Love Abounds

The Essential Gospel- "and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day. And they were deeply grieved". (Matthew 17:22-23)

“Jesus lost all his glory so that we could be clothed in it. He was shut out so we could get access. He was bound, nailed, so that we could be free. He was cast out so we could approach. And Jesus took away the only kind of suffering that can really destroy you: that is being cast away from God. He took so that now all suffering that comes into your life will only make you great. A lump of coal under pressure becomes a diamond. And the suffering of a person in Christ only turns you into somebody gorgeous.”_ Timothy Keller

GBC Matthew series continues in 17:1-13-- the Transfiguration of Jesus. Here we are shown the glory Jesus has, and the glory Jesus gives. Transformation has happened, it is happening, and it will happen. The question is, in which direction are you changing? The transfiguration is a glimpse of the true nature of Christ and our identity and the future restoration to glory of the whole universe. . . .and His mission would be the means by which the glory was given. . . "If Jesus had gone to heaven from the Mount of Transfiguration, He would have gone alone; He would have been nothing more to us than a glorious figure. But He turned His back on the glory, and came down from the Mount to identify Himself with fallen humanity." (O. Chambers)

Matthew 16:24-28: Three marks you are denying yourself daily and following Christ: humility, holiness, and hopefulness. "The Gospel is that God accepts me based on the humility, holiness and hopefulness of Christ- then by His grace he forms these in those who take up their cross daily and follow Him" (NA)

More on Applying the Gospel to life: consider what Christ absorbed for you- infinite pain as He became sin for us . . . the very wrath of God in your place . . . and draw strength to absorb pain for others. God will provide the strength and inspiration for this as you seek to obey . . .and you will enter His joy . . . “The essence of forgiveness is absorbing pain instead of giving it.” (Keller)

Matthew16:21-28: Understanding and Applying the Mission of Christ: "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it." -- "True freedom is to be one's true self, but my true self is made for loving, and loving is self giving. So in order to be myself, I have to deny myself and give myself. In order then to be free, I have to give up my freedom. In order to live, I have to die to my self-centeredness. In order to find myself I've got to lose it." (John Stott)

“If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it.” (Matthew 16:25-26)*Losing your life - - gaining life, eternal life, and infinitely more . . .“Our nature, by the corruption of the first sin is so deeply curved in on itself that it not only bends the best gifts of God towards itself and enjoys them . . . or rather even uses God himself in order to attain these gifts, but it also fails to realize that it so wickedly, curvedly, and viciously seeks all things, even God, for its own sake." (Luther)

Matthew 16:13-20- "Turning Point"-- 'But who do you say that I am?' -- 'Thou are the Christ , the Son of the living God.'Let not conscience make you linger;Nor of fitness fondly dream-All the fitness He requireth,Is to feel your need of Him _Joseph Hart

Matthew 16:1-12 - "Three Warnings : related to Investigation, Imagination, and Influence" - no sign will be given but the sign of Jonah. . . beware the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees