Tonight we're gonna be in the
handout completely. We do have, you know what? Actually, let's go ahead and
open our Bibles to Matthew chapter 17. I wanna read that all again
so we can take it all in context. Matthew chapter 17. And we'll
begin again at verse one. Even though we're focusing on
verse eight, it's good to read God's word and read it in context
with the rest of it. So in Matthew chapter 17, beginning
at verse one, and after six days, Jesus taketh Peter, James, and
John, his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain
apart, and transfigured before them. And his face did shine
as the sun, and his remnant was white as the light. And behold,
there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with him.
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, one for Moses, and one for Elijah's. And when he had yet spake, And
while he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. And
behold, a voice out of the clouds which said, this is my beloved
son in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him. And when the disciples
heard it, they fell on their face and were sore afraid. And
Jesus came and touched them and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their
eyes, they saw no man save Jesus only. And that's the title for last
week and this week, and we spent last week going through the first
seven verses there. I think we visited verse eight
a little bit, but I want to go a little deeper. There's a lot
in that verse that we can look at, and I think you'll see that
here. Notice first, we're in our handout, and you will be
in the handout the rest of the night, so we won't be jumping
back and forth. Notice first that those who saw
no man saved Jesus only, were limited to just a fraction of
men. The Lord Jesus took, it says. He took. He didn't ask. He didn't sit around waiting
for them to make a decision. He took them. He took Peter,
James, and John up on the Mount of Transfiguration. No one else
did he take with him. There they saw the Savior transfigured
before them. It must have been an amazing
display of His divine glory and His majesty. Is that not what
we read in 2 Peter 1, verses 16-18, which I have here in the
handout? God the Father honor and glory
when they came such a voice to him from the excellent glory.
Now this is Peter writing in chapter 1 verses 16 through 18. He said this, this is my beloved
son the voice from the cloud was. What an excellent glory
that was. Such a voice to him from excellent
glory, Peter says. This is my beloved son in whom
I am well pleased and this voice which came from heaven we heard,
wrote Peter. and when we were with him in
the holy mount, for we have not followed cunningly devised fables,
when we made known unto you the power and the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ." He's just declared that that voice he heard on the
mount that day shined the glory of God in his ears, in his heart. And the power that he's bringing
to these people, that he's being made known unto these brothers
and sisters came from that. It came from our Lord Jesus Christ,
it says there. But were eyewitnesses of his
majesty, for he received from or Oh, that's right, the verses
were up there. For he had received from them.
I must have missed some part there. I think I cut it off.
Well, here's another verse that we can look at. John 1, verse
14. And the Word was made flesh.
We're talking about the glory of God manifested in His transfiguration. The Word was made flesh and dwelt
among us. And we beheld His glory, the
glory of the only begotten of the Father, full. of grace and
truth. And not the least, in 1 John
1, chapter 1, verse 2, for the life was manifested and we have
seen it and bear witness and show unto you that eternal life
which was with the Father and was manifested unto us. So we
see these three different verses where they're talking about the
majesty and what a glory that must have been for those men
to stand there and see that. The majesty of Christ, back in
our handout again, it's not revealed unto all men. As we just studied
in Matthew 16, you'll recall we read these words, Blessed
art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed
it unto thee. but my Father which is in heaven."
I was so blessed by the study our brother Norm brought on Wednesday
night, where the Lord declares in Judges 13, the children of
Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord. He didn't
spend much time on that, but he did spend a lot of time on
how yet the angel of the Lord visited this one woman at this
time that we're in, and eventually her husband as well. And I ask
you, why? Just like Norm did, why? Why
would the Lord visit these two when all of the house of Israel
had done evil again in the sight of the Lord? Why would God send
any to visit man, especially in our state of sin and degradation? For grace's sake, that's why
God is gracious. Listen to John 3.16. For God
so loved the world, and here comes the grace, that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life. Ephesians 2.4-9, Paul writes
it this way. He says, But God, who is rich
in mercy for His great love, wherewith he loved us, even when
we were dead in sins, hath quickened, that means made alive, quickened
us together with Christ. By grace ye are saved, and hath
raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places
in Christ Jesus. that in the ages to come he might
show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward
us through Christ Jesus for by grace are you saved through faith
and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works
lest any man should boast. Secondly, the Lord caused Moses
and Elijah to appear on the mountain with him and talk to Christ about
the death and resurrection he must accomplish at Jerusalem
as we read in Luke as it reports it this way he says but Peter
and they that with him were heavy with sleep and when they were
awake they saw his glory and the two men that stood with him.
