From Distraction to Hope [Part 1]

Pastor author and Bible teacher Alan Wright. Mary did you know that your baby's creation.

Did you know that your baby boy would one day move. Did you know your baby boy is heavens perfect land.

The sleeping child holding is the great I Alan light for the whole excited for you to hear the teaching debate in the series life of Peter has presented at an older church in North Carolina. If you're not able to stay with us throughout the entire broadcast how to make sure you know how to get our special resource. Right now he can be yours for your donation this month.

Alan Wright industries so as you listen to today's message deeper as we send you this special offer available today. Contact us at pastoralan.org that's pastor out.org or call 877-544-4860. More on this later in the program but now let's get started with today's teaching here is Alan Wright is on the throne. He is resplendent in glory. There is no one who is equal is been raised from the dead. He lives and reigns in power forever more.

He lives a life of humility and servant hood and became obedient even at the death on the cross he was mocked he was persecuted he was crowned in mockery, piercing his brow with thorns, but all the while he was the glorious light of the world. It never changed and it never will.

Jesus is full of glory. We are today in the life of Peter upon a story that is one of these interjections in the midst of the narrative where maybe Peter especially needed to just have a vision where he was aware that Jesus is fully glorious. Even though he's headed to Jerusalem to suffer.

This is the famous story of the Transfiguration and you'll find it in Matthew chapter 17. This follows after Peter has confessed Christ as Lord and Jesus has blessed him, and said that he is our rock and that is going to build his church on him and given the keys of the kingdom. And then Jesus tells Peter and the disciples that he must go, it is necessary to go to Jerusalem where he will suffer many things and be persecuted and killed and Peter said, may it never be tried to stop them. And Jesus rebuked him strongly for this and this is the next scene that we learn about and Matthew 17 verse one and after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, his brother and led them up a high mountain by themselves and he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.

And behold, there appeared to them, Moses and Elijah talking with him and Peter said to Jesus Lord is good. We are here if you wish, I'll make 3/10 here one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.

He was still speaking when behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them in a voice from the cloud said this is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him when the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. Jesus came and touched them, saying, rise, and have no fear, and when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only a burglar came in the still in darkness of the night broke into someone's home as you began rummaging through the valuables in that home, thinking of what all to take. He heard a strange voice into the darkness say nowhere. Jesus is watching you. He stopped for a moment, who, what is in this room, he heard it again beware Jesus is watching you. He began slowly walk around the room to see if he could figure out who it was. He shined the flashlight here and there, and he heard a voice one more time.

Beware Jesus is watching you. He looked up and there was a parent apparent, and he looked up he said that's only you. What's your name and the parents at Moses and the burglar.

So what kind of stupid people name apparent Moses. He said the same kind that name the Rottweiler Jesus for If it is what it is. Walking the dusty path with Jesus as Peter was, he would see many different miracles. But this moment where Jesus comes and says to them. The Son of Man is not to suffer and die must go to Jerusalem necessary, you can understand why Peter is saying no must never be as we've learned his anticipation was of a king who would come and set up a political throne in Jerusalem. Much like David had been a much grander scale, and they would eliminate all of these enemies of Israel and restore the kind of peace that that has come in when you have expanded borders and victorious armies and that kind of peace and Jesus come to bring a different kind of peace is so Jesus is aware that obviously Peter try to stop Jesus, but other disciples. And in this case, James and John on perhaps need a moment to be able to see him in his glory, and so he allows Peter and James and John to come up on the mountain and see something that absolutely shocks them, terrifies them. They don't know what to do with it there seeing Jesus who is the glorious, glorious Jesus, and perhaps it is in this moment that Jesus is also communicating something to all of us. That is absolutely important in understanding the gospel because he is accompanied by Moses and Elijah. But then when the disciples lift up their heads, Moses and Elijah are gone and if Jesus only, and so we have a lot to learn from often neglected text is Transfiguration narrative is absolutely marvelous story. I let's begin with this that the word for transfigured is used here. This verb is one of those that comes over into English and you know what it means because the Greek must transliterate right over into English. It's metamorphosed its metamorphosis.

That's what this word Transfiguration means it has the sense of a caterpillar is the butterfly when you see it as a butterfly. You see it entirely differently than you saw it as a caterpillar, but it is the same creature.

It is the same entity. It is the same being right is a what Peter and James and John are getting to see the Transfiguration is not a different Jesus there seeing the real Jesus but for this moment they're getting to see Jesus in his glory, rather than simply in his humanity. What we don't know is this a one time occurrence for Jesus or is this something that happened regularly with Jesus. I tend to think that maybe it did that often times he would go to the quiet countryside or mountainside find time just to be with his father and for all we know this is the way he experienced the father.

That is, he was just in the fellowship of the father would just be like this resplendent glory and only the Angels were seeing it, but in this instance.

