The Transfiguration, Part III

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Title: The Transfiguration, Part III ------------------- Date: 5/17/2003
Keywords: "exchange" "external" "internal" "righteousness" "transfiguration"
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Passage: Mark 9:1-13*

1. And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."

2. Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.

3. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.

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

5. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"—

6. because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.

7. And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!"

8. Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.

9. Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

10. So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.

11. And they asked Him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"

12. Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?

13. But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him."

Questions

1. Why do you think this event called the Transfiguration took place?

 

2. Why did Jesus tell them in verse 9 not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead?

 

Practical help

If you are like me, you have wondered about verse 9. Why did Jesus not want his disciples to tell anyone about this event? I think it puzzles us because we don't think the way Jesus does. Isaiah 55:9 says "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts." Boy, ain't that the truth!

When big things happen to us, we really hope that everyone notices. When I became a Christian, it was a major event in my life. It turned my personal world upside-down. What I thought was true before, became false, and what I thought was preposterous, turned out to be true. With this radical transformation came the desire to tell others what had happened to me. I'm sure you know what the problem was. I was no different on the outside. In fact, most of my bad habits remained unchanged. Was the fact that none of my unbelieving friends believed me proof that nothing had happened? No, something had happened alright, but it would take a while time for it to become evident in my actions.

Jesus knew that the reality being displayed to a few at the Transfiguration, would eventually be known by all. Revelation 1:7 says "Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen." Jesus is not afraid of publicity, He simply understands how we think and respond.

He wasn't worried whether or not someone believed or didn't from the beginning. Rather, he was chiefly concerned with His relationship with His heavenly Father and that He would be faithful to fulfill his mission on earth.

So now, are you concerned with appearance — how others see you? Or are you concerned about the deeper spiritual reality that no one may know about but you and God? You can walk around and look totally normal yet be slowly decaying inside from the shame of sexual struggles and sin. Stop and look deeply at yourself and Jesus. Consider a great exchange where you give Him your sins and He give you his righteousness.

2 Timothy 4:8 — Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
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*Scripture taken from the New King James Version (NKJV), © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.