I'd like to ask you if you would
turn in your Bibles this morning to the book of Revelation, chapter
1. Our text will be in the book
of Luke, chapter 9, where we've been bringing a series from that
book. But I want to begin this morning
in the first chapter of the revelation of Jesus Christ to John, to the
Apostle John. And I'd like to begin, if you
would, with me reading with me at verse 9, Revelation 1, verse
9. We read, I, John, who also am
your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom
and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called
Paramos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. and heard behind me a great
voice as a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and
the last, and what thou seest, write in the book and send it
unto the seven churches which are in Asia, unto Ephesus, unto
Samania, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis,
and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. And I turned to see
the voice that spake with me, and being turned, I saw seven
golden candlesticks, and in the midst of the seven candlesticks,
one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to
the foot, and gird about the path with the golden girdle.
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were as a flame
of fire. And his feet like undefined brass,
as if they had burned in a furnace. And his voice was the sound of
many waters. And he said, and he had in his right hand seven
stars. And out of his mouth went a sharp,
two-edged sword. And his countenance was as the
sun shined in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at
his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon
me, saying unto me, fear not, I am the first and the last.
I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold, I'm alive forevermore. Amen. I've titled my message
today, A Glimpse of Glory. Is this not why? You and I have
come here today. Have we not gathered here today
to see a glimpse of God's glory? Is that not why we gather together
and look into this Word every time we come together? To see
a glimpse of God's glory in the face of His Son, the Lord Jesus,
our Savior, our Redeemer. When I look into God's Word and
see the vision that John just saw, Oh, how I'm comforted. I'm comforted that my salvation
is in the hands of the one who can, the one who will, the one
who is able to save his people. Is not this why we have come
here today, to see this one, to see him in his word, to hear
of his grace, to hear of his love, to comfort our souls? Turn over to 1 Kings chapter
10 for just a moment. I want to read one verse over
there in 1 Kings chapter 10. section of Scripture. And I'll
not share with you everything. I do recommend that if you'd
like a good message to listen to, both he and Clay Curtis,
I got a chance to listen to both of them a bit this morning, and
they were both very, very good messages. But here in 1 Kings
10, Queen of Sheba, in verse 1, we read where she had heard
of the fame of Solomon. And she came to prove him with
hard questions, but she came concerning the name of the Lord. She came to hear more and to
see for herself this One that she had heard about, who was
all-wise, who was all-powerful, who had all these riches, who
was blessed of God the Father. Now look at verse 7 with me.
She came to see That's what we're looking at here, a glimpse of
glory. She came to see, look at verse 7, Howbeit I believed
not the words until I came, and my eyes had seen it. In fact, it goes on after that,
it says, And behold, the half was not told me. What she found
and what God revealed to her heart, what He showed her, was
more than she had ever even heard about Him. Luke chapter 9 now,
if you would. When the angel appeared unto
John and said, come up hither, you're about to see and enter
into things that you had never seen or experienced before. I'm
telling you folks, my sister-in-law Shirley poked me in the ribs
that day sitting here at this pew to point out that I was hearing
things that I had never heard. I was seeing things in God's
Word that I had never seen. I was seeing the glory of the
creator of all it is for the first time. I was getting a glimpse. And I couldn't just sit back
and just take it with my normal attitude. I was sitting on the
edge of my seat. I wanted to hear more of it.
It wasn't even the half of what I knew of it. It was more than
that. John saw his glory. He saw the
greatness of God in the face of His Son, the Lord Jesus. He
saw His grace in His Son coming to this world and giving Himself
for John's sake. He saw the purpose of His Son
that had never been known. John saw a door open into heaven
and he was bidden, as it were, to enter into heaven itself for
a short time, though he was yet still here on this earth. Are we not entering into heaven
itself? Not in the sense of this flesh,
but in the spirit? Are we not looking in to the
heavens opened up and seeing Christ sitting on His throne?
