"Jesus Only"

Will, turn back in your Bibles with me to Matthew chapter 17. The transfiguration of the Lord Jesus Christ, as we read here in Matthew 17, is also recorded Mark and Luke. John, the gospel according to John, he did not record this. Some believe that what he wrote in John 1, 14 may refer to this. He said, and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father. But there are three things that Luke tells us that that Matthew didn't that I want to mention first.

Luke wrote that he was transfigured as he was praying. The Lord Jesus Christ was transfigured as he was praying. And then Luke also tells us that the disciples, Peter, James, and John, they were heavy with sleep. And when they were awake, they saw his glory. And thirdly, Luke tells us what our Lord was talking about with Moses and Elijah, and that is his death, which he would accomplish at Jerusalem. Now, as we go through this today, I have seven headings. I trust the Lord will bless his word to all of us here.

Verse one, we see Jesus went apart to pray. And after six days, Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John, his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart. And I'd just like to make the point that the Lord Jesus Christ went apart to pray. And we're not told what time of day this took place. We do know from the word that The Savior, the Lord Jesus, sometimes spent all night in prayer. We're told this in Luke chapter 5 and verse 12, and it came to pass in those days that he went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God. Now, the fact that these three disciples were heavy with sleep, and actually were asleep, makes me think that this probably did take place either at night or very early in the morning.

But I just wanted to emphasize that he went apart to pray. You know, the Pharisees, the religious people of that day among the Jews, the Pharisees, they were the strictest sect among the Jews. Our Lord said concerning them praying that they love to stand praying in the synagogues and in the corners of the street that they may be seen of men. These religious hypocrites, for that's what he called them later, they loved to pray where they would be seen. But the Lord Jesus Christ, many times, he went apart to pray. And he told us, he told his disciples, when you pray, enter into your closet. And when you have shut the door, pray to your father in secret.

Now, most people believe this mountain upon which he was transfigured was Mount Tabor. Mount Tabor. And if you have a pictorial Bible dictionary, you will find a picture of Mount Tabor in it. And while it is a high mountain, to me it looks more like a mound. It's not a high mountain with jagged edges and points. It'd be hard for a person to sleep on some mountains that I've seen, but not this one, because it looked more like a mound. It was flat. The surface of it was broad and flat.

And that's where the disciples no doubt could rest. Now his form was altered while he was praying. And I bring this out to point out to us or to remind us that many times when we have problems and difficulties and afflictions and troubles, and all of God's people do from time to time, That it is while we're praying, it is when we are apart, alone, alone with God, praying that our feelings at least are altered. So that's the first thing I wanted to point out is that Jesus went apart to pray. Now second, we see he was transfigured in verse two. and was transfigured before them, and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light." The word that's translated transfigured is the word metamorphosis. Now, it doesn't mean that the substance of his body was changed. Our Lord received a glorified body when he rose from the dead. This was not a glorified body. This was the same body, and yet it was changed. The appearance of it was changed.

His natural appearance was that of a servant. That's what he was, a servant, God's servant, who came into this world to save his people. Isaiah chapter 52 tells us that his countenance was more marred than any man. And so normally he had the appearance of a servant, of a laboring person.

But now his countenance has changed, and it's changed because he allowed his deity. We know that he's both God and man. He allowed his deity to break through. And we see his glory here. His face, the scripture says, did shine as the sun, as the sun in its fullness. And his body was shining so much that his clothes, his robes, they were like the light. White as light, whiter than the snow, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared now to his disciples. The third thing, these two heavenly visitors appeared, Moses and Elijah.

These two men, when they were here upon the earth, like the Lord Jesus Christ, they all had fasted 40 days in the wilderness. They had both suffered while they were living here, but at this time, all their suffering was behind them. The sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ was all before him. And as I mentioned, Luke tells us that they spoke, the three of them spoke of his death, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

That reminds us that the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, we like to say, flowed backward and forward. In other words, to the very first sinner that God saved, whether it was Adam or Eve or Abel, whichever, the very first sinner that God saved was saved by the blood of Jesus Christ and the last sinner that God is going to save. Maybe here today, wouldn't that be wonderful? Maybe there's one lost person here today that God would have mercy upon and save you, and you're the last one. But you're saved in the same way that the very first sinner that God saved is saved, and that is through the blood of Jesus Christ, through his substitutionary death.

There's never been but one way that a person might be saved. And it's always impressed me when I read that there in Luke, they spoke of his death, his exodus. I believe that's the word is used in the Greek. His exodus, his exodus when he would leave this world, leave this world in death that he should accomplish at Jerusalem. Who accomplishes anything by their death?

