Matthew 17:1-9 Mountain-Top Changes

Have you ever had a moment when your life was changed? Perhaps it was similar to the Transfiguration. That moment changed the lives of Peter, James, John and Jesus, just like moments in our lives can change us. The disciples were changed from fearful, anxious, inactive cowards to brave, confident, active champions of the faith. We are also transformed when Jesus touches us, and we need that touch badly. We are also encouraged to offer this touch to a world that needs it badly.

I don’t know about you, but I would love to have been the proverbial “fly on the wall” at the Transfiguration. Just think of the history that was being made! Three of the most important figures in Christianity-Moses, Elijah and Jesus-together at the same time and in the same location! No wonder Peter wanted to build three shelters! It was a significant meeting at a significant time in a significant location among significant participants.

Moses and Elijah-the great lawgiver and the great prophet-were probably chosen to join Jesus and the disciples at the Transfiguration as representatives of the Old Covenant. Moses was the one through whom the covenant came, and Elijah was its prominent reformer.

So what were Moses, Elijah and Jesus talking about? Matthew doesn’t tell us, but Luke’s version tells us that they were talking about Jesus’ death. Both Moses and Elijah foretold of Christ’s death, which was Christ’s purpose. His sacrificial death and resurrection paid the penalty for our sins and allowed believers to be reunited with God. 

Those present at the Transfiguration provide a picture of the coming kingdom of Christ: Moses represents those who died in Christ; Elijah represents whose who will be raptured someday (he had been taken to heaven without dying); the three apostles represent redeemed Israel; and Christ is the King. Jesus’s transfiguration was part of the ongoing story of encountering the mystery of God. Jesus and his words had the same authority as those of Moses and Elijah.

Christ did not come to abolish the Law or the prophets. He did not say that the Law and the prophets had no meaning or value. What he did say was that He fulfilled the Law that we could not keep. The Law had to be kept perfectly. If people broke one law, they broke all of them. In addition, people were not perfect, and they aren’t perfect today.

Mountain top experiences are some of the happiest experiences in our lives, and that’s what the disciples experienced at the Transfiguration. When we are on the top of the mountain, we can listen to and be refreshed by God. We are pulled out of the ordinary life and changed in faith. Only then can we have a Christian life. Unfortunately, we can’t live on the mountain top forever. We have to face the valleys in our lives, and these valleys are the lowest and most disappointing times in our lives. It is at those times when we as believers can feel and see Jesus reaching out, taking us by the hand and saying, “Arise, and do not be afraid.”

 

God interrupted Peter’s brief, awkward speech with His own announcement. Out of the bright cloud-no doubt an appearance of the glory that in the Old Testament signaled the presence of God Almighty-God affirmed Jesus and commanded the disciples to hear him. Although Moses and Elijah stood with him in that moment, all attention was focused on Jesus, God’s only Son. Jesus was superior to both Moses and Elijah. Jesus as God in human form was the greatest in the kingdom. God told the disciples to listen to Jesus so that they could understand his purpose. The disciples recognized in this moment what every believer must acknowledge and what every tongue will someday confess; that Christ alone is Lord, the glory of God the Father.

Some people contradict Jesus, and when they do, they contradict the truth. At the Transfiguration, God made it clear that Jesus speaks the truth with authority, and we should listen to what he has to say. Our love for God is shown in how we listen to God. Our view of Jesus is shown in how we listen to him. Worship is more than Jesus listening to what we have to say about him. It involves listening to what Jesus has to say about us and himself.

The Transfiguration has been seen by some Biblical scholars as a glimpse of the kingdom or a preview of the Kingdom’s power. This glimpse was secured by Christ’s death and resurrection, and was clearly stated when Jesus told the disciples not to say anything about the vision until after His resurrection. The glory of the Transfiguration would then be seen by all of the disciples in the risen Christ. 

All of us need to see God’s glory before we see hard times. We need to remember God’s presence and purpose when we face life’s challenges. The Transfiguration links the seasons of Epiphany and Lent. It reminds us that just like God was with Jesus all the time (and especially in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before his death), God is with us all of the time.

