Simon Peter - A New Perspective
God can use our weaknesses for His Glory - Simon Peter • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 18:48
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Based on Sermon Series SRVCC 30 Living With Jesus - New Perspective 15 July 2007 Mark 9:2-13
Scene 1. How would you respond if Jesus took you up on a mountain and shared with you the experience of Peter, James & John in Mark 9: 2-4.
Now round here we might think of Mount Flinders or Mount Barney but what Jesus had in mind was a bit taller than these hills.
Actually Jesus tells you that you are going for a walk up something higher than Mount Kosciusko.
Mount Hermon a little to the north east of the Sea of Galillee is around 2800 meters high. [1]
So I think my first reaction would be one of shock.
But when you get to the top, one of those miraculous things that have a habit of occurring around Jesus happens.
Jesus’ clothes become dazzling white and two other glowing figures appear with Jesus.
Men you instantly recognise as Moses and Elijah.
Now Moses had been dead for 1400 years and Elijah was carried up to heaven 800 years earlier but you know it is them.
How would you be feeling?
Awestruck.
Terrified might be a more realistic feeling.
If this were to happen to us we would be very sure that it was something supernatural.
We would be very aware of our own sinfulness in the glorified presence of God and two of his most powerful prophets.
Most of us would be thinking that we might be a bit careful about what we say.
Scene 2. I think many of us would be thinking that we wouldn’t put our foot in it like Peter did. V5-6.
That somehow we might be more reverent if God was standing there in front of us in all his glory.
But impetuous Peter opens his mouth and sticks his foot right in it.
We read in Luke’s gospel that the disciples had actual been dozing whilst Jesus was in prayer and that they nearly missed the transfiguration.
But when they became fully awake what they saw was something remarkable.
They saw Jesus, as he will be when he returns in his glory as ruler of all.
Peter thinks the kingdom has arrived and his words, “it is good for us to be here” indicate that he wants to stay in this place.
His offer to build shelters for the three glorified beings tells us that he believed that this experience could be made permanent.
And in a sense he was right, but he was a bit early in his timing.
You see the transfigured bodies that the three disciples saw give us a picture of what our resurrected form will be like.
Moses had died and God had buried him and here he was in heavenly bodily form.
This is what those who have died in Christ will be raised to be like.
Elijah had not died; he had been taken in a fiery chariot up to heaven whilst still alive.
This is what those who are alive when Christ returns will be raised to be like.
An amazing illustration for us today of what we can look forward to.
But poor Peter, he missed the point.
Luke 9 tells us that Moses and Elijah were talking to Jesus about his departure from earth.
In a sense they were reviewing the game plan.
Jesus knew and had taught the disciples about his impending death.
But Peter just didn’t get it.
More to the point he was so wrapped up in his own view of how things should play out that he missed what was being spoken about right in front of him.
Here was Jesus, Moses and Elijah, talking about Jesus’ death and resurrection and Peter missed it.
Peter had an idea that the kingdom would physically come.
Moses had a part; Elijah has a part to play in bringing in the kingdom.
And as far as Peter was concerned at this point Jesus had an equal part to play as well.
Peter had it all worked out.
He had a plan and God was going along with it.
The problem was that Peter’s plan was not what God had in mind!
Scene 3. But let’s be honest, most of the time we don’t respond to what God is doing as well as we hope we might.
The Lord could hold a left turn sign up in front of our face and we turn right.
Or we get stuck in the experience and want to remain there,
Or we quickly forget what God has said to us.
If we want to share the glory of Christ on the mountaintop, we must be willing to follow Him into the sufferings of the valley below.
The Father interrupted Peter’s speech and focused their attention, not on the vision, but on the Word of God: “Hear Him!”
Peter stop!
You have missed the point; you have put your own interpretation into my plan.
Stop listen to the Son, Do as he says!
The memory of visions will fade, but the unchanging Word abides forever.
The glorious vision was not an end in itself; it was God’s way of confirming the Word.
Peter confirmed this event in his Epistle to the church years later when he specifically wrote of this event in 2 Peter 1:12–21
12 Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught. 13 And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live. 14 For our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life, 15 so I will work hard to make sure you always remember these things after I am gone. 16 For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes 17 when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” 18 We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, 21 or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.
Discipleship is not built on spectacular visions but on the inspired, unchanging Word of God.
Nor do we put Moses, Elijah, and Jesus on the same level, as Peter hinted.
It is “Jesus only”—His Word, His will, His kingdom, and His glory.
Scene 4. Let’s accept that just like Peter, who had the benefit of spending time physically with Jesus, we struggle to live the ideal Christian life.
The key to overcoming this reality is not to strive for perfection, but to accept Jesus’ amazing work of grace within our lives.
After all just like Peter, we do often miss the point.
We do have our own plans and expectations whirling around in our head.
If we are to move beyond putting our foot in our mouth when God reveals himself to us.
Then we need to accept that the Christian life is a supernaturally empowered life.
We can never hope to live it out of our own strength.
So let’s remember that Jesus is the centre of God’s plan.
Let him set the scene.
Scene 5. Be open to experience all that God has for us now whilst looking to learn what he has for us next.
He may reveal something big.
He may reveal something small.
Our role is to look,
To listen,
And not to impose our own ideas over God’s plan.
God will show us amazing things.
When he does, lets be sure to listen carefully and do exactly what he says.
Because it all revolves around Jesus.
His word.
His plan.
His grace.
His saving power.
His glory.
[1]Wood, D. R. W., Wood, D. R. W., & Marshall, I. H. 1996, c1982, c1962. New Bible Dictionary. Includes index. (electronic ed. of 3rd ed.) . InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove