Embracing the Mystery: Glory and Suffering in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: Prayer as the Pathway to Divine Revelation

Prayer is the essential precursor to experiencing the presence and power of God. Before the glory of God is revealed, one must be centered in prayer, as demonstrated by the Transfiguration of Jesus. This sacred moment on the mountain with Peter, James, and John illustrates that just as crucifixion precedes resurrection, prayer precedes divine revelation. By consecrating ourselves in prayer, we open our hearts to truly know Jesus in His exalted state. This practice invites us to prepare ourselves spiritually, allowing us to encounter the divine in a profound way. [45:12]

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison." (Colossians 4:2-3, ESV)

Reflection: What specific time can you set aside today to pray and prepare your heart for a deeper encounter with God?

Day 2: Jesus as the Fulfillment of the Law and Prophets

The presence of Moses and Elijah during the Transfiguration affirms that Jesus is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. This moment underscores God's ongoing redemptive plan, which has been in motion since the beginning of time. The appearance of these pivotal figures from the Old Testament highlights that Jesus' mission is not a last-minute solution but a divine orchestration that has been unfolding throughout history. This revelation invites us to see Jesus as the culmination of God's promises and to trust in His redemptive work. [47:08]

"For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory." (2 Corinthians 1:20, ESV)

Reflection: How does recognizing Jesus as the fulfillment of God's promises change the way you view His role in your life today?

Day 3: Embracing the Mystery of Discipleship

Discipleship often involves embracing the mystery and unanswered questions of life. Like the disciples, we must learn to sit with the tension between glory and suffering, trusting in God's plan even when it is not fully understood. This journey requires faith and patience, as we navigate the complexities of life with a heart open to God's guidance. By accepting the mystery, we grow in our relationship with Jesus and deepen our understanding of His purpose for us. [53:25]

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)

Reflection: What is one mystery or unanswered question in your life that you can bring to God in prayer today, trusting in His plan?

Day 4: Trusting in God's Will Amidst Suffering

Jesus' journey to the cross teaches us to trust in God's will, even in the face of suffering. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus models this trust, praying for God's will to be done despite the impending sorrow. This act of surrender demonstrates the importance of aligning our desires with God's purposes, even when it leads to personal sacrifice. By following Jesus' example, we learn to embrace God's will with faith and courage, knowing that His plans are ultimately for our good. [54:21]

"And going a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.'" (Matthew 26:39, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find it difficult to trust God's will? How can you begin to surrender this area to Him today?

Day 5: Seeking a Deeper Revelation of Jesus

As we enter Lent, we are invited to seek a deeper revelation of Jesus, embracing both His glory and His crucifixion. This journey will lead us to know ourselves better and be more committed to following Him. By engaging in prayer, reflection, and study, we open ourselves to the transformative work of the Holy Spirit, who reveals more of who Jesus is and who we are in Him. This season is an opportunity to grow in our faith and deepen our commitment to living as His disciples. [56:37]

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints." (Ephesians 1:17-18, ESV)

Reflection: What specific steps can you take during this Lenten season to seek a deeper understanding of Jesus and His work in your life?

Sermon Summary

As we approach the season of Lent, it's a time to prepare our hearts and minds to know Jesus more deeply, especially through the lens of His sacrifice. Reflecting on Luke 9:28-36 and 44-45, we are invited to see a fuller picture of who Jesus is and the work He came to do. This passage reveals the mystery of Jesus' mission, where exaltation and crucifixion are intertwined. To truly understand Jesus, we must recognize that life and death, glory and suffering, are inseparable in His journey.

The Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain with Peter, James, and John is a profound moment of divine revelation. It shows us that before experiencing the glory of God, we must center ourselves in prayer. Just as crucifixion precedes resurrection, prayer precedes the presence and power of God. This sacred encounter with Jesus, Moses, and Elijah affirms that Jesus is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, underscoring God's redemptive plan from the beginning of time.

The presence of Moses and Elijah highlights that God's plan of redemption has been unfolding since creation, not as a last-minute solution but as a divine orchestration leading to Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. This moment on the mountain is not the end but the beginning of a journey that leads to the cross. It challenges us to listen and pay attention to Jesus as He is revealed through scripture and the Holy Spirit.

As we face the mysteries and trials of life, we are reminded that discipleship often involves sitting with unanswered questions and embracing the tension between glory and suffering. Jesus' journey to the cross teaches us to find contentment in the mystery and to trust in God's plan, even when it is not fully understood. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus models this trust, praying for God's will to be done despite the impending sorrow.

In this Lenten season, let us seek a deeper revelation of Jesus, embracing both His glory and His crucifixion. As we do, we will come to know ourselves better and be more committed to following Him. May we find our place of prayer, bringing our questions and doubts, and be open to the Spirit's work in revealing more of who Jesus is and who we are in Him.

