Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign
[00:00:04] Speaker B: welcome to Hope for Today, a weekly Bible teaching program that will bring you hope for every day.
It is good to be with you again. As we study the Bible, we are continuing our, uh, journey through Mark story by story.
It is incredible to me how much there is when we take the time to dig into each passage. This is a testament to the incredible life and power in the Bible.
Today we are taking a closer look at the transfiguration. As J. Mark reads this passage. Enter in. Imagine being there, seeing the very things the disciples are seeing.
Imagine white clothes, which are so white you can't describe it.
Mark seems to be struggling to find words strong enough to describe the whiteness.
Then a voice comes from heaven. How was that voice? Did it shake everything?
Was it clear, calm, and authoritative?
The transfiguration shows us a piece of heaven. God help us see, hear, and allow that reality to, to shape us.
Turn to mark 9 and enter into this amazing story as J. Mark shares with us.
[00:01:24] Speaker A: Imagine with me a, uh, room containing a large portrait. It's covered in black cloth. It's standing at the front of the room, and there's a crowd of important people standing around. Their eyes are all fixed on the platform. They're waiting for a particular moment.
And so after there's a brief speech by the master of ceremonies, the cloth is removed from the portrait and it reveals the painting to the public for the first time.
The subject of the portrait, usually a politician or some other famous person, then has an opportunity to speak to the attendees. And that adds a personal touch to the unveiling of the painting.
This personal touch, this connection, is what we will experience as we look into the unveiling of Christ.
Unveilings are more than just a modern tradition. They have a deep rooted significance in the Scriptures.
Remember, God unveiled his glory to Moses on Mount Sinai and to Elijah on Mount Horeb.
Jacob experienced an unveiling when he discovered that the wife he thought was Rachel was in fact her sister Leah.
However, the most dramatic biblical unveiling was the tearing of the temple veil when Jesus died. It was a moment that changed the course of history.
Our text for today is Mark, chapter nine and verses one through eight. It records a scene that I've titled the Unveiled Christ.
Because in this moment, the curtain of mystery is briefly pulled aside and it reveals Jesus in all his glory.
And this transformative unveiling left a, uh, permanent mark on his disciples. And even today, it should continue to inspire us.
I invite you to follow along as I read the Holy Scripture. Mark chapter nine. Beginning with verse one.
And he said to them, assuredly I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.
Now, after six days, Jesus took Peter, James and John and led them up on a high mountain, apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them.
His clothes became shining exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.
And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.
Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, rabbi, it is good for us to be here. And let us make three tabernacles, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.
And a cloud came and overshadowed them. And a voice came out of the cloud saying, this is my beloved Son, hear him.
And then suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one any more, but only Jesus with themselves.
This text shows us several details related to this unveiling of Christ.
Observe them with me, because each detail contributes to our understanding of this very important event.
The first detail is his announcement.
In the final verses of Mark 8 we read when he had called the people to Himself with his disciples also he said to them, whoever desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake and the Gospel's will save it.
For what will it profit a man if he gains the world and loses his own soul?
Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.
First of all, I want you to notice that Jesus is speaking to the people with his disciples.
So this is not just the 12. And the wording of verse 38 clarifies that Jesus is talking about his second coming. When he comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels, it will be to establish his eternal rule over all the kingdoms of this world.
And then in verse one of our text, Jesus introduces a different idea. And he said to them, assuredly I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God having come with power.
The event Jesus speaks about in verse one must be different from the event in chapter eight and verse 38.
He is informing the people about one of two things.
The transfiguration that's just a few days later, or Pentecost that was about eight months later. And perhaps he's referring to both.
We also have to keep in mind the larger context. Peter's confession of Jesus as the Christ in chapter 8 and verse 29 is kind of like the hinge in Mark's Gospel.
Everything before that confession leads up to it, and everything afterwards flows out of it.
Peter's confession of Jesus as the Messiah was accurate, but his knowledge of what that meant was not accurate. And we'll see in future episodes. Jesus repeatedly tries to break through the Jewish people's stereotypical understanding of who the Messiah would be and what he would be like.
So the announcement of verse one sets the stage for the next detail, and that next detail is his appearance.
After six days, Jesus takes Peter, James and John, and they go with him into a high mountain, apart by themselves.
Luke tells us that Jesus went there to pray.
And in that remote setting, Jesus was transfigured before the three disciples. His clothing became radiant and intensely white, like lightning, whiter than any launderer could bleach it.
