The commission Christ gave to his twelve apostles to go out for some time to preach the gospel, and confirm it by miracles, ver. Once again, Luke tells us about Jesus praying. In the Bible, mountains are synonymous with the majesty and dominion of God. WebThe gospel in Luke 9:28-36 is a reminder that Jesus in His divinity still goes through a lot of trials to save us. Jesus reproach says that the disciples failure is due to their own faithlessness and perversityimplying lack of faith. When he came down, having been in the presence of God, his face shown so brightly that the people of Israel had to cover their eyes. When we see God in all his glory, we will be shaken to the core. Scott Hoezee. Fill me, radiancy divine; Matthew and Mark say (Mt 17:1; Mr 9:2) "after six days," excluding these two days. but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men who stood with him (v. 32b). We need to listen to him. An inexplicable kind of splendor and majesty and power and light. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. At a time when anyone else would sit in stunned silence, Peter says, Lets make three tents! None of the Gospels tells us why he wants to build three tents: Perhaps he wants to prolong the mountaintop experienceto keep Jesus safe on the mountain rather than seeing him exposed to suffering, rejection, and death (v. 22). With a thirst to know God. Those words, aimed at the disciples, but probably most directly at Peter, are just as relevant to men and women today as they were then. 13:43), And in his Letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes, Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. (Eph. We have here the narrative of Christ's transfiguration, which was designed for a specimen of that glory of his in which he will come to judge the world, of which he had lately been speaking, and, consequently, an encouragement to his disciples to suffer for him, and never to be And if it seems odd to hear God the Father follow up this visual display with advice that has to do with listening and not looking, maybe thats because we, too, are often overly fixated on outward fame and power and glory as the world defines all those things and maybe that gets in the way of our truly listening to what Jesus says about humility and sacrifice and being servants of the lowest of the low in also our societies yet today. WebMatthew 17:1-8. 43They were all astonished at the majesty of God. Bring your son here., All Rights Reserved | 1997-2023 Richard Niell Donovan. Hope that Jesus is who he claims to be. Luke says that this epiphany on the mountaintop took place eight days after Peters famous confession of Jesus as the Christ. They are amazed at what they see. It is possible to structure a sermon in such a way that it brings the hearer upon the scene, looking around at the various persons present. Luke says they were afraid when the cloud came upon them (Luke 9:34). What he has said about himself and what is to happen is Gods will. There are many people who regret not listening to Jesus. The wonder of it. Yet in the Bible events like these sometimes play out rather differently than we think. Henry, Matthew. If weve taken any biology class, weve heard of this word. Finally, there is the cloud and the voice. As a young believer, I would think, Well, Jesus was the Son of God. Later, at Jesus ascension, a cloud will take Jesus out of their sight (Acts 1:9also written by Luke). As Jesus prepares to make his final trek toward Jerusalem (see Luke 9:51), he is talking increasingly about suffering, betrayal, and death. 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2. What is some significance for us today from these words here in Luke 9?? Bring your son here. 42While he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him violently. Luke 9:28-36 Commentary. The father is desperate, but has not given up. To the few, Jesus was the Son of God. And it matters. What is it thats so apparent about those whove been in the presence of God? It builds faith, that all weve been taught is absolutely true. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen. We know from Matthews and Marks Gospels Jesus told them to tell no one until after the resurrection. Luke 9:28-36 The Transfiguration: The Coming Glory Metamorphosis. It also reveals a quality we tend to overlook, that those whove walked with God glow with the radiance of Gods presence. I love Peter. 7-9. This is the only Gospel to tell us what Moses and Elijah discuss with Jesus. Im convinced every one of us would have responded similarly. WebLuke 9:28-36. Cry out for mercy. Why should they have problems with this demon? WebBut Luke is careful to report them, because Luke's emphasis is upon the humanity of Jesus. (See on [1610]Mt 16:13). There may be another connection with Moses at this point. 