Drew Boswell

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Christ’s Power Over Every Need The Gospel of Mark Sermon Series “The Transfiguration of Jesus” Mark 9:2-13

Christ’s Power Over Every Need

The Gospel of Mark Sermon Series

“The Transfiguration of Jesus”

Mark 9:2-13

 Introduction

The story of Lady Shalott – poem by Alfred Tennyson

Paintings by John William Waterhouse

Seeing life through a reflection of reality.

Prayer

Jesus Prepares the Disciples For the Hard Days Ahead (vv. 2-4)

2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

In the OT there is a common theme for God to take leaders (Elijah, Moses) to a mountain and there reveal Himself to them. Exodus 24:15-16 “Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The glory of the LORD dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days.”

It represents a time of preparation for the reception of revelation. God is preparing the disciples for a revelation that is coming. Jesus seems to view his announcement of his suffering that is about to happen to be so important that takes three of the twelve aside to prepare them. Jesus only took three, of the twelve to the mountain, “Peter, James, and John.”

Jesus has already given a hint of this glory in Mark 8:38 “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

In the description of Jesus’ transfiguration, we are not given very much detail, but when we look at other passages that use this same word (i.e. 2 Cor, 3:18, and Romans 12:2) we see “that which is outward represents and expresses a true glory that dwells within.”[1] Jesus’ divine nature is being revealed through the human body.

The English word transfigured is the Greek verb metamorphoo meaning, “to change into another form,”[2] “to change in a manner visible to others,” or “to change inwardly in fundamental character or condition,”[3]

Cole says, “in a sense, we are wrong to call this “transfiguration,” as though it was unique: the true great transfiguration, the metamorphosis, had already taken place at Bethlehem when God took human form. . .”[4]

When discussing Jesus being transfigured, Mark describes his clothes, “became radiant, intensely white,” and who appeared to them, “Elijah with Moses.” “In the OT the glory of God is always conceived as shining brilliance or bright light.”[5]

(v. 4) “The appearance of Moses and Elijah represent the coming together of the Law and Prophets. Each of these sections of the Old Testament Scriptures prophesied about the coming Messiah.”[6]

Moses representing all of the law, and Elijah representing all of the prophesy pointing to the Messiah are there “to testify to the character and mission” of Jesus. “Both the law and the prophets Christ was thus to fulfill;”[7] We don’t know if the disciples overheard what they saying, if they understood or followed what they were talking about.

When Elijah was at the lowest point of his life, God came and encouraged him and ministered to him. 1 Kings 19:5-8 Elijah is running for his life from the evil queen Jezebel “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” 5 And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” Now a man comes and talks with and encourages Jesus.

Moses used to pitch a tent way outside of the Israelite camp and would meet with God, the tent of Meeting. The pillar of smoke would move to the front of this tent while Moses and God met together. Exodus 33:11 “Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” Here God’s friend has come to encourage and talk again with Jesus.

Mankind can have a friendship and minister together with God.

God the Father speaks from heaven, all of the law and prophets are represented, and Jesus’ appearance become brilliant light – all confirming Jesus as the Messiah.

Jesus has already told them that he must suffer, and will die (at which Peter rebukes him), and now Jesus is being transfigured. “It offers assurance that despite apparent abandonment by God, Jesus is the Lord’s Servant who prospers in the task he has been sent to accomplish.”[8]

This was for the disciple’s benefit, Jesus was transfigured (v. 3) “before them” and (v. 4) “And there appeared to them, Elijah and Moses.” It is a way of preparing them for the suffering that they also will be experiencing soon.

We can face the hard things in life, if we understand who Jesus really is – Jesus is God, and above all. He is above every person, everything in creation, every circumstance, every and anything we may encounter during our lives; and He rules above all – there is nothing that is above Him.

These disciples are about to endure seeing their rabbi and friend beaten beyond recognition, flogged, and crucified – they needed to know that while all that was going on, He could with a word stop it all. He was more powerful than the crucifixion, but endured it for their sake.

