Jesus: The Fulfillment of God's Promises
Summary
In our journey through the series "Prepare the Way," we explore the profound truth that God has been preparing a new creation since the beginning of time. This preparation began in the Garden of Eden and continues through the promise of a new heaven and earth. The Old Testament is filled with prophecies of a coming light, a savior, which were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. John the Baptist declared Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life, emphasizing the need for repentance to prepare for His coming. Today, we delve into the concept of Jesus as "God's Yes," the fulfillment of all God's promises.
We often struggle with trust because human promises can be uncertain. However, Jesus is the embodiment of God's unwavering promise. In Him, all promises find their "yes." This is beautifully illustrated in the story of the Transfiguration, where Jesus' divine glory is revealed to Peter, James, and John. This event is not just a story but a revelation of the kingdom of God and the glory of Jesus. It connects the Old Testament prophecies with the New Testament fulfillment, showing Jesus as the promised Messiah.
The Transfiguration parallels the story of Moses on Mount Sinai, where God's glory was revealed through fire and cloud. Just as Moses' face shone after being in God's presence, Jesus' transfiguration reveals His divine nature. This event signifies the formation of a new people of God, transformed by the glory of Jesus. It is a call to see and understand the kingdom of God, which is present and active in our lives.
Peter later reflects on this experience, affirming that it was not a myth but a witnessed event that confirmed Jesus as God's promise. This revelation calls us to live in the light of God's promises, trusting in His word and the reality of Jesus within us. As we navigate the in-between of the present and the promised future, we are invited to trust in Jesus, the embodiment of God's faithfulness.
Key Takeaways:
- God's Preparation and Promise: From the Garden of Eden to the promise of a new creation, God has been preparing the way for His people. This preparation is fulfilled in Jesus, who is the light and savior promised throughout the Old Testament. In Him, we find the assurance of God's faithfulness and the hope of a new heaven and earth. [43:26]
- Jesus as God's Yes: Human promises can be uncertain, but Jesus is the embodiment of God's unwavering promise. In Him, all promises find their "yes." This truth invites us to trust in Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life, and to see Him as the fulfillment of God's promises. [45:49]
- The Transfiguration's Significance: The Transfiguration is a revelation of Jesus' divine glory and the kingdom of God. It connects the Old Testament prophecies with the New Testament fulfillment, showing Jesus as the promised Messiah. This event calls us to see and understand the kingdom of God, which is present and active in our lives. [48:56]
- Parallels with Moses: The Transfiguration parallels Moses' experience on Mount Sinai, where God's glory was revealed. Just as Moses' face shone after being in God's presence, Jesus' transfiguration reveals His divine nature. This signifies the formation of a new people of God, transformed by the glory of Jesus. [52:03]
- Living in God's Promise: Peter's reflection on the Transfiguration affirms it as a witnessed event that confirms Jesus as God's promise. This revelation calls us to live in the light of God's promises, trusting in His word and the reality of Jesus within us. As we navigate the in-between of the present and the promised future, we are invited to trust in Jesus, the embodiment of God's faithfulness. [56:03]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Introduction to "Prepare the Way"
- [02:15] - God's Preparation from Eden
- [04:45] - Jesus as the Fulfillment of Promises
- [07:10] - The Concept of God's Yes
- [10:00] - The Story of the Transfiguration
- [13:30] - Parallels with Moses on Mount Sinai
- [16:45] - Understanding Glory
- [20:00] - The Significance of the Transfiguration
- [23:15] - Peter's Reflection on the Event
- [26:00] - Living in the Light of God's Promises
- [29:00] - Invitation to Trust in Jesus
- [32:00] - Closing Prayer and Reflection
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Mark 9:1-8 - The Transfiguration of Jesus
2. Exodus 24:15-18 - Moses on Mount Sinai
3. 2 Peter 1:16-18 - Peter's Reflection on the Transfiguration
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Observation Questions:
1. What significant event is described in Mark 9:1-8, and who were the key figures involved in this event? [43:26]
2. How does the description of Moses' experience on Mount Sinai in Exodus 24:15-18 compare to the Transfiguration of Jesus? [45:49]
3. According to 2 Peter 1:16-18, how does Peter describe his experience of witnessing the Transfiguration? What does he emphasize about this event? [56:03]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. In what ways does the Transfiguration reveal Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies? How does this event connect the Old and New Testaments? [48:56]