That's in Luke 9 verse 32. When Peter saw and heard Moses
and Elijah, he blurted out these words. He said, Lord, it is good
for us to be there. If thou wilt, let us make here
three tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. And I wanna stop there for just
a moment. As I've read this verse five or six times already today,
it just keeps jumping out at me at this. This is exactly what
you and I would do if it wasn't for the graciousness of our God. I have no doubt in my mind that
the only thing that keeps me from going right back to that
character that I was when I was 40 years old is the love of my
God for me. Let's go on, shall we? The Lord
Jesus said nothing at that moment, though. And but while Peter was
yet talking, it says, a cloud overshadowed them. God simply removed the distraction
of Moses and Elijah. He took them out of the picture.
And behold, a voice spoke out of the cloud, which said, this
is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him. Moses
and Elijah were removed. They were removed from the scene
for a reason. The old covenant was being fulfilled. A new day and a new covenant
had come. When the Lord God said, this
is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him, he
was simply saying this to Peter, James, and John, and to you and
I. Moses and Elijah have been fulfilled. Moses and Elijah have nothing
more to say or do. All that they said and all that
they did and pointed to the coming, all that they did pointed to
the coming of his beloved son. Here he is, hear ye him. Moses and Elijah, the law and
the prophets have no other function. That's a quotation from Don Fortner.
At Mount Sinai, the people were forbidden to make any reproach
to the presence of God. Remember that story? Remember
Israel was brought to the bottom of Mount Sinai? Moses was the
only one allowed to go up onto the mountain. They were not allowed
to even touch the mountain. In the tabernacle, in the temple,
was a thick veil that stood between the people before the Most Holy
Place, constantly separating the people from God. Page 3.
The law did nothing to bring sinners into God's presence,
though. It never could. Listen to this,
these words from Hebrews 10, verses 1 through 4. for the law
having a shadow of good things to come. See, the law didn't
do anything. It was a shadow of the good things
to come, and not the very image of the things. That law can never,
with those sacrifices which they offered year after year after
year by year, continually make the comers therein too perfect.
They just couldn't do it. For then would they not have
ceased to be, I'm sorry, for then would they not have ceased
to be offered, because that the worshipers once purged should
have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices,
there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For
it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take
away sins. And then, if that's not enough
for you, here's this, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ
that died, yea, that rather, that is risen again, who is even
at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for
us. In fact, the law did just the
opposite. The law forbade men from even
trying to approach the Holy Lord God. No one could ever reproach
the God of heaven and earth until the law was fulfilled, its curse
removed, and sin was put away by the satisfaction of God's
justice. You could say that the Lord Jesus came down the mountain
to the people. He tore down the veil, and by
the blood of his cross, he opened to fallen men the way of access
to God the Father. Listen to these words from Hebrews
10, 19 through 23. Having therefore, brethren, boldness
to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and
living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that
is to say, his flesh, and having an high priest over the house
of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance
of faith. Having our hearts sprinkled from
an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water, let us
hold fast the profession of our faith. without wavering, for
He is faithful that promised." Last paragraph of page 3. When
the disciples saw Christ in His glory and heard God speak from
heaven, they fell on their faces. They realized that they were
in the awesome presence and the glory of God, and it terrified
them. I don't know about you, But that's
how it happened to me when the Lord called me and when I began
to see Him for who He truly is. When God came into my heart and
made Himself my God, I was scared. I was worried. And then the pastor
brought the good news to this sinner that God is gracious to
His people. I was terrified just as they
were. That is always what happens when a sinner is brought to realize
who he is before the Holy Lord God. Listen to the words of Job. Even in the Old Testament, listen
to these words. Then Job answered the Lord and
said, Behold, I am vile. That sounds like Paul when Paul
said, Oh, wretched man that I am. That sounds like John Reeves
when I, when I declare myself for what I am, a sinner, a sinner
saved by grace. Oh, behold, I am vile. "'What shall I answer thee?'
says Job. "'I will lay mine hand upon my
mouth, "'once have I spoken, but I will not answer. "'Yea,
twice, but I will proceed no further.'" Job 40, verse three
through five. Here's another statement from
Job, over in 42, verses five through six, and this is, well,
he says, "'I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, "'but
now mine eyes see it thee.' Wherefore, I abhor myself and repent in
dust and ashes. Isaiah states it this way. He
says, in the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting
upon a throne high and lifted up, and his train filled the
temple. Above it stood the seraphims.