I don't. I won't. The only thing that I'm going to accomplish by my death is there's going to be one less person here to breathe God's air. That's it. The Lord Jesus Christ, he's the only one who actually accomplished what he intended to accomplish by his death. You say, what was that? Well, it was to save his people. That's the reason he came into this world, to save his people. And he accomplished that by his death.

The fourth thing that we see here is the three disciples They recognized Moses and Elijah. They just knew immediately that along with the Lord, who they had walked with now for almost three years, they see Moses, and they knew it was Moses. And they see Elijah, and they knew it was Elijah.

They'd never been alive when either one of those men were here. There were no cameras back there. There were no pictures. How did they know them? Well, it makes us believe that we will know each other in heaven. We will recognize each other, all of God's saints.

And it's wonderful to think that one day we will be there worshiping with men and women that we've read about in the word of God. The Bible lesson this morning was about Moses. Think about the fact that one day we will be there where Moses is, David, and Esther, and all the various ones we read about in the scripture, and then through the history, the various men that God has used, pastors. But you know, that's the lesser thing about heaven, isn't it?

That we will worship with the people we've known and people we've read about. But the greater blessing will be we will worship the Lord, that he will be there, that we will be there with him, that we will see him in his glory. You know, the scripture says that God's people are predestinated to be conformed to the image of his son. And we will be like Christ, not only see him as he is and know him, but we will be like him. That's to me the wonderful thing about heaven, not just to be with him, but to be like him, to be one with him.

Now a cloud overshadowed them. This is the fifth thing. A cloud overshadowed them and a voice spoke out of the cloud. You know, this is not the first time that God had spoken out of a cloud. This is not the first time that God has spoken out of a cloud from a mountain. But what a difference. What a difference from that first time that we know when God spoke out of a cloud upon a mountain till this time when God spoke out of a cloud upon a mountain.

God spoke from Mount Sinai, didn't he? He spoke to the nation of Israel. And the scriptures describe him speaking then as the mountain burned with fire into the midst of heaven with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness. And the people that heard him, heard him speak, they asked that they might not hear his voice again. Moses himself later said I, exceedingly fear and quake.

But now, what's the difference? What's the difference this time from the first time that God spoke out of a cloud from a mountain to this time? Well, the first time his wrath was manifested against a guilty world, but this time his delight is manifested in his son. here on the mountain.

This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Hear you him. You think about those last three words. Hear ye him. Hear him this morning. Hear him. Well, where will we hear him? From his word. From his word. And I thought of several verses that we might mention this morning, and hearing him, I thought of that verse in John chapter 16 and verse 27, the Father loveth you. The Father loveth you. Hear him.

You know, some people have the idea that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered and died in order to get the Father to love us. Well, that's contrary to the word of God, isn't it? For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. And it is because of his love that he has chosen those that he has chosen to be his people. In love, having predestinated us unto the image of his son.

Hear him. Hear you him, the Father loveth you. The message of God's love is so great. And the older I get, the more impressed I am with the love of God. How we could even begin to try to speak about the love of God. His great love wherewith He loved us.

Here in His love, John said, not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins, the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Hear you Him, the Father loveth you. Hear Him, except you believe that I am You shall die in your sins. Hear him. That's what he said, isn't it? Except you believe that I am, that I am God. Not just a good man, as the world would say. Not just a great philosopher. No, no. God manifests in the flesh.

Hear him. except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. Hear him, hear ye him. You say, what is repentance? Well, we know it means a change of mind, but it means more than that. Yes, yes, when God grants repentance, and it is a gift, just like faith. By nature, man doesn't have the ability dead in trespasses and sins to either repent or believe in Christ. Repentance is a gift. He's exalted a prince and a savior for to give repentance unto Israel. A change of mind, yes, but it's more than that. It's a change of mind, a change of purpose. A change of purpose. Our purpose is to gratify self, isn't it? We're born like that. That's our purpose. That's our desire. That's all our desire.

What's best for me? What suits me? What do I like? It's never not my will, but thy will be done. So it's more than just a change of mind about About God, who he is. About ourselves, who we are. And about sin, yes. There's a change of purpose. Hear ye him. Well, what did these three disciples hear that day? They heard this, this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. God is well-pleased in His Son, in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwelt. The fullness of the Godhead dwelt. God is well-pleased in His Son, who glorified Him in all things.

You know, the scripture says, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. What is the glory of God? It's obedience. It's obeying God. It's honoring God as He should be obeyed. He's God. He deserves perfect, absolute obedience in all things. But we've all sinned and come short of His glory. But not the Lord Jesus Christ.