2. How does the concept of Jesus as "God's Yes" challenge or affirm your understanding of God's promises? What does this mean for the reliability of God's word? [52:03]
3. Why might the Transfiguration be significant for understanding the nature of God's kingdom and its presence in our lives today? [49:33]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you struggled with trust due to broken promises. How does the idea of Jesus as "God's Yes" offer a new perspective on trust and faithfulness? [52:03]
2. The Transfiguration is a call to see and understand the kingdom of God. How can you become more aware of God's kingdom in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to recognize His presence? [48:56]
3. Peter's reflection on the Transfiguration emphasizes the reality of Jesus' divine nature. How does this understanding impact your relationship with Jesus and your daily walk with Him? [56:03]
4. Consider the parallels between Moses' experience on Mount Sinai and the Transfiguration. How can these stories inspire you to seek God's presence more deeply in your life? [45:49]
5. The sermon mentioned living in the light of God's promises. What specific promise of God do you need to hold onto in this season of your life, and how can you remind yourself of it daily? [56:03]
6. How can you actively trust in Jesus as the embodiment of God's faithfulness, especially when facing uncertainties or challenges? What practical actions can you take to strengthen your trust? [52:03]
7. Reflect on the concept of being transformed by the glory of Jesus. In what areas of your life do you desire transformation, and how can you invite Jesus into that process? [48:56]
Devotional
Day 1: God's Eternal Preparation for a New Creation
God's preparation for a new creation began in the Garden of Eden and continues through the promise of a new heaven and earth. This divine plan is woven throughout the Old Testament, with prophecies pointing to a coming light and savior, fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus embodies the culmination of God's preparation, offering assurance of His faithfulness and the hope of a renewed creation. As believers, we are invited to participate in this divine narrative, recognizing that God's work is ongoing and active in our lives today. [43:26]
Isaiah 65:17-18 (ESV): "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness."
Reflection: How can you actively participate in God's ongoing work of creation in your daily life today?
Day 2: Jesus as the Fulfillment of God's Promises
In a world where human promises often fall short, Jesus stands as the embodiment of God's unwavering promise. In Him, all of God's promises find their "yes." This truth invites us to place our trust in Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life. By seeing Jesus as the fulfillment of God's promises, we are encouraged to live with confidence and hope, knowing that God's faithfulness is steadfast and unchanging. [45:49]
2 Corinthians 1:20 (ESV): "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."
Reflection: What is one promise of God that you struggle to believe? How can you begin to trust Jesus as the "yes" to that promise today?
Day 3: The Transfiguration as a Revelation of Divine Glory
The Transfiguration of Jesus is a profound revelation of His divine glory and the kingdom of God. This event connects the prophecies of the Old Testament with their fulfillment in the New Testament, affirming Jesus as the promised Messiah. The Transfiguration invites us to see and understand the kingdom of God as present and active in our lives, calling us to live in the light of this divine reality. [48:56]
Matthew 17:2-3 (ESV): "And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him."
Reflection: How can you become more aware of God's kingdom actively working in your life today?
Day 4: Parallels with Moses and the Formation of a New People
The Transfiguration of Jesus parallels Moses' experience on Mount Sinai, where God's glory was revealed. Just as Moses' face shone after being in God's presence, Jesus' transfiguration reveals His divine nature. This event signifies the formation of a new people of God, transformed by the glory of Jesus. As followers of Christ, we are called to reflect His glory and be part of this new community, living out our faith in tangible ways. [52:03]
Exodus 34:29-30 (ESV): "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him."
Reflection: In what ways can you reflect the glory of Jesus in your interactions with others today?
Day 5: Living in the Light of God's Promises
Peter's reflection on the Transfiguration affirms it as a witnessed event that confirms Jesus as God's promise. This revelation calls us to live in the light of God's promises, trusting in His word and the reality of Jesus within us. As we navigate the in-between of the present and the promised future, we are invited to trust in Jesus, the embodiment of God's faithfulness, and to live with hope and assurance. [56:03]
2 Peter 1:16-18 (ESV): "For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,' we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to trust in God's promises more fully? How can you take a step of faith in that area today?