Each one had six wings. With twain he covered his face,
and with twain he covered his feet. And with twain he did fly,
and one cried unto another and said, holy, holy, holy is the
Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his
glory. And the post of the door moved
at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with
smoke. Then said I, woe is me. For I am undone, because I am
a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean
lips. For mine eyes have seen the King,
the Lord of hosts." These men are describing their falling
on their face before the thrice holy God. That's what these men
on the Mount of Transfiguration, they were standing there, they
were seeing the glory of God in the Lord Jesus, where they
had just seen him as a man before. Now they see him in his glory
as God Almighty, the creator of all it is. And they're saying,
by getting down on their faces before him in fear, they're saying
the same thing that these men are writing to us here, inspired
by the Holy Spirit. Going on in Isaiah there, it
says, "...then flew one of the seraphims unto me," after Isaiah
declared he was a man of unclean lips, "...unto me, having a live
coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from off the
altar. And he laid it upon my mouth,
and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity
is taken away, and thy sin purged." There's that word I love so much.
What a word, purged, washed clean, all of our infirmities washed
away. Mid page four, the prophet Daniel
states it this way, therefore I was left alone and saw this
great vision and there remained no strength in me. For my comeliness,
that's a word that describes your lowliness, your unbecoming,
was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. And then after they fell before
Him in terror, we read that Jesus came and touched them. Oh, how He touched me! And He
said, and be not afraid. That was Matthew 17, 7. Folks,
God the Son, having assumed our nature for the express purpose
of redeeming us and thereby showing us how greatly He loves us, here
reveals that His whole heart towards His own is love and bids
His chosen people be not afraid. I think of that boat, that ship. Every time I think of that ship
out in the sea and the waves splashing up against it and the
disciples going down into the belly of the ship to cry to the
Lord, do you care? Do you care about me? I think about how much the Lord
does care about us. So much so that he sent his only
begotten son to be our substitute, to take what you and I deserve.
Last part of page 4, it says in Matthew 17, 8, and when they
lifted up their eyes, they saw no man. Why? Because the salvation
of God's people is in Christ Jesus and Him alone. They saw
no man save Jesus only. When the law has been honored,
fulfilled, and silenced, and you look up to see the One by
whose obedience it has been fully satisfied by, you are brought
to see Jesus only. Page 5. When you are made to
understand that all the prophets have been fulfilled, and you
look up and you see who fulfilled all the prophecies, the visions,
and the promises given in the Old Testament, you will see that
no man saved Jesus only. The Lord Jesus only is our salvation. He alone is our comfort. He alone is our strength. And He alone is our only hope. Jesus only is our Messiah and
she shall bring forth a son. This is the Messiah spoken of
that we read about in Matthew 121. And she shall bring forth
a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus. for he shall save
his people from their sins. Don't you love the words shall,
must in the scriptures? That means the Lord will not
fail. He shall bring, he shall save his people from their sins.
Jesus only is our deliverer. Neither is there salvation in
any other, it says in Acts chapter 4 verse 12, for there is none
other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be
saved. Another word, must, shall. Jesus
only is our Savior. But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification
and redemption, that according as it is written, He that glorieth,
let him glory in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 1, 30 and 31. In the matter of salvation, Christ
stands entirely alone. We put no trust in the flesh,
in ourselves, or in anything we do or experience either. We trust Jesus only. For we are the circumcision,
it says in Romans 11, 6, which worship God in spirit. and rejoice
in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. That's, I'm sorry,
that's Philippians 3, 3. And here's Romans 11, 6. And if by
grace, then it is no more of works. Otherwise, grace is no
more grace. Last paragraph, page five. We
trust Jesus only for righteousness. It says in Romans 3, 24 through
26, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation
through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for
the remission of sins that are past. Therefore, through, I'm
sorry, through the, the forbearance of God, to declare, I say at
this time, his righteousness, that he might be just, and the
justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." Here's another verse,
Romans 4, 25-51. who was delivered for our offenses
and raised again for our justification, therefore being justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Or how about this from Jeremiah
23, 16, or Jeremiah 23, 6, in his days, Judas shall be saved
and Israel shall dwell safely. And this is his name whereby
he shall be called the Lord our righteousness. And then in verse
33, or 16 of chapter 33, he says it again, in those days shall
Judah be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely. And this
is the name wherewith she shall be called the Lord our righteousness. Jesus only. is that holiness
we must have, without which none can see God Almighty. It says
in Hebrews 12, 14, follow peace with all men and holiness, without
which no man shall see the Lord. We trust Jesus only for redemption. For He hath made Him to be sin
for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness
of Christ in Him. 2 Corinthians 5.21, along with
this, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being
made a curse for us. For it is written, cursed is
everyone that hangeth on a tree. Galatians 3.13. Or these words,
for as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible
things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received
by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of
Christ. as of a lamb without blemish
and without spot, who verily was foreordained before the foundation
of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
who by him do believe in God, that raised him from the dead
and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God."
