Mark 9:1–29

Bringing the sermon home:

The scene atop the Mount of Transfiguration is one of the most familiar scenes in the gospels. While it may be counterintuitive, the familiarity of a scene often prevents us from seeing the main point. We must ask, why did this take place? Clearly it’s an amazing display of Jesus’ purity, power, and authority, but why was that necessary at this moment in history?

As we examine what immediately precedes and follows this record, we see that we are being exhorted to listen to and heed the Word of the Beloved Son. And what is that Word? It’s the message that the path to glory is through suffering. As Jesus had just explained, this was not only true of Him, but of everyone who desires to join Him in glory. Does your life reflect this understanding of the cost of discipleship? When the Lord opens doors for us to impact the lives of others, with the only cost being some of our free time, we often need to be taken back to the top of this New Sinai, that we may be exhorted by the voice of the Father to “Listen to my Beloved Son”.

Next, we see that Jesus alone is the supreme authority on the proper interpretation of the Old Testament, and thus we must seek the insight that He provides through the New Testament, not that of disobedient religious “experts”.

Finally, as Jesus comes down from the mountain, He rebukes His disciples for their lack of faith expressed through prayer. Only through acknowledging and expressing our weakness will God’s power be shown, and we acknowledge and express our weakness through prayer.