Beloved congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ, please turn with me to the New Testament, to the book of Luke, chapter 9. This evening we will be looking at the Gospel of Luke, chapter 9, verses 28 to 36. Here we read Luke's account of the transfiguration. Please hear the reading of God's holy, inspired, and infallible word. About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John, and James with him, and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy. And when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. And as the men were leaving, Jesus, Peter said to him, Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. He did not know what he was saying. While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud saying, This is my son, whom I have chosen. Listen to him. When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and told no one at the time what they had seen. Thus far, the reading of God's holy and inspired word. Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ, when we go to the movie theater, We look forward to watch a film that we have been waiting to see. And as we sit in our seats, waiting for the film to begin, we first have to watch several previews of other movies that will be released in the next few months. These previews shows us scenes from movies that will come out in the future. In other words, previews give us a glimpse of what is coming in the future. This evening, as we will see, that the transfiguration of Christ gives us a preview of what will happen to Jesus on Good Friday, as well as a preview of the glorified body of Christ on Easter Sunday. Transfiguration refers to how the body of Christ will be transformed from looking ordinary to extraordinary. The word itself is the same word where we get the word metamorphosis. Jesus' body will undergo a metamorphosis, a change, a radical change. These apostles were privileged not only to see the preview of the future, of what will happen to Jesus. But they were also privileged to see Moses and Elijah, who were two great Old Testament saints of the past. So thus, we see that the transfiguration helps us to look to the past, to look to the present, as well as look to the future. All of this will be a confirmation that Jesus is the Christ. So thus, this passage will give us a preview of what will happen to Jesus on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. And as we consider the meaning of the transfiguration, we will also see the applications of this event for both Christians and non-Christians. Thus, we begin looking to the past, looking to the past. On the Mount of Transfiguration, we see two Old Testament saints, Moses and Elijah. And of all the saints that could have been chosen to be at this particular moment with Jesus, of all of the saints that you know in the Old Testament, why were they chosen to be here at this specific time? Moses and Elijah were chosen because they were both closely associated with prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah. During their lifetime, God appeared to Moses and Elijah on a mountain. And now God meets them again at the Mount of Transfiguration. We see this in the life of Moses. When Moses encountered God in the Mount Sinai, as we read about in Exodus 24. Here, where we read, as well as other places in Exodus. What happened at Mount Sinai? He was receiving the Ten Commandments, the law of God. And now we see that once again, Moses finds himself on a mountain in the presence of God. And as he finds himself on this mountain, rather than receiving the Ten Commandments, rather than receiving the law of God, he now sees Jesus, who came to fulfill the law. Moses, the law giver, sees Jesus, the law fulfiller. He is the one that came to fulfill the law on our behalf. And we also see there is a prophecy associated with Moses. In Deuteronomy 18, verse 18, Moses spoke of a prophet who would come after him. And we are to listen to him. And those who do not listen to the prophet that would come after Moses, they will be judged by God. And as we note this account of the transfiguration, what is it that our Heavenly Father is telling those that are present there at the transfiguration of His Son? Listen to him. Listen to him. The same words are echoed. And they echo us back to that prophecy that Moses uttered back in Deuteronomy 18.18. Here is the one who is the great prophet. And Moses is privileged enough to witness and to look upon Christ's glory. And now when we look to Elijah. Elijah is also associated with the coming of the Messiah. God also appeared to Elijah on Mount Horeb in 1 Kings 19. And now Mount Horeb, Elijah was commanded by God to anoint certain kings. And now, Elijah once again finds himself on a mountain. But this time, this time, he is not commanded to anoint anyone, but rather he is looking upon Jesus, who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the chosen one, the Messiah. This is the one that all of Israel has been waiting for. And Elijah's presence also indicates the great day of the Lord has arrived. In fact, people were wondering at the time of Jesus whether or not Jesus himself was Elijah. This gives us an indication that the presence of Elijah was closely associated with the coming of the Messiah. And in Malachi 4, verse 5, we read the prophecy closely associated with Elijah. We read the following words, Behold, I will send you Elijah, the prophet, before the great and awesome day of the Lord. Elijah has come. He