IDENTITY AND DISCIPLESHIP: Transfiguration

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LUKE 9:23-36
Lesson #28
IDENTITY AND DISCIPLESHIP: Transfiguration

• Memory Verse: 1Cor 15:51
• Review: In our last lesson we saw that the theme was the identity of Jesus Christ and in relationship to Him, the identity of the disciples who would be ministering in the name of Jesus with spiritual power and authority.
  • From that theme that began in Luke 9, Jesus tells us what it really means to be a disciple of Christ.
  • A disciple is not just someone who says he is a believer, for there were many “disciples” that began to follow Jesus but did not continue with Him.
  • Read Joh 6:65-69
• Read Luk 9:23-26 The explanation of discipleship and identity
  • “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (23)
  • What does this verse mean, deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Him?
    • The phrase “take up your cross” follows the phrase “deny himself”. Then comes, “follow me”.
    • These three phrases are aspects of the explanation of discipleship:
      • What must the believer in Christ deny?
      • =1= He must deny his own desires, his own plans, his own strength, his own control and determination over his own life.
    • Notice that just denying these things or saying no to them is not enough.
      • =2= The believer then must “take up his cross”.
        • The cross represents crucifixion: putting to death these desires, these plans, this human strength, this control and determination over your own life. The believer now considers all these things dead to him.
        • Notice that the believer must do this every day.

In our last lesson we read Gal 2:20 with respect to our new identity in Christ.

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

The believer is no longer living his own life, but now he is living Christ’s life.

The believer has exchanged his life for Christ’s life. He has a different identity.

