Our message this morning will
be taken from Luke chapter 9. And the title of the message
will be taken from verse 32. Let's read verse 32 one more
time. But Peter and they that were
with him were heavy with sleep. And when they were awake, or
awakened, they saw His glory. And the two men that
stood with Him, they saw His glory. So here's the title of
the message, Seeing the Glory of Christ. seeing the glory of
Christ. Every believer does see the glory
of Christ in the gospel of God concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. The gospel is all about Him,
the Lord Jesus. The gospel is not about you.
The gospel is about Christ. The gospel of God is all about
the gospel of His glory. Now, by way of introduction,
you remember the story from the message last week, and remember
the setting of this marvelous story, how the Lord Jesus Christ
was transfigured and changed in the presence of Peter, James,
and John. We read a moment ago in Matthew
17, there it says, "...his face did shine like the sun, and his
clothing was white and glistening." We find these two men, prophets
of God, Moses and Elijah, appeared with the Lord in this magnificent
sight, and they talked with the Lord Jesus Christ about the death
at Jerusalem, His death, that He would accomplish. Look at
verse 30 and 31 in Luke 9. And, behold, there talked with
Him two men, which were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in this
glory, who appeared with the Lord Jesus, and they spake of
His decease, which He should accomplish." He should accomplish
at Jerusalem. Now, we spent most of the time
in the message last week concerning what the Lord Jesus Christ did
accomplish at Calvary, when he was crucified for our sins, according
to the scripture, and we saw in that lesson that he accomplished
the eternal salvation of his people, the eternal salvation
of his church. For he bought the church with
his own blood. He accomplished the putting away
of the sin of his covenant people. Call his name Jesus, for he shall
save his people from their sin. We see the Lord Jesus Christ
laid down his life for the sheep. And then, finally, when he was
dying there on Calvary's tree, the Lord Jesus Christ said, it
is accomplished. Salvation is accomplished. It
is finished. He justified all of his people
from all of their sin, and he did so by his blood. Much more
being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath
through Him. That's our hope. Our hope is
what He did for us. Our hope of salvation has nothing
to do what we have done for the Lord Jesus Christ. Forget that. Don't go there. Don't look there. Don't find any assurance or any
comfort in what you have done. I hope it drives you to despair
and causes you to look unto the Lord Jesus Christ in all that
He has done for us. Salvation is what Christ has
accomplished for us. Now, three or four things here.
I want to bring a message from verse 32. down through verse
36 in Luke chapter 9. Here's the first thing I want
to point out. Here we find Peter, James, and
John in verse 32, that Peter and they that were with him were
heavy with sleep. And when they were awake, or
when they were awakened, they saw His glory. When they were awakened by the
power of God, what did they see? They didn't see the glory of
Elijah and Moses. They saw the glory of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Now here we see a picture of
salvation. A picture of the sinner's salvation. This is exactly what happens
when the Lord awakens us and quickens us, awakens us out of
the sleep of sin, and the Lord Jesus Christ gives us spiritual
life by the quickening power of God the Holy Spirit. It's
God who must awaken us. from the sleeping state of our
deadness in sin, He must quicken us, you hath He quickened who
were dead, He must make us new creatures in Christ Jesus. We
cannot do that ourselves. We are so full of sin and so
totally depraved that we'll sleep right on not seeing the glory
of the Lord Jesus Christ. We read in 2 Peter chapter 1
that believers are made partakers or possessors of a new divine
nature that enables us to believe and see His glory. We see the glory of the gospel
in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now hold your place there,
and let's see if we can find 2 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians
chapter 4. And here's the only way we'll
see the glory of God in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. He
must awaken us. He must quicken us. He must make
us new creatures in Christ. He must give us a new divine
nature. Now notice in 2 Corinthians chapter
4 verse 6, Verse 6, For God, who commanded the light to shine
out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light
of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Who commands the light to shine?
God commands the light to shine, and when God shines that light,
truth of the gospel in our heart, do you know what we see? We see
the glory of God in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter, James, and John did not
see any glory in Moses or in Elijah. The only glory they saw,
they saw His glory. You see verse 32? Have you seen
His glory? glory of his person, the glory
of his work. Moses represented the law, but
the Lord said that Moses wrote of him. If you would have believed
Moses, you would have believed me. Moses saw the glory of God
in the Lord Jesus Christ. He did. Moses wrote of the Lord
Jesus. Elijah represented the prophets
of God, but they too spoke of the Lord Jesus Christ. To Him
give all the prophets witness. The gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ is called the blessed gospel of the glory of God. You see, it's all about His glory.
Not about your glory. Not about you. About His glory
now and forever. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain,
to receive all honor, power, glory, and blessing, both now
and forever. Those that have seen Him, that
is the Lord Jesus Christ, in the word of truth, by the power
of God, speak only of His glory. Now, let me show you that in
Scripture. Turn over to John chapter 12. When Isaiah saw Him
high and lifted up, What did he speak of? From Isaiah chapter
6 verse 1, In the year the king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord high
and lifted up, and those seraphim said, Holy, holy, holy Lord God
Almighty. Now, John chapter 12 verse 41. These things said Isaiah when
he saw His glory, what did he speak of? He spake of Him. Those who have seen the glory
of the Lord Jesus Christ, they speak of Him. Those who believe
the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, they confess that the
Lord Jesus Christ is all their hope of salvation before God. Those that preach the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ speak only of His glory. You see, we preach not ourselves,
but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servant for His
sake. We speak of the glory of His
incarnation. Turn to John chapter 1. John
chapter 1. Verse 14, we speak of the glory
of His incarnation. The Word was made flesh and dwelt
among us. John chapter 1 verse 14, and
the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory. The glory as of the only begotten
of the Father, full of grace and truth. Look at verse 16. In John chapter 1, of His fullness,
have all we received grace for grace. For the law was given
by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man
has seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in
the bosom of the Father. He has declared Him We speak
of His glorious incarnation. We speak of the glory of His
salvation. Remember what the Apostle Paul
wrote to the Galatians? Chapter 6 verse 14, God forbid
we should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. You see the gospel of God, turn
to Ephesians chapter 1. The gospel of God is all about
His glory. Now in Ephesians chapter 1 and
verse 3, down through verse 14, we find this statement written
three times, to the praise of the glory of His grace. Ephesians
chapter 1 verse 3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who had blessed us with all spiritual blessing
in the heavenly places in Christ, according as He has chosen us
in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be Holy, 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." Now watch it, verse 6, "...to
the praise of His glory." wherein He hath made us accepted in the
Beloved." Here we see the whole triune God in the accomplishing
of our salvation, the Father choosing a people in His electing
grace, according to the praise of the glory of His grace. Beginning
in verse 7, we see the work of the Son, God the Son, in whom
we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sin,
according to the riches of His grace, wherein He abounded toward
us in all wisdom and prudence. having made known unto us the
mystery of his will, according to the good pleasure of his purpose
which he purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the
fullness of time he might gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on the earth, in
whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated
according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after
the counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise
of his glory." You see, it's all about His glory. And the
Son redeeming us and the Father choosing us that we should be
to the praise of His glory who first trusted in Christ. Now
verse 13, "...in whom you also trusted after you heard the word
of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also after
you believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise."
Here's the work of God the Holy Spirit in Our salvation, which
is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased
possession, unto the praise of His... Who gets the glory? God
gets all the glory. Have you seen His glory in God
choosing a people unto salvation, in the Son redeeming a people
by His blood, and then the Holy Spirit quickening His people? You see, the confession of faith
is Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Now
look back to Luke chapter 9. Here's the second thing I want
us to see in verse 33. And it came to pass. Luke 9,
33. And it came to pass. It came to pass by the will of
God, by the purpose of God. As they departed from Him. Now I take that to mean that
Moses and Elijah went back to wherever they were before. when
they were on this mount of transfiguration with the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter
said unto the master, the Lord Jesus, it's good for us to be
here. Now put yourself in their shoes. They just saw the radiant
deity of the eternal God shine in the face of Jesus Christ.
They saw Moses, the great prophet of God. They saw Elijah, the
man that was taken to heaven in a whirlwind. It's good for
us to be here. Well, I can identify with that,
can't you? They wanted just to stay there
for a while. And here's what he said. Peter said, let us make
three tabernacles. Let us make three monuments. One to you, one to Moses, one
to Elijah, not knowing what he said. Now, what's wrong with
that? What's wrong with what he said?
