Greg's Notes

Only Jesus!

Mark 9
Series:

Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart 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, and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and 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; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.

Practical Principles

  1. The Transfiguration reminds us that Jesus was deity veiled in flesh. He was always God, but He restrained His glory and walked among us as a Man.
  2. Moses and Elijah stood with Jesus. The greatest representatives of the Law and the Prophets were there to honor Jesus and commune with Him.
  3. Moses and Elijah disappeared, leaving only Jesus. That’s all we need. Only Jesus. It is not Jesus and the Law and the Prophets. Just Jesus. We don’t need a high priest to step in and represent us to God any longer. Jesus is our High Priest.

Relevant Reminders

  • The blessings on the mountaintops of life prepare us for what is awaiting in the valleys, the hardships of life.
  • We think the miracle of the Transfiguration is that Jesus shone like the sun. That’s not the miracle. The miracle is that Jesus did not shine like the sun all the time.
  • We will know one another in Heaven just as we are known here on Earth.
  • Sometimes when a person is suffering, they don’t need a sermon. They just need a friend.

Applicable Actions

It would be nice if we could stay on mountaintops, wouldn’t it? No more problems. No more troubles. But we all have to come and live in the valley of life, the reality of life. But God will be with us in those times. Those mountaintops are preparing us for reality. It’s not necessarily more mountaintops we need in the Christian life. It’s more day-to-day obedience—walking by faith and not by feeling.

There is coming a day in the future when there will be no more temptation, no more devil, no more suffering. The Transfiguration is sort of a sneak preview of things to come. Christ will return to this Earth and establish His kingdom. In the meantime, let’s live for Him!