Matt. 17:1-9, "And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, {2} And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. {3} And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. {4} Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. {5} While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. {6} And when the disciples heard <it>, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. {7} And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise , and be not afraid. {8} And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. {9} And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead."

2 Peter 1:16-18, "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. {17} For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. {18} And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount."

A. The Transfiguration marked a Division In The Ministry of our Lord.

1. Up until now, His ministry had been Popular and Public.

2. Now, until He reaches Jerusalem and the cross, His ministry is to be more Private.

B. Now, For Whose Benefit did the Transfiguration take place?

1. Moses & Elijah appeared at the Transfiguration and talked with our Lord, but surely He was not transfigured for their benefit!

2. Some have suggested that the Transfiguration was for the purpose of:

a. Strengthening Our Lord for His redemptive work on the cross.

b. Confirming Him in His ministry of being the Sinbearer of His people.

c. If this is true, it certainly was Not The Primary Reason for the Transfiguration.

3. Matt. 17:1-2, "... Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, {2} And was transfigured before them: ..."

Surely The Transfiguration Was For Their Benefit --- And For Ours Also!

C. Now, what are the Practical Lessons in this event in our Lords' life For Us?

I. We See What A Glorious Person Our Lord Jesus Christ Is.

A. Matt. 17:2, "And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light." --- Mark 9:3, "And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them." --- Luke 9:29, "And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment <was> white <and> glistering."

1. They saw the Lord Jesus in all the Splendor of His Own Perfect Character ---the majesty of His Own Inherent Glory shone forth.

2.Notice Peter’s Words: --- 2 Peter 1:16-18, "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. {17} For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. {18} And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount."

--- In other words, Peter is saying --- This Is Real!

B. Moses & Stephen Reflected the glory of the Lord.

1. Stephen --- Acts 6:15, "And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel."

2. Moses --- Exo. 34:29-30, "And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. {30} And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him."

C. However, this was only Reflected glory --- That of Jesus was His Own Inherent Glory.

D. This Is The Vision We Need!

Heb. 1:3, "Who being the brightness of <his> glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;"

E. Lord, Help Me To Never Get Over The "Wonder" of Serving The Lord Jesus Christ!

II. We See That Our Lord Jesus Christ Is The Only Begotten Son of God --- The Pre-eminent One.

A. Impetuous & Impulsive Peter suggested making Three Tabernacles.

Matt. 17:4-8, "Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. {5} While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. {6} And when the disciples heard <it>, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. {7} And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise , and be not afraid. {8} And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only."

B. God will never allow anyone to be placed On The Same Level as His Son --- Jesus Christ Stands Alone.

Phil. 2:9-11, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: {10} That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of <things> in heaven, and <things> in earth, and <things> under the earth; {11} And <that> every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ <is> Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Col. 1:18, "And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all <things> he might have the preeminence."

III. We Learn From The Conversation Between Moses, Elijah And Jesus.

A. What are they talking about --- It was Calvary!

Luke 9:30-31, "And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: {31} Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem."

B. The one great Theme of The Ages is the Cross of Calvary and the Christ of The Cross.

C. Is the Death of Our Saviour the constant theme of our conversation and of our teaching and preaching?

Luke 24:13-27, "And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem <about> threescore furlongs. {14} And they talked together of all these things which had happened. {15} And it came to pass, that, while they communed <together> and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. {16} But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. {17} And he said unto them, What manner of communications <are> these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? {18} And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? {19} And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: {20} And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. {21} But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. {22} Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; {23} And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. {24} And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found <it> even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. {25} Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: {26} Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? {27} And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself."

Acts 8:27-35, "And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, {28} Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. {29} Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. {30} And Philip ran thither to <him>, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? {31} And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. {32} The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: {33} In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. {34} And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? {35} Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus."

IV. The Sacrifices & Hopes of The Old Testament Are All Fulfilled & Realized In The Lord Jesus.

A. Moses represented the law, the sacrifices and types --- Elijah represented the prophets.

1. It is as though Moses is saying to the Lord, "When we slew the lamb ..... We Thought of You."

2. It is as though Elijah is saying to the Lord, "When we prophesied, we did so In Anticipation of Your Coming."

B. Everything in the Old Testament pointed forward to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 10:43, "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins."

Heb. 10:1-14, "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, <and> not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. {2} For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. {3} But in those <sacrifices there is> a remembrance again <made> of sins every year. {4} For <it is> not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. {5} Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: {6} In burnt offerings and <sacrifices> for sin thou hast had no pleasure. {7} Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. {8} Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and <offering> for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure <therein>; which are offered by the law; {9} Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. {10} By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once <for all>. {11} And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: {12} But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; {13} From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. {14} For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."

Acts 4:12, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

V. Our Saved Loved Ones Are Safe In God's Keeping --- They Are Happy, Conscious & Recognizable.

A. Moses & Elijah were still alive --- and Peter, James & John Recognized Them!

B. Job --- Job 19:26, "And <though> after my skin <worms> destroy this <body>, yet in my flesh shall I see God:"

C. David --- 2 Sam. 12:23, "But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."

VI. The Transfiguration Was A Foreview of Our Lord's Coming Again --- The Rapture --- His Glory.

A. Moses and Elijah are representative men.

1. Moses had Died 1,500 years before and had been buried by God --- Deut. 34:5-6.

2. Elijah had Not Died at all, but had been translated --- 2 Kings 2:11.

B. When the Lord Jesus returns there will be Two Classes of Saints for whom He will come:

"The Dead In Christ" --- and "We Which Are Alive."

C. 1 Thess. 4:14-18, "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. {15} For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive <and> remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. {16} For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: {17} Then we which are alive <and> remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. {18} Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

VII. We, As Christian, May Soon Be Transfigured.

Matt. 24:36-44, "But of that day and hour knoweth no <man>, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. {37} But as the days of Noe <were>, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. {38} For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, {39} And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. {40} Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. {41} Two <women shall be> grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. {42} Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." --- {44} Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh."

1 Cor. 15:51-57, "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, {52} In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." --- {57} But thanks <be> to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

1 John 3:2, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."