Let's uh let's turn to the Scriptures this morning in Matthew chapter 17. Matthew chapter 17, and we have the privilege this morning of looking at this great text of the transfiguration. I'm going to back up and read at verse 24 to set the context because, as we've been doing in Matthew, there's you'll notice that Matthew will give a verse that is somewhat shocking, and I've tended to stay away from those verses until the next sermon so you see the connection. That is particularly true this morning in verse 28. So I want you to notice verse 28, which I didn't address last time, and you'll see how that ties in well to what we're considering in the transfiguration in Matthew chapter 17. So our text will be verses 28 of 16 through 17, chapter 13. Let's give our attention this morning to the word of the Lord. Picking up at 24:
"Then Jesus told his disciples, if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each one according to what he's done Now our text: truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom And after six days, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, lord is it good that we are here? It is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah He was still speaking when behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, this is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, rise and have no fear And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, tell no one the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead And the disciples asked him, then why do the scribes say that Elijah that first elijah must come he answered elijah does come and he will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist."
There will end the reading of God's word.
If you have ever felt frustration of not understanding the Lord's ways, or the confusion of this life because of the challenge of this great truth from isaiah that "my ways are not your ways, nor are your thoughts my thoughts that is exactly the sort of scenario that we have here and the confusion that has followed in the life of the disciples if that's the case, it's a recipe. As you know, in this life, that constantly as we go through, we are confused about the Lord's ways, and at times we are discouraged about his ways and do not understand his ways. And his ways leave us in that state of, at times, maybe even depression.
You see how important um the last words of this were at verse um where is that that's at verse 6 i believe um yeah at the end of verse 5: "While he was still, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, this is my beloved son with whom I'm well pleased. Listen to him!" listen to him
There is the root cause of a lot of our problems in this life right there. There's the root cause of a lot of our problems in this life. We're just not listening to Jesus. And it's not that he's unclear. There was so much confusion in this section that was previous to the transfiguration, wasn't there? It was sort of a watershed moment in the Gospel, for Jesus was now making clear he's aimed for the cross. He's going to the cross. They had just confessed the Messiah as the Son of the living God, but it seems from that confession everything went south because they were not listening to him.
Put yourself in Peter's shoes for a moment. "I am going to die by the hands of our leaders. The Son of Man, the Messiah, will suffer and die." No way! See how he loved him? He loved Jesus. He wasn't trying to get in the way, and in the next breath, what does he hear? "Get behind me, Satan! You're a hindrance to me. You're a stumbling block to me." Talk about a confusing thing for Peter! What a valley of discouragement, right? For as we looked at, from the height of a confession and being praised by Jesus himself, to now being told "Get behind me, Satan." And he doesn't understand what's going on. He doesn't get it. He doesn't know that behind him, Satan has taken an opportune time. He doesn't see that whole reality. He doesn't see the deeper warfare that's happening. How do you get from that height go from that height in the next moment to "Get behind me, Satan"?
All you have at this point are discouraged disciples. And there are going to come many things like this in life for you these moments of real discouragement where you feel like giving up. What happened to Peter? Well, you remember, upon his denial, what happened? He said, "That's it, I'm done. I'm going back fishing. I'm going back to my old business. I quit! I quit!" And the Lord wouldn't let him. But that's a real struggle.
Well, now we have their eyes opened as something that was intended to be a gift for them. It was an answer from Jesus to all of what I just described about the confusion of this life and "my ways are not your ways." We don't understand his ways at times, and we have to listen carefully what he's saying. But because we don't listen carefully, we have difficulties and we have confusions and we have sufferings in this life. And then then you have the issue of Providence and who understands why things twist and turn the way that they do?
And here's where today we have a bright, shining moment in the Gospel. I want this to be for you what it was for them. I believe that's the intention of Matthew here. It wasn't just for them. This was intended for you. So we have a a very important moment in the Gospel of Matthew that Jesus answers for us all the sorrows of this life, all the difficulties of this life in a way that is meant to be great encouragement to you, that you would take what is here and you would hold on to this and you would believe this. You need this. I need this. Much of the discouragement that we go through in life is precisely because we don't have any perspective through it.
