Mark 9:1-13
Key Verse: 9:2b,3... "There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them."

 In the previous passage Jesus taught us that the way of discipleship involves self-denial and taking up own cross daily. Jesus declared that the way of life was to lose our life for him and for the gospel. This was a shocking revelation for his disciples. Though Peter made a confession of faith, he could not accept Jesus' new teaching. This was a big problem for the disciples because they would witness Jesus' death and resurrection. Therefore, Jesus focused on helping his disciples accept his suffering, death and resurrection as the way of the Messiah. Today’s passage is a preview of Jesus’ coming glory. Jesus used audio-visual education to help his top three disciples listen to his new teaching. That’s the reason why he showed them his glorious original image through his transfiguration. This transfiguration left a lasting impression for Peter so that he could confront suffering and death to preach the gospel of Jesus later. I pray that the Lord may plant the glorious image of Jesus in our heart so that we may become powerful witnesses of Jesus in the coming fall semester. May God bless each of us to listen to Jesus' word and have a glorious hope in the kingdom of God.

I. THOSE WHO WILL NOT TASTE DEATH IN THIS WORLD (1)

  Look at verse 1.  "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power." Though this is a wonderful promise of Jesus given to his disciples, it is very difficult to understand what Jesus really meant in this passage. I will not attempt any theological interpretation of this passage. Simply, I would like to see this passage from the context of Jesus’ main preaching “the kingdom of God.” Here, the kingdom of God refers to Jesus himself. (1:15) So we can paraphrase this verse as follows: "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death because they saw Jesus who gives new life to those who believe in him." Life is so precious. Therefore, we do not want to taste death but rather taste eternal life. How can we do that? John 5:24 says, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” According to this verse, our eternal life starts at the moment we meet Jesus; we are forgiven and we become children of God. Most importantly, we will not taste death while we still live in this world. It is true that wherever Jesus is, there is the kingdom of God. On the other hand, where there is no Jesus, people experience the taste of death moment by moment
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II. JESUS TRANSFIGURES ON A MOUNTAIN (2-3)

 Look at verse 2. "After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them." Six days had been passed since Jesus revealed his impending suffering, rejection, and death at Jerusalem. He revealed the way of Messiah was not an easy road but a narrow road. During those six days the disciples were gloomy about their uncertain future because Jesus’ declaration of the cross must have crushed their hearts. Jesus wanted to help them overcome their fear of death and understand true meaning of his suffering and death. They needed to see different Jesus to get out of their dark thinking. Therefore, Jesus took three key member disciples and went up to a high mountain where they were alone. Though he had 12 disciples, he only took Peter, James and John. He focused on the key members until they listened to his new teaching about the way of cross. Then the three key members can help the rest of the disciples to understand Jesus’ true Messiahship. It is important to make a vessel with key members if we want to establish a successful fellowship ministry. Before raising up 12 disciples we have to raise up several key members we can work together closely in our fellowship. How did Jesus help his slumping disciples? Jesus took them to a high mountain to show them the preview of his coming glory. Verbal teaching did not work any more. They needed some shocking experience. They needed to change their environment to refresh their grumpy hearts. Jesus wanted to boost their morale through this trip to the mountain. So he gave them audio-visual education. Abraham in Genesis 15 was in deep despair with a lot of complaining spirit because there was no sign of having a son after he lived by faith for 10 years and rescued his nephew Lot. He felt a sense of loss in his spiritual life because there was no visible fruit. At that time God took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars-if indeed you can count them. Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’” God gave him audio-visual education. Then Abraham’s fear disappeared and he believed in God’s promise again. . If you have any problem, come out from your small room and count the stars and your problem will be melt away. In the same way the three disciples needed to see different image of Jesus. At the end of last year I was in deep spiritual slump after several shepherd family left our ministry. God took me and several coworkers to a mountain in West Virginia for Scripture reading retreat. God renewed our vision and refreshed our spirit through the Scripture reading. Jesus wanted to show his glorious image to his fearful disciples through his transfiguration. Before Jesus climbed the Mountain of Transfiguration, he looked to his disciples as a poor man, the friends of the sick, needy and broken-hearted. In the course of shepherding his people, he resembled a root out of dry ground. In the course of shepherding his people, he was despised and rejected. So he looked like a man of sorrows. In the course of shepherding his people, he suffered more than one can say. So he looked pain-stricken and brokenhearted. He was so smitten and afflicted because of his people that he had nothing in his appearance to attract us to him. (Isa.53:2)

 But the transfigured Jesus looked glorious and majestic. Look at verse 3. "His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone could bleach them." His appearance in dazzling white was a revelation of his majesty as the King of kings and Lord of lords. His appearance in dazzling white was a revelation that he is the holy and Almighty God. This was his original heavenly image of God. Revelation 1:13-16 depicts Jesus' original image well. "...and among the lampstands was someone 'like a son of man,' dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance." This glorious Jesus came to this world and served sinners until his appearance was disfigured so wretchedly. And his disciples did not realize why he suffered so much. They were afraid that they would suffer like him and look pain-stricken like him. So Jesus brought his top disciples to show them a preview of his glorious resurrection body.

