Bible Studies
Matthew 17:1-9 - Rooted in Glory
Key Verses: (MSG)
- 1: "Six days later, three of them saw that glory. Jesus took Peter and the brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain." - Just prior to this Peter had been chastised as being Satan when he rebuked Jesus for predicting His death. Now Jesus takes him into the mountains to experience the glory of God.
- 2: "His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. Sunlight poured from His face. His clothes were filled with light." - "So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us." (John 1:14, NLT)
- 4: "Peter broke in, 'Master, this is a great moment! What would you think if I built three memorials here on the mountain--one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah?'" - Immersed in the moment and wanting to prolong the experience as long as possible, Peter's heart burst with the desire to do something.
- 5: "While he was going on like this, babbling, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and sounding from deep in the cloud a voice: 'This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of my delight. Listen to Him.'" - There are times when words say too much and sound as babble and then there are times that the simplest of phrases can echo through eternity with hope, joy, and love.
- 6-7: "When the disciples heard it, they fell flat on their faces, scared to death. 7But Jesus came over and touched them. 'Don't be afraid.'" - The revealing love of God changes lives and opens the doors to a new reality. The new future that lies ahead can appear daunting and fearful. Paralyzing terror could take hold if it were not for the knowledge that God is with us and we need to fear no more.
- 9: "Coming down the mountain, Jesus swore them to secrecy. 'Don't breathe a word of what you've seen. After the Son of Man is raised from the dead, you are free to talk.'" - The disciples were cautioned to secrecy until they more fully understood what it was they had experienced.
- Have you been on a Walk to Emmaus1 or other spiritual retreat?
Promises of the Gospel:
Peter, James, and John experienced a holy moment that would stay with them their entire lives. The glory of God is a wonder to behold. They are incredible moments of worship as the full impact of God's love enters our hearts. But no matter how wonderful these experiences are or how changed by the experience we become, we cannot stay on the mountain forever. We are not to build holy sanctuaries to their memories. We have tasks to perform, lives to live, and a kingdom to build. The good news is that the memories of our close encounters with God last a life time. It is not an experience like a roller coaster ride that wears off and solicits repeating. It is an experience that we will always strive to understand more fully and mesh into the context of our lives. As we leave the mountaintop and reenter the world we come to realize that the event itself is a personal moment that is difficult to share. We may not be able to tell anyone what truly happened but we will be fueled and energized into the ministries in which God has intended. The mountaintop becomes the foundation for our faith for the rest of our lives.
1What is Emmaus?, sponsored by The Upper Room, a ministry unit of the General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church.
BLOG: Reflections from the Left
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Reader Count & Comments
Date
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 1047 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Gary Sims or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 1047 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.