Today, for a few minutes, we're going to go back
again on the Mount of Transfiguration. You know,
I dare say that there has never been a minister
who has ever stood behind the sacred desk, but
what some time he has preached at least one sermon
on this glorious portion of the Word of God.
This portion of the Bible that is so very familiar
to all of us is the glory of it. Jesus standing
there, transfigured before the very eyes of Peter,
James, and John, with Moses on one side of Jesus
and Elijah on the other side of Jesus. All this...
blender of it all, the glory of it all. But you
know, I've often wondered how many fully realized
that with every mountaintop experience, sooner
or later, we all have to come down from the mountain.
As surely, As Peter and John and James were standing
there, beholding the glory of the Lord, there
had to come a moment when it was necessary that
they come down from the mount. The vision had
passed. Moses and Elijah had gone. The voice
was silent. Jesus only remained. You know, it's
most interesting to trace what happened as these
men left the mount. And I still contend that
what happened after this experience is far more
important than the glory of what they saw. I
mean that. It's most interesting to see exactly
what happened as these men left the mount. See
something, and I give it to you from the word
of God. The ninth verse of the 17th chapter of
Matthew. And as they came down from the mountain,
Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to
no man until the Son of Man be risen again from
the dead. First, notice as they were coming down
with him, they're saying Jesus and Savior. the
one that they had known so well during the three
years of ministry, noticed that he charged them
that they should tell the vision to no man. And
I believe that there is deep significance in
this command. I believe that he told them to
keep silent about what they had seen. Because
knowing human nature as he knew human nature,
he knew good and well that they would never,
they could not get the story right. They could
not, as they told it to someone else, give the
correct explanation of that which they saw. You
know, I have often wondered, as perhaps you have
wondered also, why Jesus didn't take all of the
disciples with him. Why he didn't permit all
of them to have this wonderful experience. Why
was it that he just chose these two? Three. Only
on the surface of things. One would have thought
that he would have taken all of them with him
on the mount, but he didn't. He even warned them
in advance that there are some standing here.
Not all. And when he referred to the some, in
the final analysis, there were just three that
he took. with him. You know what I believe? Jesus
knows his children so well he knows just who
he can trust. I believe that. I believe that
Jesus is practical about the whole thing. I think
of this so very often. Do you know that there
are some of his children that he wouldn't dare
trust? With wealth, he knows good and well that
if he gave you more materially than what you
have this very hour, you'd backslide in six months.
Because you wouldn't know what to do with it.
You would misuse it. That's right. I think of
that so very often, you know. Folk always say,
oh, if I only had a great amount of finance.
If I just had a lot of money, what I would do
with it? Beloved, you aren't even being obedient
to God and paying the tithe on that which you
have. That's right. If you only make $10 a week,
if you aren't being obedient with the $10, how
in the world do you expect God to give you more?
Because he couldn't trust you with more. You
wouldn't be obedient with more if you're not
obedient with what you have. And it's like that.
I do believe that when Jesus took these... three
with him, he knew exactly that these were the
three that he could trust. He could trust them
in being silent when he asked them to be silent.
God knows exactly what he's doing. He's smart.
He's perfect wisdom. He's perfect knowledge.
All right, it has been a matter of discussion
as to why he told them not to tell. Don't tell
until later. There was a limit put upon their
silence. Tell the vision to no man until the
son of man be risen from the dead. The real reason,
undoubtedly, was that these men were to wait
until the Holy Spirit himself should equip them
for the telling of that story. I believe that.
But other things lay within that injunction of
silence. The theme for the coming days was not
to be the theme of glory, but of the cross. And
Matthew inserts here the fact that He told them
again the story of the cross. That so alarmed
Peter six days before the Transfiguration. The
vision of the glory had its place and purpose,
but it must pass away. For the multitude were
waiting. The pneumatic was in the valley. The
cross was in the future. There was something
in the future. The mountain was the place of
vision, but yonder lay the pathway of accomplishment.
And in order that his heart might be set upon
his exodus, and that they might come as much
as possible into the comradeship with him and
his great work, nothing was to be said of his
vision. It was the one. that he asked them to
keep silent about. After the triumph of his resurrection,
after his glorious ascension, then it could be
told in all of its meaning. But they were to
keep their eyes. on the cross that was just ahead.