You can make it, though, when you don't understand in the moment why things are happening the way that they're happening. You can make it when you understand what the outcome will be. When you know what the final outcome of it will be. So it's quite a different thing to go through hardship with no understanding, but it's another thing to go through hardship when you have a clear testimony of the final outcome of it. And that's what this is. It's a preview of coming attractions.
Jesus at this point takes them up on a mountain. Luke says that Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep. They were heavy. They were depressed. What do you do when you're discouraged? Well, we know people want to sleep. That's what depression leads to. And that is later picked up in the Garden of Gethsemane when it's recorded, "They fell asleep because of sorrow." So this is what's happened. They are confused by Jesus. They are confused as to what is happening. They are not understanding. And maybe you know exactly what this is. Maybe you can identify with this very intimately.
What does Jesus do? Knowing very well what they're facing and knowing what is happening in the hearts and lives of his disciples, he does something surprising to encourage them. Remember what he just said? And it begins in verse 28. The encouragement. I say verse 28 is the beginning of the encouragement:
"Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here." Now notice this this statement: "There are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."
Now that has obviously been a very challenging verse over the years of interpretation. I think made way more challenging than it should be. With all that I've said to you, imagine the depressed disciples and listen to it: "I've got something to tell you," says Jesus. "I've got something to say." This is the sense of it: "In absolute certainty for you, some of you standing here are not going to know this sorrow until I give you another gift. You are going to see the kingdom of God come with power before you die."
Well, that's really important. "I'm going to show you the glory of what is to come." Now, what this is called is called prophetic foreshortening. What does that mean? It's capturing the entire state of his exaltation from his resurrection to his return to in glory in one single unit, one single capture of a statement. This is what authors would do: prophetic foreshortening. He's capturing the whole picture in one sweeping statement.
But this is why what now happens is so important. It's not disconnected from this statement: "You will see the future glory of my kingdom come in power." And now we get a glimpse of it. After six days this is a beautiful scene that now unfolds. He does something so meaningful for them that's what we read in verse one: that "After six days, he took some of them." Notice that he just said "some of you." He takes some of them. He takes Peter, James, and John. I have a theory as to why he takes Peter, well, James and John because later Mom comes up and says, "Are you gonna since they saw this thing are you gonna give them the best seats in the kingdom?" Well, I can't wait for that. We'll We'll get there. we'll get there Moms always want their sons to be the next greatest thing. But anyways, um, we read that he, as he takes them up on the mountain, "he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light." Mark even says that it had the consequence of making his clothes shine so absolutely white that, as the Gospel another gospel writer records so bright that like snow, that no launderer on earth could have ever made the clothes this white. Blinding were his clothes.
The disciples wake up to essentially Jesus on fire and not consumed. His whole appearance changes so that they saw in him the radiance and purity of his, for a moment, splendor and glory as much as they could handle, it of course, without being consumed. His human nature think about this his human nature appeared on fire in transcendent glory.
Now, remember the struggle: "Who do men say that I am?" "No, no, who do you say that I am?" Well, they just confessed it: "You are You are the christ you are the messiah the son of the living god do you remember in the Old testament old covenant when anyone saw a glimpse of the glory of God, what happened? isaiah remember "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the Seraphim, each having six wings, and with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said, holy, holy holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory
In Revelation, you have the same sort of scene of the risen Christ who is on fire, pure white. His hair, eyes like a flame of fire, feet like burning bronze. And as soon as John saw a glimpse of that, on the ground, face to the ground, thinking he's going to die. That's what Isaiah said: "I'm breaking up. I literally am breaking up in the presence of the Lord. A curse is on me in his presence."
None of that was seen in the days of his humiliation. He had no beauty. Isaiah says that we should desire him. Nobody ever looked at Jesus and said, "Wow, there's the Messiah." He, um, he didn't choose to look like the warrior he is. Everything about him was veiled. And this was the most extraordinary moment of pulling back the veil in the ministry of Jesus for his disciples.
When you looked at Jesus, he didn't look like anything. He was a Jewish man, and he didn't take an attractive body. Now, at this point, it's important to remember what the Bible says of him: "He is the radiance of the glory of God. He is the exact imprint of his nature. He upholds the universe by the word of his power. He is the image of the invisible God. He is the brightness of his glory." Paul would later say, "We see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
Now, imagine waking up to this. They're at the height of discouragement. They've not been listening. They've been unable to hear. And look at the compassion of our Lord as he gives them a gift right now. He gives them a great gift right now. And this gift was not just for them. This gift is for you. That's what I want. I want in all discouragement you to come back to the transfiguration and say, "I've never thought of it this way, but now this changes everything."
