

00:31:31.359 --> 00:31:32.159
 We get a kind of

00:31:32.159 --> 00:31:33.659
 a paltry record of it.

00:31:33.699 --> 00:31:34.819
 Not a lot of detail

00:31:34.819 --> 00:31:35.939
 going on here.

00:31:36.079 --> 00:31:38.159
 What does it mean for us?

00:31:38.219 --> 00:31:38.859
 And so three lessons

00:31:38.859 --> 00:31:39.779
 for today quickly

00:31:39.779 --> 00:31:40.679
 as we close.

00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:42.299
 Number one,

00:31:42.939 --> 00:31:44.159
 life is found

00:31:44.159 --> 00:31:45.059
 in the power

00:31:45.059 --> 00:31:46.579
 of the cross.

00:31:46.879 --> 00:31:47.779
 Life is found

00:31:47.779 --> 00:31:48.359
 in the power

00:31:48.359 --> 00:31:49.319
 of the cross.

00:31:50.359 --> 00:31:51.139
 Mark 8.35,

00:31:51.319 --> 00:31:52.019
 For whoever would save

00:31:52.019 --> 00:31:52.759
 his life will lose it,

00:31:52.779 --> 00:31:53.359
 but whoever loses

00:31:53.359 --> 00:31:54.159
 his life for my sake

00:31:54.159 --> 00:31:54.879
 and the gospels

00:31:54.879 --> 00:31:55.819
 will save it.

00:31:55.859 --> 00:31:56.799
 And this is following

00:31:56.799 --> 00:31:57.959
 him talking about

00:31:57.959 --> 00:31:59.419
 his death and resurrection.

00:31:59.420 --> 00:32:00.600
 His death on the cross,

00:32:00.840 --> 00:32:01.420
 his resurrection

00:32:01.420 --> 00:32:02.640
 three days later.

00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:04.340
 This apparent paradox

00:32:04.340 --> 00:32:05.539
 that we must follow him

00:32:05.539 --> 00:32:06.259
 in the same way

00:32:06.259 --> 00:32:07.000
 in order to gain

00:32:07.000 --> 00:32:08.680
 our lives.

00:32:09.400 --> 00:32:11.759
 1 Corinthians 1.18-24,

00:32:11.940 --> 00:32:12.580
 Paul says,

00:32:12.579 --> 00:32:14.599
 For the word of the cross

00:32:14.599 --> 00:32:15.460
 is folly

00:32:15.460 --> 00:32:16.659
 to those who are perishing.

00:32:17.500 --> 00:32:18.379
 But to us

00:32:18.379 --> 00:32:19.460
 who are being saved,

00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:21.259
 it is the power of God.

00:32:22.039 --> 00:32:22.720
 For it is written,

00:32:22.859 --> 00:32:24.259
 this is Isaiah 29.14,

00:32:24.500 --> 00:32:25.519
 I will destroy

00:32:25.519 --> 00:32:26.579
 the wisdom of the wise

00:32:26.579 --> 00:32:27.240
 and the discernment

00:32:27.240 --> 00:32:27.759
 of the discerning

00:32:27.759 --> 00:32:28.759
 I will thwart.

00:32:29.980 --> 00:32:30.819
 Where is the one

00:32:30.819 --> 00:32:31.460
 who is wise?

00:32:31.879 --> 00:32:33.220
 Where is the scribe?

00:32:33.579 --> 00:32:34.539
 Where is the debater

00:32:34.539 --> 00:32:35.279
 of this age?

00:32:35.839 --> 00:32:36.740
 Has not God

00:32:36.740 --> 00:32:37.500
 made foolish

00:32:37.500 --> 00:32:38.159
 the wisdom

00:32:38.159 --> 00:32:39.279
 of the world?

00:32:39.279 --> 00:32:40.879
 For since

00:32:40.879 --> 00:32:41.819
 in the wisdom of God

00:32:41.819 --> 00:32:42.879
 the world did not know

00:32:42.879 --> 00:32:43.920
 God through wisdom,

00:32:44.399 --> 00:32:45.500
 it pleased God

00:32:45.500 --> 00:32:46.700
 through the folly

00:32:46.700 --> 00:32:47.519
 of what we preach

00:32:47.519 --> 00:32:48.759
 to save those

00:32:48.759 --> 00:32:49.460
 who believe.