The Transfiguration proved that Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God. The response of the disciples is the same response we have. Just as they fell on their faces, we fall on our faces in worship. When we do, Jesus reaches out, touches us and says, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” The Transfiguration assures us that God has affirmed Jesus and our humanity. Jesus recalls our humanity and affirms our nature with His divinity. The Kingdom of God has entered the world in human form through Jesus, and we are called to witness to that Good News.

Bibliography

1.                  Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, pp. 1312-1313)

2.                  ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

3.                  Augsberger, M.S & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 24: Matthew (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; p. 18)

4.                  MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson publishers; 2006)

5.                  Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)

6.                  Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010; pp. 1325-1326)

7.                  Jill Carattini, “Transformed.” Retrieved from www.sliceofinity.org

8.                  “On the Mountain top with Jesus.” Retrieved from www.sermons4kids.com

9.                  Exegesis for Matthew 17:1-9. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com

10.              Brian P. Stoffregen. “Matthew 17:1-9 Transfiguration of Our Lord, Last Sunday after the Epiphany-Year A.” Retrieved from www.crossmarks.com

11.              The Rt. Rev. Robert Johnson, “Transfiguration.” Retrieved from www.day1.org

12.              Alan Wright, “From Distraction to Hope.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

13.              Larry Patten, “What the Usual Suspects Saw.” Retrieved from www.larrypatten.com

14.              The Rev. Laura Brekke, “Last Epiphany: Don’t Go Chasing Mountain Tops!” Retrieved from comment-reply@wordpress.com

15.              Greg Hollifield, “A Meeting for the Ages.” Published in the Spring 2017 issue of Preaching Magazine (Nashville, TN: Salem Publishing; pp. 57-58)

16.              Dr. Norman Beck, “Lectionary Scripture Notes, Transfiguration Sunday, Cycle A.” Retrieved from www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com

17.              Ben Helmer, “Transformation, Last Sunday after Epiphany (A).” Retrieved from www.episcopaldigitalnetwork.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Psalm 119:33-40 Learning from the Great Teacher

Have you ever tried to obey God but at the same time you thought that you did not have the understanding or the strength to do so? If so, you’re not alone. The writer of the passage we heard from Psalm 119 felt the same way. The theme of that reading is growing and walking in faith and not growing weak. This walk is the road to spiritual maturity.

Psalm 119 is a psalm in celebrating God’s law. The psalmist asked God to teach him to obey God’s Law. That might seem strange since laws are something we either do or don’t do, so there’s not much thought necessary. The psalmist knew that God’s Law is really about having our hearts changed to align with God’s will for our lives.

The Psalmist represents those of us who have trusted Christ as our Lord and Saviour. The psalmist, like us, was restored to life by God’s power, and like us he had to grow in that life. He needed God to teach him, and we also need God to teach us. God’s Word is all we need for godly living. By grasping its powerful message, we as God’s children can be pure. God’s Word teaches sound doctrine.

It is one thing to be taught and another thing to understand that teaching. God, like a good coach of a sports team or an athlete, shows us the basics and we must start with them. God has the responsibility to give us both content and understanding. As we ask for it, and as we obey what God shows us, our knowledge will grow throughout our lives.  

God is happy when we obey Him wholeheartedly-that is, without hesitating or asking questions. God doesn’t have to explain everything he asks to do. Obedience will provide us with the explanation.

If we want to live the life God wants us to live, we have to be very choosy about what we give our lives and attention to. God’s Word shows us the right path to take. It calls us out when we take a detour. It teaches us how to stay on the path God has laid out for us. Instead of seeking happiness in the things of this world, we must seek happiness in God’s Word. We must not lose sight of what is really important in our churches and our Christian lives. For example, too many people think of a church as just a building, Church buildings are important, but God’s work will go on regardless of where people meet to worship God. When the Disciples of Christ Church in Milton was being “remodeled” and moved, the congregation met for worship in the church office. They still did God’s work, and I can tell you from experience preaching there that the Holy Spirit was very much alive and home there.