God is well pleased in His Son who glorified Him in all things. God is well pleased in His Son who has brought in a perfect righteousness. We know that He did that by His obedience, and that perfect righteousness of Christ is what is imputed to everyone that believes, charged to your account, so that we appear before God now, not dressed in our old rags of self-righteousness, that's all our rags are, all our righteousness is, is filthy rags, but we don't appear there before God in our righteousness, for it is nothing. but to appear before God in his righteousness, to be declared just, just as if we had never sinned. And that's true only by having his righteousness accounted to us. God is well pleased with his son who gave his life for his sheep.

He said, no man taketh my life from me. I lay it down of myself. This commandment have I received of my father. I have power both to lay it down and take it again. The father's well pleased with his son because he gave, the father gave these sheep to his son. And he became the surety for all of us, all of his sheep. And the father's well pleased because not one of them Not one will be lost. But you know, when you look at that statement there, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. That tells us that he is pleased with everyone who is in Christ.

And I mentioned last week, how is it that any are in Christ? First, by election. We were chosen in Christ. And secondly, by being called. That's what this is all about, isn't it? As we preach the gospel week after week and missionaries go out and some preach on the street corner and the gospel just diffused everywhere.

Some have the gospel through radio programs and television programs and tracts are given out. And the gospel is being diffused all over the world. And in some places, you know, you face a death penalty if you even speak to someone else about the gospel. In a Muslim country like Afghanistan, if you were to even talk to your neighbor who's a Muslim about Christ and about what he's done for us, And you're reported to the authorities, you could lose your life there. And yet, Christians are still doing that. All over this world, God's word is going out and God's gathering his church, isn't he? Calling his people. It's just such a blessing, such a thrill to think we're part of it. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. I looked up that word, beloved.

And that word that's translated here, beloved, comes from a root word, which the word in John chapter 17, in our Lord's words, the very same word. when our Lord said there in his prayer, Father, I will, that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me, for thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me. Same word. This is my beloved John, in whom I am well pleased. And every one of us here today who know Christ as our Lord and Savior, that same love, that same love with which he loved his son, he loves you. Someone said one time, that's the most amazing verse in all the word of God. And I'd agree, wouldn't you? that the father loves us as he loves his son. Same, same word.

Well, the sixth thing that we see here, the disciples saw Jesus only. God's testimony that salvation, reconciliation, knowing peace with God, It's found only through Jesus Christ, through him alone. It's not through a church. It's not through any forms or ceremonies. My, my. Religion, religion has so many ceremonies, so many ceremonies, and yet none of them can make a man right with God. Only through Christ.

We used to sing that little chorus, solamente in Cristo, solamente in el. Only in Christ. When our friend, Brother Groover, Walter Groover, last few days of his life, I was told this by his granddaughter. that every so often he'd get out of bed and he'd say, let's sing that chorus. Solamente in Cristo, solamente in el.

No hay otro nombre dado a los hombres. The only name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Yeah, what a blessing to go out into eternity with that. firmly rooted, firmly established, firmly believed, salvation is only in Christ. No confidence in his life, how God had used him for many years. No. Jesus only. Jesus only.

And the last thing, the seventh thing, the three Disciples were commanded not to reveal this vision to anyone. Do you notice that here in our text, Matthew 17, as they were coming down from the mountain? Verse nine says, 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. Well, we naturally, being inquisitive, we wonder about that, don't we?

Why? Why would the Lord tell his disciples not to tell what they had experienced, what they had seen to no one until after he was raised from the dead? Well, most of the writers, they say, well, most likely because no one would believe them. No one would believe them. But don't you know, as they were coming down from that mountain, here's Peter, James, and John, and they had something that the other disciples knew nothing about.

Oh, I can't wait to get down there and tell Thomas or Philip or Andrew what I've had, what I've experienced, my experience. I just can't wait to tell them. And the Lord said, don't tell anyone. Don't tell anyone. Now, I thought, maybe our Lord told them this to keep them from being jealous. You say, his disciples?

Look in chapter 18, the first part of chapter 18, Matthew 18. At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus saying, who's the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Can you imagine that? As the Lord Jesus Christ is making his way to the cross, what are his disciples thinking about?

Who's gonna be the greatest? Here's the greatest of the great. No one compares to him. And yet he came as a servant to give his life, a ransom for many. And his disciples, they're wanting to know who's going to be the greatest. In other words, am I going to be the greatest? Will I be the greatest?

Well, our Lord chose not to tell us why he told them not to. There's a verse in Deuteronomy that I think of quite often. The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed unto us and our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. We'll never be responsible for what God hasn't revealed to us, will we? But we are all responsible for what he has revealed.

Come unto me, the Lord Jesus Christ said. All ye that labor and are heavy laden, if there's anyone heavy laden, bow down with sin. The Lord Jesus Christ has come to me. And I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn to be. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. May the Lord bless this word to us here this morning. We're going to sing that.

"Jesus Only"

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"Jesus Only"

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