“And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, 'Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.' For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, 'This is my beloved Son; listen to him.' And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only."

"And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. And they asked him, 'Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?' And he said to them, 'Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.'”  Mark 9:2-13

The most important aspect in the life of a disciple is to see the reality of Jesus in a comprehensive and clear fashion by the power of the Holy Spirit under the authority of the Word of God.

1. Moses and Elijah speak (representing the law and the prophets) (v. 4)

“And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.”  Luke 9:30-31

2. The Father speaks: “listen to him” (v. 7) 

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”  Hebrews 1:1-4

Resolved: to listen to everything through the strong and abiding reality of who Jesus is and what he has said.

3. Peter speaks/blunders/missteps/gaffes (vv. 5-6)

4. Jesus exhorts/counsels (vv. 9-10)

“We believe that the gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ—God’s very wisdom. Utter folly to the world, even though it is the power of God to those who are being saved, this good news is christological, centering on the cross and resurrection: the gospel is not proclaimed if Christ is not proclaimed, and the authentic Christ has not been proclaimed if his death and resurrection are not central (the message is: 'Christ died for our sins . . . [and] was raised'). This good news is biblical (his death and resurrection are according to the Scriptures), theological and salvific (Christ died for our sins, to reconcile us to God), historical (if the saving events did not happen, our faith is worthless, we are still in our sins, and we are to be pitied more than all others), apostolic (the message was entrusted to and transmitted by the apostles, who were witnesses of these saving events), and intensely personal (where it is received, believed, and held firmly, individual persons are saved).”  TGC Confessional Statement, Article 6, The Gospel

APPLICATION:

1. We must understand the glory, uniqueness, and wonder of the gospel and continuously make application of that to our lives.

2. The resolve: to hear and understand the reality found only in Christ.

“Listening means a lot more than casually turning in for a moment or two before we switch off again. It means really listening, intense listening, listening which hurts. It means attentive straining after what is said, giving ourselves wholly to the task of attention to Jesus. Why? Because he is God’s Word, he is what God says to us.”  John Webster, Grace Meditations of a Theologian, p96

3. Christ is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets.

“All Scripture is a testimony of Christ, who is himself the focus of divine revelation.”  Baptist Faith and Message, Article 1

*When is your time to listen/hear the voice of the Triune God in the reading of and meditating on Scripture?