Biblical Discipleship Pt. 12 Discipleship: See Christ's Glory on Display!

We are students in the discipleship class taught by Jesus Christ. No one ever outgrows a need for spiritual growth and remembering what it means to be Christ's disciple. What we are learning to apply will encourage all Pastors, Parents and Parishioners as we go through life seeking to live by the Word of God. 

Discipleship means seeing the glory of Christ. 

Matthew 17:1-2  And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2) And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 

The word "transfigured" literally means to change into another form. The Greek word is seen in the word "metamorphosis" which refers to a tadpole changing into a frog or a caterpillar into a butterfly. This gives you the idea that there is a fundamental change in form taking place. 

Matthew tells us that the face of Jesus shone brightly like the sun and His clothing as white as the brightest light. 

Mark 9:3  And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. 

Mark's gospel tells us that the clothing Jesus wore became whiter than a fresh layer of pure snow, or whiter than any bleach treatment could make them. 

Luke 9:29  And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. 

Luke added that the countenance of Jesus also changed, becoming radiant with glory.  

In other words, the glory of Jesus that He set aside when He became a man (Philippians 2:5-9) was temporarily revealed so that His disciples would have their faith greatly encouraged. 

Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus. 

Matthew 17:3  And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 

If seeing the glory of Christ was not overwhelming enough, Peter, James and John also saw Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus. Seeing these two prominent Old Testament figures would have had monumental impact on a Jewish person. 

Moses was the great lawgiver and redeemer of Israel, who prefigured Christ in the Old Testament. 

Elijah was considered to be the pinnacle of an Old Testament prophet. Together these two men represented the Law and the Prophets.

However, Moses and Elijah also shared some other things in common. 

Both of these men had a close and personal encounter with God but neither one saw His face (Exodus 33:18-23 and 1 Kings 19:9-13). 

Both of these men served God faithfully.  Neither man died a natural death. 

Moses was still strong and his eye had not dimmed, but God took Him to Mount Nebo and Pisgah to show Moses the promised land. There, God called His servant home and Moses was buried by God (Deuteronomy 34:1-9).

Elijah was taken alive by a whirlwind into heaven (2 Kings 2:1-13). 

Christ fulfilled the Law and the Prophets. 

Luke 9:30-31  And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: 31) Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

Moses and Elijah were talking with Jesus about all of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the death of Messiah. They spoke of how Jesus was about to complete the prophecies with His death on the cross. 

The word "decease" figuratively means death but the word is actually spelled "exodos" which clearly connects it to Moses and the exodus of Israel from Egypt. 

Peter's rash words betray his ignorance. 

Matthew 17:4  Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 

Impulsive Peter felt that the magnitude of what he was seeing demanded that he say something profound, so he suggested to Jesus that they build three tabernacles, one each for Moses, Elijah and Christ. 

Mark's gospel tells us that Peter was afraid and did not know what to say so he blurted this idea out (Mark 9:5-6). 

Luke's gospel tells us that Peter did not know what he was saying, he was just being impulsive even though his intention was undoubtedly good (Luke 9:33).

The problem is that Peter's idea placed Jesus on the same level as Moses or Elijah. Jesus is Jehovah in the flesh. He is the Word who created all things in the beginning (John 1:1-5). Creator God is not on the same level as mere men, illustrious though they may be. 

The Father in heaven did not let Peter's mischaracterization of His Son stand. 

Listen to the Son of God!

Matthew 17:5,6  While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 6) And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 

Matthew, Mark and Luke each record the transfiguration of Christ. When Peter blurted out his great idea to make three tabernacles, the Father immediately made His presence known. 

A supernaturally bright cloud overshadowed everything. The Father's voice boomed forth from the cloud. He declared that Jesus was His beloved Son and that He was well pleased by everything Jesus did. 

Then, the divine imperative issued forth from the bright cloud saying, "Hear ye Him" the Father commanded. It is a trumpet call to all people to hear and heed what the Son of God says, because Jesus and His Father are one. 

If you see Jesus, you have seen the Father (John 14) and if you heard Jesus speaking, you have heard the Father speaking. The works Christ did were the works He was given to do by His Father (John 5). 

Jesus said "Arise!"

Matthew 17:7-9 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8) And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. 9) And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. 

This lesson on discipleship in the school of Christ ended with the disciples on their faces while overcome with great fear. The presence of the Father was overwhelming just as it was when He passed before Moses (Exodus 34:8).

Jesus gently commanded His disciples to arise. They revived and looked up and saw only Jesus. They came down the mountain together and Jesus told them to tell no man what they saw until after His resurrection.

Thoughts to Ponder...

Pastors, Parents and Parishioners can become stale in our faith. We can become too distracted by unimportant things. We can lose our zeal for God. We can simply be going through the motions of serving God with our hearts far from Him while we attempt to serve. 

Jesus manifested His glory in order to burn the memory of the transfiguration into the disciples minds so deeply, that when Christ was crucified their faith would not be permanently shattered. 

No matter what our role is in the church of Jesus Christ, we will be lifelong disciples of Him. We must strive to see the glory of our Lord.

How can we see His glory? The glory of Jesus Christ is all over the pages of the Bible, in the Old and New Testaments. Every gory sacrifice of an innocent, spotless animal to pay for someone's sin, pointed to the glory of the cross, where Christ, the perfect Lamb of God hung, paying for the sins of all humanity. 

Every time that we see Jesus do a miracle, sign or wonder, we see His glory on display. 

Every time that we read the words of Jesus we see His glory on display.

Every time that we look at creation we see the glory of Christ on display.

Every time that some repentant sinner is born again, we see the glory of Jesus shining brightly. 

His glory is all around us as evidenced by all people whose lives have been transformed by the new birth. His glory is all around us each day as He sustains creation and provides for all of our needs. His glory surrounds us when we read the promises and hope that is laid up for us in heaven. 

May the Holy Spirit make these truths a reality in our hearts. May He stir up the backsliding believer that they repent and return to Christ. May He fan the dying embers of our faith into a flaming zeal for God. May He use us to reach the world for Christ and His glory. May He open our eyes that we may behold the wondrous things of Jesus Christ in the pages of scripture. May He shake us until all apathy and spiritual lethargy is replaced by a proper fear of God. 

Bob