00:32:49.559 --> 00:32:50.399
 The folly being

00:32:50.399 --> 00:32:51.399
 that a king came

00:32:51.399 --> 00:32:52.019
 to reign

00:32:52.019 --> 00:32:52.940
 by suffering

00:32:52.940 --> 00:32:53.920
 and dying.

00:32:54.960 --> 00:32:55.440
 Verse 22,

00:32:55.440 --> 00:32:56.779
 For Jews demand signs

00:32:56.779 --> 00:32:58.279
 and Greeks seek wisdom,

00:32:58.680 --> 00:32:59.460
 but we preach

00:32:59.460 --> 00:33:00.600
 Christ crucified,

00:33:01.240 --> 00:33:02.039
 a stumbling block

00:33:02.039 --> 00:33:02.559
 to Jews

00:33:02.559 --> 00:33:03.759
 and folly to Gentiles,

00:33:03.920 --> 00:33:04.600
 but to those

00:33:04.600 --> 00:33:05.279
 who are called

00:33:05.279 --> 00:33:06.240
 both Jews and Greeks,

00:33:06.440 --> 00:33:06.940
 Christ,

00:33:07.059 --> 00:33:08.180
 the power of God

00:33:08.180 --> 00:33:09.299
 and the wisdom

00:33:09.299 --> 00:33:10.680
 of God.

00:33:12.059 --> 00:33:13.299
 1 Corinthians 2,

00:33:13.360 --> 00:33:14.559
 1-2

00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:16.820
 Paul says,

00:33:16.920 --> 00:33:17.220
 And I,

00:33:17.299 --> 00:33:17.880
 when I came to you,

00:33:17.900 --> 00:33:18.100
 brothers,

00:33:18.160 --> 00:33:18.700
 did not come

00:33:18.700 --> 00:33:19.400
 proclaiming to you

00:33:19.400 --> 00:33:20.380
 the testimony of God

00:33:20.380 --> 00:33:21.900
 with lofty speech

00:33:21.900 --> 00:33:22.500
 or wisdom,

00:33:22.759 --> 00:33:23.680
 for I decided

00:33:23.680 --> 00:33:24.460
 to do nothing

00:33:24.460 --> 00:33:25.279
 among you

00:33:25.279 --> 00:33:26.500
 except Jesus Christ

00:33:26.500 --> 00:33:28.840
 and Him crucified.

00:33:29.759 --> 00:33:30.880
 Life is found

00:33:30.880 --> 00:33:31.600
 in the power

00:33:31.600 --> 00:33:32.799
 of the cross.

00:33:33.880 --> 00:33:34.400
 Secondly,

00:33:34.480 --> 00:33:35.259
 the power of the cross

00:33:35.259 --> 00:33:37.779
 is transmitted to us

00:33:37.779 --> 00:33:39.059
 by the Scriptures.

00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:40.799
 The power of the cross

00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:41.980
 is transmitted to us

00:33:41.980 --> 00:33:42.819
 by the Scriptures.

00:33:42.960 --> 00:33:43.500
 Beloved,

00:33:43.860 --> 00:33:44.680
 do you realize

00:33:44.680 --> 00:33:45.440
 how precious

00:33:45.440 --> 00:33:46.519
 the book you hold

00:33:46.519 --> 00:33:47.980
 in your laps is?

00:33:48.420 --> 00:33:49.220
 This language

00:33:49.220 --> 00:33:50.360
 inspired by God

00:33:50.360 --> 00:33:51.500
 translated for us

00:33:51.500 --> 00:33:52.579
 into our English language,

00:33:52.860 --> 00:33:53.500
 the one in which

00:33:53.500 --> 00:33:54.340
 we have so many

00:33:54.339 --> 00:33:54.980
 copies of,

00:33:55.039 --> 00:33:55.579
 both physical

00:33:55.579 --> 00:33:56.439
 and digital,

00:33:56.519 --> 00:33:56.819
 that we have

00:33:56.819 --> 00:33:58.399
 so many resources.