In the moment of their greatest discouragement, he pulls back the veil for them. And they get the preview of what's coming. They saw him in the glory for a moment that he had. just a glimpse. just a little glimpse I don't know how to communicate this, but the glory that he had with his Father before the world was. And this was probably the most terrifying experience for them in their life. Matthew says when they heard the voice from heaven, they all dropped in great fear.
Now, think of the, um, warning Jesus just gave in the previous section: "The Son of Man is coming with his angels in glory, and then he will render to each person according to what he's done in this life." That's scary stuff. We read right over that. "There's nothing hidden." Here's the moment captured. Here's the moment. And what does he say to them? They're terrified, and his words to them are, "Arise, have no fear. Have no fear! He is not against them." And that is really important for us, especially when we have failed him, which Peter had just done.
But Matthew is focused on the major encouragement given to the disciples the encouragement that was intended for them And now that they would understand a vision of who He is. So they had just confessed Him. They had just confessed who He is. And now He shows it to them for a minute.
Why is the transfiguration so important for us? Because He had just said, "I'm going to go die. I'm going to die by the hands of our chief priests." And in the next scene, what do they see? Resurrection glory. In other words, he just showed them the end of the story.
Matthew says that Jesus explained this in connection with the resurrection because then he said, "Tell no one that you have seen this until the Son of Man is risen from the dead." Then they would go proclaim this to the ends of the earth. We'll get there. They needed this, though. They needed this to strengthen their faith. That is so important: when you know the end of the story.
And as they're standing there, all of a sudden something happens. They look up, and they see these other figures with him. Elijah appears, and Moses appears in resurrected bodies. Now, this is again a preview. They're having a conversation, and they're not consumed.
"Behold, two men talked with him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his—" Luke spoke of his "decrease which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem." You know what the word for "decreases" It's "exodus." they Moses and Elijah and Christ began to talk about the exodus that's about to happen at Jerusalem. The exodus. His death, future glory, is is here in a moment. though captured The glory that comes in the resurrection.
Now you see why they were discouraged. It's, it's excite precisely because they hadn't accepted the life that Christ had just described or the life that he had for them: "I'm going to suffer." And then he said, "And if you're going to be a follower of me, you're going to suffer." And here is Moses and Elijah and Christ talking about transcendent glory. And what happens?
Peter kind of walks up, stands up. I don't know how it went. "Excuse me?" Excuse me? You wonder if all three of them stopped and looked at the moment. It must have been an awkward moment. You've just interrupted the conversation. He didn't know what to say: "Lord, is it? it's good that we're here isn't it I'll tell you what, let's make three tents for you one for moses and one for elijah
And one for you and maybe Peter was thinking, "Wow, Jesus just said we would see him in the glory coming with of his kingdom. Here it is. It's come. Let's make it happen right now." Well, Jesus, here in his kingdom glory, is being shown. I suppose I would have thought the same thing. I would have thought, "It's over. It's over. kingdom is going to be set up on earth."
And you see their confusion over Elijah. The section ends with everyone teaching remember believing that Elijah must come first, and Jesus says, "Elijah already came, and they killed him." And finally, they understood he was speaking of John the Baptist. Well, here they are. Elijah is raised. Moses is pictured as raised, talking with Christ. Let's get the kingdom started, them.
And at this moment, something happens that they never forgot. This changed their lives forever. This is just overwhelming truth. Peter is rambling, not knowing what to say. All of a sudden, a cloud shows up. It's the Shekinah glory the Spirit. We read throughout history about this: the Spirit of glory overshadows and envelops his people. All of a sudden, the cloud, from the cloud a voice comes with power. And they heard the voice of God the Father. As if he said, "Enough talking, Peter. This is my beloved son. Listen to him. I'm pleased with him. Listen to him."
Now, remember what he had said. If you go back to verse 21 of the previous chapter, "He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, must be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again." They wouldn't hear it. I'm telling you that without death there is no glory. And you too will suffer and then enter into my glory. "I'm going away to prepare a place for you. I will return that where I am, that you may be with me in glory."