Jesus Wants the Disciples to Experience Being in the Presence of God (vv. 5-8)

5 And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” 8 And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

(v. 5) Peter, being terrified, suggested that they build them booths – temporary shelters. Peter is thinking, “Why would Jesus bring them along, unless He wanted them to do something once they are there with Moses and Elijah.” Peter is trying to organize the moment, organize Jesus. You cannot organize Jesus.

Jesus is not wanting them to do something, He is wanting them to experience something. For people who want to be doing something to feel productive, this is really hard.

Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Peter had acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ, the promised Messiah (Mark 8:29). God the Father does not respond to Peter’s comment – Peter doesn’t understand but Jesus is on the way to the cross, and to delay that by camping on the mountainside was not part of the plan. He wanted to slow the moment down. Peter keeps trying to interrupt the plan; he wants to be helpful but doesn’t understand the plan.

(v. 7) “And a cloud overshadowed them” – This appearance of a cloud and the presence of the Lord is what the OT calls, Shekinah glory of God.[9] It has been six hundred years since anyone had seen this special appearance of God. Peter, James, and John were permitted to directly behold God’s glory – because Jesus was with them.

But in a voice God the Father tells them, that Jesus is the Son of God (i.e. God), “This is my beloved Son; listen to him. But even with seeing Moses and Elijah, hearing the voice of God from heaven, and seeing Jesus transfigured, they still are not grasping the significance of the moment.

(v. 7) “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” – God the Father, in a voice from heaven, is identifying Jesus as His Son (that he loves greatly), and He gives them an instruction, “listen to him.”[10] Think of all that God could have said to the disciples, yet He chose these three words; only three. Listen to him.

The human body has the capability to filter out sound. Right now there are countless sounds around us (your heartbeat, the air conditioning cycling on and off, the sound of your breathing, road noise, the person next to you moving around, etc.) but we filter out all that noise and focus on what is important to us. It is the difference between hearing and listening. Focus.

The only true listening known in the Bible is obedient listening. James 1:22-23 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.” So we are to focus on the words of Jesus, so that we may also obey them.

Wiersbe also helps us understand that God speaks and directs them “not on the vision, but on the Word of God; “Listen to Him!” The memory of visions will fade, but the unchanging Word abides forever. The glorious vision was not an end in itself; it was God’s way of confirming the Word (see 2 Peter 1:12-21). Discipleship is not built on spectacular visions but on the inspired, unchanging Word of God.”[11]

The Father from heaven is affirming “Jesus is the unique Son of God who enjoys the unbroken presence and approval of the Father.”[12] Jesus is the one with the plan, stop trying to do your own plan, and listen to Jesus.

Jesus Wants the Disciples to Know That There is More To Come (vv. 9-13)

9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.[13] 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. 11 And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 12 And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”

Why does Jesus lead three of the disciples up the mountain, transfigure before them, and then tell them not to tell anyone? What they see will be important later – they needed to know Jesus was fully man (he was hungry, tired, expressed emotions, etc.) but Jesus was also fully God. God wasn’t just with Jesus as He was being the Messiah, but Jesus was God as the Messiah.

Why do we need to know that Jesus is God? If Jesus were any man who had managed to gather a following (Mohammed, Budda) then you can take their words as suggestions, teachings to add to your life. You can take their teachings, or leave their teachings based on if you think they are helpful or not.

Not so with Jesus. If Jesus is God, then when He speaks, then it is the Word of God – and as your Creator has the right to direct you into action. If you reject Jesus’ words, and ignore His life, then you reject and ignore God, and for that there will be consequences.

Even with Jesus speaking plainly to them earlier in the chapter, and here with God speaking, and the appearance of Moses and Elijah, they still don’t understand Jesus’ mission involving him suffering and eventually dying, “So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean.” It is not until Jesus rose from the dead (and Jesus Himself explains it to them), that the significance of his suffering could be grasped by the disciples.