Key Takeaways

1. The Transfiguration teaches us that prayer is essential before experiencing God's presence and power. Just as crucifixion precedes resurrection, prayer precedes divine revelation. We must consecrate ourselves in prayer to truly know Jesus in His exalted state. [45:12]
2. The presence of Moses and Elijah during the Transfiguration affirms that Jesus fulfills the law and the prophets. This moment underscores God's ongoing redemptive plan, which has been in motion since the beginning of time. [47:08]
3. Discipleship often involves embracing the mystery and unanswered questions of life. Like the disciples, we must learn to sit with the tension between glory and suffering, trusting in God's plan even when it is not fully understood. [53:25]
4. Jesus' journey to the cross teaches us to trust in God's will, even in the face of suffering. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus models this trust, praying for God's will to be done despite the impending sorrow. [54:21]
5. As we enter Lent, we are invited to seek a deeper revelation of Jesus, embracing both His glory and His crucifixion. This journey will lead us to know ourselves better and be more committed to following Him. [56:37]
** [56:37]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[38:46] - Preparing for Lent
[39:06] - Scripture Focus: Luke 9
[39:30] - Who Jesus Truly Is
[40:45] - The Transfiguration
[41:31] - The Voice from the Cloud
[42:21] - The Mystery of Jesus' Mission
[43:40] - Prayer Before Presence
[45:52] - Revelation to the Prepared
[46:29] - Moses and Elijah's Significance
[48:15] - God's Redemptive Plan
[49:40] - Are We Listening?
[50:14] - The Journey to the Cross
[51:31] - Embracing Life's Mysteries
[54:21] - Trusting in God's Will
[56:37] - Seeking a Deeper Revelation

Sermon Clips

One of the things that catches my attention about this scripture is the mystery of it all in fact it seems as we move from one passage to the next there is maybe even somewhat of a seeming contradiction we first see Jesus in his transfigured glory but then we see him about to be crucified. [00:42:16]

There is something about the mission of Jesus that helps us understand the two together in fact that help us understand that one cannot happen without the other exaltation cannot happen without crucifixion life cannot happen without death and so to fully understand Jesus and his mission and what that means for our lives. [00:42:57]

We have to understand how that we have to go through one in order to get to the next we have to go through crucifixion to get to Resurrection let's first of all think about those since it comes first in the scripture the experience this uh Transfiguration this Divine experience that uh Peter James and John have. [00:43:28]

We find here that they are called to this very Sacred Space of Prayer of Consecration and as they are in this time this place this space on this mountain of prayer something that had once been very ordinary becomes extraordinary I'm sure that maybe they didn't even have a category to put any of this in. [00:43:52]

They expected to go away with Jesus to the mountain and enter into this time of prayer and Consecration and probably had no real expectation other than that but they find what happens when they get there is the earth becomes baptized by Heaven that their eyes what they can see is changed from that physical reality. [00:44:16]

Before they experience this great heavenly vision that they have to Center themselves in prayer just like crucifixion comes before Resurrection so prayer comes before presence and power so if we really want to know Jesus fully exalted we have to commit ourselves to praying in that way because we'll never have this power. [00:44:56]

Displayed for us until we consecrate ourselves to praying for it to seeking it out to really wanting the experience I think we find very true to the nature of Jesus that he only fully reveals himself to those who are prepared to receive him we find this in the birth narrative as he shows up to those Shepherds. [00:45:28]

Moses and Elijah being there also underscores for us that God's ongoing Redemptive plan has been present on the earth since the very beginning it didn't just start when Jesus showed up but from the very beginning of all things God has been working his plan of Redemption it wasn't that in the very beginning of all things. [00:48:04]

Humankind sin and they were thrown out of the garden and God had to come up uh with Plan B at the last minute but the Plan of Redemption has always been the same and God is now affirming in Jesus that the plan is about to come to its fulfillment to its consummation as Jesus soon goes to the cross. [00:48:34]

Just like these disciples would have been we too face mysteries in our life especially as it concerns our relationship with the Lord we wish that bad things didn't have to happen and we don't understand why they do happen sometimes we wish that we didn't have to go through the experience of losing our precious loved ones. [00:51:32]

We spend our whole lives searching for answers when discipleship in itself more times than not is just about setting in the mystery just about asking the questions and letting them settle even about leaning into our doubts that is a place that these disciples soon would find themselves in and so we too as we meet. [00:53:30]

The life the mission the ministry of Jesus shows us how to do that well for example when we see him in the Garden of Gethsemane and he says father take this cup from me but not my will but yours be done why is it that God could not take the cup of bitter sorrow that Jesus was about to have to drink. [00:54:21]

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