Mark 08:27- 9:13 15th July 2007
New Perspective on Jesus
Unfortunate they often say chapter divisions in the Bible, were written by man on a train!!?
I suspect he got to station at 8:38! This tremendous mountain-top experience happens so quickly on events described at the end of chapter 8 - New Perspectives on Jesus
i) The Disciples were excited, disturbed – they’d been away with Jesus - Holiday
He’d asked them “Who do people say I am” What’s the word on the street?
Then it became more personal “Who do you say I am?” "You’re the Christ!" v29
They understand Jesus’ Identity as the Christ the Messiah the Son of God
ii) Yet the story of the blind man healed by stages at Bethsaida suggests they only see Jesus in a blurred way as those who see men like trees walking! 8:24
Confused about the fact Jesus talks about his suffering and death v31ff
He tells how he must suffer be rejected die and rise again
Can’t get their minds around the issue of Jesus’ Death –
doesn’t fit with the popular idea of Messiah!
iii) Jesus realises how shocked they are by all this and seeks to minister to them –
Gives them a new eternal perspective and points to His return in glory 8:38
Three major issues raised here then His Identity His Death and His Glory
9:1 And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power!
Jesus not talking about waiting till his 2nd coming - but sooner = its in your life time!
You’ll see the Kingdom of God come with power!!
Q? What does he mean? They’ll see events that will assure them of who He is
see things that reassure them about his Death and will see His glory revealed!
see events take place that will clear away all their doubts like melting snow!
Let’s look at these 3 Issues begin with Jesus glory
1. JESUS SHOWS US THE GLORY OF GOD
6 days after Peter’s confession, Jesus took Peter James & John up a high mountain.
Not told which – but we know they’d been in the North Caesarea Philippi so probably Hermon Pretty high at 9,200ft - the views must have been breathtaking.
If you’re a walker you know how exhilarating that would be.
Q? Why does Jesus take them there? To be alone v2 Luke suggests for prayer.
To show them something that would dispel all their doubts and fears – His Glory!
v2says “He was transfigured before them, His clothes became dazzling white whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.”
Jesus reveals His glory in a new way - til then it was by his miracles- signs - acts of power They’d seen him heal the sick, cure incurables and even raise the dead
But now he is transfigured before them - Meta Morphosed
e.g. children’s programme presented by Tony Hart and a little character called Morph made out of Plasticine - who changes shape
Jesus Changes before their eyes – He is transformed
Matthew says His face shone like the sun.
Luke tells us His clothes were as bright as a flash of lightning
Q? So what were they seeing?
i) A Glimpse of Heaven - the exalted Christ John saw on Patmos vision when he needed reassurance for his own life and the Church as they faced persecution and times of trial and tribulations?
John says He saw Jesus face 1:16 "like the sun shining in all it’s brilliance"
Mark tells us here that they were so frightened (v6) No wonder
ii) In OT days GLORY described God dwelling among His people His Shekinah glory God Tabernacling –camping among them appearing under protection of a Cloud. Remember how "The cloud covered the tent of meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle so that Moses could not enter it. Exod 40:34 Again when Solomon built the Temple we’re told a cloud filled the Temple for the Glory of the Lord filled His temple. 1 Kngs 8:10
God’s awesome presence is His glory and human beings trembled before him
Now here on Hermon Jesus reveals the same glory to Peter James and John
iii) There are Parallels with Mount Sinai Exod 24:15 when Moses collected 10Cs
Went up the Mountain, Cloud covering it, a Delay of 6 days, God’s Voice spoke!
Now this same God who appeared to Moses is revealing himself to Peter James and John
John remembers this experience of Jesus glory when he wrote his gospel 1:14
"The Word- Jesus - became flesh and tabernacled among us. We’ve seen His glory, the glory of the one & only Son who came from the Father."
Peter wrote to fearful Christians 2 Pe 1:16 We were eye-witnesses of his majesty
We were there on the mountain - we saw it all – we heard it all!!
