The death of Jesus was as certain as the obligation to pay the Temple tax. This is ultimately a good thing, because through the death of Jesus our debt has been paid in full and we now live as free sons, freed from the condemnation of sin and death.

As Jesus comes down from the display of glory on the Mount of Transfiguration, He's immediately met with a distressed father, a suffering son, and faithless disciples- giving us a picture of the eternal Son of God leaving behind His heavenly glory and entering our fallen world of sin and misery to bring mercy and peace.

The Transfiguration, the OT Scriptures and the heavenly Father each bear witness to Christ and the glory that will come to Him after He walks the path of suffering and death to save us from our sins.

After telling His disciples what He must endure as the Messiah, Jesus challenges them with what it means to truly be one of His disciples. True discipleship isn't easy, but despite the difficulties there is a sure and certain reward to come.

After Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God- Jesus stuns the disciples by telling them that the Messiah must go to Jerusalem to suffer many things and be put to death. Their dismay over these words overshadows the certain hope that the Messiah will be victorious as He must be raised the third day.

Jesus promises to give the Apostles the authority and doctrine they will need as He works in and through them to build the Church. This authority and doctrine is passed on from one generation to the next as Jesus continues, even today, to build His Church.

Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone and the Chief Builder of the Church. He promises that He will build His Church despite the weaknesses and failures of those in the Church.

Despite struggles with understanding and faith, the disciples were clear about one thing- Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God. This bold confession is the foundation of the Gospel and brings the blessing of new and eternal life in Christ Jesus.

Jesus warns the disciples to be alert and on guard against the leaven of unbelief which spawns both legalism and worldliness in the Christian and the Church. Yet, their being distracted by the minor concerns of this world exposes their own struggle with unbelief and lack of understanding.

In another confrontation with the Jewish religious leaders, Jesus charges them with hypocrisy and condemns their seeking for a sign when their hearts are hardened by unbelief. Those, even today, who seek after signs and wonders reveal their hard-heartedness and undermine the sufficiency of God's Word and the work of the Holy Spirit.