Seeing the crimson stain of our sins upon Him being paid for? Washed, perfectly white. Don Porter wrote this, he said,
this is the position that we are in as we come to the Mount
of Transfiguration. Standing before this awesome,
majestic passage of scripture, we hear the Spirit of God saying
unto us, come up hither. Leave your worldly thoughts and
for a little while forget the earth that we walk in. May God
the Spirit graciously enable us to ascend the Holy Mount. As Peter calls it, see and learn
and experience what those chosen disciples did that day. Let us,
as it were, go up on the mountain and take a view, take a view
of the land that's been promised to you and I. Look with me here
in Luke chapter 9 at verse 28. And it came to pass, aren't you
thankful for that? You say, well, what do you mean
it came to pass? Time has come to the point where
God was going to do something more. He'd already fed 5,000
people. He'd already calmed the waves
of the sea for his disciples. He had already healed a leper
and healed a centurion's servant. He'd already done much, and here
he was about to do some more, and it came to pass. Folks, everything
God has determined shall come to pass. If it wasn't so, then we could
not call Him God, could we? One of the greatest troubles
with men in the flesh, and we talked about this Friday night,
One of the greatest troubles with men in the flesh is that
we don't believe He's sovereign. We make ourselves out to be gods
over Him. Our will is above His. And that's
just not so. What God has purposed it shall
come to be. What was supposed to happen came
to pass about eight days after these sayings. He took Peter,
John, and James. and went up into the mountain
to pray. Now I gotta say something about
that real quick. In Luke chapter 9 verse 27, the
Lord said these words, he says, I tell you of a truth, there
be some standing here which shall not taste death till they see
the kingdom of God. And then we read what we just
read there in Luke chapter 29 verse 28 we read, And it came
to pass, about eight days after these, he took Peter, John, and
James, and went up into a mountain to pray. That which came to pass
in Luke 9.28 is that which the Lord spoke of about eight days
earlier in verse 27. This is a confirmation. What
we just read is a confirmation that all that the Father giveth
me shall come to me that we read about in John 6.37. You say,
well, how is that, John? Our Lord says, He says these
words, He says, There be some here today which
shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God. Remember the day you saw the
Kingdom of God for the first time? I'm here to tell you this
morning that not one person for whom God laid down His life and
shed His blood for shall taste death till they see the Kingdom
of God. And then we see three men being
taken by the Lord and taken up to see the kingdom of God. Isn't that wonderful? Folks, not everybody shall perish.
Some will. Most will. But aren't you thankful
that God is merciful and gracious to some? If he wasn't merciful and gracious,
he'd have no reason to save this one who stands before you. Or
anyone else. But He is. He delights in mercy. Some shall not taste death till
they see the Kingdom of Heaven. Are we not thankful for that?
Are there not some who have not been called yet? Some who still
walk in darkness. The Master has promised this.
He says that He would give some a glimpse of His glory. What hope? What hope we have
for our loved ones? There's still some people there
in this world who our Lord must come and must have His gospel
preached to and He must tell them that He shed His blood for
them. Oh, maybe, maybe it could be one
of my loved ones. Maybe it could be one of yours. All three of the accounts given
of this great event tell us that the Lord Jesus took three. Peter, James, and John. Why? Do you not ask why? Why would
He only take three? All of His disciples were there.
Why would he only take three? Why do you suppose he did not
take more? Why just three? Why these three? I'll tell you
why. The master was pleased to take
three and no more to show you and I once again his sovereignty. Why do you think election angers
the free will religionist so much? Because it takes the power
of salvation away from the individual and it puts it in the hands of
the one who it belongs to. Our Master is showing us that
He is sovereign over all things. Listen to the words of Romans
9.15. I, he said, will have mercy on
whom I will have mercy. And I will have compassion on
whom I will have compassion. Our God always keeps before us
the fact that He is absolutely sovereign in all things. He's
sovereign in election. He's sovereign in election of
some to salvation. Really. You sure about that,
John? Well, let's find out what God's
Word says about that. Mark your place here, Luke. We're
going to come back. We're going to look at some more
of those verses. But I want you to turn over to Ephesians chapter 1.
And let's just read a couple of familiar verses here in Ephesians
1. Our Lord is sovereign in election merciful, he says, to whom I
will be merciful. That's the sovereignty of God
electing His people. But just to show you a little
more than that, look at Ephesians chapter 1, beginning at verse
3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places
in what you do. No, that's not what that says.
What does it say? It says, in Christ. All blessings are in Him. He's
sovereign in blessing His people. Go on, if you would, in verse
4, according, those blessings that come to us through Christ
Jesus, the blessings that are ours in Him, that are according
as He hath chosen. Does it say He stopped and talk
to his people about what they might want? Are you ready for
me to save you? I'm trying so hard. I want you
to be saved today. No, he doesn't say that. What
does it say there? Look at it again. According as he hath chosen
us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy and without blame before him. In love, having predestinated
us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according
to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of
His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved."