We saw the Glory of God! We saw the presence of God camping among us!
Not in a Tabernacle or a Temple but in a Man! The Human Flesh of Jesus Christ His Son!
"We’ve seen His glory" they said- not a borrowed glory but God’s very own Glory!!
Until then Jesus’ glory was hidden all they saw was His flesh and bones - a man! Now God lifts back the curtain a bit – let me show you who he really is!
If you like Jesus to be safe manageable and predictable Mark 9 is not for you!
but if like the disciples you’re puzzled wondering who Jesus is?
Worrying and apprehensive about what’s ahead – what’s to come in the future?
If you’re like them wondering about his talk of death- backing a loser?
Then imagine the sense of relief seeing Jesus’ glory! It’s incredible Wow! He’s awesome!
• Reassuring in days ahead as they see Jesus beaten, flogged scourged, whipped,
crucified, murdered – this was not a man defeated but God is at work in this terror! All that was happening to Jesus was part of His sovereign plan!
• Reassuring to know as they follow behind Jesus, as taking up the costly cross of
discipleship, facing opposition and mockery and in some cases death - they were not merely following a good man but the Lord of Glory!
• Reassuring for us to see the bigger picture about Jesus too
In teeth of suffering, in the grind of our daily life, in the mess of the world we live in,
It’s so easy for us to doubt that Jesus is who he says he is.
• Reassuring for us as we commit ourselves to Jesus, that we’re not merely trusting a man who might fail but we are looking to one who’s full of God’s glory!
This is the New Perspective on Jesus
You can trust your life to Him! His promises are sure and won’t be broken!
You can be sure He will keep the promise of forgiveness
There is a real bridge to God! Jesus Himself - God’s Son!
Meekness and Majesty, Manhood and Deity
In perfect harmony the man who is God
Oh what a mystery, meekness and majesty
Bow down and worship, This is our God!!
Jesus has shown these disciples his true glory –
but he also wants to show them another new perspective…
2. JESUS SHOWS US HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS‚
It must have been so hard for them to grasp that Jesus will soon go to Jerusalem to die
It can’t surely be right if He’s the Messiah- Messiahs don’t die!
They are triumphant kings – they are great Heroes not suffering victims!
But you see Jesus death is part and parcel of these events
Luke 9:31 Gives us a Clue to what Moses and Elijah were talking about with Jesus
“They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfilment at Jerusalem”.
Talking of his Departure – the Word used there is Exodus
Strange isn’t it for Jesus to be talking with Moses of all people about Exodus!
Q? So what’s it all about?
Exodus was about God bringing his people out of slavery
God leading them through the Red Sea on to a new and Promised Land
God setting Israel free from the past and bringing them to Himself as His people
Q? What had Jesus come to do?
Bring about a New Exodus - bring people like us out of slavery to sin and death
Releasing us from bondage to our past – Forgiving us! Redeeming us! Set us free! Bringing us to God– making us His People and Taking us to Heaven!
And that could only come about through his death on the Cross
As Jesus talks with these two giants of the OT - Messengers of Yahweh
Men who’d met God on the mountains of Sinai and Carmel
Men who’d seen God’s glory and were longing for this day of fulfilment
Moses had waited 1400 yrs for this and Elijah about 8-900yrs!
And now here they are together looking forward with Jesus to the Cross
Listen to their conversation with me – eavesdrop and I’m sure you’ll hear Moses talking of sacrifices blood and offering in the desert and all that stuff in Leviticus
And Jesus saying its all about me”! Those sacrifices were a temporary thing
Covering sin until I could come and offer myself as a once and for all sacrifice
for all men & women! for all sin! for all time – past present and future!
There’s a unity to God’s plan - there’s no debate or contradiction between OT & NT
On this mountain we have OT Saints M&E and we have NT Apostles PJ&J
We have the first and final authors of the Bible Moses and John
We have Elijah prophet, + Peter the Pentecost preacher and James the Martyr
But right at the heart of their conversation is Jesus death on the Cross FORGIVEN!