These he is allowed and brought Peter James and John to come and see it. Part of the mystery and the wonder of who Jesus is, is that he is at every point, fully God, and every point, fully human, and so this is our theology of the incarnation is very important to understand this because what you see in the narrative of the gospel is what RC Sproul has called a move from humility to exaltation. But in the move from humility to his ultimate exaltation in the midst of it. There are many interjections of moments of his splendor and glory that we can see so it's always paradoxical. For example at his Nativity. He is born as a little baby and can't be more humble or vulnerable than this to be a baby, dependent upon the mother's milk and laid in a manger, and in no place of regal splendor and the most humble of circumstances in a feeding trough and yet while he was in that feeding trough so humble, so vulnerable nearby in the fields. There were shepherds that were quaking for the site of angels in a heavenly host is like if you read the story to go. Oh he's just a weak little baby when you read over here don't know he's not and you keep reading the story to realize then magi come and their kingmakers and their wealthy and they have come to see the newborn King suggest the moment you think he's just a humble little baby.

These are nothing and then magi come in, bring gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh and declare that they're going to worship him as the new king is so it is throughout Jesus is like it to a point that is on the cross and what is on the cross. It is weakest in his bleeding is suffocating and he's he's dying in his forgiving people and they're making fun of him and their mocking him and taunting him.

He breathes his last darkness envelops the land, the earth shakes the veil of the temple is rent asunder, and to open so even when it is weakest moment you see the splendor of God, so Transfiguration is one of those moments where we see and were fascinated by this because what stirs something within our soul is the paradox itself. How could one so weak and so seemingly small and so vulnerable be so powerful is probably the reason that such popularity of the famous Christmas song Mary did you know Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation. Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nation. Did you know your baby boy is heavens perfect lamb the sleeping child you're holding is the great I that's Alan Wright will have more teaching in a moment from today's important series pressures always find it hard to say no way that shall disappoint someone once in any relationship in paradise. They were naked and felt no shame and entered the world they became anxious and with a nine question like this painting. There is only one solution. The grace of God that lifts our shame seeks meet Mastercraft and exposes the exception share is an individual or in a snobbery series is sure to bring healing and hope are ministries this man thinking to digital Mastercraft. Thanks for your partnership in a world separate fishing time to let God's grace to shame, we are happy to see Misty and Alan Wright Ministries, 877-544-4860 877-544-4860 come to our website past Rowan.org today's teaching now continues here once again is Alan Wright. Not only is this an interjection of the glory of God.

But this is one of those moments in which Jesus is wanting to release the power of hope to Peter and James and John for there's hope in seeing Jesus in his glorious resurrected phone to see him now, before he is crucified in his glory is to put hope in the heart. This Jesus, who we will see mocked and persecuted and crucified is the glorious Lord of all and it puts hope into the heart of the victory, but it also puts hope in the heart because when you see and meditate upon the transfigured Jesus, and you see Jesus and a glorified body, what you are reminded of is that as he is, so shall we be that as Jesus dies, we die as Jesus is raised, all who are in Christ are resurrected and as Jesus is glorified, so also we are glorified. So we are promised beloved.

Not only that were forgiven of our sins so that when we die our death will not be final but we will be resurrected, but we are also promised that we receive a glorified body and that's what's absolute you want to get a little bit of an idea of the kind a glorified body that you're going to have. Who knows what that will be like. But probably it will be resplendent light. Probably whatever it is is going to be so still you yourself same body, but glorified glorified light much like theirs.

In Jesus and what it does when you think on this. Is it puts hope into your heart goes into a series on heaven and it was a great delight just to think for weeks about about heaven and one Sunday morning was preaching about the glorified body for the Christian. I liked my title is called the body you've always wanted.

But anyway, after church that day I was talking to a dear lady pressure, who she said you know I'm really being blessed by the series on heaven and I said I was so wonderful she's on to you something interesting. She said for years now I've been struggling a want to lose some weight and have been really struggling with it. She said, but for some reason during the seat series on heaven. I've really been able lose weight as some of us that's wonderful and I ended Ed's bluster and I went away I was thinking about this and thought it's a little odd because you might think just the opposite. Thinking about heaven a lot and how you gonna get a new body anyway.

Might make you want to go. We just eat whatever you want to now goes one day I would get the body of always wanted what what I thought about it more mother. The reason that that's not the case is that that's not the way hope works. This is very important understand the gospel and why the gospel of grace doesn't give license to sin.

But victory over sin and it's it's it's much rested in the fact that the gospel gives us hope the assurance and the greater your assurance that you win, the greater your assurance that Jesus wins the greater your assurance of victory, the more energized you are. If you're running a race and you turn around. The last leg of that race and you're just a step ahead of everybody else right beside everybody else but you see the finish line and all of a sudden the thought goes through your mind. I think I can win this race is soon as that thought hit.

You can win this race. You get a boost is and there's an actual boost. It comes to a runner. You hit that last's leg with a full on Sprint.

You know, if you say I think I'm win this race. You will therefore must sit down now.