Quotes
Thank you, Sam. Thank you, team. Have a seat. How great, how great is our God and the love of God. True? Amen. What a way. Welcome, everyone. It's lovely to be back up here and to see, hopefully, smiling faces. Yeah, some smiles there. Great. You know, we are in a series called Prepare the Way. Prepare the Way. When did God start preparing the way? [00:31:07] (34 seconds)
God in his fullness and abundance and they weren't afraid they could see it and live it and be with God however, it wasn't long before they decided I don't know how long, it doesn't say that that they wanted to be like the one they worshipped in control, God they blew it and from that time forward God has been preparing the way of a new creation which is the title of this whole series of the next weeks preparing for a new creation which we are and which we will enjoy when there's a new heaven and a new earth that's the good news. [00:32:12] (46 seconds)
and so she had trust issues most of her life we come to today where I want to introduce that Jesus is the one that keeps his word and God is the one that promised and Jesus is the promise more about that in a minute but you know you and I often promise things that we have no clear way of knowing that we will ever be able to fulfil that promise because we only have the gift of today we don't have the tomorrow so we can say to our children I'll take you to the park tomorrow after school we can say I'll meet you for coffee next week I'll give you my word but we can't always be sure that that will happen because we have no say over that which is beyond the gift of today so our promises start to lose some of their meaning is that true and it's sad because we learn not to trust and so I want to come in today and introduce a new way of looking at Jesus it's not really new it's in the scriptures but it's maybe new for us today and it's excited me as I've looked at this and it goes with all the promises of God find their yes in Jesus so if you want a new name for God today or a new name for Jesus you can call him God's yes can I hear it God's yes isn't that great and the yes of God will always keep his word God's promise yes he is the way the truth in life and the beautiful thing about the New Testament it introduces just so many names for God names for Jesus who is the revelation of God who is God that we learn to identify different things that help us relate so that that need within us is there so if you have trust issues today I'm inviting you and who doesn't have trust issues I'm inviting you to see Jesus in a totally different way let's have a look at this very first slide that I've got up there follow me today as I talk with the most misunderstood and probably ignored is a way back in and so great and I've got a lot of that to see. [00:34:29] (152 seconds)
Moses went up onto a mountain, and a cloud covered the mountain, and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. And the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day, he called to Moses, and out of the cloud. Now, the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on top of the mountain in the sight of the Israelites. They were looking up, and all they could see was fire, cloud. Oh, my goodness. We are scared stiff. Moses entered the cloud and went up the mountain, and Moses was on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights in the presence of God, in the fire that wasn't consumed, in the glory. The story describes a little bit about the glory of God. It was like a fire on top of a mountain as the Israelites looked up. [00:46:15] (55 seconds)
The story of Moses is the story of the formation of a people of God, a nation, the Israelites through whom God would send Jesus as a savior. God had rescued the people from Egypt. He'd shown them his magnificence by performing miracle after miracle to get them to Sinai where they were now. And now he shows them who he is through Moses because they cannot bear to look at God alone. [00:48:37] (35 seconds)
The word glory, actually, if we go down into its meaning, we've got honor, splendor, majesty used. But the Hebrew word, the root meaning, has the sense of heaviness. Heaviness. But to understand that, we've got to go to heavy, loaded, rich. Have you ever been overwhelmed with the majestic beauty of a sunset or a sunrise? Or the incredible beauty to stand there overwhelmed at a single flower? [00:49:34] (30 seconds)
There's a little verse in Corinthians, which I'll just go for a little while. We all with unveiled faces see the glory of God as through a reflected mirror, as we are being transformed into the image of our God. Well, what on earth has that got to do with the Jesus story? So back to the scriptures of the transfiguration, the metamorphosis, the transformation here, of Jesus, if you like. Jesus in the flesh, who becomes the embodiment of the glory of God. That's what's happening here. [00:50:42] (41 seconds)
Jesus later says that John the Baptist was the Elijah who had come, and they had killed him. So why this story? Why on earth is it there? This is about the second thing that's going on. It's the revelation of the glory of God in Jesus Christ. God's, yes. All the promises of God in Jesus. Yes. God promised in thousands of years. But Jesus is the yes. It presents Jesus as the promise. [00:52:17] (30 seconds)
We looked at the similarities of Moses and the story. Moses, who began with the formation of a people, a nation. Jesus, who is transformed now and into transforming us, a people of God, his beloved into his kingdom, into his church, against which the gates of hell will not prevail. Jesus said, if you remember, the coming of the kingdom, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God. Key word here is see. [00:53:17] (32 seconds)
And they didn't, however, understand the significance of this until after the resurrection and the ascension. So whatever it meant. The transfiguration is recorded in three gospels. And it's there where it says that it's the revelation of the eternal glory of the second person of the Trinity, which is normally availed until Christ's death. [00:53:50] (26 seconds)
For we know we don't follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. But we had been eyewitnesses to his majesty. For he received honour and glory from God the Father, when that voice was conveyed to him by the majestic glory, saying, this is my son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him, he actually had said. We are ourselves heard this voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. What is he saying here? I'll just stop here for a minute. He says, everything that we have said or written doesn't come from us. [00:55:01] (50 seconds)
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