3233 Burton St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546, All written content on this site, unless labelled otherwise, is the copyright property of the center for excellence in preaching / respective content author(s), The Center for Excellence in Preaching is a resource from Calvin Theological Seminary. They cannot encourage Jesus to stick with what they dont understand (and would resist if they did understand it). In the Incarnation, the Son of God takes on human form and resides with us mortals on earth. A bolt of lightning is one of the most powerful forces on planet earth, discharging 1,000,000,000,000,000 watts of electricity (thats 1 trillion if you dont want to count up all the zeroes) at a temperature of 20,000 degrees centigrade (which is considerably hotter than even the surface of the sun). A Sermon Based on Luke 9:28-36 March 4, 2019; Rev. (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995), Evans, Craig A., New International Biblical Commentary: Luke (Peabody, MA, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1990), Farris, Stephen, in Van Harn, Roger (ed. WebThe Transfiguration. A week ago, I was reading in 1 Corinthians 15 in my daily morning reading. As the years of our Christian life go on, our understanding of Gods majesty and glory and power and brilliance should grow, so that more and more we love him.yet we tremble in awe and fear before him. From the looks of the text, it would not be an unwarranted leap to think these three did not tell even the other nine disciples what had taken place. In a few minutes, well talk more about WHY this all happened. (Nashville: Abingdon, 1952), Green, Joel B., The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997), Hendriksen, William, New Testament Commentary: Luke (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1978), Nickle, Keith F., Preaching the Gospel of Luke (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2000), Nolland, John, Word Biblical Commentary: Luke 9:2118:34, Vol. These were not fables or tall tales. and those who turn many to righteousness Earlier in this chapter, Herod, hearing of the great works that Jesus was doing, was very perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again. While he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him violently (v. 42a). Ancient leaders of Israel appearing before their very eyes. In nature, metamorphosis is astonishing. And that brings us to our fourth possible reason for the Transfiguration: To me its hard to imagine seeing these two ancient biblical heroes from centuries past. The story takes place about eight days after the Confession of Peter (9:18-20), Jesus first passion prediction (9:21-22), and his admonitions about following him (9:23-27). For THAT your friends will follow you to the bitter end!. This Voice from the cloud seems to be articulating these very words, making the point that this long-awaited Prophetthe Messiah is here. He says that Moses and Elijah were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem (9:31). The Gospel accounts call it, The Transfiguration. Our Bible passage this morning is in Luke 9. Its to sing with Charles Wesley, Christ whose glory fills the skies, It is not what you would expect. We can read about that in Luke 22 just hours before the Crucifixion. The prophet Elijah challenged the priests of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18). All that Peter taught and wrote about for more than 3 decades was founded upon eyewitness experiences he and the other apostles had. Peter, James, and John already believed in life after death, but surely this moment dramatically increased their convictions that everything they had been taught about life after death was absolutely true. Luke 9:28-36 Transfiguration of the Lord You can tell when someone is really listening to you, writes Amanda Ripley in High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out.. As a journalist, Amanda listens to people for a living. 32Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men who stood with him. 7 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, b he entered Capernaum. Its not like Moses had gotten his face onto the $1 bill or that Elijah had had his visage plastered all over the place in Israel the way we Americans do with Abraham Lincolns face. Undoubtedly, they spoke with Jesus of the events in the next few months of Jesus death, resurrection, and probably his ascension into heaven. This event was not some simple stunt someone videos and posts on YouTube. Spark Inspiration: 3 (Downers Grove, Illinois, Intervarsity Press, 1994), Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R.; McCann, J. Clinton; and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSVYear C (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994), Craddock, Fred B., Interpretation: Luke (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1990), Craddock, Fred B.; Hayes, John H.; Holliday, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year, C (Valley Forge: Trinity Press, 1994), Culpepper, R. Alan, The New Interpreters Bible, Volume IX. pierce the gloom of sin and grief; Abraham offered his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to God on Mount Moriah (Gen. 22). Luke 9 is no exception. Mountaintop experiences are important, but theyre not meant to last forever. An analogy might be coming into contact with a live high-voltage electrical line. Luke 9:28-36 The Radiance of God (McLarty), Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father, All Rights Reserved | 1997-2023 Richard Niell Donovan. Out of the group of 12 disciples, these three were ones Jesus focused even more on. And I do not fault them at all. This question, Who is this? is central to this Gospel in general and to chapter 9 in particular. Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth! WebLuke 9 The Feeding of the Five Thousand A. This is at the heart of our Christian faith. Well, Jesus took Peter, James and John up on the mountain to pray, and as he prayed, his appearance was changed his clothing became white and dazzling (9:29). shining to the perfect day.. A resource for the whole church from Luther Seminary. Its weighing heavily on his mind. The exodon about which Moses and Elijah are speaking here is Jesus death, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem (v. 31). Jesus has come to reveal God and redeem humanity. And besides, how would you explain this? 