Divine Radiance (Part A)

How often do Christians think about this moment on the Mount Abraham he conversed with God. Moses parted the sea allies you could raise the dead. Davidson was giant. Daniel saw way into the future in detail in multiple futures at that none of them glowed with the power and glory and majesty as Jesus did this day in his divinity. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville.

Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Mark, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now, here's Pastor Rick in the gospel of Mark chapter 9 as he begins a brand-new study called divine radiance. Mark's gospel chapter 9 verses one through 13 and he said to them, surely I say to you that there are some standing here will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power. Now, after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John led them up a high mountain by themselves and he was transfigured before them.

His clothes became shining exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them and Elijah appeared to them with Moses. They were talking with Jesus. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tabernacles one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid and a cloud came and overshadowed them in a voice came out of the cloud, saying, this is my beloved son hear him. Suddenly they looked around they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves now as they came down from the mountain, he commanded them that they should tell no one.

The things they had seen till the Son of Man had risen from the dead, so they kept this word to themselves questioning what the rising from the dead meant and they asked him, saying, why do the scribes say Elijah must come first. Then he answered and told them indeed. Elijah is coming first and restores all things. How is it written concerning the Son of Man, he must suffer many things and be treated with contempt but I say to you. Elijah has also come in they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him divine radiance. That's what we ought we are considering. But before we begin to look at the verses have a little bit of an introduction because I think this is very significant part of Scripture that we benefit from. To this day Faith Christian faith course includes not turning our backs on the Lord regardless of what we may be experiencing.

Go through life experience various things that can challenge your faith create doubt, perplexities, pressures, pain, grief, adjuster seems to be no shortage of things that are trying to bump us off of our faith. Faith is supposed to have some value in the presence of doubt in the presence of defeat. It is supposed to mean something at those times. Faith is not just something that works when everything is well does work when everything is going smoothly with us that the only time it is supposed to work.

This transformation of our Lord. This visible transformation in front of these three disciples of his is fleshing out his glory. It was meant to help these men in the days to come.

Even though, at the very moment they may not of appreciated they would never forget it. So long as they live. Those days from his crucifixion till his ascension into heaven till their own depths, they would recall this day even though there's not much written about. We get to some of the writing about it from Peter but it was to give them some advantage in ministry because serving the Lord involves being attacked by the flashing by the world by Satan himself in more intense forms. I can tell you before I started serving the Lord as a Christian into pretty good but once you enter into ministry. I don't mean just pastoral ministry me serving as a believer.

Things intensify and so he gives them this vision. Paul had his Damascus experience. He could always recall that day that Jesus intercepted him on the road to Damascus.

How many times these men reflected on the moment as I said were not told. But when James the brother of John was part of the trio that witnessed this divine radiance of Jesus Christ there on the mountain that day when he was marched off to the slaughter first of the apostles which rocked the church's one thing for Stephen to be killed, but it was an entirely different matter for one of the 12 apostle James to be killed, and God did nothing about it except took him home when it was Peter's turn to die. It was not without a life of serving the Lord, recalling such a time as this. And when Peter writes his second letter he brings it up as we didn't follow cunningly devised fables and we made known to you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus, but were eyewitnesses of his Majesty.

We sought flash out. He's talking about this moment, he tells us it's this moment that he has in mind.

He says in verse 17 of second Peter chapter 140 received from God the father honor and glory. When such a voice came from heaven, from the excellent glory, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

Peter leaves out the part that he is rebuked he says we heard the voice which came from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. He never forgot Peter's old man by this time he brings it up with the following things left that someone just told us we have a reason for the hope that is in us, as Peter does right also. Then when John the apostle when he left this life he left behind the greatest end times revelation of them all known to man.

The revelation of Jesus Christ and this experience on the mountain.

On this day was not wasted on these men, so much so that without this experience I think Christianity that we have handed down through the ages would've been different than what we have.

It would've been less. I do not believe one moment that the Lord wasted this flash of divinity on these three men knew exactly what he was doing. He knew exactly what he would get from it. Whether we know it recognize it or not this was no mere flash of spiritual brilliance.

Others had experienced that this was a flash of his divinity.

This statement was.

I am self-created I am God, and God the son, and there is a God the father and this is comes out and in the story that were being told not only by Mark Peter to Mark. More than likely. Matthew tells the story, researches it and he ends up telling the story.

It is a fact. On top of his sinless life in the miracles in the matchless teachings this this moment. How how often are you mindful of the transfiguration as a Christian, mindful of him walking on water, perhaps stopping the storms of raising the dead.