00:33:58.579 --> 00:33:59.319
 We can search it

00:33:59.319 --> 00:34:00.099
 and we can search it

00:34:00.099 --> 00:34:00.839
 and we can know it.

00:34:01.079 --> 00:34:02.159
 There is unending

00:34:02.159 --> 00:34:03.079
 resources at our

00:34:03.079 --> 00:34:03.759
 fingertips

00:34:03.759 --> 00:34:04.720
 to know

00:34:04.720 --> 00:34:05.659
 the Word of God

00:34:05.659 --> 00:34:06.539
 to us.

00:34:07.000 --> 00:34:07.779
 It is the way

00:34:07.779 --> 00:34:08.519
 in which the power

00:34:08.519 --> 00:34:09.139
 of the cross

00:34:09.139 --> 00:34:10.219
 comes to us.

00:34:11.619 --> 00:34:12.960
 2 Peter 1,

00:34:13.360 --> 00:34:14.360
 16-21,

00:34:14.519 --> 00:34:15.159
 I read to you

00:34:15.159 --> 00:34:16.139
 the first three verses.

00:34:16.860 --> 00:34:17.259
 I'm going to read

00:34:17.259 --> 00:34:17.759
 those again

00:34:17.759 --> 00:34:18.840
 and then read the rest

00:34:18.840 --> 00:34:19.400
 of what Peter

00:34:19.400 --> 00:34:20.099
 has to say.

00:34:20.799 --> 00:34:21.799
 This blows my mind.

00:34:22.460 --> 00:34:23.340
 First time I read this,

00:34:23.340 --> 00:34:23.700
 I just,

00:34:23.800 --> 00:34:25.579
 I wanted to fall down.

00:34:26.280 --> 00:34:26.920
 I didn't,

00:34:27.000 --> 00:34:27.480
 but I wanted to.

00:34:29.019 --> 00:34:29.860
 For we did not

00:34:29.860 --> 00:34:30.840
 follow cleverly

00:34:30.840 --> 00:34:31.400
 devised myths

00:34:31.400 --> 00:34:32.000
 when we made known

00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:32.680
 to you the power

00:34:32.680 --> 00:34:33.059
 and coming

00:34:33.059 --> 00:34:34.120
 of our Lord Jesus Christ,

00:34:34.440 --> 00:34:35.120
 but we were

00:34:35.120 --> 00:34:36.039
 eyewitnesses

00:34:36.039 --> 00:34:36.840
 of His majesty.

00:34:38.280 --> 00:34:38.660
 Would you like to

00:34:38.660 --> 00:34:39.160
 have been in their

00:34:39.160 --> 00:34:39.620
 shoes,

00:34:39.920 --> 00:34:40.519
 been there on the

00:34:40.519 --> 00:34:40.780
 mountain?

00:34:41.460 --> 00:34:42.460
 For when He received

00:34:42.460 --> 00:34:43.059
 honor and glory

00:34:43.059 --> 00:34:43.800
 from God the Father

00:34:43.800 --> 00:34:44.260
 and the voice

00:34:44.260 --> 00:34:45.039
 was born to Him

00:34:45.039 --> 00:34:46.100
 by the majestic glory,

00:34:46.579 --> 00:34:47.440
 this is my beloved

00:34:47.440 --> 00:34:47.980
 Son with whom

00:34:47.980 --> 00:34:48.740
 I am well pleased,

00:34:48.739 --> 00:34:49.939
 we ourselves

00:34:49.939 --> 00:34:50.919
 heard this very

00:34:50.919 --> 00:34:51.859
 voice born from

00:34:51.859 --> 00:34:52.159
 heaven,

00:34:52.359 --> 00:34:53.279
 for we were with

00:34:53.279 --> 00:34:54.159
 Him on the

00:34:54.159 --> 00:34:54.679
 holy mountain.

00:34:55.119 --> 00:34:55.379
 Oh,

00:34:55.439 --> 00:34:56.079
 to have been there.