But this is first. There is a day coming when we will see our God face to face. This is the encouragement of the vision today. This is his intention in the vision for you.
Listen, many of us hurt. Many of us struggle through the sufferings of this age. We really struggle with death. We are hurting because God's ways are confusing to us. And many of us have lost loved ones suddenly and surprisingly. And then we carry an appointed cross, and none of this seems easy. None of this seems like it goes very well. His ways are confusing to us. This is the whole story of our lives.
And here's the Father saying, "Listen carefully to my son. Listen."
Right now you walk through a veil of tears. Here it is. It's the valley of the shadow of death. This is not glory. And your life patterns my life, says Christ. Not to pay for sins, but you suffer. And we face death and affliction and woe and sorrow. "Through much tribulation, we enter this kingdom."
And you know how many forms that comes in? But there is a time coming, very soon, when we will be with him with resurrected bodies. And that is certain. That's what this is saying. That is certain. and You can't die anymore.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." You will finally put away the body of sin and death. You and your loved ones you will enter into glory, and there will be resurrection of the body from the dead, and you will see Jesus immediately. You will know him immediately. You will see him as you've always wanted to see him, and there will be no more confusion. There will be no more pain. There will be no more suffering. There will be no more sin.
You see, beloved, we need this vision just as much as they did. That's what's coming. That's what is. He gave them the power and strength to go on. But do you see how uplifting the transfiguration was meant to be for them? It's future certain glory.
Once Jesus had fulfilled his mission, and all of that power think about how that power preserved them and carried them as Peter spoke about. But then as we read first Peter, a Second peter one this morning. Here's the latter half of that chapter. Listen carefully to it:
"For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses to his majesty. For when we received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was born to him by the majestic glory this is my beloved son with whom I'm well pleased we ourselves heard this voice born from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. Now listen to this: You know, you have something more than this. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed to which, listen, you will do well to pay attention. I already get that you will do well to pay attention to the prophetic word that is more fully confirmed now than it was that day on the mountain as a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. You get it? we're We didn't just make up some fancy story here, right? We saw with our eyes the glory, and the Father spoke to us. And now we have the word confirmed."
So the pathway for you is: pay attention to that prophetic word. That is that voice. It is your lamp shining in the darkness until Jesus comes back in glory. That's what's keeping you. Don't you need that? You got to pay attention to that word, or you won't make it. That word is your light. That word is your life.
Hold that word through much hardship and tribulation if you're going to be stable in the Christian life. As we talked about, you got to give yourselves to listen carefully to the word, because the valleys only get deeper. The hardships only grow harder. The sufferings seem to only get worse. The confusions at times only seem to grow. And you don't understand why you're going through what you're going through. Get it? And yet the Lord says, "I've given you a light shining to you every week in the darkness."
That's why the apostles gave themselves to preach the Gospel. They heard in the Gospel the voice of Christ. And today the Father says to you, "This is my son. I am well pleased with him on your behalf. He did it all. And because I'm well pleased with him, I'm well pleased with you."
"Okay. I've said these things to you that you may have peace. In the world, you have tribulation, but take heart. I have what? Overcome the world."
This is a vision meant to encourage you today. This is the end of the story. You don't have to be in wonder about that. It's not like that's left in question. It is the end of the story. You see the end of the story. We're going to be with him in glory.
Some of you suffering in the pain of loss and death and affliction and hardship, remember this. It's just a little while. This is what Peter says. It's just a little while. And then we're with him. And then we're forever in a place where no more sin, sickness, darkness, death, hell, none of that.
This vision was meant to encourage you. So hold on to it. This is your future by faith. This is your future. That's how good he's been to us to show us this of the resurrection glory that awaits all those who love him.
Let's pray.
Heavenly Father, thank You for such a glorious text this morning. And we pray that the truth of it would strike our hearts and that we would have confidence in the valleys, that there is a great mountain that awaits us where we will forever gaze our resurrected eyes on the Savior, together with all the children of the Lord. Rejoice in that day of Your great work. Thank You for showing us the path of the cross as a way to glory. May we accept the crosses that we have to bear, recognizing that in them You are working in us a great and exceeding weight of eternal glory for Your praise, Your glory, and honor. Help us to hear and listen to the prophetic word that has been confirmed more fully in jesus name we pray. Amen.