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Sermon for 14 February 2010 entitled The Transfiguration!

Good Morning! I pray that all of you have been able to weather this very cool weather with rain. And, With this weather that we are experiencing, God is still good providing everything that we need even before we ask of Him.

I would also like to wish everyone a very wonderful Valentines day. We have another powerful Text to examine this morning, but first, Our Old Testament reading which is found in Psalm 99:1-9. Psalm 99:1-9.

This particular Psalm is from the 4th Book of Psalms which is called the Numbers Book and deals with Israel and the Gentiles on earth and The Counsels of God revealing no hope for man on earth apart from God. This particular Book of Psalms records the walk of man in his earthly pilgrimage to a better world and a better life. Psalm 99:1-9...

1. The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubim; let the earth be moved. [be moved = be shaken]
2. The Lord is great in Zion; and he is high above all people.
3. Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy. [it = he]
4. The King’s strength also loveth judgment; thou doest establish equity, thou executes judgment and righteousness in Jacob.
5. Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.
6. Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.
7. He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies and the ordinance that he gave them.
8. Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: thou was a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.
9. Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.

What an awesome Psalm by King David. As you recall, before David was King over Israel, He would sing with his harp when Saul was King over Israel. I have often wondered what this Psalm would sound like being sung by King David himself. One day very soon, I know this, I will hear King David sing.

King David says…The Lord Reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubim; let the earth be moved. In other words, Let the earth be shaken. The Lord sitteth high above the earth and the earth is His footstool. The Third Heaven is in the sides of the north according to the Old Testament Prophet Isaiah.

Question: Who are Moses, Aaron, and Samuel whom King David mentions by name? The Answer given by many is They are the Children of Israel. Though this answer is correct, I like to give a more precise answer. The Answer is according to the Seed Covenant of Abraham, They are Jacob’s Seed multiplied as the dust of the earth.

Moses and Aaron, even Samuel the Prophet of God who anointed David to be King over Israel, called upon His Name. That is they called upon the Name of the Lord and He answered them because they obeyed the Commandments of God.

Please listen very carefully. When You are in obedience to the Lord’s Commandments, When you call upon the Name of the Lord, God will answer your call and God will never be late. He is always on time. And, When God answers your call, He will show you great and mighty things that thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:3.

The Title of my Message this Morning is The Transfiguration. The Transfiguration. Our New Testament reading is found in Luke 9: 28-36. Luke 9:28-36. If You have your Bibles with you this morning, Please follow along as the Text is read. Luke 9:28:36...

28. And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
29. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
30. And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elijah:
31. Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
32. But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
33. And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah: not knowing what he said.
34. While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.
35. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
36. And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.

Here ends the reading of God’s Holy Word and may God add His Blessing on this reading this Morning. Let us now take a moment for a word of prayer. Father in Heaven, Hollowed be thy Holy Name.

We gather today rejoicing in our hearts and are prepared to receive the powerful Truths that we hear today. Father, Help us today by anointing our hearts, our minds, and our ears to hear Your Holy Word this morning so that our Faith is strengthened. We pray in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

First of all, Let us get a little background information on our Text this morning. Jesus Christ is alone with His Disciples and Jesus asks them a very powerful question. Jesus asks…Whom do the people say that I am? Peter makes a profound statement.

Do you remember what Peter said? Peter said, from the Gospel of Matthew’s account…Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God. From The Gospel of Luke’s account, Peter said…The Christ of God.

And, Jesus forbade them to say anything to any man of what Peter said of Jesus Christ. Jesus began to tell them what was going to happen to Him. That He, Jesus, would suffer many things, be rejected of the elders, the chief priests and the scribes, and be slain, and then be raised the third day.

Jesus also spoke one more very important Truth to His 12 Disciples. Jesus said…But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Kingdom of God. This information brings us up to our Text this morning beginning in verse 28...