00:34:56.159 --> 00:34:56.739
 How great that

00:34:56.739 --> 00:34:57.119
 would have been.

00:34:57.179 --> 00:34:57.579
 But listen to what

00:34:57.579 --> 00:34:58.719
 Peter says to us.

00:34:58.919 --> 00:34:59.500
 Verse 19,

00:35:01.099 --> 00:35:02.099
 And we have

00:35:02.099 --> 00:35:03.219
 the prophetic

00:35:03.219 --> 00:35:03.859
 word

00:35:03.859 --> 00:35:05.359
 more fully

00:35:05.359 --> 00:35:06.579
 confirmed.

00:35:08.279 --> 00:35:09.199
 Catch that?

00:35:09.639 --> 00:35:10.639
 It's better

00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:11.919
 to have this.

00:35:12.379 --> 00:35:13.079
 It's more

00:35:13.079 --> 00:35:14.299
 fully confirmed.

00:35:14.439 --> 00:35:14.859
 We have seen

00:35:14.859 --> 00:35:15.459
 the promises

00:35:15.459 --> 00:35:15.959
 of God

00:35:15.960 --> 00:35:17.059
 carried out

00:35:17.059 --> 00:35:18.039
 from the

00:35:18.039 --> 00:35:18.340
 scriptures.

00:35:18.920 --> 00:35:19.740
 We have it.

00:35:19.820 --> 00:35:20.720
 It's more sure.

00:35:20.860 --> 00:35:21.320
 It's a thing

00:35:21.320 --> 00:35:22.480
 that we can trust.

00:35:22.920 --> 00:35:23.599
 It's greater

00:35:23.599 --> 00:35:24.380
 than being present

00:35:24.380 --> 00:35:24.639
 at the

00:35:24.639 --> 00:35:25.420
 transfiguration.

00:35:27.059 --> 00:35:27.760
 To which you

00:35:27.760 --> 00:35:28.340
 will do well

00:35:28.340 --> 00:35:29.079
 to pay attention

00:35:29.079 --> 00:35:30.480
 as to a lamp

00:35:30.480 --> 00:35:31.440
 shining in a

00:35:31.440 --> 00:35:32.199
 dark place

00:35:32.199 --> 00:35:32.720
 that we see

00:35:32.720 --> 00:35:33.519
 light again

00:35:33.519 --> 00:35:34.400
 until the day

00:35:34.400 --> 00:35:35.159
 dawns and the

00:35:35.159 --> 00:35:35.960
 morning star

00:35:35.960 --> 00:35:36.659
 rises in your

00:35:36.659 --> 00:35:37.059
 hearts.

00:35:38.159 --> 00:35:38.780
 Knowing this

00:35:38.780 --> 00:35:39.320
 first of all,

00:35:39.360 --> 00:35:40.019
 that no prophecy

00:35:40.019 --> 00:35:40.440
 of scripture

00:35:40.440 --> 00:35:41.059
 comes from

00:35:41.059 --> 00:35:41.760
 someone's own

00:35:41.760 --> 00:35:42.340
 interpretation,

00:35:42.860 --> 00:35:43.820
 for no prophecy

00:35:43.820 --> 00:35:44.519
 was ever produced

00:35:44.519 --> 00:35:45.159
 by the will of man,

00:35:45.220 --> 00:35:45.699
 but men

00:35:45.699 --> 00:35:46.759
 spoke from God

00:35:46.759 --> 00:35:47.619
 as they were

00:35:47.619 --> 00:35:48.279
 carried along

00:35:48.279 --> 00:35:49.480
 by the Holy Spirit.

00:35:50.480 --> 00:35:51.500
 This book

00:35:51.500 --> 00:35:52.879
 is precious.

00:35:54.039 --> 00:35:54.559
 The power

00:35:54.559 --> 00:35:55.259
 of the cross

00:35:55.259 --> 00:35:56.279
 is transmitted

00:35:56.279 --> 00:35:57.379
 to us

00:35:57.379 --> 00:35:58.759
 by it.