The disciples ask Jesus about the scribe’s teachings regarding Elijah, and Jesus answers them. But then he directs them to consider themselves what the Bible teaches regarding, “And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? Stop worrying about what the scribes say about the Word of God, and start interpreting it through the Words of Jesus. How do we understand and interpret all they seen and experienced? – through the Words of Jesus. He explains it all.

(v. 12) The end of the OT, Malachi 4:5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.” The religious leaders are correct in teaching that the Bible says that God would send Elijah as a forerunner to the Messiah – But here, Elijah had come after Jesus, and then he left quickly, without connection with the kingdom. Elijah was to come, be a restorer of the people back to God, a preparer of the way of the Lord. John the Baptist fulfilled this role of Elijah when He preached repentance in the wilderness.

There’s a scene in The Wizard of Oz in which Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion encounter the “real” wizard. You remember, right? The giant screen has shown a powerful, larger-than-life person whose booming voice rings out across Emerald City. Toto pulls back the curtain, however, and everyone finds that the wizard is just a man. It’s all showbiz, lights and amplification.

His cry of “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain” falls on deaf ears. When the curtain is pulled back, he is seen for what he is. In today’s passage, the curtain is pulled away for just for a moment and we see Jesus in His glory – so now that we know He is God, and we have His Word – what will you do with Jesus?

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[1] W. N. Clarke, An American Commentary on the New Testament, Gospel of Mark (Valley Forge, Pennsylvania; Judson Press, 1950) 126.

[2] Frank Gaebelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 1984) 699.

[3] James McGowan, Twenthy-First Century Biblical Commentary Series, The Gospel of Mark (Chatanooga, Tennessee; AMG Publishers, 2006) 118.

[4] McGowan, 118.

[5] William L. Lane, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Eerdsmans Publishing, 1974) 318.

[6] Max Anders, Holman New Testament Commentary, Mark (Nashville, Tennessee; Holman Publishing, 2000) 146.

[7] Clarke, 127.

[8] Lane, 316.

[9] Ex. 13:21; 16:10; 19:9, 16; 24:15-16; 33:9.

[10] Deuteronomy 18:15f.

[11] McGowan, 120.

[12] Lane 321.

[13] This is the final command to be silent in Mark’s gospel. McGowan, 121.

Christ’s Power Over Every Need The Gospel of Mark Sermon Series “Who Do You Say That I Am?” Mark 8:27-9:1

Christ’s Power Over Every Need

The Gospel of Mark Sermon Series

“Who Do You Say That I Am?”

Mark 8:27-9:1

Introduction

The captain of the ship looked into the dark night and saw faint lights in the distance. Immediately he told his signalman to send a message” “Alter your course 10 degrees south.”

Promptly a return message was received: “Alter your course 10 degrees north.”

The captain was angered; his command had been ignored. So he sent a second message: “Alter your course 10 degrees south–I am the captain!”

Soon another message was received: “Alter your course 10 degrees north–I am seaman third class Jones.”

Immediately the captain sent a third message, knowing the fear it would evoke: “Alter your course 10 degrees south–I am a battleship.”

Then the reply came “Alter your course 10 degrees north–I am a lighthouse.”

In the midst of our dark and foggy times, all sorts of voices are shouting orders into the night, telling us what to do, how to adjust our lives. Out of the darkness, one voice signals something quite opposite to the rest- -something almost absurd. But the voice happens to be the Light of the World, and we ignore it at our our peril.[1]

 Prayer

 God Is Patient With Us As We Take Steps of Faith (vv. 27-30)

And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

It is in this isolated area, as they are in between crowds, Jesus takes this opportunity to begin teaching the disciples about his journey to the cross, which is about six months away. “It was time that the disciples reveal how much they had been influenced by their environment as well as the direct instruction of Jesus.”[2]

(v. 27) “he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” – and in their response we see a similar list in Mark 6:14-15 “King Herod heard of it, [Jesus going from village to village teaching and healing] for Jesus’ name had become known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” The world had their own definition of who Jesus was – today the world defines Jesus as they want Him to be (good man, good teacher).

