Only Jesus!: Beholding the Glory of God

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It was a spectacle. No one had ever seen before. Today on a new beginning pastor Greg Laurie takes us to the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ.

This is an amazing moment Jesus shining like the sun. Moses and Elijah on the inside. Peter explained it's a good PR here and I love this detail that sounded. He said that because he really did know what else to say when you don't know what to say don't say anything and we will see and never forget is Old Faithful in Yellowstone is good on the rim of the Grand Canyon or maybe it was watching our child figure for staff. Nothing on earth that are prepared. These certain onlookers for the spectacle they were about to see today on a new beginning pastor Greg Laurie takes us to the Transfiguration of Jesus left him speechless. One of them spoke. Have you ever had the wrong thing at the wrong time.

I have to admit I've had my share bloopers over the years as a preacher you know I've almost been preaching for 50 years now and over the years I made mistakes as I been speaking for instance one year I was speaking on Peter and Jesus and the conversation they were having and what I meant to say was Jesus said to Peter. Peter do you love me and instead inexplicably I might add, I said Jesus speaking keepers tequila papers were that come from what it even gets worse. Years ago I was back in North Carolina and I've been a part of the Billy Graham evangelistic Association board for over 25 years now and this is back when Billy was still with us before he went to be with the Lord and does so after the meeting my friend Dennis a good genie and would often call me on the phone and asked me how did it go and he did perfect. Billy Graham, imitation, and does so that night that was pretty late. I got a call on my phone and I pick it up and and Dennis says hello this is Billy Graham how are you while I'm I'm good, Billy, and I know it's Dennis so I'm I'm gonna flipping the channels on the TV and then Dennis and Billy voices.

I was thinking a great deal about what you said to me earlier tonight and I would like you to help me with my messages and I'm thinking yeah yeah I'm literally saying yeah whatever whatever. Then it don't send me. I did say to Billy that night. Earlier hey I could help you out with your messages if you like, and he's the only one who would've known that Dennis did know that. Which means I was blowing off Billy Graham so that was definitely saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. We've all done it in one way shape or form. Well, here's a story now before us in Mark chapter 9, when Peter definitely said the wrong thing at the wrong time. This happened when Jesus was transfigured, worry shine like the sun with Moses on one side and Elijah on the other. This happened on the mountaintop to talk about that now.

In this text looks look at Mark chapter 9 I'm reading from the new living translation and here's what we see Jesus went on to say, I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the kingdom of God arriving great power. Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James and John, and led them to a high mountain to be alone.

As the men watched Jesus was transformed. His clothes became dazzling white far wider than any earthly bleeds could make them and then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus. Peter explained it's good that we are here let's make three shelters as memorials one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah. Mrs. first. He said this because he really didn't know what else to say, for they were all terrified, then a cloud overshadowed them in a voice from the cloud said this is my dearly beloved son, listen to him.

Suddenly when they looked around Moses and Elijah were gone and they saw only Jesus with them. You might underline those two words.

Only Jesus and they went back down the mountain and he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead, so they kept it to themselves, but they often ask each other what it meant when he said, rising from the dead. This Transfiguration this moment where Jesus shine like the sun is out a significant point in his earthly ministry. It's at the half way point of a very difficult journey. So Jesus was looking back to the cradle and is looking forward to the cross and is giving to Peter, James and John a glimpse of glory or a taste of heaven.

We could call it a preview of coming attractions. Look at what he says, verse one. I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the kingdom of God arriving a great power so the Transfiguration was a sneak peek of what is to come for all of humanity. When Christ returns. One day as King of Kings and Lord of lords and sort of like what we used to see when we went to movies. Remember when we actually went to theaters and that they would play all those trailers are all the upcoming films and a lot of times the best bits were in the trailer. Sometimes the trailer was better than the film itself, but the idea was here's what this film is about. You've got to see this film. So this is sort of like a mega trailer for the return of Christ and giving you a glimpse of what is coming. Look at verse three.

As the men watched his appearance was transformed and Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus. Now this is the amazing thing he's shining so brightly. Have you ever looked directly at the sun. I highly recommend you do not do that. But who would not be amazed that such a display of glory.

And if that wasn't enough to see Jesus shining like that you have Moses and Elijah show up and listen to this, we think the miracle is Jesus shine like the sun that's not the miracle.

The miracle is Jesus did not shine like the sun all the time.

Remember he was God.

God walking among us.

And when he walked among us.

He did not void his deity, but he did bail it as a Christmas song says veiled in flesh the Godhead see hail incarnate deity.

Jesus never cease to be God. He always was God. But he sort of restrained that glory from showing on me. It would've been, hard to hang out with them if he was shining like the sun. All of the time because it's hard to hide. Life is in it Québec to movie theaters.