What's wrong with what? Isn't it a good thing for us
to be here? Yeah. He wanted to stay there for a
while. You wanted to construct these three tabernacles not knowing
what He said, as it says there in verse 33. Not knowing what
He said. In Mark chapter 9 verse 6, there
it says, He knew not what to say. Now here's the point I'm
trying to make. The best of men are only men
at best. You see, the Lord Jesus Christ
is not going to share His glory. Moses, great prophet. Elijah,
great prophet. But they pale in comparison to
the Lord Jesus Christ. The best of men are only men
at best. The old preacher George Whitefield said this, such is
the mixture of nature and grace, of short-sightedness and infirmity
among the best of men. Peter, we're not going to build
a tabernacle to Elijah and to Moses. Moses and Elijah cannot
and do not stand on equal ground with the Lord Jesus Christ. You
see, the Lord Jesus Christ must not only have all the glory,
He must have all the preeminence, the first place. Now let me show
you that in Scripture. Find the book of Colossians. Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians
chapter 1. The Lord Jesus Christ must have
all the preeminence. You see, it says in verse 15
of Colossians 1, who is the image of the invisible God? Who is
the Lord Jesus Christ? He's the image of the invisible
God, Colossians 115, the firstborn of every creature, for by Him
were all things created that are in heaven, that are in the
earth, visible, invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions,
principalities or powers, all things were created by Him and
for Him. He is before all things and by
Him all things consist. He is the head of the body of
the church who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased
the Father that in him should all fullness dwell." Now what
does the word preeminence mean? That's a pretty big word. What
does it mean? Well, the scriptural meaning
of what's being said here, the Lord Jesus Christ must have the
first place in all things. He must be first in all things. In all things, He must have the
preeminence. The first place in our affections,
in our thoughts, in our desires to be like Him. And in the highest
praise of our lips, He must have the first place. For it pleased
the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell, having made
peace due to the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all
things and do Himself by Him, I say, whether they be things
in earth or things in heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ rightly
must have all the preeminence, all the glory, and rightfully
so. He is the first. He has the chief
place. In sonship, no one is a son. No one is a son in the sense
that he is. He's the only begotten well-beloved
of the father. In election, he must have the
first place. He is the first chosen, we are
chosen in Him. Isaiah 42 says, Behold my elect,
my servant, in whom I delight. He is the elect, we are chosen
in Him. You see, He must have the preeminence
in election and in sonship. He must also have the preeminence
in the covenant of grace. He is the only surety and messenger
of the covenant. He is the only mediator. And
certainly in redemption, He must have the first place, the preeminence. We are redeemed with the precious
blood of Christ. And in salvation, He must have
the preeminence. He must have the first place,
the chief place, the only place. It's not of Him that willeth,
nor of Him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. He will have mercy on whom He
will. And in the resurrection glory,
He must have all the preeminence. He is the firstfruits. We are
raised up in Him, crucified in Christ, risen in Christ, seated
in Christ, and exalted in the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, He
has all the preeminence. Not Moses, not Elijah, not the
church, not Peter, not James. None but Christ alone must have
all the preeminence. He must have all the glory. Now, back to Luke 9. Here's the
third thing. Verse 34. While he thus spake,
there came a cloud. Now, I don't think this was a
dark cloud, a thunderstorm cloud like you remember when the law
was given on Mount Sinai, how the mountain even quaked in the
burning. I don't think this was a dark
cloud, a thunderstorm type cloud. I take this to be a white, bright,
The cloud of His glory. And this cloud is a special cloud
because it speaks. This is a speaking cloud. You
know, the clouds in Scripture are called the dust of His feet.
This cloud speaks. This cloud overshadowed them,
overcame them, and they feared as they entered into the cloud.
And there came a voice out of the cloud saying... What did this voice speak? This
is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him. Hear Him. This is my beloved
Son in whom I am well pleased." Now, here's the important thing
about this statement here. Oftentimes, people say, are you
pleased or satisfied with the Lord Jesus Christ? Well, we are. But you know, that's not the
important issue. Now, I'm satisfied with the Lord
Jesus Christ. I mean, He is well-pleasing in
my sight. But the real issue of the Gospel
is this, God Almighty is satisfied and well-pleased with the Lord
Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ satisfied
God's law and justice for us. God is well-pleased with the
Lord Jesus Christ. Thy throne, He said, O God, is
forever and ever." Don't turn, but let me just read this to
you over here in Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53 verse 10, Yet it pleased
the Lord to bruise him. He hath put him to grief, when
thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. He shall see his seed,
he shall prolong his day, and the pleasure of the Lord shall
prosper in his hand. He shall see the travail of his
soul, and shall be satisfied. By his knowledge shall my righteous
servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquity." God
Almighty speaks from heaven concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and said,
I am well pleased with my beloved Son. Hear Him. Now in Matthew chapter 3, at
the beginning of the Lord's ministry, God there speaks from heaven
once again and said, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well
pleased. Now He adds this statement, Hear
Him! The only person God the Father
is absolutely well pleased with is the Lord Jesus Christ. Did
you get that? He didn't say, I'm well pleased
with Moses. Moses had his times of rebellion
against God. Do you remember that? He did
not say he was well pleased with Elijah. Elijah had his times
of unbelief and rebellion against God as well. He didn't say, I
was well pleased with Peter, James, or John. They all were
full of infirmity and sin. The Lord doesn't say this of
any other man. But the God-man mediator, the
Lord Jesus Christ, I am well pleased, well satisfied with
the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ said in
John chapter 8 verse 29, I do always those things that please
Him. Now none of us can say that.