This is why, this is so important to read these words, This is
why freewillism is a lie. Free willism gives man the glory
for accepting Christ, deciding to follow Christ. I followed
him when it was my will to do so, is what they're saying. And
what we see right here, God clearly tells us through the Apostle
Peter in chapter one, verse 18 through 21, he says that your
faith and hope might be in God. That's the only hope any of us
have. That's the only place for us
to trust. I started this paragraph with
we trust Jesus only for redemption. We can trust nothing in ourselves
for that. We trust Jesus only for sanctification. Last paragraph of page six, where
it says, where we read, by the witch will, we are sanctified. Look at this, folks. How are
we sanctified? Through the offering of the body
of Jesus Christ once for all. Folks, when Christ does it, you
don't need to do it twice. When Christ does it, it's done
perfectly. Everything He did was perfect.
He who knew no sin, never sinned. That means everything He did
was perfect. To the T, every I was dotted,
every T was crossed. He did it once. It goes on to
say in that paragraph there of Hebrews 10 verse 10 through 14,
and every priest standeth daily ministering and offering. These
are the men that God had appointed to be priests over Israel. Oftentimes
the same sacrifices. Somebody did a personal study
of God's Word the best that they could to try to figure out how
much blood was spilt in those days. Now, if I remember right, obviously they couldn't figure
out how much, but they did come up with this. There was so much
blood that they were consistently cleaning the temple every single
day. That was their job. Kill, clean,
kill, clean, and it never ever did any good. Those sacrifices,
which can never take away sins, but this man, Christ Jesus, again we see this,
after He offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on
the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till His enemies be
made His footstool, for by one offering He hath perfected forever
them that are sinful. Isn't that amazing? I know you
look in the mirror and you don't see yourself as perfect, but
you know that God looks on us right now. He looks down on us
and He sees the blood of His Son, which makes us perfect and
righteous in God's eyes. We trust Jesus only, top of page
7, for perservation, in grace, 1 Peter 1 verse 4-5, "...to an
inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not
away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power
of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last
time." Either Christ alone is our Savior, or we have no Savior. Either He completely saves, or
He does not save at all. If so much as the will to be
saved depends upon me, I would not be saved. It says in John
5 verse 46, For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed
me, for he wrote of me. Jesus only is our Lord and Master. 2 Peter 1, verse 2, Grace and
peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God
and of Jesus our Lord. I know that the Lord Jesus Christ
is the sovereign monarch of the universe and the ruler of all
men, the wicked as well as the righteous, but He is the Lord
of His people willingly. Willingly. I come to the Lord
of my own free will, Forks. The new will that God has given
me. A will that is willing to love Him because He first loved
me. We are willing, we are voluntary, we come willingly
by our own voluntary consent. It says, thy people shall be
willing in the day of thy power, in Psalms 110 verse 3. True faith
voluntarily surrenders all things to the rule of Christ. True faith
trusts Christ's providential rule of all things. I've said
this many times, but I love to hear our pastor Gene Harmon tell
me, well, things aren't going too good today. But that's the
will of my Savior, so I'm just fine with that, John. That is
such a blessing. I heard the same thing from Pauli
Mary today. She goes, it's not going well
for me right now, but that's the will of my Savior, and I'm
OK with it. Lord will, and I'll be in church
on Sunday, she says, even if somebody has to bring me there
in a wheelchair. Folks, that's the first thing
God does. He makes Himself our God. He shines His sovereignty in
our hearts. And He does it through grace.
