September 28, 2025
The Transfiguration of Christ #
Mark 9:1-13
Introduction
There is a continuity here in the Gospel of Mark that we have stumbled across. It started with the Blind man seeing men as trees after Jesus touched him the first time. We equated that to many things we do not understand here in our life time. But soon after, he was touched again, and made completely whole! The very next section Jesus is asking his disciples who do men say that I am….. Jesus makes it very clear to his disciples that He is the Christ, the Messiah. They of course said that about him as well. But they didn’t fully understand the implications of that.
In our passage, once again, Jesus is going to be very clear with his disciples that he is God. By the way, if we were the disciples, we would not be any different than them. We too would struggle. Even knowing it all afterwards, it is a very difficult topic to fully grasp. That is where faith helps us!
I. Special Occasion #
• Miracles were a daily occurrence in the Life of Christ… but this, was a special event.
A. Prediction (1) #
• This prediction could be interpreted many ways.
i. Jewish thought #
• The primary jewish thoughts would have been… Jesus is going to establish a physical kingdom!
• Possibly even some of his disciples!
ii. The transfiguration of Christ #
• He could have been talking about the transfiguration, and certainly 3 saw it!
iii. Spiritual Kingdom of God – not salvation #
• Kingdom of Heaven, and Kingdom of God are used throughout the Bible!
• It is a Spiritual realm, in which when you submit yourself to God; obey and follow Him, you are living in His spiritual kingdom.
B. People (2) #
i. Inner Circle #
• There were twelve disciples, but three that were more on the inside – Peter, J&J
Mark 5:37 - “37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.”
ii. Worked together before Christ #
Luke 5:10 - “10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.”
iii. Win your friends to the Lord, and get close to the Lord together! #
C. Privacy (2) #
• Public meetings are great, multitudes were fed, people were healed, but if you really want to get to know Jesus, you must get alone with HIM!
II. Senseless Comments (5-6) #
A. Presence “it is good for us to be here” (5) #
• Jesus brought them here, obviously it was good!
B. Praise – “build three tabernacles” (5) #
i. Intention #
• Peter had complete noble intentions here… He was simply trying to point out what a great honor it was to be there, and be with them, Jesus, Moses, and Elias!
ii. Foolish #
• Building a tabernacle to in honor of Moses, and Elias, would have been contradictory to Scripture!
• Equates Moses and Elias to Jesus.. elevates them, and brings Jesus down.
C. Pause (6) – stop talking #
i. Talking out of fear/anxiety #
• There will always be that person who talks because they cannot stand the silence.
• There will always be that person who is a nervous talker… when they are afraid/anxious
ii. Learn to stop, observe and listen #
• It is not a sin, but something that could be bettered.
Proverbs 29:11 - “11 A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.”
III. Signs of Divinty #
A. Clothes (3) #
i. Brightness #
• We cannot behold the fullness of God, our physical bodies cannot handle it!
• Moses in the mount… spent time with God, and his face shone
• Paul on the road to Damascus… God appeared, and they all fell down – blinded.
Ezekiel 1:26–28 - “26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. 27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. 28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.”
ii. Whiteness (3) #
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Psalm 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
B. Company (4) – Moses & Elias #
i. Two of the most revered esteemed OT saints #
• Here is Jesus, verifying the OT, the lives of others, and substantiating His Diety
ii. Life after death #
• Some say you simply go to the grave after death… simply not true!
C. Clouds (7) #
• In all this bright scene… it would seem as though Peter’s foolishness brought a cloud
D. Comments (7) #
i. Peter reprimanded…. Stop talking already! #
ii. Jesus verified “This is my beloved Son: hear him.” #
• Listen to his words!
E. Changed (2) “transfigured before them” #
Transfigure - 1. To change the outward form or appearance of; to metamorphose; to transform. 2. Especially, to change to something exalted and glorious; to give an ideal form to.
i. Jesus literally changed into his glorified body! #
ii. We will be changed #
1 Corinthians 15:51–53 - “51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
iii. We should live changed! (Rom 12:1-2) #
Romans 12:1–2 - “1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
IV. Secrecy Demanded (9) #
A. Command (9) #
i. Timing is important with God! #
• Jesus didn’t come to setup a physical kingdom on earth… that is what the Jews wanted
• Jesus came to be a sacrifice and setup a spiritual kingdom on earth!
B. Confusion (10-11) #
i. About his death and resurrection #
• Up to the day Jesus was crucified, the disciples were confused about this point
• Even after his resurrection, we see the confusion lingered.
• God’s timing is not our timing...there are things we will not understand completely about God’s plan!
Acts 1:7 - “7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.”
C. Clarification (12-13) #
i. OT Prophecy #
Malachi 4:5–6 - “5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”