Someone pulls out a cell phone in their checking their messages are looking at their social media feed when the movie is playing. Your eyes are immediately drawn from the screen to the phone because you're drawn the light of months or years ago my son Jonathan who was around nine years old had a little videogame. I gave him it was a Nintendo 64.

Remember those and also he played a lot. In fact he wouldn't stop playing that so I put a little TV in his room at this game system and I said no Jonathan you need to shut it off, it's time to go to bed and he said okay and then a little time past about an hour actually cause my walk by his room and there's like a blue light coming out from beneath the door.

I opened the door of their Jonathan playing this little game. I said Jonathan I told you the stop playing that game and he said that I can't help myself. I think I'm addicted to addicted. He said he was addicted. I thought that was so funny.

There was no punishment so to just turn it so now fast forward many years, Jonathan has his own daughter Allie. He got her an upgraded version of a modern version of a Nintendo system, but this one was a handheld version, so she did needed TV.

He told her to put it away and then he walked by her room, he saw some light coming out. He opened the door and she's under a blanket you can see her silhouette under the blanket playing the sick. Funny how these things repeat themselves right. It's hard to hide light.

Jesus is just shining like the sun. He could've done that it will when they came to arrest him in the garden of Gethsemane to get it just turn on the light in their faces would've melted like that scene from Raiders of the lost Ark remember that same window. He didn't do that bail that light from showing. So the miracle is not that he shine like the sun.

The miracle is that even shine like the sun all the time and who is with them, Moses and Elijah talking with Esther, Greg Moore will have the second half of his message in just a moment I want you to know tonight. One thing John loves you and a new life. Pastor Greg Laurie brings us a deeper appreciation for the man and his message. No matter how you live is there no matter what no matter what languages God loves you and wants to give you a new beginning, bridges and people only share the gospel and he always emulated Christ. Anything we can learn from his example.

So I write about that a lot more this new book I've written called Billy Graham the man I knew it's an evangelist in the life of history's greatest event in your copy of the new biography Billy Graham, the man I knew who harvest or Pastor Greg is brought us to the scene of the Transfiguration of Christ with Moses and Elijah. There as well as several disciples and if you miss any part of today's study, you can catch up@harvest.org the Moses and Elijah occupy unique positions in the Old Testament of the Bible speaks of the law and the prophets. You couldn't find a better representative of the law than Moses, the great lawgiver who received the 10 Commandments from God on Mount Sinai, and you couldn't find a better representative of the prophets and Elijah the miracle working prophet who called fire down from heaven and stopped it from raining and they're having a discussion. Now here's an interesting thing. How did Peter James and John know it was Moses and Elijah was was attending. There were 10 Commandments and was Elijah calling fire down. I don't think so did the of little nametags like you get when you go to an event you have to write your name hi my name is Moses. No, I don't think so, but somehow Peter, James and John were able to recognize that that was Moses and Elijah on each side of Jesus which shows that in glory were going to recognize each other sometime people outside question will beget the heaven will we know one another in my responses.

Do you think you'll be more stupid in heaven and you are on earth, you'll know more in heaven. Unless and so the answer is yes, you will know one another and heaven.

And here's also a reminder that the Bible teaches there will be a bodily resurrection, does that mean means that our body are personality everything that we are will live again. That means that you will see your love ones who have died in faith in the ground in the cabin before you again, but they'll be in a perfect state and you'll pick up where you last left off when Jesus was crucified and then he rose again from the dead. He greeted the disciples with the words. Peace be with you almost like a guy thousand one.

Well, your Jesus present, but he started picked up worry less left off and that's how it will be when you see your love ones again because they're not only a part of your past.

There also a part of your future. What an amazing sight. This was a big consider this back Moses at this moment had been dead for around 1400 years and Elijah have been gone for around 900 years, but here they are together and are having the discussion. What were they talking about Luke's Gospel fills in the detail here about the conversation. Luke chapter 9 verse 31 says they were speaking about his exit is from this world when she was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem. I'm sure Moses had quite a few things to say about in Exodus because only go to the book of Exodus, which means departure.

It's a story of how God used Moses to lead the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt through the wilderness through the parted Red Sea and into the promised land. And you remember as a part of that story, God's judgment came upon the firstborn of Egypt and the Lord told Moses to instruct the Jewish people to take a lamb slay the lamb and apply the blood on the top and on the sides of their doorpost and God's judgment would pass over and that is still celebrated today as the Passover feast and so this is all going to be fulfilled because everything that Passover lamb was pointing to is fulfilled in Christ.