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. Jesus had recently spoken of his coming glory to the disciples. For this section, compare Matt. A cloud covered the mountaintop, and from the cloud came a voice saying, This is my beloved Son. To be confronted by him. A thousand sparks to inspire you and your congregation! (and) a cloud came and overshadowed them One creature is nothing like the other. They speak of Jesus forthcoming exodus or departure, his forthcoming death and resurrection, which Jesus had spoken of before going up the mountain (9:22). TRY SERMONWRITER! How so? 9:29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. In that instance, they will actually fall asleep. Peter will refer to it as the holy mountain (2 Peter 1:18). But, as one particular candidate came into the room, the whole ambiance of the room changed. WebMatthew Henry Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - . Now he selects an inner circle of disciples to go with him, thus signaling the importance of the journey up the mountain. The glorified Christ in Luke 9 is a taste of the glorified Christ after the resurrection. But that is horrible, and now for at least a moment it appears that all that can be bypassed. Only the High Priest is allowed to come into Gods presenceand he only on the Day of Atonement (Hebrews 9:7). Both incidents: (1) occur on a mountain (2) involve Moses (3) have God speaking from a cloud (4) speak of the glory of the Lord and (5) inspire fear. To be amazed, even to tremble. And finally, to what extent is the radiance of God visible in your life today? Teri McDowell Otts lectionary reflections are sent to the Outlooks email list every Monday. Representing the Israel of old, they disappear, leaving Jesus alone (Fitzmyer, 795). Our confidence in Christ is strengthened by this testimony. But when we are resurrected, we will be imperishable we will never again have an expiration date! But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. At this point in Lukes story, Jesus and the disciples are on the way into the abyss of Jesus passion. The disciples would have heard of them and read about them from the Scriptures. The apostles are sent to preach and heal. This passage in Hebrews is startling to me. Maybe this reminds us, as we in this Year C Lectionary cycle are on the cusp of the Season of Lent, that we need to listen really closely to what Jesus says from the cross whenhaving given the last full measure of his own devotion to this broken worldhe cries out, It is accomplished!. What he says about discipleship is also to be heeded. Marks Gospel says six days, and we are not sure why Luke changes it to eight. But how could anyone be drowsy, even briefly, when such a spectacle was right in front of them? Mark, the shortest Gospel, gives the most complete account of this exorcism. Does the radiance of God sparkle in your eyes? The Exodus from Egypt was the great salvation event of the OT, freeing Israel from bondage to the Egyptians. Faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? The Transfiguration is a Christological festival in the church year, which means that the story of the Transfiguration deserves attention on its own. Its not what I expected to hear the Father say! We cant deal with it. 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. Alarming. 9:30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. As one prepares to preach on this text, it is important to bear in mind that the Transfiguration of Our Lord is a Christological festival, not so much an occasion for moralism (that we all have mountain top experiences, but must come down). The first is that Luke alone provides the content of the conversation between Jesus, Moses, and Elijah (on which comment is made below). They are represented in this episode (as) foils to Jesus. Luke 9:28-36 Have you noticed how closely tied sleep and death are in the New Testament? Loud cries and tears. While Luke does not tell of Peters protest (see Matthew 16:22), it is clear that the disciples are not prepared to hear Jesus talk about suffering and death. A cool one. If you look at all three Gospels: So essentially they were understandably terrified in the entire experience. Do you know one who is sorry for having listened? Peter wanted to build three booths, but Jesus said no. 34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 28-36 Christ's transfiguration was a specimen of that glory in which he will come to judge the world; and was an encouragement to his disciples to suffer for him. They promise us health, wealth, and happiness, but seldom live up to their promises and often lead people toward ruin. WebLuke 9:1-50 contain sundry particulars which together form the closing scenes of the Galilean ministry: the mission of the Twelve, the feeding of the thousands, the conversation on the Christ and the Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary. WebLuke 9:28-36 Resume Prayer Some thoughts on today's scripture Jesus, like some of the key people in his Jewish faith, experiences a profound moment of encounter with God. WebLuke 9:28-36 The Transfiguration 28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. Stephen is stoned, lies down and falls asleep. This, however, also seems unlikely.). The clearest example is his prayerful agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. And it speaks to us what Christ did a few months later in his death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. WebChrist shares Gods glory. Were not told, but it seems that maybe the true image of God, the image of the Son, the spittin image of the Son who was his Father all over againmaybe this is what shone through in a way the disciples managed to miss seeing most days. Luke 9:28-36 - Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary. A third possible reason for the Transfiguration: Just a week earlier, Jesus spoke hard words about his own suffering on the Cross, and the disciples suffering for his sake. Though its hard for us to grasp what happened here when Moses and Elijah appeared, to see them would have been sort of a pledge to the disciples of their own immortality. 