He is sovereign in the election of some to salvation. He is sovereign
in the redemption of His elect by Christ Jesus His Son. Turn
over to the 53rd chapter of Isaiah. Isaiah 53, right there before
Jeremiah, Isaiah 53, He is sovereign in His redemption. In Isaiah
53, we read these words in verses 4, Surely He hath borne our griefs,
and carried our sorrows. Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
and smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities, It was upon Him, and with His
stripes, we are healed. He is sovereign in the redemption
of His elect. He is sovereign in the calling
of His elect by irresistible grace and Spirit. Turn over to
Psalms 110. Just with me at Psalms 110. One
verse over there. God is sovereign in calling His
people by the irresistible grace of His Spirit. Look at verse
3. Thy people shall be willing in
the day of thy power. Who is it? Whose power is it
that brings us to be willing to come together and worship
Him? It's the power of God. He is
sovereign in calling His elect by His irresistible grace. He
is sovereign in the revelation of His grace. Turn over to Galatians
chapter 1. He's sovereign in His revelation
of His grace. We see in verses 15 and 16 of
chapter 1. But when it pleased God... Did
you catch that? Did you catch that? When it pleased
God. We're talking about the sovereignty,
the revelation of His grace. When it pleased God, who separated
me from my mother's womb and called me by His grace to reveal
His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen. He is
sovereign in the bestowment of the blessings and the gifts of
His grace. 1 Corinthians 4. In 1 Corinthians 4, we read one
verse. He is sovereign in the bestowment
of His blessings Look here at verse 7, for who maketh thee
to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou
didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it,
why doest thy glory as if thou hast not received it? We see
that everything, all blessings that we receive are His, and
He's the Sovereign over our blessings. One more if you would, He's Sovereign
in His sweet visitations of mercy. Look at Romans, go to the left
again, Romans chapter 9, just a couple of pages. Our God is
sovereign and showing mercy. Verse 16, we read these words,
so then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth,
but of God that showeth mercy. Our Lord took three rather than
one, because three were sufficient to verify the truthfulness of
this event. It says in the Word of the Lord,
it says in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word shall
be established. He took no more than three because
these three were enough. He took these three, Peter, James,
and John in particular because they would be the same three
who were later to see him agonizing in the garden. Remember when
he was in the garden and he was sweating great drops of blood?
Seeing him in his glory helped prepare them for that day when
they would see Him in His humiliation and His agony. Our Savior begins,
it seems, every work He undertook for the glory of God in prayer.
Our Lord Jesus took Peter, James, and John up into a mountain to
pray. He had no corruption. He had
no reason to acknowledge sins. He had no sins to confess of
His own. Yet our Master was a man of prayer. It says in Hebrews
5, 7, in the days of his flesh when he had offered up prayers
and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that
was able to save him from death, our great Savior was heard in
that he feared. If we would serve our God, if
we would seek his glory and serve the souls of men and women, we
must learn something about prayer, seeking the honor and the glory
of God, and the will of God, and the interest of His kingdom.
Back in our text in Luke chapter 9, look at verse 29 with me.
And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered,
and his raiment was white and glistening. Here he is on the
mountain, and he's praying to the Father. What do you think
the Lord was praying for? I think John chapter 17 gives
us a pretty good indication of what the Lord was praying for.
He was praying for His people. Even when the Lord prayed about,
Father, if you'd remove this cup from me, He was still praying
for you and I. Did you know that? This cup of
sin that was laid upon our Savior, this cup that was filled with
our sins, He cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken
me? Pray for you and I. What was his final words in that?
He says, nevertheless, thy will be done. He knew it was the only
way. He knew that there was no other
way but through him that his people would be saved for eternity.
Therefore, he drank that cup dry. He drank it dry. And there was none, absolutely
none left. And as he prayed, the fashion
of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and
glistening." Here we see the results of our Lord's prayers. There is an obvious emphasis
upon the fact that our Lord was transfigured as he was praying. You recall that when Moses went
up into the Mount of God, God spoke to him face to face. Remember
the burning bush? And as he came down from the
mountain, Moses' face shined so brightly that he had to put
a veil over his face. The shining of his face was proof
to the people that he'd been talking with God. After that,
Moses told the people that the Lord would raise up unto them
a prophet like unto him whom the people were to hear. That's
over in Deuteronomy chapter 18. Christ is that prophet that Moses
spoke of. God the Father, in order to give
His Son confirmation as that prophet, not only caused His
face to glitter or shine, but also to show that He was a prophet
far greater than Moses, as we read in the book of Hebrews,
but also to show that He was a prophet, that He made His remnant,
His garment, His clothing, glittery white. His continents did shine
as the sun, it says. What a thing to see! What a change
that must have been for them to see the Son of Man going from
man to God in His glory. Did you know that before the
Lord Jesus walked this earth, nobody could see the glory of
God? But now that Christ has been
here, that veil has been ripped, and all of God's people, all
of God's people, even those that we still have hope for, can see
the glory of God in the face of His Son. The Lord Jesus. Christ
is that prophet. We may have seen or heard about
this one called Jesus, but the revelation of his glory can only
come from God the Father. Our Lord said, as you know, whom
do the people say that I am? And what did they say? That he
was a prophet. But who do you say that I am?