Many of the things we focus on in life won’t matter very much in the end, especially if they are worldly things. When we lie on our deathbeds, we won’t wish we had worked harder or made more money or had a better job. We will likely wish that we had loved God more, focused on people more, spent more time with our families, shared our faith more, prayed more and pursued God’s purpose for our lives.

Like the psalmist, we have to decide to give ourselves to God, but we know our own weaknesses. No matter how much we want to please God, God must give us the strength to do it. Only God can give us both the motivation and the energy to follow Him. Our hearts must be renewed again and again, just like the Israelites who were wandering in the desert couldn’t live on yesterday’s manna. They got fresh manna from God every day. Similarly, we can’t rely on past experiences as a substitute for a vital, daily walk with God.

Bibliography

1.                  Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 786)

2.                  ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

3.                  Williams, D. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol 14: Psalms 73-150 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1989; pp. 350-352)

4.                  Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010; pp. 821-822)

5.                  Pastor Rick Warren, “Obedience is an Act of Worship.” Retrieved from www.newsletter.purposedriven.com

6.                  Joel Osteen, “When to Turn Away.” Retrieved from www.joelosteen.com

7.                  Ron Moore, “Turn My Eyes from Worthless Things.” Retrieved from www.ronmoore.org

8.                  Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany 2016-2017 (Toronto, ON: Worship, Music and Spirituality Office; Church in Mission Unit; United Church of Canada: p. 22)

9.                  Christine Hallenback Ask, “Psalm 119:33-40.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu

 

 

 

 

2 Timothy 2:14-26 Speak the Truth, and Speak It Boldly

The reading from Paul’s second letter to Timothy is part of the final letter Paul wrote. He wrote this letter from his prison cell in Rome, and he knew that he was about to be put to death. Both of his letters to Timothy contain instructions for both ministers and Christians.

Paul tells ministers to teach, preach and lead. Shallow sermons lead to shallow saints, and mistaken preaching leads to misguided lives. It is a serious responsibility to teach or preach the Word of God. Good, sound, biblical teaching can build people up in their faith, while bad teaching can tear people down.  Bad doctrine or bad preaching destroys faith and causes people to think and live wrongly. In contrast, good doctrine or preaching that is based on a right understanding of God’s word of truth builds and strengthens faith. This can only be done when ministers handle God’s word with the same care and precision that a good carpenter does with his tools and materials.

Paul tells ministers to remind their congregations about how to resolve disputes, especially those caused by untrained or false teachers. People who follow after rumours and opinions are more than a nuisance. They are a threat to the church, and as such they must be dealt with quickly and decisively. When people try to understand God through worldly views instead of through the Holy Spirit’s discernment or through studying God’s Word, they are easily fooled by Satan’s lies. The situation is made worse by untrained ministers.

The danger in using an unapproved or untrained minister is that this person literally misses the target of God’s teaching. As a result, he or she is prone to promoting false teachings, which can destroy the faith of other believers. Any doctrine that is not in accord with the Bible’s teaching must be cut out just like a surgeon cuts out an appendix or cancerous tissue. If left untreated, it will only spread and make the body of Christ sick. The spiritual food of God’s word keeps believers and the church healthy. 

There are four attitudes that can diffuse any controversial situation and allow believers to end foolish arguments without destroying opponents:

1.         A gentle, tender spirit

2.         A teaching spirit

3.         A tolerant, patient spirit

4.         A temperate, controlled spirit

This form of correction has the potential to literally awaken people so that they may escape the enemy. The word “patient” means “bearing evil without resentment.”

Some people in Paul’s time may have taken his teaching about the resurrection to the extreme, especially his rhetorical question about needing physical resurrection when we have been resurrected with Christ spiritually. Paul explains that the physical resurrection of believers is necessary for sin and death to be ultimately defeated. Christ’s own physical resurrection guarantees a Christian’s future, physical resurrection.