We say, Thy will be done. True faith is obedient to Christ
the Lord. The Church of God is a kingdom
under the rule of Christ by voluntary consent, willing participants,
obedient to His words. Obediently perfect? No. Perfectly
obedient? No. But I want to do His work. I want to be obedient to Him
where I didn't have any care to before. We're obedient to
His ordinances. and to His will. We bow to His
will, that whatever happened, it's His will, so I bow to that. All the red lights, I've shared,
used this many a times, all the red lights that come on, being
a truck driver, that can be very frustrating, but it's the Lord's
will, and we bow to that. We bow to Him as our Master,
and we are happy and thankful that He is. Second paragraph
from the bottom, page seven. Jesus only is our rule of life. We're not slaves under the dominion
of the law. We are children walking in the
path of our elder brother because we love him and seek to honor
his name. Do you ever do that? Do you ever
stop and think, does this glorify my Lord? What I'm about to do,
think, or say, is this glorifying to my Savior? Not as often as
I'd like. But that's where my heart is.
It says, for I have given you an example, the Lord speaking,
that ye should do as I have done to you. That was when He was
washing the feet of His disciples in John 13, 15. Our rule of life is not the Ten
Commandments. Last paragraph, page 7. But the
whole revealed will of God given to us in Holy Scriptures. It
is summarized in two commandments, two motivating forces by which
we are governed in all things, faith and love. Listen to these words from 1
John 3.23, and this is His commandment that we should believe, believe
on the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another
as He gave us commandment. Jesus only. is our hope before
God. Listen to these words from Colossians
1 verse 27, To whom God would make known what is the riches
of His glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is
Christ in you, the hope of glory. My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest
frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. When all around my soul
gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. On Christ the
solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand. Our only assurance and peace
is Christ. Therefore, being justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 5 verse 1. All who know Him gladly confess
this, I am a poor sinner and nothing at all, but Jesus Christ
is my all and all. Christ alone is our plea before
and advocate with the Father. He says, my little children,
writes John, these things write I unto you that ye sin not. And
if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ,
the righteous. And he is the propitiation for
our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the
whole world. And of course, we know that speaking
of every tribe, His people who are spread throughout all time
from every tribe, every tongue. Christ alone is able to present
us faultless before the presence of God's glory and He will do
it. Listen to Jude verses 24-25,
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and
to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with
exceeding joy to the only wise God our savior be glory and majesty
dominion and power both now and ever amen jesus only is our reward
in heaven i spoke one time with a self-declared Christian who
said, I can't wait to get to heaven and receive my rewards.
I said, well, what is that? Well, I fed the poor, so I expect
I'll be rewarded for that. I did this. I expect a reward
for that. And I said, I've got only one
reward. And if you got that wrong reward, I've got everything.
And that's the reward of Jesus Christ himself. He is my only. reward in heaven. Listen to Psalm
73, 25-26. Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And there is none upon earth
that I desire beside Thee. My flesh and my heart faileth,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. In heaven's eternal glory, we
want nothing and hope for nothing but Jesus only. Psalms 2710, when my father and
my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. Jesus only
is our all. As the Spirit of God states it
in Colossians 311, Christ is all and in all. To Him every
knee shall bow. Christ is all in all in creation. He's all in all in redemption.
He's all in all in providence, grace and glory. And he is all
in all in his church and in the hearts of all of his people.
Christ is all in the book of God, the sum and the substance
of the whole Bible. He is the living word of whom
the written word speaks. The Lord Jesus Christ is not
one of many revelations. He is the revelation of the invisible
God. Christ is not one of many words.
He is the Word of God, as stated in John 1, verse 3. You and I
cannot see God, know God, speak to God, be spoken to by God,
or come to God, except by Christ. Listen to these words, John 14,
6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father,
but by me. Christ is the way. Without Him,
there is no going to God. Christ is the truth. Without
Him, there is no knowing God. Christ is the life. Without Him,
there is no living before God. When we read the promises of
God, we understand that Christ is the first promise in the sacred
word and the whole of every promise that follows. In him, all the
promises of God are yea and amen. That's 2 Corinthians 1 20. When
we read the law of God, we rejoice to know that Christ is the end
of the law for righteousness to everyone that believe it.
That's Romans 10 4. When we read the sacrifices,
we rejoice to know that Christ has, by His one sacrifice, fulfilled
them all. For by that one sacrifice, He
has perfected forever them that are sanctified. And we read that
in Hebrews 10, 14. When we read the prophets, our
hearts leap with joy. To Him give all the prophets
witness that through His name, Whosoever believeth in Him shall
receive the remission of sins. That's Acts 10, verse 43. Oh,
what it is to be one! And when they had lifted up their
eyes, they saw no man save Jesus only. Only by God's grace can
we declare that for ourselves, and we can. Amen?