• • • • =3= Then when the believer has done step one and step two, he now has the capacity to follow Christ in obedience to God and His word.
        • The world and his own desires and plans are dead to the believer.
        • Without hanging on to those plans and desires, he has the freedom, the power, and the will to choose what God wants in his life.
    • Some believers complete only step one.
      • They deny their desires.
      • Then they struggle with obedience trying to follow Christ in their own strength. They struggle because those plans and desires are not dead.
      • They try to go from step one to step three without taking up the cross.
  • “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.”(24)
    • Following verse 23, we see that the person that has completed daily the three aspects of discipleship has truly lost his life of self-determination.
    • Instead the believer has a new, eternal life in Christ that he now is living. (25)
  • “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed,…” (26)
    • This verse is the red flag that tells you exactly where you are in this process.
    • The believer that is so identified with Christ, following verses 23 and 24, will not be ashamed of his identity with Christ.
    • If a believer feels ashamed of Christ before men, he knows immediately that he has not denied his own desires and plans, that he has not crucified (considered dead) these things, and is not following Christ in obedience.
• Read Luk 9:27-36 The Transfiguration
  • This important event is recorded in Mat 17:1-11 and in Mar 9:2-12.
  • “But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.” (27)
    • What did Jesus mean by these words, when all the people there eventually died before Jesus Christ would set up His earthly kingdom at the second coming of Christ?
      • Jesus was not talking about His earthly kingdom of 1000 years.
      • Jesus was talking about the event of the transfiguration of which only Peter, John, and James witnessed eight days after Jesus foretold it in verse 27.
    • Read 2Pet 1:16-18
  • The word “transfigured” (“his countenance was altered” vs. 29)
    • From the Greek word “metamorphoom” we get the word metamorphosis = to change form.
    • The best illustration is the caterpillar and the butterfly. In the cocoon, the caterpillar is changed or is metamorphed into the butterfly. It is the same being before and after but the appearance is different.
    • The same thing will happen to believers at the rapture of the church.
      • Read 1Cor 15:50-54
      • Notice the word “changed” in verses 51 and 52.
    • Jesus was of human flesh just as we are. (Joh 1:14) That flesh was changed on the Mt. of Transfiguration.
  • “…his raiment was white and glistering.” (29)
    • The light did not come upon Him.
    • Instead, a brilliant light came from within Him. Remember, He said, “I am the light of the world.” (Joh 8:12 Joh 9:5)
  • Moses and Elijah
    • Why did these two appear with Jesus when He was transfigured?
    • Read Rom 3:21
    • Moses:
      • Remember that Moses never physically entered into the Promised Land even though God gave him the promise. (Exo 12:25)
      • Moses disobeyed God one time. Instead of speaking to the rock to get water for the people, in anger Moses struck the rock. Because of that God told Moses he would not enter the Promised Land. Moses died just before the Israelites entered the Promised Land. (Num 20:8-12)
      • Moses represents the Law and those who have gone through physical death.
        • The message of Moses’ life is that no one enters into God’s kingdom by keeping the Law. Not even Moses could keep the Law. He was disobedient one time. If you break one Law of Moses you break all of it.
        • All people are saved by faith from the days of Adam until the end of human history. We enter into salvation and become a part of God’s kingdom by faith in the shed blood of Christ.
      • But God is faithful to fulfill His promise to Moses when Moses appears in the Promised Land with Jesus on the Mt. of Transfiguration.
      • In the same way as Moses, God will resurrect those believers who have died in Christ when Christ comes for the church in the Rapture.
    • Elijah:
      • Elijah represents the prophets and all living believers in Christ.
        • Elijah with all the Old Testament prophets prophesied all the details of Jesus’ birth, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection, and His second coming.
        • By faith they trusted that God would fulfill all those details in God’s timing.
      • Elijah did not physically die but was taken up into heaven in a chariot of fire. (2Kin 2:11)
      • In the same way as Elijah, God will transfigure all living believers giving them a new immortal body when He comes for the church in the Rapture.
  • The conversation between Jesus, Moses, and Elijah:
    • They spoke about the crucifixion of Christ that was about to occur. (Luk 9:31)
    • They spoke about the second coming of Christ that would occur later in time when Elijah would come again. (Mat 17:10) (Mal 4:5-6)
  • The voice from heaven:
    • ^“And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.” (35)
    • God’s voice from heaven states almost the same message that He gave at the baptism of Jesus.
  • The three disciples are puzzled.
    • Peter should have kept quiet and observed, but he had to speak suggesting they build three tents one for each of the three figures bathed in light.
      • Why did Peter suggest building tents?
      • This was the time of the Jewish feast of tabernacles when people built tents outside their house to camp out in memory of the Israelite wandering in the wilderness for 40 years.
    • What was wrong with that? He placed Moses and Elijah on the same level as Jesus.
    • After the event these three disciples discuss among themselves what they heard and saw.
      • Because they had not yet seen Jesus die on the cross, they did not fully understand the crucifixion or the resurrection.
      • Because they did not know God’s plan, they did not understand the difference between the first coming of Christ and the second coming of Christ.
  • Jesus told these three disciples not to tell anyone about this glorious experience until after his resurrection. (Mar 9:9)
• Summary and Perspective:
  • Many teachers and theologians tell us that this glorious event of the transfiguration tells us about Jesus’ identity as the Son of God.
  • However, we already knew that from Jesus’ baptism in water by John the Baptist.
  • Then of what great and deeper significance is this event?
    • Remember that the theme of Luke 9 is the disciples’ identity in light of who Jesus is.
      • The believer in Christ is to become a true disciple exchanging his life for Christ’s life.
      • In every sense of the word, the disciple follows the same pattern that Jesus’ physical body followed.
    • Remember that Dr. Luke is presenting Jesus as the perfect human being.
      • The believing disciple in Christ has exchanged his life for Christ’s identity.
      • Because Christ is righteous, so is the believing disciple righteous.
  • Therefore, the significance of Jesus’ transfiguration is the transformation of the human body, not only for Jesus who was raised from the dead to a new body, but also the transformation of every believer in Christ at the rapture of the church and every Old Testament saint at the event of the second coming of Christ.
    • Remember that the conversation between Jesus, Moses, and Elijah was about the crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ. (Luk 9:31) The disciples were not to mention the transfiguration until after the resurrection.
      • The resurrection of Christ to a new body is the theme of 1Cor 15.
      • Because He was raised from the dead, so will all believers in Christ be raised from the dead!
    • Remember that the conversation between Jesus, Moses, and Elijah was also about the second coming of Christ when Elijah would come. (Mat 17:10) Old Testament saints, like Elijah, will be transformed into a new body at the event of Jesus’ second coming which is at least seven years after the rapture of the church. (Dan 12:1-3)

Homework
Luke 9:37-62

• Application of Luk 9:22-36
  • In what way does Jesus’ transfiguration encourage you to be an obedient disciple of Christ?
• Preparation for Luk 9:37-62
  • Read Luk 9:37-62
    • Why did the disciples left at the bottom of the mountain fail to cast out the demon from the man? (40)
• Memory Verse: Luk 9:62