Oh, sure, beloved. Remember, the mountain was
the place of vision, but yonder was the pathway
of accomplishment. God has no retirement plan.
In God's great plan for man, in God's great government,
he has made no provision for a retirement plan.
How often I have seen men and women, precious
Christians, who have been on the mountaintop,
who've had the glowiest vision. They too have
been on the Mount Transfiguration. Marvelously
filled with the spirit. They have seen him. They
have felt him. They have known him. They have
seen him and all of his majestic splendor. And
then I have seen them come down the mountain
with a spirit. of spiritual bigotry, a better
-than -thou attitude, folding their spiritual
garments around about them, and by their very
attitude putting themselves upon a little spiritual
pedestal, shamed by their Attitude. We are one
of God's precious favorites. We are a little
more spiritual than those around about us. We
have been filled with spirit. We have spoken
in an unknown tongue. We have received the gifts.
of the spirit beloved the mountain was the place
of vision but yonder was the pathway of accomplishment
know that you were filled with the spirit that
you might serve and ye shall receive power After
that, the Holy Spirit has come upon you. Why?
That ye might be witnesses. We are saved to serve.
You and I as his children are here as servants.
I want you to see something that's very marvelous.
I love this glorious portion of the Word of God.
It's found in the 10th chapter of Mark. beginning
with about the 32nd verse. You know it well.
The very air is filled with expectancy on the
road to Jerusalem. And as the disciples were
walking with the master, he was telling them
in confidence the thing that were about to happen.
In confidence, he foretells his death. His treatment
at the hands of the chief priests and the scribes.
He told them that they would kill him, but that
he would rise again. Watch what follows. And
James and John, the sons of Debedee, come unto
him, saying, We would that thou shouldest do
for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said
unto them, What would ye that I should do for
you? And they said unto him, Grant unto us that
we may sit one on thy right hand and the other
on thy left hand in thy glory. In other words,
they were asking for seats. Jesus said unto them,
Ye know not what ye ask. Can ye drink the cup
that I drink and be baptized with the baptism
that I am baptized with? And they said unto him,
We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed
drink of the cup that I drink of, and with the
baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be
baptized. But to sit on my right hand and on
my left hand is not mine to give, but it shall
be given to them for whom it is prepared. What
did Jesus really need in those words? They said
unto him, Master, give us seats. They wanted
the glory. Oh, the glory of that mountaintop
experience. The master says, no seats but a cup.
No seats. but a cross. Beloved, you cannot understand
Christianity from a seat. Spectators are never
healthy victorious Christians. Know that. In
that cup that Jesus is talking about here, There
may be sorrow. There may be heartbreak. There
may be blood that'll stain your pathway. Rocks
that'll bruise the tender skin. There may be
bitter tears. There may be suffering in that
cup for you. You did not receive that glorious
mountaintop experience. To be given a seat to
boast of that which you saw, no. The blowing
come after the cup and after the cup. Do you
want to know the tenderness of the man of sorrow?
Go through a Gethsemane. Do you want to know
the reality of his promises? Come to a Red Sea.
Do you really want to know the thrill of feeding
the hidden virtue of the Son, the very living
God, flowing through your physical body? Then
dare to believe. Do you want to know the thrill
of being filled with the Holy Spirit? You'll
never know if you're only a spectator. You'll
never receive the glorious experience from a
seat. Never. Do you want to know the joy of winning
somebody to the Lord Jesus Christ? Then become
meet for the Master's use. But many of you are
so wrapped up in yourself. that you only see
the lost as a spectator. You stand behind the
sacred desk. Come down to where the people are.
Step down. Come down from the mountain. You'll
find them waiting for you. You'll find them in
the cup. You'll find them in the cross. Your
cross. For if any man will come after me, let
him deny himself and take up his cross and follow
me. If any man... Make up your mind. Let him
deny himself. Give up yourself. He wants all
of you. Take up your cross. It's going to cost
you something. It may be a big price you'll have
to pay, but it's worth the cost. God bless you.