Look and Listen (Luke 9:28–36) from South Woods Baptist Church on Vimeo.

 

Almost a year ago to the day, on Monday August 21, 2017, scores of people took off work and drove long distances to see the first total solar eclipse in the continental US in 38 years.

You might recall the details, but there was a 70–mile–wide path stretching across the US where you could view, not a partial eclipse, but the total one. At the center of that path was a thin line where the eclipse would be observable the longest. In most of those towns and cities at the epicenter of the path, there was no room in the inn. People flocked to those spots. That line also happened to go directly through my parent’s farm.

Since the astrological event landed on my day off, and since I can be persuasive (i.e. stubborn), the four of us loaded up and immediately after the Sunday evening service drove to beautiful Sparta, Tennessee.

The next morning was a bit of a circus. My parents have about 40 acres in that part of the country with their house on a hill. The eclipse was supposed to occur at about 2:30 that afternoon. All morning long, private jets flew over the farm, one after another, to drop off folks at our small–town airport. From our hilltop, we could see gatherings of people on blankets––not unlike Woodstock––all equipped with their 2–dollar eclipse glasses from Amazon.com. We even had a British Banker living in South Africa––this being his 4th or 5th continent to watch an eclipse on––that parked essentially in our driveway to watch it unfold.

And unfold it did. It more than surpassed the hype. After it was over, we got back in the car and drove back to Memphis. In the span of about 24–hours, we drove 10 hours with two small kids to stand in the heat for 2 minutes and 39 seconds and stare at the sky. And if you told me today it was happening tomorrow, I’d eat lunch and load the car.

Some experiences are like that. And often, those experiences are things that we see. That could be any number of things: the Grand Canyon, a walk–off homerun, or the first time a mother holds her son or daughter.

But no experience, or sight, is like the one in our text today. On their own day–trip, three of the disciples glimpse and experience the glory of Jesus Christ. We’ll study this text under three headings: The Glory of Christ, the Glory of Christ Seen, and the Glory of Christ Heard

The Glory of Christ

Luke’s narrative picks up from last week, v. 28, Now about eight days after these sayings. Luke connects the events of today’s text with the sayings of the past couple weeks. Two weeks ago, Jesus asked the disciples, v. 20, But who do you say that I am? After Peter’s confession, Jesus told them that He must suffer, be rejected, die, and be raised (9:22). Pastor Phil pointed out last week that verse 23 began with “and,” meaning last week’s text on denying yourself, taking up your cross, and following Jesus were commands tied to the revelation of who Jesus is and what He would do.[1] The event today is about a week after those sayings.

But Luke is connecting it even more tightly to the final verse of last week’s text, v. 27, But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God. You can imagine the disciples are on–alert, awaiting the sight of the kingdom of God. Jesus makes assertions; they’re not like our assertions. Verse 27 would be fulfilled a mere eight days later, in our text today.

Luke continues, v. 28, Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. Jesus had the twelve; and He had the three. We know other cases where Jesus invested in Peter, John, and James in a more concentrated fashion. This is one of those times. The four of them traverse up a mountain–––some say this would be Mt. Tabor, others say Mt. Hermon, others say other things. And while it might affect the Holy Land tourism, it does not affect the interpretation in t[...]