00:35:59.739 --> 00:36:00.339
 Beloved,

00:36:00.379 --> 00:36:01.199
 we are a people

00:36:01.199 --> 00:36:02.779
 of words.

00:36:03.639 --> 00:36:04.000
 Words have

00:36:04.000 --> 00:36:04.559
 power.

00:36:06.619 --> 00:36:07.159
 Thirdly,

00:36:07.519 --> 00:36:09.259
 we are to be

00:36:09.259 --> 00:36:10.039
 transformed

00:36:10.039 --> 00:36:11.439
 by the power

00:36:11.439 --> 00:36:12.599
 of the cross.

00:36:13.439 --> 00:36:14.219
 We're not to

00:36:14.219 --> 00:36:14.879
 stay the same.

00:36:14.960 --> 00:36:15.279
 We're to be

00:36:15.280 --> 00:36:15.960
 transformed.

00:36:16.220 --> 00:36:16.680
 This is this

00:36:16.680 --> 00:36:17.620
 imagery he's

00:36:17.620 --> 00:36:18.080
 giving us.

00:36:18.140 --> 00:36:18.440
 If we would

00:36:18.440 --> 00:36:18.980
 follow him,

00:36:19.040 --> 00:36:19.300
 we have to

00:36:19.300 --> 00:36:20.220
 deny ourselves.

00:36:21.180 --> 00:36:21.880
 Stop being

00:36:21.880 --> 00:36:22.340
 you.

00:36:23.019 --> 00:36:23.380
 Pick up your

00:36:23.380 --> 00:36:23.780
 cross and

00:36:23.780 --> 00:36:24.420
 follow me.

00:36:24.540 --> 00:36:25.660
 Become me.

00:36:26.960 --> 00:36:27.920
 Look to me.

00:36:28.060 --> 00:36:28.519
 I'm your

00:36:28.519 --> 00:36:29.000
 example.

00:36:30.600 --> 00:36:31.100
 Paul writes,

00:36:31.160 --> 00:36:31.900
 Galatians 2.20,

00:36:31.960 --> 00:36:32.280
 I have been

00:36:32.280 --> 00:36:33.460
 crucified with

00:36:33.460 --> 00:36:33.940
 Christ.

00:36:34.460 --> 00:36:35.380
 It is no longer

00:36:35.380 --> 00:36:36.180
 I who live,

00:36:37.180 --> 00:36:38.060
 but Christ

00:36:38.060 --> 00:36:38.980
 who lives in me.

00:36:39.940 --> 00:36:40.560
 In the life

00:36:40.560 --> 00:36:41.140
 I now live in the

00:36:41.140 --> 00:36:41.340
 flesh,

00:36:41.400 --> 00:36:42.140
 I live by faith

00:36:42.140 --> 00:36:42.920
 in the Son of God

00:36:42.920 --> 00:36:43.659
 who loved me

00:36:43.659 --> 00:36:44.619
 and gave

00:36:44.619 --> 00:36:46.119
 himself for me.

00:36:46.180 --> 00:36:46.800
 We operate

00:36:46.800 --> 00:36:47.920
 from faith

00:36:47.920 --> 00:36:48.800
 to look like

00:36:48.800 --> 00:36:49.180
 Christ,

00:36:49.500 --> 00:36:50.440
 to pursue him

00:36:50.440 --> 00:36:51.400
 in all that we

00:36:51.400 --> 00:36:51.680
 are.

00:36:51.880 --> 00:36:52.539
 The derogatory

00:36:52.539 --> 00:36:53.360
 phrase given to

00:36:53.360 --> 00:36:53.519
 us,

00:36:53.599 --> 00:36:54.019
 Christian,

00:36:54.340 --> 00:36:55.280
 means little

00:36:55.280 --> 00:36:56.019
 Christ.

00:36:57.180 --> 00:36:58.119
 What a far

00:36:58.119 --> 00:36:58.840
 gap there is

00:36:58.840 --> 00:36:59.400
 between the way

00:36:59.400 --> 00:37:00.280
 we live and

00:37:00.280 --> 00:37:00.860
 the way Christ

00:37:00.860 --> 00:37:01.260
 lived.