The visible, professing church is pictured as a temple that has God as its foundation. It is made up of Christians and those who merely profess to be Christians. These servants are either honourable or dishonourable. God knows which ones are devoted to His use. He only wants holy people doing his work, and holy people are those who are cleansed from wrong conduct and wrong doctrine. Paul says that any dishonourable servants can become honourable servants if they get rid of wrong influences and earthly priorities.

If we want to be used by God, we have to purify our hearts. God uses all kinds of people., but only if they are clean on the inside. If we want to purify ourselves, we have to confess our sins, repent and accept Christ as our Saviour.

Paul commands us as Christians to “flee youthful passions,” and these are more than sexual passions. They are the short-sighted cravings for personal pleasure or gain, rather than for personal godliness. Youthful passions include any hunger or ambition that distracts from our pursuit of true righteousness, faith, clarity and peace. If we want to be Christians, we must live for God as Jesus did. God’s love and grace doesn’t mean that we have permission to sin. They give us the strength and desire to do His will.  

A well-known minister once used the example of the tools in a blacksmith’s shop as an example of the tools God uses. The minister said that there are three types of tools. There are tools on the junk pile: outdated, broken, rusty and dull. There are tools on the anvil: melted down, molten hot, moldable, changeable. There are tools that are useful: sharpened, primed, defined, mobile. The tools in the last group are ready to be used by the master.

We are all somewhere in the blacksmith’s shop. We are on one of the three piles, and some of us have been on all three piles in our lives. If we take the journey from the junk heap to the fire, and if we let God pound us on His anvil, and if we discover God’s purpose for our lives, we earn the privilege of being called “God’s chosen instruments.”

Bibliography

1.                  Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, pp. 1720-1721)

2.                  ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

3.                  “Youth and Old Age.” Retrieved from Oneplace@crosswalkmail.vom

4.                  Demarest, G. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 32: 1,2 Thessalonians/1,2 Timothy/Titus (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1984; pp. 269-275)

5.                  MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN; Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

6.                  Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)

7.                  Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010; pp. 1677-1678)

8.                  Pastor Rick Warren, “You Don’t Have to Be Perfect, Just Pure, to Be Used by God.” Retrieved from connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com

9.                  Anna Kuta, “Run for Your Life.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

10.              “Proper Handling Required.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

11.              Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Confronting the Culture.” Retrieved from www.ltw.org

 

 

2 Timothy 1:1-14 Paul’s Parting Words

What advice would you give to someone if you knew that you were talking to them for the last time?

That question was on the apostle Paul’s mind when he wrote his final letter to Timothy. The passage we heard from 2 Timothy is part of Paul’s last letter, and was written from his prison cell in Rome. He doesn’t focus on his circumstances or his impending death. Instead, he focuses on the promise of life in Christ. Any Christian’s earthly circumstances pale in comparison to the glory of eternity.

Four times in this passage Paul uses a form of the verb, “to remember”-remember, being mindful, remembrance, remind. No Christian is an island. All God’s people stand on the shoulders of those who have preceded them. Paul encourages us to follow his example when it comes to living the Christian life. In particular, he urges us to use the gifts God has given us. These gifts fade in strength when they aren’t used.

For example, the greatest gift parents and grandparents can give their children is the heritage of genuine faith. An important question for any Christian to ask is: If you were standing on the threshold of eternity and looking back over your life, would you be able to see that your faith lives on in others, especially in your family members?

A few years ago someone wrote to Billy Graham. The writer wondered how his grandmother, who had recently died, got a very strong faith. In his reply, Billy Graham said the following words:

“The Bible (which is God’s Word) undoubtedly became important to her, as did prayer, and fellowship with other believers in her church. She also grew stronger spiritually by helping others and witnessing for Christ. The same can be true for us.” 

Fear usually enters our lives when we focus on our situation and abilities instead of God’s sovereignty and attributes. Following fear to its logical conclusion will eliminate all opportunities for service. If we remember our spiritual heritage and friendships, as well as God’s calling on our lives and the spiritual gifts he has given us, we will be encouraged as we move forward in faith. It will ignite a fire within us. If the fire of our faith goes out, it can be rekindled. All we have to do is make some changes and do some rearranging. For example, we can join or start a Bible study.