 Jesus wanted them to keep this preview of his resurrection body a secret in their deep hearts and be filled with this mysterious preview of his person. So he charged them not to tell anyone what they had seen until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. (9) No wonder the disciples were awe-struck by the glory of Jesus. The privileged three never got over such a blaze of glory. It gave them a sense of security as they came to face their martyrdom for the sake of Christ. This glorious image of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration made a lasting impression on Peter when he had to live in this hard world as a witness of Jesus' death and resurrection and as the leader of the whole church of God. Peter said in 2 Pet.1:16, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of  his majesty.” This glorious experience enabled him to overcome fierce persecutions for the gospel of Jesus. ) Because John the Apostle witnessed that Jesus is the Christ, he was imprisoned in a dark cave on the island of Patmos. There he saw a glorious vision of Jesus who was coming again. John’s experience with Jesus helped him endure many hardships in preaching the word of God to the end. James became the first martyr for His sake among the apostles. (Acts 12:2) We need a spiritual inspiration like Jesus’ transfiguration in order to overcome many temptations. The glory of Jesus will help us not to give up our mission life in spite of many crosses to bear. The glory of Jesus was a counterpoise to the announcement of his death. His glory outshines the sufferings we will receive. The glory of Jesus cancels out all the rejections we may receive for His sake. Many parents want their children to play musical instruments like violin. But their children do not want to take up the cross of practicing violin. Why? They do not have any inspiration to go through suffering of violin practice. How can we help them? The best way is to take them to concert and to help them see the famous violinist play a beautiful music. Then they are willing to practice to become a wonderful violinist because they are inspired by the majesty of the violin sound. Here we learn that we must ask God to erase all the evil people's images in our hearts and give us the glorious holy image of Jesus to carry out his holy mission. So we must study the Bible and pray until these evil images disappear and until the glorious image of Jesus fills our hearts.

III. ELIJAH AND MOSES TALK WITH JESUS (4)

 Now Moses and Elijah appeared here to support Jesus' teaching. Jesus had a summit conference with Moses and Elijah. Jesus' talking with Elijah and Moses teaches us another meaning of his transfiguration. Look at verse 4. “And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses who were talking with Jesus.” Elijah and Moses appear and talk with the transfigured Jesus. There are many great prophets in the Bible. Why did Elijah and Moses appear to talk with Jesus? Moses received God's law on Mt. Sinai and gave it to his people. Therefore, Moses represents the Law. Elijah represents all the prophets because of his mighty spirit. Jesus is the fulfillment of God's law and prophecy. Moses and Elijah appeared to witness to the passing of the old order, and to welcome the incoming of the new through Jesus’ death and resurrection. So, his meeting with these two men was very meaningful.
 
 Moses and Elijah were known in the Old Testament as suffering servants. Each of them suffered enough in his own time to save his people from their sins. Moses suffered enough in order to deliver Israel from the bondage of slavery in Egypt. Elijah suffered enough in order to save his people from Baal worship. Though Jesus was the Son of God, it was too difficult for him to die on the cross for the sin of the world. In time and past, people try to live better off in their thirties, because the thirties are a golden time in human life. But Jesus had to die in obedience to God's world salvation plan. Jesus decided to die for the sin of the world, but still he needed comfort and encouragement. What was the main theme of the summit conference? According to Luke 9:33b, the main theme was about Jesus’ departure at Jerusalem. The sole theme of the conversation between the transfigured Jesus and the two glorified saints was Jesus’ death on Calvary. Peter had urged Jesus not to talk about his death, but Moses and Elijah came all the way from heaven to talk about nothing else, and they discussed about it with rapture. Did not he come into the world to die for sin, and to put away sin, by the sacrifice of himself? That was right. Jesus came into this world to be our Lamb who took away the sin of the world. So he met and talked with Elijah and Moses, who suffered and died to fulfill God's will. By talking with them, Jesus was convinced that though Elijah and Moses suffered and died, they are alive forever in God, and they are the envy of all people as long as the world exists. Though they suffered a lot to serve God's people, in the end they were glorious. This means the glory comes after much suffering. There are several spiritual implications about the appearance of Moses and Elijah. The appearance of these dead saints, very much alive, demonstrated that there is life after death. Moses and Elijah appeared as individual persons. Moses was still recognized as Moses, and Elijah was still Elijah. We would be able to recognize each other in the resurrection. This means that we will recognize each other when we get to heaven. Therefore, please treat others nicely. Here is the story about Moody. Realizing that he would soon be gone from this world one day, Moody said to a friend, “Someday you will read in the papers that D. L. Moody of Northfield is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. I shall have gone higher, that is all—out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal, a body that sin cannot touch, that sin cannot taint, a body fashioned into His glorious body. I was born in the flesh in 1837; I was born of the Spirit in 1856. That which is born of the flesh may die; that which is born of the Spirit will live forever.” Our eternal home is not here on earth but it is in heaven. It is foolish to build a shelter on earth because no one can live here forever.  Whenever we have to suffer to fulfill God's will, we must think about the glory of God we will share in Jesus. Instead of sympathizing and removing our sheep’s crosses, we should encourage them to take up the cross of mission positively and experience the glory of Jesus. 