28. And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.

Do you see anything here? After about a week from our background information, Jesus takes Peter, John, and James up onto a mountain to pray. Now, The Bible shows us that Jesus loved the Mount of Olives because He spent a lot of time there teaching and in prayer, and sometimes, He would spend time in prayer to His Father all night long, but, our Text does not specifically say which mountain they were on.

The Bible also shows us that the Mount of Olives is a very powerful Mountain in Bible Prophecy. Jesus Christ sets His feet on this Mountain when He returns to this earth after the Tribulation period.

The Seed of Jacob multiplied as the dust of the earth in the Old Testament and the New Testament are gathered at the foot of this Mountain. Matthew 24:31. The Bible also shows us that Jesus Christ ascended up into Heaven from the Mount of Olives. This information is found in Acts Chapter 1.

Question: Who is Peter, John, and James? People will say That they are the Children of Israel. And, Their answer is correct. But, once again, I would like to give you a more precise answer. Peter, John, and James are the Seed of Jacob multiplied as the dust of the earth in the New Testament.

2nd Question: Who is Jesus Christ? People will say Jesus Christ is the only Begotten Son of God. Though their answer is correct, I would like to give you a more precise answer regarding our Text.

Jesus Christ is the Promised Seed of Abraham called in Isaac. God says this 3 times in Scripture. Genesis 21:12, Romans 9:7, and Hebrews 11:18. God also declares this to the Apostle Paul in Galatians 3:16. Powerful isn’t!

Therefore, Though the Bible does not specifically give the name of the Mountain that Jesus and 3 of His Disciples are on for prayer, The preponderance of the evidence points to the Mount of Olives as being the Mountain Jesus went to pray with 3 of His Disciples when a very powerful event took place.

29. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.

Do you see what happened here? Jesus began to pray and as He prayed to His Father, The Countenance of Jesus was physically altered. Why physically? Because Jesus Christ is the Word of God manifested in the flesh. John 1:14. This is why His Countenance was physically altered.

The Bible also says that His raiment was white and glistering. In other words, The Clothes that He was wearing began to glisten a very white color as perceived by the human eye. Continuing with our Text…

30. And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elijah:
31. Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

Do you see this powerful picture here? As Jesus prayed to His Father, Two men appeared in Glory and they spoke to Jesus concerning His death in Jerusalem. These two men are Moses and Elijah. What specific words were spoken? The Bible does not say.

However, There is some powerful information here. Do you see this information? Moses died back in the Old Testament. Matter of Fact, The Bible says that God buried Moses in the land of Moab and to this day no man has found his sepulcher. Deuteronomy 34:6. Yet, Moses is alive and standing with Elijah talking with Jesus Christ. This is Bible proof that There is life after death.

And, Elijah has not tasted death yet. Do you remember? God took Elijah to Heaven by a chariot of fire and horses of fire to accomplish God’s Mission for a later time in History. 2 Kings 2:11.

You see, Elijah is in Heaven right now as we speak and will return to this earth and oversee the rebuilding of the Tabernacle of David which will be rebuilt after the rapture of the Glorious Church of Jesus Christ. The Rebuilding of the Tabernacle of David will begin at the beginnin
g of the Tribulation period. Acts 15:16.

The Old Testament Prophet Elijah will bring back the Law of Moses which will be practiced during the Tribulation Period. The Law of Moses will be practiced by the Seed of Jacob multiplied as the dust of the earth under Old Testament Judaism. Daniel 9:27a, Malachi 4:6 and Leviticus 23: 14, 21, 31, and 41.

32. But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
33. And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah: not knowing what he said.

Do You see this powerful picture painted by the Holy Word of God? Peter, John, and James were heavy with sleep. In other words, There were very tired, so they slept. The conversation of Jesus points to an amount of time, though the Bible does not say specifically how long.

However, When someone is very tired, They can take a nap for about an half an hour and awake and be refreshed. This is a possibility in our Text this morning. Though, once again, The Bible is silent on specifically the length of time these 3 Disciples of Jesus slept.

