by David Brenneman
Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.” And His disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things; but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist." Matthew 17:1-13.
Many people deny that which history has proven to be true by the Word of God. Nobody saw the truth of John the Baptist. Nobody connected the dots in where and when Jesus was born. Nobody was looking, nobody was listening.
In this passage the past, the present and the future come together. In this moment something profound happened.
The message wasn't just for the Disciples, it's for everyone.
“This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”
Wake up people and know that this IS your coming Messiah! This IS my Chosen One!
The testimony of the Father concerning His One and only Son.
In your life there's been times when the Spirit has spoken to you, the question is were you listening? Or did you dismiss it?
We all will be without excuse before Jesus. Which means everyone will have known the truth about God, and His desire for a personal relationship with them.
Do you listen? Have you heard?
The truth of God the Father is that He gave His only begotten Son that whosever believes in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life.
The Bible says that we should not love the world nor the things of this world. Regardless of how well planned everything in your world is going to pass on. People spend millions of dollars in a lifetime to try to make what they want and love to last.
Jesus came once and wasn't recognized for who He was.
Elijah came once and wasn't recognized for who he was.
Jesus says right in this passage that not only did Elijah come, but he will yet come once more.
We have choices to make when the Spirit is talking. The first and best is to listen and obey. Many disregard and go on their way. They indeed love the world and the things of this world more than they want to know the truth.
Ignorance of the law is not an excuse in our modern society.
Many thousands of lawyers over the years have tried pleading extenuating circumstances to get clients off on lesser or no charges.
There's no defense in the court of God for saying you didn't know. That it wasn't spelled out in a way for you to understand.
Right this very moment people are crying out for a second chance, some begging to God to send someone to our world to warn friends and family to not make their mistake and end up with them in Hell.
Jesus spoke of this because it's what's happening down there.
The Father said "Listen to Him!".
We aren't going to get second chances when we die.
We aren't going to get do-overs.
We aren't going to have anything to stand on as a defense in the final judgment for why the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ alone was rejected.
When in the presence of Jesus Christ as Judge...remember the words of the Apostle Paul. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the Living God.
When Jesus separates the saved from the unsaved...note very well that He asks no questions.
He already knows your heart and mine.
My Dear Reader...time isn't forever.
There's an appointed time that Jesus will Judge the living and the dead.
Only the saved in Christ Jesus will not be judged. In Romans it says that therefore there is no condemnation for those who are saved in Christ Jesus.
Everyone else is going to be shown where they fell short of the glory of God. Where they missed the mark. Where they turned away from the living hope in Jesus Christ. Then the judgment is clear. All will receive a glorified body alright...then be cast into the Lake of Fire. No do-overs. Nobody gets to defend themselves.
He is God and we are not. He is Holy, we are not. We are only declared righteous by coming to Christ for salvation.
The eternal choice is actually in your hands right now.
You choose to either receive His free gift of salvation, Jesus becomes the forgiver of your sins and the leader of your life...or you don't. Then you reap the eternal consequences when you die.
While people the world over have experienced various levels of excruciating pain...nobody alive has ever experienced the painful torment of Hell. A pain that affects the soul that cannot be quenched.
Everyone decides. Indecision is a decision. When a person is old enough to know right from wrong...then they are old enough to choose life in Christ or the alternative in Hell.
Please think long and hard about all of this. The Father wants you to listen to Jesus. His beloved Son who died for you and I.
"But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:8-13.
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
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