But how often do Christians think about this moment on the mountain. Abraham he conversed with God. Moses parted the sea. Elijah could raise the dead. David slew his giant Daniel Solway into the future in detail in multiple futures at that none of them glowed with the power and the glory and majesty as Jesus did this day in his divinity of Christ invested in these men in the gospel has survived, and I believe largely because of moved by God through Christ.

Just like this for the saints us to make a big deal about.

We are supposed to make a big deal about God things, no matter what the world throws at us no matter what your own flesh the hideous flesh. No matter what it throws at you world being used by Satan. No matter what it throws at us. We are supposed to make a big deal about Jesus Christ that is not supposed to ever stop wherever we go. That assignment is static. It does not change and now we look at verse one and he said to them, assuredly, I say to you that there is some standing here will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power, really.

Verse one belongs in the previous chapter should follow verse 38 in Mark chapter 8 we read for whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be a shame when he comes in the glory of his father with the holy angels so Christ is introducing this radiance that were not to be ashamed that we are to preach Christ and boldly so, as the Spirit opens the opportunities and that he there is glory attached to him and filled in verse one continues that thought and he said to them, surely I'm telling you there's some standing here now.

That's not all of they all saw the resurrection body.

Judas, of course, the surviving believers they saw there. The resurrection of Christ is not limiting it to that glorious assumption is another glory. He's talking about that all of them did not witness just these three and of course he's we know it's Peter James and John conversed to tells us this is a he's giving them a heads up before he gets to the mountain is a summary you are going to see some of this glory that I'm telling you about when he spoke those words in verse 38 of chapter 8 about his glory and the father they probably didn't get it. They did not appreciate it gives them ahead of a heads up, I'm going to give you a little bit more to go along with that and so it is this promise here in verse one. Assuredly, I say to you, there's some standing here will not taste death till they see the kingdom he's talking about the transfiguration. Each one of the Gospels puts this wording right before the transfiguration experience so we do not separate it is.

It is a foretaste of his promised coming at the end of the age that he is indeed the one with glory.

Now that the kingdom of God. Some can many good Bible teachers very good Bible teachers will try to make a difference between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven, but if you look at the Gospels and how its use. There's really no difference of the two are interchangeable. The gospel shows the synoptic Gospels, especially that Matthew Mark and Luke gives us a synopsis of the ministry of Jesus Christ and then you have John and independent gospel of a compare to the three what in parallel passages. Matthew uses the kingdom of heaven, while Mark uses the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God and then Matthew uses them for the same teaching also. Interchangeably in Matthew 19. For example used in the same connection. So bottom line is, as a Bible student. The kingdom of God. The kingdom of heaven. The same Matthew being a Jew of preferring the kingdom of heaven for his audience.

First, to now now after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves and he was transfigured before them the trek up a mountain. I don't know if and if you've ever walked up a mountain. It's actually kind of a drag after walk helplessly overlooked is more mountain to go and then coming down can be. You know your breaks have to really be good. But Matthew and Mark say six days, but Luke says eight days a different counting method of counting a different standard market Matthew. There they were Jews they would use the Jewish standard sunup to sundown little more liberal as a Gentile, of course, including the half days and those events that took place in between the actual movement and not only that no discrepancy existed.

Different standards of counting the time Matthew and Mark. As I mentioned being Jews of going out taking us back somewhat to the days of Moses in Exodus chapter 26, 24, chapter 24 verse 16 where Moses is about to merit make the first of two trips to the mountain that involved fasting how the glory of Yahweh rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days and on the seventh a call to Moses, out of the midst of the cloud and so there might be some of that in the Jewish presentation from Matthew and Mark. Because Moses is a big part of what is about to take place. Says here in verse two apart by themselves. He was transfigured before them transformed week that were transfigured we get our our word metamorphosis from that Greek word and it means to change its appearance all use the same Greek word in Romans chapter 12 where he says and do not be conformed to this world but be transformed go through a metamorphosis go to a real change in appearance because of what is taking place on the inside. So Paul says do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind think differently, filter everything through Christ now not well I think you know what what does Christ think about before Kristin can say well I think it's okay for people to do X, Y, and Z that Christian is first going to say with this is what Christ thinks about people doing X, Y, and Z separates us from the world and this makes the world upset with us in all the world wants us to drink from the same punch bowl that it is sneezed over and it what is with people who drink the date you know they they vilify those who will drink with them. Would you like a dream. I don't think what you don't drink I just said I don't drink it was over. Maybe you would've understood, so we harassed for not joining the party what we can arrest them for not joining our party as our well they exchange it, but helps to know about it helps to stand up to the world. I want my favorite comeback lines.