(v. 29) “But who do you say that I am?” – After all the healings, storms on the sea, casting out demons, feeding of thousands, months and months of hearing Him preach . . . Who is Jesus? Jesus had used the phrases, “he who has an ear let him hear,” and “He who has eyes to see, let him see” . . . They have been with Jesus all this time – Has Jesus been successful in showing them who He is?

It is as though the disciples in that back country are standing at a crossroad. To go down one road leads to a further understanding of God, Jesus, and spiritual growth, but everyone seems to be against them, and there is the pain of bearing a cross.

 As they look down the second path the world in support of them, there is applause, there are no problems, no suffering, but Jesus is not there. They have to choose between the world and Jesus – you can’t take both roads at the same time. Jesus patiently waits for the answer.

Peter responds, (v. 29) “You are the Christ”— Jesus does not use the word Messiah “to avoid political complications and a revolutionary movement (see Mark 6:45).”[3] But here, he accepts the title Messiah, and “Peter’s confession revealed real insight into the nature of Christ’s person and mission, but this concept of Jesus’ messiahship was far from being perfect. Peter still had much to learn of Messiah’s suffering, rejection, and death, as the immediately incident reveals.”[4]

(v. 30) “And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.” Jesus does not want them to give a view of Him as the Messiah, because they did not understand and needed further instruction. When they were sent out two-by-two (Mark 6:7-13) they cast out demons, healed the sick and “proclaimed that people should repent.”[5]

Here, they understand that He is the Messiah, as predicted by the Old Testament, but they did not really know what that meant or entailed. Jesus “was had not come to establish a political kingdom. His victory would be that of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53.”[6]

Mark shows us in this chapter that everything is a process. Salvation, healing (Mark 8:22-26; the man’s healing took two steps), the growth of the kingdom often takes place in stages.

Following God’s Will Is Not Without Pain (vv. 31-33)

31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.[7] 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Jesus again refers to himself as “the Son of Man,” (and in the gospel over 81 times). Son of Man was the preferred title by Jesus because it, unlike the term Messiah, was not full of assumed meanings and would not distract from His God-appointed mission.[8]

But there is an OT background in the person who would come as the Son of Man. Daniel 7:3-14 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

Jesus here makes three predictions, 1. That he must suffer many things, included in that suffering is being rejected by the elders and chief priests, 2. Be killed, 3. After three days be raised from the dead. This secret is now being revealed to the disciples, “And he said this plainly.”

Jesus tells his disciples plainly that to follow Him will be a path of pain and suffering.

Jesus has shown himself to be the promised Messiah, and now He is beginning to show them that the Savior must suffer to the point of death – A suffering servant.

For Peter, the Messiah was a symbol of strength, not weakness. In Peter’s mind Jesus represented God, and God could not fail, Jesus would be successful, not lose to the religious leaders. Since Jesus is the Christ, God is with Him! Peter pulls Jesus aside and rebukes him – the same word for silencing a demon earlier.[9]

“Peter’s attempt to dissuade him from going to the cross is the same temptation he had experienced from Satan at the outset of his ministry. Satan offered him the option of using the world’s means of accomplishing his mission. Peter was opposing the divine will.”[10] What Peter doesn’t understand is that if Jesus is to be Christ, then He must endure the cross. That has been the plan from the beginning. Hebrews 9:22 “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

“Peter’s suggestion represented a very real temptation for Jesus – one that must be rejected forcefully. Jesus is demanding that they accept his mission and his demands for discipleship. Even though Peter had Jesus’ best interest at heart, he was being used as an instrument of Satan (not possession).”[11] God’s Word does not change, we must align our thoughts, wishes, feelings, desires to it – not try to move it to our will.

Jesus’ family came earlier to collect Him because they were concerned for him, Mark 3:20-21 “Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” We must be careful, that like Peter and Jesus’ family, we do not let our personal desires for others to cloud the plan that God has for them. We don’t want those we love to suffer or endure heartache, but it may just be the plan God uses to redeem many.