You might welcome Jesus as a good example – or a moral teacher or a prophet You might respect him but can you also welcome him as Saviour
Don’t take offence at the idea of Jesus dying on a cross for you – for your sin
Don’t be offended by the message that when he died he atoned for your sin
Because that is the truth that lies at the very heart of the Christian Gospel
If you are to get a new perspective on Christ you must see Him as saviour
That means coming to the Cross - Admitting your need for God’s forgiveness!
This Mountain is a reminder that the only way to Glory is through the cross
A reminder of what happened on another hill outside a city wall.. Jerusalem
Here on Hermon we see Jesus in glory but at Calvary we see him in shame
Here His clothes are shining but there they are torn away and gambled for
Here he is flanked by heroes of Moses & Elijah but there by criminals
Here he is bathed in light but there at Calvary there was only darkness
Here Peter plans to stay there but there He and the others run away denying him
Here he is declared God’s son v7 but there a pagan soldier declares in surprise and disbelief this really was God’s son
If you can get hold of this perspective on Jesus
If you can see the glory of God in the Cross and the Cross in the glory of God
Then you understand the gospel
You’ve seen what its all about – for there can be no good news without the Cross.
The Transfiguration gives us a new perspective on the Glory of God and on the Cross
But there’s one other perspective here – its tied up with Jesus identity - Who Jesus is!
When Peter said “you are the Messiah” he only had limited understanding
But here on the mountain he’s shown God’s glory and been introduced to the cross
But he also needs to be left in no doubt at all that this is God’s Son!!
3. JESUS SHOWS US HE IS THE SON OF GOD
God speaks from heaven in v7
Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"
In His letter Peter records the fact he had heard the voice of God the Father from heaven
This isn’t something made up this is the truth! Jesus is God’s Son!!
Earlier Peter had confessed Jesus to be the Messiah
And now God is confirming it This is my son listen to him
It seems to me God is also making it clear we shouldn’t be listening to anyone else
We all know how capable Peter was of getting things wrong
How he jumped in ethusiastically “Let’s build 3 shelters. Stay here keep it like this!”
God is telling him to listen to His Son take his direction from him - Jesus is unique
There were 3 Great figures there on the Mountain Jesus Moses and Elijah
But Jesus stood above the others they were prophets he was the Son of God
Moses and Elijah were great servants of God but only Jesus was the Son of God
They were wonderful heralds of the king but here is Jesus the King himself
They were men who Promised so much for God but here is the Fulfilment
They were first rays of spiritual dawn but here now is Jesus is the blinding Sun!
God speaks on this mountain not 10 commandments as he did on Sinai
but just one commandment “Listen to him” “Listen to Jesus” “Listen to my Son”
As John later wrote Jesus is the Word made flesh who for a time lived among us
This week we heard how a woman was charged with contempt in court as a member of the jury because she was listening to music on her Ipod instead of listening to the evidence of the witnesses in court.
God saying to us listen to what is being said Listen to my Son!!
Following Jesus today isn’t built on spectacular visions or mountaintop experiences even though God sometimes graciously gives them
If you are to follow Jesus you must listen carefully to the testimony of word of God
Listen to what John wrote later - I’m sure inspired by what he saw on Hermon
We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son.
Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart.
Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 1 John 5:9-10
Testimony from the cloud was “This is my son whom I love LISTEN to him
If you Refuse it then you call God a liar!! – its not me you argue with but God!!
This morning we have been given new perspectives on Jesus
i) We’ve been shown His Glory
For now we only catch glimpses of his true glory – we may not have the experiences that Peter James and John had but one day we will see it
But take the Reassurance this story gives us that one day as Christian believers we will see his glory in all its beauty!
ii) We will stand in heaven and will spend eternity in worship and praise
We’ve also been shown that the route to glory is by his death
It is through the cross that God opens the door for us to come to him and know him
Its through the cross we can discover God’s Forgiveness
Jesus is God’s definitive word what you build your life on? Listen to him
Or call God a liar!!!