This was the Shekinah glory, a visible manifestation of God in the natural world. And so here, the deity of Jesus briefly broke through the limitations of his human flesh.
And in this cloud of glory, Moses and Elijah appeared. And they talked with Jesus. They talked about Jesus coming Exodus, which would be accomplished at Jerusalem.
Think about it. Jesus death would achieve in its fullness what Moses only achieved in type when he led the people out of Egypt. Jesus would bring deliverance from spiritual bondage.
And then, after observing the three men talking together, Peter says, rabbi, it's good for us to be here. Let's make three tabernacles. One for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.
I have a question. Why would you build booths here?
The Jewish feast of Tabernacles was about to be celebrated, with the people of Israel living in temporary huts.
Is that what Peter was talking about?
Well, God commanded this feast in Leviticus, chapter 23, and he did it to remind the Israelites of their wilderness wanderings after the exodus from Egypt. During that time, God provided them with daily manna. He prevented their clothing from wearing out, and he dwelt in the tabernacle among his people.
The pillar of cloud by day and the fire by night reassured the people of his presence.
Peter was looking back, Jesus was looking ahead. Jesus was about to fulfill the feast of Tabernacles.
In contrast to the manna, Jesus is the living bread which came down from Heaven.
And m Further, he was about to give all believers a robe of righteousness that would never wear out.
The robe provided by his sacrifice would allow every believer to enter the presence of God at any time.
And it would enable God to live within us by His Holy Spirit.
Peter, James, and John were given a glimpse of the glory promised to those who would lay down their lives to follow Christ.
This vision they had was only for a few moments, and it was only for them. But you know, today every child of God can experience that glory. In 2 Corinthians 3, 16, 18, Paul tells how you and I are being transformed into the image of Christ as we behold his glory. The more we gaze on him, the more we look at him, the greater our transformation into his likeness.
Have you seen Jesus in His glory?
Well, maybe you're asking, is that even possible?
Yes, it is. First of all, we see him in nature. The psalmist wrote, the heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Further, we read the Scriptures and we ponder the miracles and the teachings of Jesus.
The appearance of the unveiled Christ will transform you and me from the inside out.
And then the final detail is his affirmation.
Amid all this excitement, the Shekinah glory cloud overshadows them. And out of this bright cloud comes a voice.
This is my son, the Beloved. Hear him. Um, what affirmation? What confirmation?
The affirmation is, this is my son.
The confirmation is the Beloved One. Listen to him.
You know, I think it's like God is telling Peter, just be quiet and listen.
How often have you and I spoken when we should have been quiet.
And then suddenly, as the men looked around, they were all alone, just Jesus and them.
Would you have liked to have been there on that mountain?
I would. And yet we have the testimony of one of those who was present at that event, that there is a greater witness to the unveiled Christ.
Here is what Peter wrote.
For we do not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
For he received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And we heard this voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
That's the focus of our text. But he goes on. And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation. For prophecy never came by the will of man. But holy men of God spoke as the Holy Spirit moved them.
Has Christ been unveiled to you? Do you know him personally? The Incarnation unveiled Christ and his kingdom. His kingdom is here, but not yet in its fullness that waits for the future.
Have you seen the appearance of his glory in nature in the face of another human being in the Holy Scripture?
Have you been thrilled at the realization that he lives in you in the person of His Holy Spirit?
Are you listening to the command of the Father?
This is my Son, the Beloved. Hear him. Um.
As you and I grow in, uh, our love for and obedience to our Heavenly Father, we will receive a clearer picture of the unveiled Christ.
I pray that is your heart's desire and mine.
[00:13:07] Speaker B: Thanks JMarc, for giving us a clearer picture of Christ. You have given us good things to think about and meditate on.
I want to see the unveiled Christ. May all of us see him gaze on his glory and be changed.
And someday we will experience his glory with him in person. I can't wait for this and look forward to it, brothers and sisters. Till then, be faithful.
If you have any questions or want to contact us for any reason, please do. You can contact us by email or online. Our Email address is hopeheraldsofhope.org and our website is heraldsofhope.org Go to the partner tab on the top right. Under this tab is the Contact Us and from there you can message us directly. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
This brings us to the end of today's program. Earlier, JMARC referred to verses in 2 Corinthians 3, and I'd like to close with that verse. But we all, with unveiled faces looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image. From glory to glory.
When we view the unveiled Christ, we become like Him.
[00:14:23] Speaker A: Uh,
