Following Jesus to Glory

As we saw this morning, some of us may be feeling like the disciples. And say, “I didn’t realize following Jesus meant signing up to suffer. Jesus says if you want to Him you have to be willing to deny yourself and take up a cross.”  

Maybe you’re thinking, “I’d rather hear an inspiring message about how I can have Health & Wealth & Prosperity?” 

Maybe you think “Can’t we have a reprieve from all this talk about self-denial and crosses? Is this really what we’ll hear for the rest of Mark’s gospel?”

Well, Jesus gives His disciples an encouraging preview of His glory in the Transfiguration.

This morning we saw 3 ways the Transfiguration encourages us by showing us:

·      Christ’s glory

·      Our saved loved ones are alive & well.

·      We can display God’s glory as the Church.

But tonight, we want to see 3 more ways the Transfiguration encourages us. #4…

4.  The Transfiguration encourages us by showing us a proper reverence for God’s power. (6)

Look at how the disciples react to God’s glory in v. 6. 

6 For Peter wist not [he did not know] what to say; for they were what? sore afraid.

They were overwhelmed. And that’s not unusual. That’s how people react to God’s glory.

·      When Isaiah sees God’s glory, he says “Woe is me.”

·      Moses can’t even look on it directly.

·      When “The glory of the Lord shone round about the shepherds” in Luke 2, they were what? Just like the disciples—“Sore afraid.”

The point is when people witness God’s glory, the effect is shock & awe, not laugh & yawn.

When the disciples see just a preview of Christ’s glory, they’re overwhelmed with reverence.