has come in the form of John the Baptist, who came to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. And now that great and awesome day of the Lord has come. Who is the Lord? No other than the Lord Jesus Christ himself. So as we look at the meaning and the significance of the presence of Moses and the presence of Elijah, we see how God the Father is honoring Christ before these great Old Testament prophets. And it's clear, it is clear, who is the greatest of all those that are gathered. Jesus is greater than Elijah, than Moses, Peter, James, and John. He is the one who is our prophet, priest, and king. And Moses and Elijah are privileged enough to witness that the prophecies that they uttered in their lifetime are now coming into fulfillment. And one greater than them is here. Now let us turn to looking to the present. As we look to the meaning, What meaning did this have for the apostles? What meaning did it have? What is going on at this moment in Luke 9? What is going on in the mind and the understanding of the apostles? Where are they in their understanding of who Jesus is? In the first nine chapters of Luke, we read about the early life of Jesus, his public ministry in Galilee. Jesus is performing miracles and teaching his disciples. And the crowds are gathering around him. And as Jesus is ministering to all of those around him, both the disciples and those crowds have a question. There is a lingering question. Who are you, Jesus? Who are you? What does it mean that you can heal the sick? What does it mean that you can exercise demons, make the blind to see, make the lame to walk, and teach with such authority? What does all of this mean? Who are you? Everyone, if you were to ask, had a different answer to these questions. And finally, Jesus himself poses that question to the disciples. Who do the crowds say that I am? Who do you say that I am? And finally, we reach a climax here, a turning point, a major breakthrough, if you will. In Luke 9, verse 20, where Peter gives the correct answer. You are the Christ. Peter's confession is a major turning point in the gospel accounts. It is the pivot. This is a major step forward for Peter and the rest of the apostles in their understanding of who Jesus is. Because as we read at the beginning of Luke's Gospel, that question of who Jesus is is a lingering question, trying to make sense of it all. And finally we arrive at Luke 9 to Peter's confession. You are the Christ. And eight days later, After this confession, Peter, James, and John are at the Mount of Transfiguration. When we see, when they are the ones that see Jesus' body being transformed, they see Moses and they see Elijah. They hear the voice of our Heavenly Father saying, this is my Son, my Chosen One, listen to Him. Peter gets confirmation from our Heavenly Father that his confession of Christ was correct. This Jesus, who he had been traveling with, who he had been ministering with, who he had been partaking meals with, this Jesus that had been at his side was none other than the Son of God. And as we see as well, in the way that His Heavenly Father addresses Jesus. The title, Chosen One. Chosen One. This has messianic overtones, as well as this cloud representing the presence of God. So now we see that Peter and the apostles are now growing in their understanding of who Jesus is. But although Peter answered correctly, they still have miles and miles to go until they have a fuller understanding of who Christ is and the nature of his Messiahship. Now we turn to our next point, looking to the future. The transfiguration also points us to the future. Moses and Elijah, as they are talking with Jesus, speak about his departure. And if we were to look at this more closely, a better word would be they were talking to Jesus about his exodus. Exodus. And when we hear that term exodus, it is a word that has a lot of rich meaning. Our minds hearken back to the great day when our God delivered his people of Israel from the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, from the land of slavery, delivered them from that place on their way to the promised land. And now Jesus himself is describing his departure, his work as an exodus. In the case of Moses, they freed them from slavery. Now in the case of Jesus, he is ushering in a different kind of exodus. He is also delivering them from slavery. He is delivering them from all of their sins and miseries where they now will have the freedom. They will be free to worship God, their creator. And they will be free to live lives of gratitude. And they will be free from the tyranny of the devil. Yes, Jesus came to do his work of redemption, to purchase a different kind of freedom. And this is a freedom. And this is the purpose of why he came. So as Jesus is talking with Moses and Elijah about his exodus, Jesus is referring, of course, to his journey to Jerusalem. In the Gospel of Luke, in chapter 9, most of the events taking place are happening in Galilee. But now there is a shift in focus. Now they are on their journey to Jerusalem. Their journey to Jerusalem where Jesus will accomplish his work of redemption. And on Good Friday, that is when Jesus will set his people free from the bondage and the slavery of sin. And as they are taking all of the sin, they are growing in their understanding of the nature and the work of Christ. at what it means for him to be Messiah. And after this conversation with Moses and Elijah is ended, Peter, James, and John wake up from their