Welcome my friend, to our Bible study program In Search of the Lord's Way to become and to be a Christian. There is nothing spectacular or hilarious here, just God's Word. We are glad to be guests in your home by radio and television. Thanks for inviting us in.
Warmest greetings to you, friend. What a joy it is to have you with us today In Search of the Lord's Way. God has said, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah. 55, verses 8 and 9). So, we are not trying to be amusing or spectacular in these programs; we are simply seeking the Lord's way and oh, we are so happy to have you with us. I pray we will both be blessed.
Let me remind you that we are here through the love and generosity of members of churches of Christ in the area of this station who would really like to have you pay them a visit. They are the reason you won't be hearing us soliciting money from you or trying to sell you something. If we may assist you in locating a nearby church of Christ, please let us do so. Our address is In Search of the Lord's Way, P.O. Box 371, Edmond, OK 73083, or by e-mail it is searchtv@searchtv.org. You may use our toll-free telephone number for this purpose if you like. That number is 1-800-321-8633.
We are looking at some of the great, or we can say mountaintop experiences of our Savior's earthly ministry. Oh, there are many of them recorded in the Scriptures, but we won't be able to talk about all of them today. However, we will just study one experience of His transfiguration recorded for us in Matthew chapter 17, verses 1 to 7; Mark chapter 9, verses 2 to 8; and Luke chapter 9, verses 28 to 36. Our Scripture reading will be from Matthew and after Ken Helterbrand leads us in a hymn, I will be back and we will read it together.
Our Bible reading today as I said is in Matthew chapter 17, verses 1 to 7; but I think I am going to read down through verse 9, also. “Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, brought them up on a high mountain by themselves, and was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him! And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. But Jesus came and touched them and said, Arise, and do not be afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.” Now let us go to God in prayer. Thank You, our Father, for the revelation of this marvelous incident in the life of Jesus, our Lord. Will you help us now and be with us as we search the Scripture for the meaning of it for us today? In Jesus’ name, we pray You. Amen!
As the Master's earthly sojourn was drawing very rapidly to the end, He came with His apostles into a beautiful, secluded and quiet area of the land of Palestine, the highest elevation in the land to prepare them; well, as well as to prepare Himself, for the events soon to come upon them all. In the area of Caesarea Philippi He made that bold announcement, "I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." After about a week, Matthew says after six days (Luke says eight days-- obviously they began counting from different days), Jesus took Peter, James and John, (sometimes called the "inner three" or "the inner circle," because they were with Him and chosen of Him to be with Him on other very special occasions when the others were not invited). And they began to ascend the mountain where they would further prepare themselves for the tragic days ahead by praying. Oh, say, there's a message here about the value of prayer that deserves an entire program. And we will have to do that soon. Luke says, "And as He (Jesus) prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening." Matthew says "He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as the light." Mark also says that He was transfigured, "-- and his clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth could whiten them."
This "transfiguration" scene is one in which there was no other event even similar to it, so we don't know exactly how He appeared in this transfigured glory. Obviously, His deity broke through the physical limitations of His body and this tabernacle from which He radiated His Divine person in all of His glory. In view of His impending crucifixion, this glorious event had to have great meaning to Him, as well as to the apostles. They were also about to be subjected, you know, to the rejection and persecution that they were to endure because of their attachment to Jesus. Well, Jesus was alone with Peter, James and John.
"And, behold," while they gazed on Him with wonder, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah talking with Him. Moses was the lawgiver of the Old Testament. It was he whom God summoned to Mt. Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments written by His own finger on tables of stone. Moses also delivered that Law to the people of Israel. Elijah was one of the great prophets of the Old Testament period. These two being dead for centuries now were still alive somewhere and recognizable, and they appeared here in the presence of Jesus and "spoke of His decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." That is a lesson for those who might wonder will we know one another after death. Well, Jesus was about to fulfill all that Moses and the prophets had written of Him, according to Luke 24:44. And here they were discussing all of that. No such thing was said of Moses or Elijah, but it was said of Christ our Lord that "His face shone as the sun, and His garments became as white as light." That is the New American Standard Version.
"Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here..." Actually Peter used the superlative: "Lord, it is best for us to be here." Oh! I guess so! This is one of those "once in a lifetime" experiences which Peter treasured so highly. He never forgot it. Years later he wrote about it. In the second Bible epistle that bears his name (chapter 1, verse 16 beginning and through verse 21) he said, "We did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, even until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."
Well, being so caught up in the inspiration of the event, Peter just spontaneously burst out, "If You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, one for Elijah." Well, some say that-- having been told about the betrayal and the arrest, and the trial and the crucifixion that awaited Jesus when they all would go to Jerusalem for the Passover, Peter wanted to build a place to observe that feast right there. But that would have been counter to the expressed will of God in the Old Testament Scriptures. Luke says Peter didn't know what he was saying. You can understand that, can't you? In all of the joy and excitement of the moment, Peter just wanted to do something! Well, but, he did preface his preposterous proposal with "if You wish," and that is more than many people do nowadays. I suppose from this that it has always been true perhaps. Some people get so carried away with the emotions and the excitement of some experience, that they are ready to do something-- just do anything-- but do something for the Lord. And they very often want to do what is a total contradiction of the clearly expressed will of God in the Scriptures. While zeal is desirable and commendable when it is properly directed, very often, my friend, as in this instance, it is totally without understanding or maybe respect for what the Lord’s will is.