00:37:02.340 --> 00:37:02.740
 Beloved,

00:37:02.860 --> 00:37:03.400
 pursue,

00:37:04.260 --> 00:37:05.659
 pursue the

00:37:05.659 --> 00:37:07.119
 example given

00:37:07.119 --> 00:37:07.860
 to us by him.

00:37:08.800 --> 00:37:09.420
 Hear me.

00:37:09.420 --> 00:37:11.579
 we hold the

00:37:11.579 --> 00:37:12.139
 sovereignty of

00:37:12.139 --> 00:37:13.119
 God so

00:37:13.119 --> 00:37:14.440
 precious here.

00:37:14.639 --> 00:37:15.260
 It's in our

00:37:15.260 --> 00:37:16.200
 closed fist.

00:37:16.780 --> 00:37:16.980
 Oh,

00:37:17.019 --> 00:37:17.539
 God is sovereign

00:37:17.539 --> 00:37:18.099
 over all things.

00:37:18.180 --> 00:37:18.680
 He ordains

00:37:18.680 --> 00:37:19.180
 all things.

00:37:19.360 --> 00:37:19.860
 He stands

00:37:19.860 --> 00:37:20.360
 over all

00:37:20.360 --> 00:37:20.720
 things.

00:37:21.440 --> 00:37:21.920
 But beloved,

00:37:22.159 --> 00:37:23.400
 grace is not

00:37:23.400 --> 00:37:23.980
 an enemy

00:37:23.980 --> 00:37:24.940
 of effort.

00:37:26.539 --> 00:37:27.159
 Grace fuels

00:37:27.159 --> 00:37:27.700
 our effort.

00:37:28.159 --> 00:37:28.599
 Grace is only

00:37:28.599 --> 00:37:29.079
 an enemy of

00:37:29.079 --> 00:37:29.700
 any merit

00:37:29.700 --> 00:37:30.800
 earned by

00:37:30.800 --> 00:37:31.240
 our effort.

00:37:31.900 --> 00:37:32.579
 We are to

00:37:32.579 --> 00:37:33.180
 work out

00:37:33.180 --> 00:37:33.760
 our salvation

00:37:33.760 --> 00:37:34.920
 with fear

00:37:34.920 --> 00:37:35.800
 and trembling

00:37:35.800 --> 00:37:36.340
 for it's God

00:37:36.340 --> 00:37:36.700
 who works

00:37:36.700 --> 00:37:37.300
 in us

00:37:37.300 --> 00:37:37.840
 to will

00:37:37.840 --> 00:37:38.059
 and to

00:37:38.059 --> 00:37:38.400
 work for

00:37:38.400 --> 00:37:38.720
 his good

00:37:38.720 --> 00:37:39.059
 pleasure.

00:37:39.420 --> 00:37:40.360
 Get busy

00:37:40.360 --> 00:37:41.280
 following

00:37:41.280 --> 00:37:42.380
 Christ.

00:37:43.019 --> 00:37:43.260
 You have

00:37:43.260 --> 00:37:43.780
 been given

00:37:43.780 --> 00:37:44.639
 the power

00:37:44.639 --> 00:37:45.519
 of the

00:37:45.519 --> 00:37:46.119
 cross

00:37:46.119 --> 00:37:46.720
 if you've

00:37:46.720 --> 00:37:47.220
 believed in

00:37:47.220 --> 00:37:47.500
 him.

00:37:49.000 --> 00:37:49.900
 This great

00:37:49.900 --> 00:37:50.400
 verse in

00:37:50.400 --> 00:37:50.960
 2 Corinthians

00:37:50.960 --> 00:37:51.659
 3.18

00:37:51.659 --> 00:37:52.980
 Paul says,

00:37:53.380 --> 00:37:54.019
 And we all

00:37:54.019 --> 00:37:55.059
 with unveiled

00:37:55.059 --> 00:37:55.680
 face,

00:37:56.119 --> 00:37:57.039
 beholding the

00:37:57.039 --> 00:37:57.860
 glory of the

00:37:57.860 --> 00:37:58.159
 Lord,

00:37:58.619 --> 00:37:59.200
 are being

00:37:59.200 --> 00:37:59.960
 transformed to

00:37:59.960 --> 00:38:00.300
 the same

00:38:00.300 --> 00:38:00.780
 image from

00:38:00.780 --> 00:38:01.300
 one degree

00:38:01.300 --> 00:38:01.740
 of glory

00:38:01.740 --> 00:38:02.860
 to another.