All open doors offer two choices: to walk by faith or to be controlled by fear. Persecution, infighting, and false teaching all threatened the Ephesian church that Timothy shepherded. They will also threaten Christians in the last days before Christ returns. The fearful will drop out, but those who grab hold of the courage, compassion and self-control that God makes available will be able to stand fast until God completes His work in them.

Christians will suffer for Christ in some way in this life, but it is far better that one’s faith be marked by suffering than by shame at Christ or those who proclaim Him.  Paul did not want Timothy to misunderstand his imprisonment. Paul understood who he served, and he was not ashamed. We can expect to face suffering and persecution just like Christ did. The glorious message of salvation is worthy of our suffering. God’s grace and purpose bring life. Obeying God is the central purpose of Christian lives. That obedience includes love, mercy, justice and caring for the poor. All of these involve giving and sacrifice.

The key to successfully accomplishing these tasks is our intention and not our performance. When our desire to love and serve Christ is strong, our performance will be positively influenced. When our performance does not meet our intentions, we will experience anew God’s grace and mercy.

If we have Christ in our lives, we have nothing to be afraid of when we share the Gospel. We don’t have to be trained speakers, gifted salesmen or educated teachers. All we need is a strong faith in Christ.

God will give us the strength we need to face our fears, sufferings and persecutions. For example, some of you might have heard of the two lightning strikes that occurred in the Liverpool area shortly before Christmas of last year. One of those strikes hit a house just up the street from the house where I live. When I heard the loud bank and saw the flash of light, I was scared to death! I thought a power transformer had blown. Fortunately, my faith in God enabled me to recover quickly from the shock.

God saves us for the purpose of furthering the gospel, and not as a reward for our works. Good works are a response to God’s work in the life of a believer. Paul uses the term “has saved’ to indicate that believers have been saved already, and the results of that salvation continue into the present.

We live in a dark world that gives us a lot to fear. As long as we live, there is always something in our lives that is at risk. We can choose to surrender to that fear and let it rule our lives, or we can surrender all those things we love and fear we will lose to Christ and live a life without fear.

Paul was confident in his mission, and he understood the importance of carrying out that mission. He knew that faith is not a one-time act, but something that includes the past, present and future. Because of his faith, he found strength instead of shame when he faced opposition and persecution.

One thing we don’t have to fear as Christians is death, because Christ abolished that fear on the cross. Christ’s saving work not only relieved believers of the fear of eternal death, or separation of the soul and body from God, but it also removed the fear of physical and spiritual death. Death can’t separate us from God’s love any more. Jesus replaced it with life and immortality.

Even when he faced execution, Paul’s hope and joy never wavered because he knew the power of Christ to faithfully deliver him into eternity. Paul had both a living faith and a faith unto death.

The gospel must be guarded as a treasure. Its words are right, healthy and whole and must not be tampered with. If anyone thinks he or she can adequately watch over this gift, he or she needs to remember Paul’s words to Timothy, especially his instructions to rely on the Holy Spirit’s help.

 Bibliography

1.                  Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, P. 1717)

2.                  ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

3.                  Demarest, G. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 32: 1,2 Thessalonians/1,2 Timothy/Titus (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1984; pp. 240-256)

4.                  Macarthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

5.                  Billy Graham, “How Did My Grandmother Get Such Strong Faith?” Retrieved from http://www.arcamax.com/healthandspirit/religion/billygraham

6.                  Charles R. Swindoll, “Sincere Faith at Home.” Retrieved from eministries@insightforliving.ccsend.com

7.                  Christine Caine, “Landing Safely.” Retrieved from Biblegateway@e.biblegateway.com

8.                  “Overcoming the Fear of Sharing the Gospel.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

9.                  Dr. David Jeremiah, “The Secret to Soul-Winning.” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org

10.              “Decision Making.” Retrieved from Oneplace@crosswalkmail.com

11.              Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Standing Up.” Retrieved from www.ltw.org