Christ is going to go die for the sins of the world he would fulfill the fact that she would be the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world in his blood would be shed for this sin of all of humanity. Remember he brought this topic up earlier at a place called Caesarea Philippi and Peter thought he lost his mind and Peter began to rebuke Jesus when he talked about his impending death, say that's crazy you can't do that. But here's some another will listen to Jesus and understand it. Moses understood, as did Elijah. As they spoke of these incredible things that were about to happen for this is the reason Jesus came he he he was born in a manger and we love to celebrate that the beautiful little baby.

There, but don't forget he came with the purpose and that purpose was to go to the cross and die for this sin of all of the world. So this is an amazing moment.

You don't want to miss this Jesus shiny like the sun. Moses and Elijah on each side, talking about his crucifixion and what did the disciples do what it Peter James and John do what they basically fell asleep again.

Luke fills in the detail here. Luke 932, says Peter and those who are with them were heavy with sleep and when they were fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men that stood with him. By the way, that's something only inappropriate time that Peter, James and John fell asleep. They also fell asleep in the garden of Gethsemane of this is that moment that Jesus went into the garden and prayed and according to Dr. Luke sweat, as it were great drops of blood and some doctors believe that was the first century description of what we now call key metric process and that's a condition that when you're under intense pressure you perspire blood not pureblood but your blood and your perspiration are mixed together so maybe that's what Dr. Luke was talking about. But Jesus had a request for Peter, James and John, which was basically stay with me.

Just be with me. You know sometimes when a person is suffering. They don't need a sermon. They just need a friend. That's all. The Lord us were just just be with me in yellow with the Lord.

He said to them, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak and he comes back to them out of this anguish out of the suffering.

After this prayer to the father and they fell asleep. You know sometimes we fall asleep as well. Heard about a burglar who was robbing the house and he heard a cop car go by, so he took cover on the floor and then he fell asleep and the homeowner got up that morning and saw this burglar asleep on his horn called the cops. They came and woke the guy up and said buddy this is your wake-up call and I wonder if sometimes in the church. We need a wake-up call. I wonder if some of you watching me right now. Need a wake-up call spiritually because you're spiritually asleep. That is why in Romans 13 the apostle Paul says it's high time to awake out of our sleep, because the night is far spent the day is at hand.

Let's be Christ men from head to foot and give no chance for the flesh to have sling wake-up, it's a wake-up call.

Will they wake up and there they see Moses and Elijah, and of course Jesus and now Peter says the wrong thing at the wrong time. Verse six.

It's good we are here and I love this detail that's added. He said this because he really didn't know what else to say when you don't know what to say don't say anything.

There's an old proverb, not a biblical one, but it has some truth which goes as follows. Better to be silent and thought a fool than to open your mouth and dispel all doubt. It's good we are here, says Peter: let's let's memorialize this place about 3/10 one for Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah.

Have you ever said something you wish you could take back. For instance, appeared driving on the road and you break the speed limit and you're pulled over by a police officer in California, there would be the CHP California Highway Patrol, but wherever you are. You're pulled over by cops never say the following things to a police officer was pulled you over a number one man you must be going 120 miles an hour to keep up with me or don't say this sorry officer. I didn't realize my radar detector was not something about this one to the officer wait. Are you one of the guys in the village people know don't have. Okay, this 10 I saw your lights were on and I just thought you were on your way to get a donut.

Don't say that to a cop by the way, I found that on a website posted by cops for cop so I hope I didn't offend any police officers right now.

Recently I actually was pulled over by an officer when it was on the island of Maui. We have a church there called harvest Kuma Lonnie and the speed limits are very slow in Maui.

There like 12 mph it seems that way, honestly. So I'm driving I did. The guy was feeding at all in this couples me over.

Ironically, after the guy who's a local there said slow down. There's pumps are sometimes said fine people for speeding.

I slowed down and he sped up slightly, so I wasn't going 12 mph I was going 13 1/2 mph because we over the lights are flashing he comes up in. I said hi officer was I speeding yes you were your speeding. Can I have your drivers license and so forth. So I give it to many. He came back and I said will officer on I am from California. I didn't know the go to a lot of people from California try faster. The speed limits.

I understand you're just doing your job.

I'm sorry and I I didn't try to get out of it because mom is going to give you a warning today. Yes, thank you Lord so you know when you're with a cop, just tell them the truth are so tired of people lying just say yeah well sorry and you're just doing your job.

That's all they're trying to do. But Peter says it's good we are here that's the operative word here. Hey Lord this is blessing central.

We love hanging out with you and Moses and Elijah basking in your glory and let's forget all this crazy talk about going to Jerusalem and dying. Let's stay here and now Peter gets a rebuke, not from Jesus but from the Father in heaven will give her seven then a cloud overshadowed in a voice from the cloud said this is my dearly loved son listen to him. Suddenly when they looked around Moses and Elijah were gone and they saw only Jesus with them.