But, When Peter, John, and James awake from their sleep, They saw the Glory of Jesus and the two men who stood with Him which were once again, Moses and Elijah. Now, Peter says something that is very powerful here. Listen to what Peter says…

Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah: The Bible says not knowing what he said. Do you see this very powerful picture? What is this picture?

Peter spoke by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This is how Peter knew Moses and Elijah. Also, The Transfiguration of Jesus standing with Moses and Elijah is a picture of things to come. Who and What is to come? The Father, The Son, and the Holy Ghost. Jesus Christ, Moses, and Elijah are truly 3 distinct persons.

These 3 men are in no way the very same person which is a powerful indication of what the Godhead truly is. 3 Distinct persons of the Godhead who are One God. Deuteronomy 6:4, Genesis 18:2, and 1 John 5:7.

Many people try to explain the Trinity Doctrine in the Bible. And, many times, They fall short with their explanation. The Best way I have found is to use a very simple element of a created substance.

What is this simple element? The answer is the molecule. What 3 components make up a molecule? Here are the answers: 1) The Electron, 2) The Proton, and 3) The Neutron. 3 Distinct components, One Molecule.

The Molecule is patterned after the Godhead in my honest opinion and is a reflection of the Creator of the Universe. A Reflection of Elohiym of Genesis 1:1. Now, To answer the question What is to come? The Kingdom of Heaven which will be ruled by Jesus Christ in Jerusalem, Israel for 1000 years.

34. While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.
35. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
36. And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.

After Moses and Elijah departed from speaking with Jesus Christ, There came a cloud that overshadowed Jesus and His 3 Disciples. This must have been some awesome cloud because the Bible says that Peter, John, and James feared as they entered into this cloud.

You see, Standing in the presence of the Almighty God is a very fearful experience as a human being. And, In this cloud, They heard a voice which said…This is my beloved Son: hear him. Afterward, Peter, John, and James saw Jesus standing alone.

Questions: Have you ever witnessed something that was so awesome and totally unexplainable? What did you do? Did you run to tell someone of what you saw? Or, Did you stop, think, and ask yourself this question. Who would believe me?

The Bible says that Peter, John, and James kept this experience close to them. In other words, They did not tell a soul of the things of what they saw? Can you just imagine? They saw something that was wonderful and powerful, Yet…

They could not tell anyone of the most awesome experience any human being could have had at this time. They were eye witnesses of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ which is a picture of Christ‘s Future Kingdom here on this earth. But, not only that, They also saw Moses and Elijah who appeared in Glory.

Another point to make here as to why Peter, John, and James did not say a word of what they saw is because the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ took place before the cross.

And, These 3 Disciples saw the Kingdom of God. Only 2 of them would be the first to die of the 12 after Judas Iscariot died. The One Disciple who would remain and write the Book of Revelation was the Disciple whose name was John. God kept John to write the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Afterward, The Apostle John died. He was the last Disciple of Jesus Christ to die.

Finally, We are now in the days of after the cross. We are in the days known as the Church Age or the Age of Grace. Anything and everything that Jesus Christ does for you, You can share with anyone who is willing to listen to your Testimony.

My final questions this morning…What you are sharing about Jesus Christ to other people? What do you tell others of what Jesus Christ has done for you? Are you sharing with other people who do not know Christ of His soon return? Something to think about. I say Blessed be the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us bow our heads for a word of prayer. Father in Heaven, You are so Awesome and Mighty. You have preserved your Holy Word so that we can study and learn more about you today and live our lives before you in righteousness and holiness.

Father, Thank you for your precious Holy Word. Help us to Live for Jesus Christ. Help us to share our Testimonies of what He has done for us. Help us Father, to be ever watchful for the soon return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In the Name of that is above all Names, The Name of Jesus Christ we pray, and everybody said Amen and Amen.

Please remember this. Jesus Christ died for you and paid your sin debt by being nailed to a cross. He was buried and on the third day rose up from the grave conquering death, hell, and the grave. When you place your faith and Trust in Jesus Christ, You are given Eternal life and when Jesus Christ returns, You will live with Him forever.

Dr. Michael Dickson, Th.D.

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