Peter said these words, thou art the son of the living God. Blessed are you, for flesh and
blood have not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which
is in heaven. Look at verses 30 through 31. And behold, there
talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias, who appeared
in glory and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at
Jerusalem. So here we see two of God's prophets. to witness this. They saw the
Lord of Glory turn from a mere man into God Almighty in the
flesh, and here they see two of God's people, two of God's
chosen, standing there with Him speaking. What a sight that must
have been! Peter, James, and John must have
been utterly astonished at this. Did you catch how they knew who
they were? just by looking? Did you catch
that? It doesn't say that they were
told who these men were. They knew who they were just
by seeing them standing there with Christ. Moses died a long
time before Christ ever walked this earth. Elijah died a long
time before Christ ever walked this earth. He didn't even die.
He was caught up in a whirlwind. There's a couple of things we
can see out of this. that we should bring to our attention. First is, it tells us that our
departed brethren are indeed alive and well. I don't know
about you, but I'm kind of glad to hear that. I'm going to see
Don Fortner again one day. I'm going to see Virginia Mayor
again one day. Oh. What glory is in my heart
to know that God's people are still alive. Secondly, Moses
and Elijah are specific representatives of all the law and the prophets. Who was the law given to? It
was given to Moses. What was Elijah? Elijah was one
of the most well-known prophets of all times. Both acknowledge
our Savior as Christ of God is what we see and what those saw.
What were they seeing? They saw and they spoke with
the Lord Jesus. The law acknowledges that Christ
is God. The prophets acknowledge that
Christ is God. Stand fast in our profession.
Isn't that what we talked about in Bible study this morning?
Thirdly, Moses and Elijah are representative of the saints
who will appear with Christ in His glory in the second event. Moses had been dead for 1,500
years. Elijah was taken up into heaven
in a whirlwind in a chariot of fire 900 years earlier. Moses
represents all of God's elect whose bodies are in the grave.
And Elijah represents those who are found alive upon the earth
at the Lord's coming who shall be caught up to meet the Lord
in the air, as we read in 1 Thessalonians 4.17. Blessed be God, there is
a world above. All is not over when we have
drawn our last breath. We will live beyond the grave.
There is a resurrection day coming, and until that day, our departed
friends are safe and with Savior. How could I forget this name?
My dear brother, Bill Silva, I would never wish him back,
but I can't wait to see him again. I can't wait to see him again.
You know he's going to talk perfectly. He'll speak as though he's never
lost his tongue. Look at verses 32 and 33 of our
text. But Peter and they that were
with him were heavy with sleep. With him were very heavy with
sleep. And when they were awake, They
saw His glory and the two men that stood with Him." Now there
was a lot of speculation in the commentaries, commentators about
what that means that they were asleep and when they were awakened.
I'll not spend time with that this morning. I'll go on. they
saw His glory, and the two men that stood with Him." Look at
verse 33, "...and it came to pass, as they departed from Him,
Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here.
Let us make three tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for Moses,
and one for Elijah's, not knowing what he had said." What a warning. What a warning to you and I.
I have seen with mine own eyes Loved ones right here in this
building put our pastor on a pedestal they should have never put him
on. God help us folks. I know how easy it is, because
I could have been one doing that very same thing, but God kept
reminding me not to. How quickly in our fleshly desires
we can put men on pedestals with God. As we see here in verses
34 and 35, the cloud of fear comes upon us when we do. Look at verses 34 and 35. While
he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them, and they
feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice
out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son, hear Him. This is my beloved Son, hear
Him. The Apostle Paul puts it this
way. Look over with me in 1 Corinthians
chapter 1. Look over at 1 Corinthians chapter
1. Beginning at verse 17, we read
these words. For Christ sent me not to baptize,
but to preach the gospel. Not with wisdom of words, lest
the cross to Christ should be made of none effect. For the
preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness.
but unto us which are saved it is the power of God, for it is
written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to
nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is
the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the
wisdom of this world? For after that, in the wisdom
of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God. By the
foolishness of And that belief, Lord help us
never to be found guilty of raising men as the Israelites did with
Moses and Elijah. Back in our text, one last verse,
verse 36. And when the voice was passed,
Jesus was found alone, and they kept it close and told no man
in those days any of those things which they had seen. Let me call
to your attention One last thing. The fact that Moses and Elijah
were gone and the Lord Jesus stood before his disciples alone
was a vivid declaration that he is the end of the law and
the fulfillment of all the prophets. And the message of both the law
and the prophets is this. When Peter, James, and John awoke,
they saw clearly and distinctly, they saw no man save Jesus alone. Blessed indeed are those who
are chosen in Christ. Blessed indeed are those who
are redeemed by Christ. Blessed indeed are those who
are called in Christ. Men and women who see no man's
hand in the whole affair of salvation except in the hand of our Savior
Christ Jesus. Blessed are ye.