None of us can say that. Moses couldn't say that. Elijah
couldn't say that. Peter, he certainly couldn't
say that. I don't know the man. Peter denied
him three times. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
only one that can say, I do always those things that please and
satisfy God Almighty. Everything in His redemptive
work for us, the Father is well pleased. Well pleased in His
sacrifice is called a sweet smelling savor unto God. God the Father
is well pleased with the Lord Jesus Christ as He is our perfect
mediator between God and men. There's just one mediator, the
Lord Jesus Christ. God is always well pleased with
everything He said and everything that He did. The amazing fact
of the gospel is, as we are one with Him, united with Him, this
is also true of every believer. Now get a hold of this, I said
as we're one with Him, as we are united with Him, you see
what's true of the head is true of the body. In Colossians chapter
2, it says in Him, in Christ was all the fullness of the Godhead
bodily and you are complete in Christ, nothing lacking. Nothing lacking to satisfy God's
law and justice. The amazing fact of the gospel
is God Almighty can speak from heaven with the same saying in
regard to every believer, this is my Son in whom I am well pleased
as we are one in Christ. You see, what's true of the head
is true of the body. You remember this verse in our
study from 1 John chapter 4. Herein is our love made perfect,
that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because
as He is, so are we in this world. God speaks from heaven about
every son in Christ, a son of His love, a son of His grace,
a son by adoption, a son by a new birth. And he can say, this is
my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. In Jeremiah 23, we read
about the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Lord our righteousness. And then over in Jeremiah 33,
it talks about the church of the redeemed of the Lord Jesus
Christ. And you know what He calls our
name? She shall be called the Lord
our righteousness. That's the church of the Lord
Jesus Christ. God is well pleased with that
church redeemed by His blood. Now, here's the last thing I
want to... well, the second to the last thing. The last part
of verse 34, or the last part of this statement, this is my
beloved Son, now hear Him. Hear Him. Hear Him. Give Him
a hearing. Hear His Word. Hear His Word. What a blessing to have a desire
to hear the Word of the Lord. That Bible you have in your lap
this morning, my friend, it does not only contain the Word of
God, it is the Word of God. Hear Him speak in His Word. What a blessing to have a desire
to hear the Word of the Lord. Remember when Peter went to the
house of Cornelius, that Gentile? And Cornelius had. God working on his heart, his
mind, his soul, and he said when Peter got there, we are all here
present before God to hear all things commanded thee of God. I want to hear him speak from
heaven through his word by his Spirit to my heart. What a blessing
it is to sit quietly at his feet and to listen and to learn of
him. Our Lord said, all you that labor
and heavy laden, come unto me, I'll give you rest. Take my yoke
upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart. My way is easy. Ask the Lord
to teach you the gospel and answer every question that you have.
And He will bless His Word to your heart. Blessed are your
eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Faith comes
by hearing, and hearing by the Word of the Lord. We are to be
swift to hear Him, and slow to speak. Of His own will beget
He us with the Word of truth. This is my beloved Son, now hear
Him. Listen to the word. Submit yourself
to the hearing and the preaching of the gospel. Now, here's the
last thing. Look at verse 36, Luke 9, and when the voice was
passed, Jesus was found alone. Alone. Now, don't turn back over
here, but let me read this to you. that we read earlier in
Matthew 17. Matthew 17. The Lord Jesus Christ
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. They saw no one but Jesus, the
Lord Jesus Christ only. They did not see Moses. He was
gone. They did not see Elijah. He was
gone. Who did they see? The Lord Jesus
Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ has fulfilled
all the Law and the Prophets. We're no longer under the Law,
but under Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ has fulfilled
all the Prophets had written about. We read last week, Luke
24, all things must be fulfilled, which are written in the Law
of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning me. They
saw no one save the Lord Jesus Christ only. What does that teach
us about the gospel? What is that teaching us about
the gospel? In the whole matter of the accomplishment
of our salvation, no one had any hand in it but the Lord Jesus
Christ only. Only. Salvation is not your hand
in His hand put together and accomplishing salvation. No,
it's all by His hand. The Lord Jesus Christ only. In the accomplishment of our
salvation, no one had a hand in it, but the Lord Jesus Christ
only. Christ the Lord Jesus is the
only Mediator, the only Savior, the only Redeemer, the only Prophet,
Priest, and King. Neither is there salvation in
any other. Our Lord said, I am The way,
the only way. I am the truth, the only truth. And I am the only life. Salvation
is in Christ, His person. Now, may God give us grace to
awaken us that we may see His glory. that we may be totally
satisfied with the Lord Jesus Christ, as we are one with Him
in that blessed covenant of grace. May we see His glory, may we
honor Him by believing Him, and thirdly, may we trust Him as
all of our salvation, and may we Look to Christ alone as all
of our hope, all of our forgiveness, all of our pardon before God
Almighty. Let's turn to one more scripture,
back over in Colossians. Colossians chapter 3. And may
God do this work of grace in our heart. Verse 11. Colossians 3, where there is
neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian
nor Scythian, bond or free, but Christ is all and in all. He's all our hope. May God give
us grace to see His glory, to hear Him, and then to trust Him
as all of our salvation.