When I was in the world preaching Christ in the workplace is when someone would come along acting like they knew the Bible and I knew they did and I would did not. I would tell him in front of witnesses. The only thing you know about the Bible is you don't know anything about and that would open doors that would shut them up. Then they could start receiving some real Bible lessons about Jesus Christ instead of what they saw on television or read in the papers you know the days when many Christians would say something righteous and then apologize to the news for saying it is like a man is not Christianity and action. The renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God on how to improve. What is the will of God under fire under pressure. Obedience is proven in the face of temptation and temptation is real you cannot tempt me with certain foods. I don't like them about the other ones that I do like you can tempt me with those I should make a list and publish it in case you guys want to donate the first three is close became shining exceedingly white, like snow, such as no longer on earth can whiten them, and I struggled with that word longer when you say the word should ship the tongue is not ready to make those kind of moves anyway. His appearance was pure unlike anything they ever saw. They never saw something so white, so clean, so bright is this. We sing in the song blessed assurance of assurance all what a foretaste of glory divine will. This is a foretaste of glory divine for these men air of salvation, purchase of God, a beautiful song. Well, it anticipates the resurrection when his identity is unveiled in. This is who I am after the resurrection. He had to sort of roll it out slowly to them. They not being the sharpest knives in the drawer, but we would be no different. And here he is giving them a glimpse of something that never seen before. I don't I don't know. I don't think he appreciated it right then they come down the mountain.

The chitchatting but that just you know I don't get the feeling that they really were awestruck or as awestruck as they should've been. Verse four and Elijah appeared to them with Moses and they were talking with Jesus soda like a dream. You don't characters are in a dream without anybody saying it will and this is a vision and it is a real experience real vision. It's really happening in this miraculous and there's Moses and Elijah and they can never saw these guys before. They didn't have pictures of them and yet they they knew who they were, because God was operating in the vicinity you could say in this there.

These two characters not by mistake that it's these two men. It's not Isaiah and Malachi is not Abraham and Enoch.

It is Elijah and Moses and that tells the Bible student Noel sends an alert out. There's more stuff here because these are key characters to the Jewish mindset and Christianity. Elijah represents believers who will be rapture caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord. Elijah departed from the earth without dying taken up in a chariot he paid his dues. It was tired. God said goal anoint Elisha after he anointed Elisha, soon after God took him out up to heaven. First Thessalonians 4, but I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have died uses falling, falling asleep as a euphemism but I'm going to use the word died because that's what he is talking about and it's it keeps the mix to keep the point in front of us concerning those who have died, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.

Not saying we don't sorrow we do sorrow, but we have hope in our sorrow continues in Thessalonians uses for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who died in Jesus for this we say to you by the word of the Lord.

We who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who died for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel with the trumpet of God. Dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be there for comfort and comfort one another with these words, you can't comfort one another with these words of know you want to go to the brew great tribulation. You going to be general tortured every single day of your life and is willing to be delivered from the great tribulation that will come upon the whole earth where he says, and thus we shall always be with the Lord's that remind us of the 23rd Psalm. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, world without end. So Elijah, who was again the one that departed from this life without dying and was the emblem of the prophets.

The Old Testament prophets to enforce what Moses said.

That was the role of the prophet. They were enforcers in that sense and we know Elijah was a fierce character I be a man of God, let fire come down from the sky and he did it again was a lucky shot Moses on the other hand, represents the saints who have died and are alive with Christ, raised from the dead, the Jesus Christ is God of the New Testament believers as well as the Old Testament believers is not at all well, you know, Moses and Elijah didn't come under the butt of all yeah they did Allstate never get before God first Corinthians 15 verse 51 behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all die we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible, that is, without rotting and decay continues and we shall be changed for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. I will receive a body, you will receive a body that is fit for the heavens that can go into the atmosphere without a imploding or anything else happening to it. We will be fit for heaven and so will our minds we you know again I joke about. I hope is not a receiving department heaven for rookies. You know you can you get to heaven is for the beginners.

The other classes what rooms you can go into a room you can't go into an appeal of that I'll be so glad Wesley and I'll be walking around with a cadet uniform in heaven. One for Goldman as a journeyman anyway. Maybe you all the wrestle with things like what makes the sandals the things to ponder. Moses represents the law. Elijah the prophet's Malachi.

Malachi says that the Jews remember Moses remember Elijah because you people have departed from what these two men were all about Malachi 4. Remember the law of Moses my servant which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great dreadful day of Yahweh. He would turn the hearts of the fathers to the children in the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike your girders move.

Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry.

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