Well, "While he was still speaking"-- I mean, Peter didn't get the words off of his lips when God spoke from heaven and interrupted him! "Behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, Hear Him!" Once before, a similar thing had happened. It was at Jesus' baptism by John in the river Jordan. When He had come up out of the water "immediately from the water; behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” That is Matthew chapter 3, verses 13 through 17. But this time, at His transfiguration God added two words, "Hear Him."
And this time “when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were sore afraid.” Undoubtedly they were afraid of instant death if they looked upon God, for no man has seen God and lived to tell about it, modern claims to the contrary notwithstanding. You read Exodus chapter 33, verse 20; John 1:18 and you learn that. Humility of heart and sincerity of soul are seen when good people bow themselves in humble fear before God. "And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and do not be afraid."
Now, here is the purpose of the entire event, friend. When the apostles, comforted by the presence of the touch of the Master, looked up, they saw neither Moses nor Elijah, but Jesus only. The voice of God said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear him." There was a time when men should have heeded the words of Moses the lawgiver. Likewise there was a time when all men should have heard God's prophets, represented here by Elijah, but now men are to hear Jesus. He is the Son of God. And in Hebrews 1:1 we read, "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by his Son." It is worth repeating: God speaks to us now in the Christian age by His son!
Jesus said, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law (but, the verse doesn't end there, as you often hear it quoted. It continues) till all is fulfilled" (Matthew 5:17-18). Jesus Christ did fulfill all the law and all the prophets said of Him (Luke 24, verse 44). And on that He was declared to be the Son of God with all authority in heaven and in earth. Read Matthew chapter 28, verse 18; and Luke chapter 24, verse 44; and Acts chapter 3, verse 18; and Romans 1 and 4. Will you?
"What purpose then does the law serve?” (Galatians 3:19) And the answer is provided in the same verse: "It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made"-- and the seed was Christ. That is verse 16. And listen to what the Holy Spirit says in verses 24 and 25: "Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith (in Him, my friend). But after faith has come, we are no longer under the tutor (or the law)." You see, the law was given by Moses and was never intended or said to be universal. Not in the Scriptures it wasn't.
"So what?" you might ask. Well, in Galatians chapter 3, verses 26 to 29 inspiration continues, "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (Through faith you are sons of God, in Christ Jesus.) As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Have you become a child of God, my friend? If not, you need to consider this passage. And I hope you will be doing it even now. May I insist that you be baptized into Christ today, at once?
Free, then, from the Law of Moses, Christians are subject to the teachings of Jesus Christ, of whom God said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him." "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). Any teaching that does not exalt Jesus Christ above the Law of Moses cannot be Christianity.
Peter's zealous response to the glory of the occasion on the mount is commendable indeed. Oh, that more of us attained to Peter's enthusiastic zeal. Let us remember though that the plan Peter had was not the will of Christ. We would do well to remember the words of the Holy Spirit in Romans 10:1 and 2 in which the apostle Paul says, "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge." Let us strive to be zealous in the things we know are the will of Christ. Let’s pray. Holy Father, thank You for the message of this mountaintop experience with Jesus and His apostles. Bless us, Lord, to that understanding and to the doing of it. In the lovely name of Christ, we pray You. Amen!
Jesus once said "to those Jews which believed on Him, If you abide in my words (King James says continue in my word), you are My disciples indeed; And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." That is John 8:31-32. Disciples hear and follow their Master above all others. And that is the basic principle of discipleship.
Three things must be said about this transfiguration event. First, it had significance for our Lord. It helped to prepare Him for the death of the cross. And undoubtedly, the voice of God gave Him strength to endure what awaited Him. Secondly, this unique experience was of greater significance even to Peter, James and John. They, too, needed to be prepared for the coming events culminating in the Master's death and burial. To be sure, their faith in the Lord's deity was confirmed by the vision of His glory; and their anticipation of His promised coming again was justified. They would be better prepared now to take up the cross and follow Him-- and even to carry the message of salvation in His name to every creature in all nations of the world.
And finally, it is a significant for His disciples today. There is the divine assurance of His deity. There is another insight into His present glorious state. There is a new assurance of His resurrection, and a new hope of His coming to receive His own into glory. John says, "Beloved, now we are the children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3 and 2). My friend, I want to encourage you again to put your faith in Jesus Christ, turn to Him in repentance and be baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And do it today; will you? If I can assist you in any good way, please give me the blessing of that opportunity. Will you?
Our program is presented by your caring friends in churches of Christ because we love you. We assume full responsibility for contents of all of our programs. We believe New Testament Christianity for our generation is the best thing that ever happened to man. We believe it isn't only the best; it's a most, well, let me say, it is a most important thing in our present day. There isn't anything about the Lord's way that is impossible or unreasonable. We believe to lay claim to being a Christian is to develop or to possess the qualities and characteristics of the disciples that we read about in the New Testament; and to be a church of Christ, a church must also possess the qualities and characteristics of the church we read about in the New Testament. Friend, if this is a noble idea and it strikes you as such, we would like to have you worship and study with us in a congregation near you, real soon. Or we would like to come to your home at your invitation and study the Bible with you.
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