sleep and they see Jesus in his glory. His appearance has radically changed. His faith and his clothing became white, dazzling white. His appearance had been transformed. His body underwent a transfiguration. This was a preview. What they saw was a preview of Christ's resurrected body. For we know that something extraordinary happened. In just a few moments prior to the transfiguration, Jesus looked like any ordinary man. He looked like an ordinary man. And how do we know this? We read the description of our Lord in Isaiah 53, verse 2. How Jesus had no form or majesty that we should look at him. No beauty that we should desire him. And now, from that appearance that Jesus had just moments ago, a radical change has taken place. And now they see Christ in all of his glory. And before the transfiguration, as well as on their way to Jerusalem, Jesus is explaining to his disciples what will happen to him in the future. The apostles are given a preview of what will be happening to Christ in Jerusalem. In Luke 9, 22, as well as Luke 18, 31, he tells his disciples that the Son of Man must suffer many things, be rejected by the elders and the chief high priests, and rise on the third day. So what they witness should not be a surprise to them for Jesus was telling them just prior to the transfiguration and on their way to Jerusalem. He is helping them to understand that since he is the Christ, he must suffer so that his people can be free. Now, what application does the transfiguration have for us as Christians, as well as those who might be here tonight who have still not professed faith in Christ? Beloved, for those here who are unbelievers, for those here who may be struggling with questions and have not professed their faith in Christ, The question that you are struggling with. Who is Jesus? What am I to believe? This is the same question that the disciples are struggling with. Trying to make sense of what is going on. Of Jesus and his ministry. Who is Jesus? He is the Christ. He is God's son and we are to listen to him. We are to listen to him. And what was his message? Repent of your sins and believe in Christ. In John 14, 6, we read that he is the way, the truth, and the life. And no one can come to the Father except through him. And by the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit and by God working in you, you too will have faith in Christ. And for us as believers, how is this portion of Scripture edifying to us? How does this apply to us? What does it mean for us as believers who have already made our profession of faith in Christ? We see as well that our Christian journey is like Christ's in a way. It is one marked by suffering, trials and tribulations. Until the day that we die. And as we suffer, we should not lose heart because God is empowering us by the power of His Holy Spirit. And our lives are like Christ because our journey as well is one from suffering to glory. We are all going through various trials at this moment of various kinds. Perhaps some of us are encountering physical difficulties. some of us financial difficulties, academic, vocational, spiritual. But beloved, you are not alone. You are never alone, for nothing can separate you from the love of Christ. And He has given us the gift of His Holy Spirit to guide and sustain us throughout all of our pilgrimage. And until that great day comes, He gives us the strength to press on. He is the one who will cause His saints to persevere in the faith. In Romans 8, 18, we read how our present suffering will not compare to the glory that we will see. There are times when we are overcome with misery, overcome with suffering, overcome with all of the trials that we are currently in. But just like Moses and Elijah, Peter, James and John, there will come a day when we will look upon the glory of Christ. And when we see the glory of Christ, our sufferings will not compare to that glory that we will see. And we also read about a great promise in Romans 8.30 that those whom God has predestined, he also called and those who he called he also justified and those who he justified he also glorified we too we will not only look upon the glory of Christ but we too will have glorified bodies just as Christ does we are his workmanship beloved he who started a work in us will continue until that work is finished we like Moses, Elijah, Peter, James and John will see Christ one day in all of his glory and we too will be glorified what a great day that will be let us be comforted in the fact that beloved though we go through suffering now this journey of faith that we are making we know its final destination our destination just like Christ will end in glory. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for your word and for your salvation. We thank you that you sent your Son to die on the cross for our sins on Good Friday. and be the first fruit of the dead on Easter Sunday. Father, if there is anyone here who does not have faith in your Son, we pray that you would give them the gift of faith in Christ. May you work powerfully in the lives of all of those whom we know that are unbelievers. Heavenly Father, may you also grant us strength. Grant strength to your saints who are running the race of faith. Give us the grace to persevere until the end by the power of your Holy Spirit. We pray that Jesus would return soon and we look forward to the day when we will see Christ in all of his glory and receive resurrected bodies. In your Son's name we pray. Amen.