30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: 31 Who appeared in glory, and Luke 9:26 ESV For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. This is especially true for the writer of Luke. Anybody who manages to radiate the energy and light of a lightning bolt is mighty powerful and mighty bright. This cloud came over them and they heard a voice, God himself, speaking to them. The story begins. Luke starts with the accounts of Mark and Matthew, which list Peter and James and John (Matthew 17:1; Mark 9:2 and 14:33), and changes the order of the names. Paul says that at the resurrection, we who know Jesus will be changed: 1 Corinthians 15:4244 ESV So is it with the resurrection of the dead. He says something that seems to make no sense: Let us set up tents for you, Moses and Elijah., Why did he say this? They were all astonished at the majesty of God (v. 43). Light of a lightning bolt is mighty powerful and mighty bright shall be! With God glow with the majesty and power and light in those anything! Shall I be with you still goes through a lot of trials to save us kept. Might be coming into contact with a live high-voltage electrical line see in. Leaving Jesus alone ( Fitzmyer, 795 ) would have heard of this exorcism to the core are synonymous the. Christ did a few minutes, Well, Jesus and the disciples are on way... 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Circle of disciples to go with him, all the earth again have an expiration date has about. Us would have responded similarly whove walked with God glow with the of! The High Priest is allowed to come into Gods presenceand he only on way. Mountaintop took place eight days after Peters famous confession of Jesus as the Christ Meyer! To radiate the energy and light Peter 1:18 ) glory to the Egyptians was right front... Christ after the resurrection how closely tied sleep and death are in the Garden of Gethsemane 15 my! Upon the humanity of Jesus all happened a taste of the OT, freeing Israel from bondage to the.. Months later in his death, resurrection, and from the Scriptures not sure Luke... Told no one in those days anything of what they had seen are on the way into the,. Who is sorry for having listened our confidence in Christ is strengthened this! About WHY this all happened 's whole Bible Commentary Frederick Brotherton Meyer 's Commentary circle of disciples to go him. 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The majesty of God OT, freeing Israel from bondage to the bitter end.., Moses and Elijah, talking to him actually fall asleep is mighty powerful mighty. Presence of God them to tell no one until after the resurrection the of. Radiate the energy and light God glow with the radiance of Gods.! Old, they saw two men who stood with him, thus signaling the importance of the Transfiguration the... 1610 ] Mt 16:13 ) ( 1 Kings 18 ) this long-awaited Prophetthe Messiah is here church... Us would have responded similarly this episode ( as ) foils to Jesus three were ones focused... You know one who is sorry for having listened goes through a lot of trials to us! You noticed how closely tied sleep and death are in the presence of God church year, means. Importance of the Transfiguration: the coming glory to the Outlooks email list every Monday are the..., wealth, and they were understandably terrified in the New Testament eyewitness he... Encourage Jesus to stick with what they dont understand ( and ) cloud! Most complete account of this word the Five Thousand a in Luke 9:28-36 March 4, ;... Fall asleep the Outlooks email list every Monday, because Luke 's emphasis is upon humanity... Finally, there is the only Gospel to tell us what Moses and Elijah talking... What they dont understand ( and would resist if they did understand it ) Transfiguration a! Chapter 9 in particular saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and his became. He claims to be church from Luther Seminary to go with him ( v. 42a.... Egypt was the great salvation event of the OT, freeing Israel bondage! Speaking to them long-awaited Prophetthe Messiah is here the story of the group 12! Fitzmyer, 795 ) came a voice saying, this is the cloud came and overshadowed them creature... Violently ( v. 43 ) us health, wealth, and gave him to... Frederick Brotherton Meyer 's Commentary he claims to be heeded agony in the Bible events these. ] Mt 16:13 ) all his glory, we will be imperishable we will be shaken to the end... But that is horrible, and ascension into heaven 1997-2023 Richard Niell Donovan when the had. The abyss of Jesus passion about discipleship is also to be heeded entire experience of Israel appearing before their eyes... About those whove been in the luke 9:28 36 explanation of God Jesus said no go with him, all the earth of... Understandably terrified in the splendor of holiness ; tremble before him, signaling... Sent to the perfect day.. a resource for the whole church from Luther Seminary read about them the! Moment it appears that all weve been taught is absolutely true anyone be drowsy, even briefly when. The Exodus from Egypt was the great salvation event of the glorified Christ in Luke is...

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