Could you imagine being one of the three disciples whom Jesus chose to go up a high mountain by themselves “to pray,” and then…
1.-EXPERIENCE WITH JESUS TRANSFIGURATION;
…seeing Jesus transfiguration before your very eyes?- Matthew 17:2 said “His face shone like the sun.” What an experience!-{Mark 9:2-3,28.}.
2.- EXPERIENCE WITH MOSES
And not only that but seeing Moses who had died 1400 years earlier and buried where only God knew where the gravesite was and now He was alive talking to Jesus standing before the three disciples – What an experience! -{Mark 9:4}
3.- EXPERIENCE WITH ELIJAH
And if that was not enough, Elijah was standing there before you and he had died approximately 900 years earlier, and now he was alive- talking to Jesus standing before the three disciples- What an experience! -{Mark 9:4}
4.- EXPERIENCING THE CLOUD
“Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud: “This is My beloved Son; listen to Him!”-{Mark 9:7}.
Then you see this cloud that over shadows them all.
It had been 600 years since the cloud- the Shekinah glory had been seen and now they see it- What an experience!
- Commentaries believe it is the “shekinah” glory that appeared in Exodus 13:20-22- of when the Israelites were escaping from Egypt.”Then they set out from Succoth and camped in Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from the presence of the people.”
God spoke to Moses out of the pillar of cloud in Exodus 33 and assured him that His presence would be with the Israelites!-{Ex 33:9}
- The visible manifestation of God’s presence was not only seen by the Israelites but also their enemies Egyptians. “During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. He made the wheels of their chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, ‘Let’s get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt’” (Exodus 14:24-25). God’s presence was enough to sacre them to flee!- And now before their eyes , the cloud appears and the presence of God- What an experience!
5.- EXPERIENCE WITH THE VOICE OF THE FATHER
And if that was not enough now the heavens open up and God the Father speaks, and you hear Him–What an experience!
Think about it all these wonderful experiences to share- and you are one of three who have seen and heard these things, But watch….
When the Father speaks He says, “a voice came out of the cloud: “This is My beloved Son;..” – The Greek has “Ths is My Son, the Beloved One,” “emphasis being placed equally upon the two facts, tht the Messiah is God’s Son, and that He is the Beloved One,”-{Wuest word studies.}
- ONE REASON THE FATHER LOVES THE SON;
“Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in the same way. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.”-{John 5:19-20}.
- WHY IT IT SO IMPORTANT TO LISTEN AND OBEY JESUS;
“Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”-{John 5:24}
Now hearing the voice of the FATHER Speak, and His affirmation of His Son, ” This is My Beloved Son!”- What an Experience! –{Mark 9:7}
As great as all the experiences they have seen there is one overriding thing that the Father wants them to know to do and that is “LISTEN TO HIM” – Jesus!
“LISTEN TO HIM.” Was the command.
- “Listen to ” what JESUS says, Above all experiences, or absent of experiences “LISTEN TO HIM!”
Grammatically it is “keep on listening” to Jesus! Listen with the intent to continually obey HIM!
SEEKING EXPERIENCES;
Some people seek experiences, they want to “feel the presence of God” and if they don’t “feel” that “presence,”they assume something is wrong when what is to be the priority is “LISTEN TO HIM.”
Others compare themselves with others. They hear of someone having had a “great quiet time” and they have felt as though they have been living on the busiest airport runway in the world with “thoughts” of all sorts flying through their mind making it hard to concentrate at times, and they walk out of their room to hear the experience of others having had wonderful “quiet times” and they wonder what is wrong with them and so they seek to have an experience when they did not realize, there is an evil foe who seeks to snatch the Word from our hearts through the cares of the world… we are in a battle for our mind and some days are tougher than other but don’t be turned inward, leading to despair or aside through wrongly thinking something is wrong with you. Know, you are in a spiritual battle, the battle for your mind to seek to distract you and attack your faith in the LORD JESUS.
Some people are known and want to beknown to be so close to the LORD that they have a “word from the LORD” for you.
And they give this “word” and then if it doesnt come true was it because God made a mistake? In the Old Testament if someone said “thus says the LORD” and it didnot happen because He did not say it, they were stoned to death! They took His name in vain and used it in a way that dishonors Him! If you or I would hear from God we listen to His Word! For it is there He speaks!
- The writer of Hebrews put it this way, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son,…”-{Hebrews 1:1-2}
God the Father says, “LISTEN TO HIM”- Jesus. It’s not about experiences but about JESUS- THE “BELOVED” OF THE FATHER!
The Three disciples did not seek an experience, the LORD gave them that expereince when He led them up the mountain. We may have different experiences from the LORD of His goodness such as leads to repentance, seeing Him meet our needs, giving us peace for our times of anxiety, assuring us of His love for us etc. That is up to him and these He does according to the promises of His Word!
BUT REMEMBER THIS;
-
DON’T SEEK EXPERIENCES, SEEK THE LORD…. HOW? “LISTEN TO HIM” AND MEET HIM IN HIS WORD!
“And suddenly they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone.” Matthew 17 says that “When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” And raising their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.” -{Matthew 17:6-8}
As wonderful as the experiences of seeing Moses, Elijah, the cloud, Hearing the voice of God the father AFFIRMING His Son and speaking …. and when they lift up their eyes … Moses is gone, Elijah is gone, Cloud of God’s presence is gone, the Heaven opening up and the voice of the Father speaking, is gone, …as wonderful all these experiences were the Father wanted them to know one thing,“LISTEN TO HIM- ” JESUS!
All experiences pale in light of Jesus.
All experiences should lead us to and leave us with Jesus and what are we to know, like the disciples?
HOW CAN WE PRACTICALLY “LISTEN TO HIM?”
- Put Ourselves in the place where we can hear from the “BELOVED SON!” – HIS WORD!
- Look for Him when you read. For example Read Mark 9 and write down what truths, attributes it shows about Jesus. Or read the Gospel of Mark for example and note What He says, what He does, and familiarize yourself with Him. No matter where you read LOOK FOR Him in order to know Him better and to”LISTEN TO HIM” with the INTENT to Immediately OBEY HIM!
- MEDITATE upon the Word -{Psalm 1:2;Phil 4:8}
- APPLY What His Word says -{ James 1:22}
TRUTH FOR TODAY FROM GOD THE FATHER;
“LISTEN TO HIM”- HIS BELOVED SON- THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!
“LISTEN TO HIM!” AND WHERE WIL WE FIND WHAT HE SAYS? IN HIS WORD…
We may not have had such experiences as the three disciples, but we have experienced Him, and most important more than experiences is to …
“LISTEN TO HIM!”
God bless
Aidan.