IV.  LISTEN TO HIM (5-13)

 This part tells us that Jesus' disciples were beginning to think about Jesus' teachings. When Peter saw the glory of Jesus, he was very happy, assuming that his time of glory had come at last. So he said, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." He did not say, "One for me." He looked polite to them outwardly but he was saying to himself in his inner thought, “One shelter for me.” But Peter did not know what he was saying. "It is good for us to be here" reveals his hidden human desire. He revealed his shelter faith. Six days before, he had made a confession of Christ. But right after his confession, when Jesus taught him the way of the cross, Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him not to talk about the way of the cross. Now, on the Transfiguration Mount, he said, "It is good for us to be here," because he liked to live a life of glory and honor without suffering. Even though Peter lived 2,000 years ago, he had the easygoing desire like all of us. He wanted to be like Elijah and Moses instantly skipping their suffering part. He just wanted to enjoy the fruit without planting and harvesting. Apostle Paul said in 2 Tim. 2:6, "The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of crops." Psalm 126:5-6 says, "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." We all want to become great servants of God feeding 12 sheep but do not want to suffer at all. We are like Peter. Let's pray that we may overcome easygoing mentality of this world and accept Jesus' way of cross to the glory of God. 

 Right after Peter spoke, a cloud came and covered them. Look at verse 8. "Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus." This figuratively tells us that in the end, none remains to each of us but Jesus. In the Old Testament, clouds represent God coming down to his people. (Ex.13:21;16:10;19:9;24:15) And clouds coming down also represent God's glory revealed. (Ex.24:16) God's voice spoke out of the cloud, "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!" (7b) Now God appeared on the scene to support Jesus. This teaching was the core course for the disciples. Even God came down to help Jesus' disciples. Peter, James and John had heard his teaching concerning his death and resurrection. But they had not received Jesus' words. Finally, God spoke to them directly out of the cloud. This tells us how stubborn they were, and how important it is to accept Jesus' teachings about God's way of saving people through his death and resurrection. Here we learn the importance of listening to Jesus though we did not like his teaching. When we do so, we can grow in faith and understand his teaching later. 

 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. (9) What was their response? Look at verse 10. "They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what 'rising from the dead' meant." Amazingly, for the first time, they began to scratch their heads and think about his teachings concerning his death and resurrection. In the past, they talked and acted according to their feelings and desires. They were men of impulse. They had never really thought about something. They did not know how to think. This time, they began to listen to God's voice and began to think. They became thinking men. By beginning to think about Jesus' words, they were destined to become great men in human history. When they began to think, a question which had spread among people came to their minds. They asked him, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?" (11) The people of Israel looked for the emergence of Elijah before the coming of the Messiah and the eruption of God into time and space, giving triumphant victory to Israel. Look at verse 12. "Jesus replied, 'To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected?'" Jesus was referring to John the Baptist as Elijah. Jesus told them that John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah, preaching a baptism of repentance. (Mt. 17:12,13) Then Jesus continued, "Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him." In this way the work of God was going on. Jesus, too, must fulfill what was written of him. In conclusion, let’s accept Jesus’ suffering as God’s way to save the world and hold the glorious image of transfigured Jesus to carry out his world mission command. May God bless us to become the witness of Jesus' death and resurrection through this passage. I pray that God may open our spiritual eyes to listen to his word faithfully. Let's read the key verse 9:2b,3.