KW Redeemer

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TRANSFIGURATION

v2-7) Christ is the fulfilment of the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah)

The Son is sent and loved by the Father and empowered by the Spirit

THE GOSPEL RELEVANCE OF CHRIST’S POWER OVER DARKNESS

v23-24) “If I can?’ All things are possible to those that believe.” “I believe, help my unbelief!”

THE LESSON TO THE DISCIPLES & ITS APPLICATION FOR US TODAY

v35-36) Effective gospel ministry requires humility, servant leadership & childlike dependence

The disciples who failed to cast out a demon (v28), tried to stop another follower of Jesus who was (v38) because he was not “ἠκολούθει us”. (following, accompanying, in our group)

A prideful view of ourselves or our church’s theological stream will hinder gospel ministry:

God resists the proud & gives grace to the humble (JS 4:6) May we be conduits of His grace.

THE PERSON OF JESUS is revealed with an OT deep cut

v31-32) He began to teach that the Son of Man must suffer; be rejected by the elders, chief priests, scribes, be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly.

THE PROFIT JESUS OFFERS is soul level rest & vitality anchored in future hope

v35-36) whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. What does it profit to gain the world and lose your soul?

THE POWER OF HIS KINGDOM reforms His people spiritually, and in the end, will redeem and renew His world materially

v38) “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”

THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW

God’s law (1) illustrates His divine nature, (2) exposes our need and fallen nature, and (3) faithfully guides those who turn to Him to live into our new nature.

THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW

v19) He declared all foods clean - kαθαρίζων - “purified in a levitical sense” (Leviticus 11)

This powerful moment (and others like it) reveal God’s heart & God’s plan: He will redeem the world He loves. What is required in His law, He will provide in His gospel.

THE CLEANSING GRACE OF THE GOSPEL

How do we avail ourselves of the strength and wisdom God offers so we can live into our new nature? Relate to our need with the humility and dependency of the woman, not the self sufficiency of the Pharisee.

“Come away by yourselves to a desolate place” (v.31)

“He had compassion on the crowds because they were like sheep without a shepherd” (v.34)

“They all ate and were satisfied” (v.42)

“You give them something to eat” (v.36)

WHAT GOD’S TIMING REVEALS: He’s not operating on our watch.

Both God’s timing and will is sovereign and good: our inability to comprehend God’s reason is not proof that no reason exists.

WHAT GOD ASKS FOR IS TRUST: Often in ways we do not understand.

Trusting Jesus is the pathway into the rest that we crave today, and into the resurrection life that God offers to the world, and gives to as many as receive Him.

WHAT GOD GIVES IS HEALING: Coming in a renewal we can’t fully grasp.

United to Christ, the reality of a resurrection and the assurance that He is making all things new, is a promise that upon meditation, pulls us from despair into rest.

By His Spirit, God strengthens us with stabilizing peace and His presence enables resilience in the midst of our trials.

THE INEVITABLE PLAN: Redemption through Jesus

(v26,27) The kingdom of God is like scattered seed: night and day,

whether the sower sleeps or gets up, the seed grows.

THE UNSTOPPABLE KINGDOM: The rule of Jesus

(v30-32) The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed: what began with the smallest, humble beginning is moving toward an unstoppable, glorious ending.

THE UNTAMABLE KING: The power of Jesus

He was was intimidated by the storm, He ruled over it.

He is not unaware of your storm - He will carry you through it.

(v41) “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Psalm 96

We see God’s radical grace in the kind of people Jesus calls

We see God’s radical grace in where Jesus meets people

We see God’s radical grace in Jesus’ stated mission

THE IDENTITY OF JESUS

The promised deliverer is divine & anointed - the King of creation and re-creation.

“the birthday of the god Augustus was the Ἀρχὴ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου” (Priene 14, 9BC)

Ἀρχὴ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου of Jesus Christ, Son of God (Mark 1:1)

THE POWER & PASSION OF JESUS

Christ the King overcame the temptation to selfishly misuse His power, endured suffering and laid down His power in His passionate pursuit of the people He loves.

THE CALL OF JESUS

Jesus called His followers to turn and believe the good news before His death and resurrection: What is this ‘good news?’ That His rule will never end, and the life that we were created for was available now - and will never end. (‘Kingdom at hand’)

A CLASH OF THRONES

The news that Christ the King will always provokes one of two responses:

We will bend our knee to worship Him as Lord - or maintain that we are.

AN EPIPHANY OF GRACE

God’s gracious drawing the Magi from afar reiterates His plan to offer redeeming grace to all people, from all nations & walks of life, who are afar.

A MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION (Matthew 5:14-16, 2 Cor 5:17-21)

Since the resurrection of Jesus, the light that God sends into the world is His church. He reconciled us by grace & reconciles others through us, by grace.