October 24, 2021
Morning Service

In Matthew’s writings, chapter 16 seems to show a changing point in Jesus’s teaching to the disciples.  He has been building the foundation that He is the long awaited Messiah and He has shown that by His many miracles and His powerful teaching.  Peter affirmed that this base had been reached when Jesus ask them, “Who do you say that I am,” and he answered back boldly; “You are the Christ the Son of the living God!”  We have dwelt strongly on the importance of each of us coming to this point of faith in our walk with Jesus.  The fact that He is the Christ the Son of God is to be the foundation we stand on in our hope, faith, and salvation.  Jesus is our Lord and Savior and without Him we have nothing.  Jesus told us that He is building His church upon this truth and “the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.”  He also shared the unpleasant news of what the future holds for Him; incarceration, suffering, death and then His resurrection.  Peter tried to convince Him otherwise, but sometimes God’s plans are not ours.  He knows best and we MUST trust Him.  Jesus then became quite transparent in showing us the cost of being His disciple.

Mat 16:24-26 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  (25)  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  (26)  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

            This statement by Jesus reveals to us the cost required to faithfully follow Him.  We must “deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him.”  To deny ourselves means to yield to Him total control of our lives.  To take up our cross means we are willing to suffer shame, persecution, and perhaps even death for His sake.  To follow means a commitment to imitate the life Jesus lived and do things like He did them to the best of our ability. As we begin chapter 17, Jesus again builds our faith in who He is as well as teaches us to listen to Him through a vision.

Mat 17:1-9 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; (2) and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.  (3)  And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.  (4)  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."  (5)  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!"  (6)  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.  (7)  But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid."  (8)  When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.  (9)  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."

            Matthew would have received the information on this event from one of the three who were there; Peter, James and John.  These three are often called the “inner circle” as Jesus at times pulled the three of them away and allowed them to see more than the others.  What they got to see had to be amazing; as they saw Jesus shine in a small manifestation of His deity.  His face and clothing became radiant as the sun and dazzling bright revealing His true glory.  His appearance cries out and leave no doubt that He is the “Christ the Son of God.”  Moses and Elijah, the revered leaders of the OT, appeared with Him talking.  Peter was deeply moved by this and wanting to capture the moment, rashly suggests to build three memorials one for each of these icons of the faith.  God the Father quickly proclaiming the fact that Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the prophets, do not stand on equal ground with Jesus the Son.  “A bright cloud overshadowed them and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud and saying; “This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, HEAR HIM!”  The Words of Jesus are greater than all the Law and the prophets.  He is the One that we are following and all the authority of God the Father is found in Him alone.  This again should build our faith that He is the “Lord of lords and King of kings” the Ultimate and Supreme Leader and Creator of everything and everyone.  Jesus is who we are following and the only He is worthy of our devotion.  Is He worthy?  He is!

            The three disciples were frightened by this voice and “fell on their faces and became greatly afraid.”  I don’t blame them at all, this had to be a life changing moment to experience the power and presence of God the Father and to hear His voice!  Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord!  What will we do when we find ourselves for the first time in the presence of our Savior and Lord?  We will not fall in fear, but we may very well fall in humble reverence and worship to be so blessed and to see His face; I can only imagine.

            Jesus then did as He so often does calms their fears with a touch of His hand a word of instruction.  “Arise and do not be afraid.”  His calm presence in our lives through the Holy Spirit empowers us to face our fears and changes everything.  We are not exempt from trials, but we will never face them alone.  He then instructed them to keep this story to themselves until He had risen from the dead.  The disciples then asked Jesus about Elijah.

Mat 17:10-13 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  (11)  Jesus answered and said to them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.  (12)  But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise, the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands."  (13)  Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

            The question originates from this prophecy from Malachi:

Mal 4:5-6 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.  (6)  And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.

            That of course is obvious to us that John the Baptist fulfilled this scripture, but it was a faith building revelation to the disciples.  All of Jesus’ teaching and the many miracles the disciples experienced, including this transfiguration, were all designed to bring them to a point of unwavering faith believing that Jesus was the “Christ the Son of the living God.”   This was the foundation they needed, and we need, to have the boldness to follow faithfully and proclaim Him as Lord even in difficult situations.  In Acts we find Peter and John in such a predicament that they were being prepared for as they have been arrested and are being interrogated by the Sanhedrin.   Let’s read together this account in 4:5-13.

 

Act 4:5-13

            I would like each of us to set a goal that one day someone sees the evidence in our lives that displays the fact that we “have been with Jesus.”  We are called to be “Salt and Light” making the world we live in better and to shine His light of love to this dark and dying world.  I look at faces around here this morning and I can see lives that display that you “have been with Jesus.”  Keep it up, and do not grow weary in well doing, but “keep on keeping on.”  Because the One we are following is worthy of our love and commitment.  Is He worthy?  He is!

 

Heavenly Father, build strong our foundation of faith that You are the Christ the Son of God and let it grant to us boldness to share it with others.