When Peter hears Jesus saying these words, he is horrified, and he allows his own wished to cloud the truth of Jesus’ words, so Jesus says, “Get behind me, Satan!” – the world does not give the answer to the one big problem we encounter each and every day of our lives – our brokenness because of our sin, and separation from our Creator.

Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”

Also, while Jesus explains that the Savior must suffer, but (v. 31) “and after three days rise again,” Jesus is showing the disciples that he knows that there is pain a suffering coming in the days ahead, but also there is life as well.

 What Does Jesus’ Suffering Mean For His Followers? (vv. 34-9:1)

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. 9 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”

Many would rather take the cross out of the picture, remove it from the church steeple. Get rid of the blood and gore, the scourging, spitting, mocking, and clean Jesus up. Make Him safe, just focus on the “love your neighbor,” and “turn the other cheek.” But Jesus says, (v. 34) “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Suffering is not only the destiny of Jesus, but everyone who would be a follower of Christ. Jesus gives two requirements of disciples, (1) denial of self, (2) taking up one’s cross and following Jesus.

1) denying self – “It is the same word used of Peter’s denial of Jesus, and means “let him make himself a stranger” to himself.”[12]

2) “take up his cross” – “When criminals carried their crosses, it showed those who were watching the identity of the one who had authority over the criminal.”[13] By denying oneself, taking up one’s cross and following Jesus, a disciple acknowledges that he is submitting to Jesus’ authority.

In Luke 23:26 Simon of Cyrene was forced to carry Jesus’ cross on the Via Dolorosa “And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.”

Our choice, is often like Peter’s; we choose our own self-interest – what works best for me, what I believe to be most beneficial for me. When you become a follower of Jesus you lay that self down and crucify it. You then take up Christ’s will for your life.

 You have to lose and deny yourself, “For whoever would save his life will lose it,” and it is in this process of giving your life to Christ, and then having faith in His plan for your life, and seeking to follow His will, that true living is gained.

There is nothing more important than this (daily) decision of being safe and saving yourself from pain, suffering, loss, etc. and the loss of the life that God intends for you to have, “36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” –

Jesus wants everyone to fully understand the cost of being a Christ follower. Luke 14:28 “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” There is pain for the sake of others, we lay our lives down so that others may know who Christ is, and the exchange is our souls, we gain a life of purpose and fulfillment. There is death and sacrifice, but there is also resurrection and eternal life.

Jesus rebukes Peter because there is the temptation to not follow God’s plan. We face the same temptation, and the harder and painful the task, the more we are tempted to avoid it. But to be a follower of Christ, is willingly to face those things head because it is the will of God.

A couple of years ago, it was becoming clear to me that God was calling us from where we were to somewhere else – So we had a family meeting and I began to share this with the family. Their reaction was, “Dad, can’t you just work here, get a job here,” and my response is that “we have to go where God tells us to go.” So, my soon to be senior and incoming freshman high school student, would be moving to a potential new school, my wife would leave a job she loved, and we would go to a church where I would serve as pastor. It would have caused less pain for my family to stay – and I could have got a job in the community – but it would be at the expense of waking away from a calling.

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[1] http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/l/lorship_of_christ.htm

[2] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume 1 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1932) 334.

[3] Robertson, 334.

[4] Frank E. Gaebelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 1984) 694.

[5] Mark 6:12

[6] Max Anders, Holman New Testament Commentary, Mark (Nashville, Tennessee; Holman Reference, 2000) 135.

[7] Three passion announcements in Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:32-34.

[8] Gaebelein, 695.

[9] Larry W. Hurtado, New Testament Biblical Commentary, Mark (Peabody Massachusetts; Hendrickson Publishing, 1989) 137.

[10] Gaebelein, 696.

[11] Anders, 136.

[12] George Arthur Buttrick, The Interpreter’s Bible, Volume 7 (Nashville, Tennessee; Abingdon Press, 1953) 770.

[13] Anders, 136.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith." Ephesians 2:8

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