Good Morning…. Enjoy the teaching today! (Sunday 20th Jan.2013)
This morning we see an incredible grace encounter where Peter, James and John are given a special manifestation showing them that Jesus Himself is the real Messiah (The “Christ”)… The Anointed One from Heaven… the One promised of God as the great Deliverer.
1
Jesus answers the question: is Jesus the Christ(the Messiah)?Jesus shows He was the Messiah…God Incarnate and that He was ushering in a new era.. A New covenant of Grace….we hear the voice of Father God telling the disciples that He does not want them to mix the Old and the New Covenants. The Old Covenant is fulfilled in Christ and then dispensed with (obsolete/altogether.) Heb.8:13 2
Sermon Title
THE ULTIMATE CLOSE ENCOUNTER
3
Background and Context Luke 9• Herod Antipas ( Herod is the
surname),(the one who executed John the Baptizer) said concerning Jesus: “Who is this man about whom I hear such things?” (v.9)• Jesus asks the disciples: “Who do the
multitudes say that I am?”(v.18)• Jesus asks His disciples: “But who do
you yourselves say that I am?”(v.20) Peter replies: “The Christ of God” 4
Then immediately after this important question is answered….
Jesus tells His disciples that He is going to suffer many things and be rejected and killed and rise again…. But Peter doesn’t want a bar of it!
5
Matthew and Mark Gospels show Peter’s response
Mark 8:31-33 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must of necessity suffer many things and be tested and disapproved and rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be put to death, and after three days rise again [ from death].32 And He said this freely (frankly, plainly, and explicitly, making it unmistakable). And Peter took Him by the hand and led Him aside and then [facing Him] began to rebuke Him. 6
v.33 But turning around [His back to Peter] and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Get behind Me, Satan! For you do not have a mind intent on promoting what God wills, but what pleases men [you are not on Gods side, but that of men].
7
Lk. 9:28-36 28 Now about eight days after these teachings, Jesus took with Him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray.29 And as He was praying, the appearance of His countenance became altered (different), and His raiment became dazzling white [ flashing with the brilliance of lightning].30 And behold, two men were conversing with Him—Moses and Elijah.
8
31 Who appeared in splendour and majesty and brightness and were speaking of His exit [from life], which He was about to bring to realization at Jerusalem.32 Now Peter and those with him were weighed down with sleep, but when they fully awoke, they saw His glory (splendour and majesty and brightness) and the two men who stood with Him. 9
33 And it occurred as the men were parting from Him that Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is delightful and good that we are here; and let us construct three booths or huts—one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah! not noticing or knowing what He was saying.34 But even as he was saying this, a cloud came and began to overshadow them, and they were seized with alarm and struck with fear as they entered into the cloud. 10
35 Then there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is My Son, My Chosen One or My Beloved; listen to and yield to and obey Him!36 And when the voice had died away, Jesus was found there alone….
11
Full of Grace and TruthTruth: 1. Peter, yes, Jesus is the Messiah but did you hear what they were talking about?...they were speaking about Christ’s exit from this life which He was about to bring to realization at Jerusalem. Did you get that Pete? Truth: 2. Moses represents the Law and Elijah the Prophets. The “Law and the Prophets” was a term given to the entire Old Testament.
12
The appearance of Moses and Elijah is to confirm to Peter, James and John that the Law and the Prophets pointed forward to Jesus. Jesus was about to fulfil the Law and the Prophets.Matt. 5:17 Do not think that I have come to do away with or undo the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to do away with or undo but to complete and fulfil them.
13
The Law and the Prophets demanded justice and judgment and Jesus would fulfil these demands in His death.Moses represents the Great Deliverer and this is what Jesus would do on behalf of all mankind.Elijah was seen/viewed as the one also active on behalf of the Gentiles(Lk.4:25-26) and this is also what Jesus would do.
14
Jesus’ transfiguration shows the full Dzo-ay of God in Him…He is the Messiah!
Truth 3Transfiguration= metamorphoo (Gk) = to change into another form. His inner being was made transparent… His raiment became dazzling white. His divine glory shone out through His human form. His face shone like the sun (Matt.17:2)
15
John’s description of Jesus
• Jn.1:4 In Him was Life(dzo-ay), and the Life was the Light of men.
• Jn.1:14 And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honour, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favour, loving- kindness) and truth.
16
• Jn.1:16-1716 For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favour upon favour and gift [heaped] upon gift.17 For while the Law was given through Moses, grace ( unearned, undeserved favour and spiritual blessing) and truth came through Jesus Christ.
17
• Rev.1:13 And in the midst of the lampstands [One] like a Son of Man, clothed with a robe which reached to His feet and with a girdle of gold about His breast.14 His head and His hair were white like white wool, [as white] as snow, and His eyes [flashed] like a flame of fire.15 His feet glowed like burnished (bright) bronze as it is refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.
18
16 In His right hand He held seven stars, and from His mouth there came forth a sharp two- edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full power at midday.21:23 And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to give light to it, for the splendour and radiance (glory) of God illuminate it, and the Lamb is its lamp. (See 2 Pet.1:16-18) 19
Truth 4 You cant mix the CovenantsThey were not to build dwelling places tabernacles/tents/huts for all three… Peter didn’t notice that Moses and Elijah were departing…The Father says now…”just listen to Jesus”. This truth helps Peter guide the great debate a few years later…by grace alone people were made righteous through Christ’s redemptive work …no other scerrics of Judaism were necessary…Peter and John were part of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. 20
Listen to Paul’s teachingGal.2:16 Yet we know that a man is justified or reckoned righteous and in right standing with God not by works of the Law, but [only] through faith and [absolute] reliance on and adherence to and trust in Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). [Therefore] even we [ourselves] have believed on Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law [for we cannot be justified by any observance of the ritual of the Law given by Moses], because by keeping legal rituals and by works no human being can ever be justified (declared righteous and put in right standing with God. 21
We died to the Law in the crucifixion of Christ
19 For I through the Law [under the operation of the curse of the Law] have [in Christ’s death for me] myself died to the Law and all the Laws demands upon me, so that I may [henceforth] live to and for God.
22
20 I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]….it is no longer I who live but Christ the Messiah lives in me…. I now live in my body by faith in the Son of God…..
23
21 [Therefore, I do not treat Gods gracious gift as something of minor importance and defeat its very purpose]; I do not set aside and invalidate and frustrate and nullify the grace (unmerited favour) of God. For if justification (righteousness, acquittal from guilt) comes through [observing the ritual of] the Law, then Christ (the Messiah) died groundlessly and to no purpose and in vain. [His death was then wholly superfluous.
24
See Gal.4:19-31
30 But what does the Scripture say? Cast out and send away the slave woman and her son, for never shall the son of the slave woman be heir and share the inheritance with the son of the free woman.
I love you…Ps. Perc…spudadzo!25