That's not what is not what happens. I love to write and in writing a book is is is one of the great joys of my life and also is one of the greatest labors. It is enormous amount of work to write a book is not just the putting ideas down into an organized form and spending the time in prayer meditation to have his ideas and then outlining them is not just the writing and rewriting in the writing and the rewrite within it all, the interaction with editors and rewrites and sometimes going out whole chapters, and sometimes start all sections over again and carrying the process all way to the end through copy editors and it is a big big deal, you finish a book you feel like you have given birth to something and labored through it but I love it I love it because I want to be a blessing to people. I am energized if I have a contract with a publisher to write a book which means that this book is going to publish in this book is going to be in the hands of people and they can be blessed when it happens, I'll stay up late. I'll delve right on my days off I get up early, I'll do whatever can't because I love I love it because what I'm seeing. I'm seeing the fruit on the finish line is hope. But when I am not under a contract yet for a book I I don't have that same discipline. I struggle to try to get a proposal together. Hello you been working on it.

Five years yeah I mean is just it it it it is different what one might argument is the more certain you are of being glorified, eternally more actually energize you here now.

It's a story of hope. It's a picture of hope. The hope of Jesus's victory is the hope of your own victory as well. But then does go a little deeper with this because this is where this really gets amazing is its it's odd in one sense that Jesus is here and there's Moses and Elijah in order to let the disciples see the resplendent glory of Jesus. He did not have Moses and Elijah there, but in their vision as they see that Moses and Elijah there there talking to Jesus and what you have. Therefore is something deeply symbolic as something that is by way of similarity and contrast between these three Moses, Elijah and Jesus owner talk about that for a few moments. In order to understand why it's appropriate in their similarities. Let me begin first. In Exodus chapter 19 in Exodus chapter 19 verse 17 this is the picture of Moses going up on the mountain Mount Sinai where you can receive the word of God receive the law mode. Exodus 1970 Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire and the smoke of it went up like the smoke of the kiln and the whole mountain scribbled greatly and is the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Moses spoke and God answered him and thunder the Lord came down on Mount Sinai to the top of the mountain and the Lord called to Moses to the top of the mountain and Moses went up so is a mountain and there is like this cloud and there's a thunderous voice of God. Just like in the Transfiguration.

We also see that in Exodus chapter 34. The other time that Moses is up a Mount Sinai receipt.

Another amazing similarity, that is, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai. This is Exodus 3429 when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of testimony is an as he came down from the mountain. Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because you been talking with God and just a few verses later, whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him.

He would remove the veil until he came out and when he came out to the people of Israel was commanded the people would see the face of Moses the skin of Moses face was shining and Moses with the veil over his face so Moses has this temporary glowing this resplendent type of glow on him. After being in the glory of God.

You notice all the similarities. Elijah also is Old Testament figure who was known for the time he went up on the mountain if you will look this is in first Kings is chapter 18 and this is the famous story of Elijah going to defeat 450 prophets of the pagan deity by all of this primary all deity of the pagans had been a real source of competition for the attention of the Israelites and Elijah challenges them essentially to a showdown on the mountain and he says will each erect an altar and put a sacrifice on it and will call upon our God to come down and consume the altar and fire and who's ever God comes and consumes the sacrifice and fire will say is the true godly say yes that's a great contact. So they go up top the mountain and what we read about in first Kings chapter 18 is that the prophets of all call upon them call upon involved volleyball and nothing happens.

Nothing happens and it new in verse 27 Elijah mocked them. I don't recommend this necessarily but he did and he currently said cry aloud, for he is a God.

Either he's musing or he's relieving himself or he's on a journey he's asleep and must be a can call upon them call upon him maybe is going to the bathroom. He's just asleep.

But if you call louder. I'm sure you'll wake him up and what thing is the proper the ball did just that right. Today's teaching from distraction to hope. And of course this is one of them most interesting in dirt under your fingernail, passages in Scripture it's part of today's teaching the life of Peter from distraction to hope. Alan is back here in a moment in the studio with this for additional insight on your life in a final word stay with pressures always on, you find it hard to say no worry that she'll disappoint someone one thing in any relationship in paradise. They were naked and felt no shame and entered the world they became anxious and with a nine question like this painting. There is only one solution. The grace of God that lifts our shame. Six meet master class. Pastor Alan exposes the shame and share is an individual or in a snobbery series is sure to bring healing and hope our ministries. This man thinking additional master class but is instead. Thanks for your partnership in a world separate shame.

It's time to let God's grace to shame, we are happy to see Misty and Alan Wright Ministries, 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website Pastor Rowan.elect Ellen as we think of this stuff from distraction to hope is we think of the life of Peter is were looking and listening and learning throughout this wow we see this is a raw image. I think of an individual who bounces back and forth from being on fire for God. One minute and self doubting in the next in for the person listening right now. How can they take this whole teaching and and find themselves in it and then move forward from that with faith. Well it is we keep seeing in today in the in the whole picture of the Transfiguration and how Peter responds to this incredible event in such a small way like were just so prone as was stated to be like you are wearing sees this extraordinary site and then his big response to it is something little religious ritual or stop and I didn't really getting it. It is so encouraging to me, Daniel, to realize that is so many times we see Peter not getting yet Jesus, including him right there because he is growing up and this was done with and is so encouraging. Therefore, to watch the transformation is taking place in the hope that's coming into Peter's Lycan God was to bring that same hope in our heart. Today's good news message is a listener supported production Alan Wright Ministries