00:38:03.579 --> 00:38:04.000
 For this

00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:04.440
 comes from

00:38:04.440 --> 00:38:04.860
 the Lord

00:38:04.860 --> 00:38:05.900
 who is

00:38:05.900 --> 00:38:07.280
 the Spirit.

00:38:07.280 --> 00:38:09.120
 So what

00:38:09.120 --> 00:38:09.260
 do we

00:38:09.260 --> 00:38:09.740
 learn from

00:38:09.740 --> 00:38:09.880
 the

00:38:09.880 --> 00:38:10.600
 transfiguration,

00:38:10.780 --> 00:38:11.340
 from beholding

00:38:11.340 --> 00:38:11.540
 this?

00:38:11.640 --> 00:38:12.680
 Jesus is

00:38:12.680 --> 00:38:13.500
 the Christ

00:38:13.500 --> 00:38:13.840
 and we

00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:14.180
 must,

00:38:14.220 --> 00:38:14.740
 if he is,

00:38:14.880 --> 00:38:15.420
 if we believe

00:38:15.420 --> 00:38:15.840
 that he is,

00:38:15.960 --> 00:38:16.460
 we must

00:38:16.460 --> 00:38:16.940
 follow him.

00:38:16.980 --> 00:38:17.240
 We must

00:38:17.240 --> 00:38:17.660
 follow him

00:38:17.660 --> 00:38:17.900
 to the

00:38:17.900 --> 00:38:18.220
 point of

00:38:18.220 --> 00:38:18.780
 death as

00:38:18.780 --> 00:38:19.300
 all of

00:38:19.300 --> 00:38:19.400
 the

00:38:19.400 --> 00:38:19.780
 apostles

00:38:19.780 --> 00:38:20.080
 did,

00:38:20.140 --> 00:38:20.480
 all except

00:38:20.480 --> 00:38:20.980
 for John

00:38:20.980 --> 00:38:21.440
 who died

00:38:21.440 --> 00:38:22.019
 in exile

00:38:22.019 --> 00:38:23.120
 of old age.

00:38:23.460 --> 00:38:24.040
 They all

00:38:24.040 --> 00:38:24.560
 followed him

00:38:24.560 --> 00:38:25.019
 to the

00:38:25.019 --> 00:38:25.360
 point of

00:38:25.360 --> 00:38:25.580
 death.

00:38:25.760 --> 00:38:26.160
 Believe

00:38:26.160 --> 00:38:27.120
 the words,

00:38:27.340 --> 00:38:28.220
 follow him.

00:38:28.560 --> 00:38:28.980
 Life is

00:38:28.980 --> 00:38:29.580
 found in

00:38:29.580 --> 00:38:29.860
 the power

00:38:29.860 --> 00:38:30.100
 of the

00:38:30.100 --> 00:38:30.420
 cross.

00:38:30.720 --> 00:38:31.019
 The power

00:38:31.019 --> 00:38:31.220
 of the

00:38:31.220 --> 00:38:31.840
 cross is

00:38:31.840 --> 00:38:32.600
 transmitted to

00:38:32.600 --> 00:38:33.200
 us by the

00:38:33.200 --> 00:38:33.680
 scriptures and

00:38:33.680 --> 00:38:34.160
 we are to be

00:38:34.159 --> 00:38:35.539
 transformed by

00:38:35.539 --> 00:38:35.940
 the power

00:38:35.940 --> 00:38:36.719
 of the

00:38:36.719 --> 00:38:37.019
 cross.

00:38:37.500 --> 00:38:37.899
 Let's pray

00:38:37.899 --> 00:38:38.159
 together.

00:38:38.159 --> 00:38:38.379
 Amen.