The father steps into the conversation and effectively says Peter of Maysan says he's going to go to Jerusalem to suffer and die. That's what's going to happen and you need to believe him if he tells you to take up your cross and follow them you need to do it or drinking in the spectacle of the Transfiguration of Christ new beginning pastor Greg Laurie is titled his message.

Only Jesus and there's more to come. But if you weren't able to hear every word of today's presentation go online to harvest.org you can stream the program while you're online or download an MP3 for later. What were talking about a number of things that just may surprise you about the life of Billy Graham discomfort pastor Greg's new book called Billy Graham the man I knew we talked about the important role his wife Ruth played we talked about him being a door-to-door salesman and how he wanted to be a major league baseball player when he was really young. So what's next pastor Greg which was another surprise okay here's number six Billy and Ruth Graham lived on less than $50 a week prior to the launch of his Crusades. So before Billy Graham became a household name in 1949 a with his Los Angeles crusade.

He served for 21 months as a pastor of a Baptist church in a Chicago suburb.

A lot of people know Billy was a pastor for a time, so when he was a preaching or going home to home to visit people get a radio broadcast called songs in the night that he would preach twice on Sundays at the church hold a midweek prayer meeting and Ruth even taught child evangelism classes on Wednesday afternoons and he was paid $48 a week. You know the Bible says despise not the days of small things and God was preparing Billy and in some ways, one of the ways the Lord prepares us for what he has a head is through process of elimination, sometimes before you find it, which are called to do.

You have to first discover what you're not called to do so.

Billy had his stint as a pastor.

Imagine having Billy Graham as your pastor is elastic but but he really felt called to be an evangelist, you know that I love pastor Dave I am a pastor and I respect pastors but the pastors are many and the evangelists are few. It's kind of rare that you find a person who is called primarily to be an evangelist. I feel called to be both the pastor and evangelist, but Billy was really called primarily to be an evangelist, though I might add.

He was referred to as America's pastor. So even though he was an evangelist.

He really was in a pastoral role with the presidents that he would speak to in the end, when we cannot forget that Billy crossed both sides of the political aisle was sure he was a friend to Eisenhower and Nixon and Reagan and George H.

W. Bush and George W. Bush. Don't forget he was a friend and confidant of Pres. Kennedy Pres. Johnson Pres. Clinton so he had the ear of all of them because he kept their confidence and he gave them godly counsel. He was not there to give them political advice and Ruth would remind him if he ever cross that line. By the way that he was there primarily to be a spiritual counselor and he did his job well. But yes, it's true for a short stint. He was a pastor.

This is just one of the many things I bring up my book, Billy Graham, the men I knew that you may not have known about this incredible man that God used in such an amazing way. I want to send you a copy of this book for your gift of any size whatever you said. I can promise you will use that to reach more people with the teaching of the word of God and the message of the gospel we so much appreciate your partnership in this important work.

So let us thank you for your donation with this remarkable book on the life of a remarkable man, Billy Graham, the man I knew that Franklin Graham wrote this about the book. I've often said that the public, Billy Graham seen on crusade platforms and television was the same private Billy Graham at home. This certainly is revealed in Billy Graham, the man I knew, which is based on Greg's personal thoughts on the special time spent with my father and how his ministry impacted Greg's own life and evangelistic ministry. I'm grateful for Greg's friendship for his love for my father and for his proclamation of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ will pastor Greg is making the book available to thank you for your donation of any size.

And please know there are no churches or large organizations covering all the expenses know it's only through the investments of listeners, but these insights can come your way. Each day, so thanks for being a partner with us with your donation today. Be sure to ask for Billy Graham, the man I knew you can write a new beginning.

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That's a 24 hour phone number 1-800-821-3300 or just go online to harvest.org will pastor to give us the news about your new TV program called harvest with great glory. So we really expanded on television. I would say quite dramatically wanting to reach new people wanting to reach unexpected people in unexpected places like the lifetime channel and is a huge viewership.

This is not what you would call a Christian channel it's more of a secular channel a mainstream TV outlet will be on the lifetime network also will be on the FOXBusiness network also on Newsmax.

In addition to that will be in great Christian networks like DayStar and TBN if you want to find out more about air times go to harvest out of the next time pastor Greg brings his insights on what happened after the Transfiguration. More good lessons to be learned ninth chapter of Mark you run a new beginning pastor Greg Laurie and thanks for to a new beginning. Greg Laurie podcast made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for daily devotions and learn how to become a harvest partner harvest.org