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Christians should expect to experience both glory & grief, moments of peace, hope, & joy - but also trouble, fear, & pain. Today we are reminded to keep our eyes on the eternity while we keep our feet on the ground.

Jesus talks about the Son of Man coming in 3 different ways:

1. The 2nd Coming of Jesus, when He returns to rule in reign over the Earth.
2. As mentioned back in Mt 10:23, the Son of Man would come in judgement against unbelieving Israel during the generation of the first disciples of Jesus.
3. We see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom, as Jesus gives 3 of His disciples a glimpse of His glory that others will not see until His second coming.

We don’t know where this occurred, but the focus is on WHAT happened while they were there.

The face of Jesus shone like the sun, a glimpse of His true GLORY - a preview to what all will likely see when Jesus returns.

Jesus was talking with Moses and Elijah (represent the Law and the Prophets). They affirm that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, who is about to finish the race as Jesus turning toward Jerusalem where the cross awaits (Lk 9:31).

John later saw Jesus in a vision we call “Revelation”.

Peter is ready to camp out for a while and doesn’t want to leave. 

This bright cloud that covered them was similar to God’s Presence showing up in a cloud during the time of Moses with lightning, thunder, and fire (Ex 19:16, 24:15-18.)

• Yahweh’s Presence would appear in a cloud at the entrance to the Tabernacle when Moses went in (Ex 33:9-10, 40:34-35). 
• A cloud would cover the Tabernacle by day and fire by night until it was time to pack up and follow the cloud to the next encampment (Ex 40:36-38).
• God’s Presence showed up on Mt Carmel when Elijah challenged the false prophets. Fire fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, leading the people of Israel to fall on the ground crying out “Yahweh - He is God! Yahweh - He is God!” (1 Kgs 18:38-39).
• Moses and Elijah were greatly used by Yahweh, but they are NOT the stars of the show. These ancient heroes had always been pointing FORWARD to the glory of Jesus! 

The voice from heaven commands the disciples to listen to Jesus! What a simple life lesson. How are we to live in this world? Listen to Him - Listen to Jesus!

How would YOU respond? They fell facedown to the ground, terrified!

Jesus responds to their fear, comforting them by saying “Don’t be afraid” (cf. Mt 10:36-41; 14:25-27, Lk 5:4-11, ) and touching them just as Jesus does to John in Rev 1:17.

When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. Suddenly, the glory and brilliance had faded, but the words of Jesus had been fulfilled when He had early told them...

Matthew 16:27–28 (NIV) For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what they have done. Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.

Mark’s gospel gives us a little insight into what they were thinking by telling us...

Mark 9:10 (NIV) They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.

They still don’t seem to understand that Jesus had come to do more than heal and teach. 

› Jesus came to DIE, to become the sacrifice in place of Abraham’s sons…and the sacrifice for US!

Remember who they had just seen on the mountain - Moses and ELIJAH. But now Elijah was gone instead of fulfilling Malachi 4:5-6.

Malachi 4:5–6 (LSB) Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of Yahweh. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land, devoting it to destruction.

So how could Jesus be the Messiah if Elijah DID NOT first come to fulfill what the Scriptures said? 

John called people to repentance, to make things right with God and with one another. His ministry was successful, with thousands coming to hear his message, be baptized, and prepare themselves for the coming of the Messiah. 

John the Baptist fulfilled Mal 3:1 and what the angel had told John’s father just before he was born Luke 1:13-17. 

• But not everyone appreciated John’s message, and John suffered, ultimately being killed. So too, Jesus would suffer as John had. John the Baptist WAS the one who fulfilled the prophecy about Elijah in Malachi.

In Matthew’s gospel we saw Jesus deputize his disciples and send them out with the ability to drive out demons and heal every disease and sickness (Mt 10:1-8). Yet this time, they could not heal this suffering son.

Jesus is clearly frustrated and since the disciples of Jesus couldn’t do anything to help, the boy is brought to Jesus.

• Dr. Luke tells us that this boy was possessed by a demon that would scream, foam at the mouth, and throw him to the ground (Lk 9:39-42). 
• Mark’s gospel adds that when the evil spirit saw Jesus he threw the boy into a convulsion on the ground, rolled around, and foamed at the mouth (Mk 9:20).

Mark 9:26 says “The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.”

Luke 9:43 adds, “And they were all amazed at the greatness of God. While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did.”

The focus here is WHO the disciple puts his/her trust IN. Moving mountains is referring to overcoming overwhelming obstacles in life. The person who obeys Jesus and asks in accordance with God’s will (Mt 6:10) with simple and even small faith, will be answered. Had the disciples done this, the demon would have been cast out.

What an incredible moment of GRIEF. They did not understand what they would later understood - that Jesus would be raised to life! 

GRIEF makes us think that there is no future hope - that this is all there is. And sometimes we even overlook the PROMISE that will follow the PAIN (the resurrection after the crucifixion).

• We WILL experience moments of GRIEF on this side of eternity - times we must have FAITH that God’s Presence and Power is with us. Especially if we remember that Jesus is alive!
• C.S. Lewis: “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains.                 It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
• We WILL also experience moments of GLORY, when God’s Presence and Power is unquestioned - times that we would like to camp out and just stay there until Jesus returns…but of course…we can’t.

Take some time to discuss these questions with your family, friends, or group.

1. Share about a moment of GLORY (when it was easy to trust God, knowing He was near) and a moment of GRIEF (when it was tough to trust God, struggling to believe He was near). How did God use those moments in your life?
2. Read Matthew 17:1-8. Take some time to discuss what you find most significant about the transfiguration of Jesus. 
3. Read Matthew 16:27-28. How did the transfiguration let the apostles “see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom”?
4. Read Malachi 3:1, 4:5-6 & Matthew 17:10-13. Jews who don’t follow Jesus as Messiah are looking for the return of Elijah before the coming of the Messiah. What might you share with a Jewish person to help them see John already fulfilled those prophecies?
5. Read Matthew 17:19-20. Why couldn’t the disciples drive out the demon? [Note: v21 is not found in the earliest copies of Matthew but is found in Mark 9:29.] What kind of faith can move “mountains”? Is the focus on our faith or the One we put faith in? Explain your answer. 
6. Share a time when God answered a simple prayer of faith in a powerful way.
7. Read Matthew 17:22-23. Why were the disciples “filled with grief”, even after Jesus spoke of His future resurrection? How are we more likely to focus on current, yet temporary GRIEF rather than the eternal future GLORY? 
8. Read 2 Corinthians 4:14–18. What secures the promise that God will raise us from the dead? Despite experiencing troubles (“light and momentary”) on earth, what can keep us from becoming discouraged (“losing heart”)? 
9. What challenged or encouraged you most from today’s teaching? What does God want YOU to do with what we studied today? 
10. Share prayer needs and pray for one another.