The Messiah's Secret - Jesus God's Son
Luke 9: 28-36. Colossians 1: 9-26.

Theme series: The Existence of God - God the Father - Jesus the Son of God - God the Holy Spirit

Last week Rev Chris Casey spoke on the doctrine of God the Father. He gave us three headings: care, compassion and commitment.

We encounter a God who cares, a Father who sees his children from both as a mother and a father. He pointed to the scriptures that captures the maternal side of God. “As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you, you shall be comforted in Jerusalem “ Isaiah 66: 13.

The compassion of God in a Father’s love sent His Son into the world to die in order to save us and bring us home like the forgiveness in Jesus’ parable ‘The Prodigal Son and thirdly God’s commitment to us, in His love, like the love of a Father that disciplines His child to keep them on the right path.

This week we are looking at the doctrine of Jesus the Son of God

Jesus the second person of the Trinity and of one substance with the Father.

The Second  of the 39 Articles of Religion Doctrines of Church of England

The Son which is the Word of the Father, begotten from everlasting of the Father, the very and eternal God, and one of substance with the Father, took man’s nature in the womb of the blessed virgin, of her substance, so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and manhood, were joined together in the one person, never to be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God, and very man; who truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for all actual sins of men.

The Son the Word of the Father

John the apostle identified Jesus as the Word. John wrote in his gospel Chapter 1: 1 “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” the Word  brought forth life

 It’s no co-incidence in Genesis Moses wrote, “And God said ‘Let there be light’ and there was light. And God said, ‘Let there be a vault between the waters and let it separate the waters from the waters. And so, 'God said'  at the beginning of each day,His Word brought forth life.  Genesis 1: 3 -31.

The writer of Hebrews 1: 5.”God’s Son upholding the universe by the power of his Word.” The universe has natural laws: it takes the earth a year to travel around the sun and a month for the moon to travel around the earth, they are in a fixed orbit and so proving the existence of a supreme deity, God.

John also wrote that his followers had handled the ‘Word of Life.’

1 John 1: 2 

So therefore, Jesus is God’s Word clothed in the flesh

At his word Jesus commanded the storm to cease, the elements responded to his command and at his word he recreated the flesh of the lepers and other miracles and healing.

God gave the people evidence at the Transfiguration that Jesus is His Son,

The presence of Moses’ would confirm that it was God’s audible voice they heard.  We read in Exodus 19: 9,

 “And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord. And the Lord said to Moses, “Lo, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you for ever.” What they heard, verse 19 “the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in a voice.” NIV Bible

Elijah’s presence at the Transfiguration

Jesus in conversation with Elijah and Moses was heard to speak of his departure at Jerusalem, his death, resurrection and his ascension into heaven. Elijah was translated into heaven on a whirlwind,

 When the disciples made it known what they had seen and heard  God speaking in an audible voice, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to Him," combined with Moses’ and Elijah’s  presence would bring many to believe that Jesus is God’s Son.

Jesus Word in us is one of our great strengths, we find in his Word, wisdom and understanding that touches our everyday life. We should speak his words into all our situations, whether it’s illness, tensions, accusations or when we are full of Joy. Be still and know that I am God.” “Do not be afraid,” When your in a fix turn to Philippians 4: 6 “Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” “All things are possible to them that believe.”

Godhood and manhood joined together in the one person

The Son of God being born of a woman, Mary the mother of Jesus giving him his human nature, her substance.

But life is in the blood and I believe that Jesus’ genes that produced his blood came from God His Father. Leviticus 17: 11 Jesus’  blood had no imperfections 

It took the perfect blood of God’s Son Jesus to satisfy the legal requirements of the law.

Hebrews 9: 14 “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”

Just as God acts upon Jesus’ words he also acts upon his blood, His life laid down to be the final sacrifice under Jewish Law for the forgiveness of sin.

The parallel between the function of our blood in our body and the blood of Jesus saving us from sin, is  amazing. Our blood circulates around our bodies sustaining life in us.

A single red cell collects oxygen from the lungs and offloads it to a single tissue  giving energy and heat to the tissue, the red cell then  takes from the tissue waste and disposes of it through the lungs.

Through faith in the blood of Jesus, the love of God powerfully transforms our nature and takes away our sin, like the waste from the tissue.

The Article speaks of being one substance

Jesus prayer ²⁰ “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹ that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” John 17: 20, 21.

VISUAL AID  The 3-IN-ONE 

The love of the Father lubricates the soul and transforms it.

The Son cleanses and removes the stains of guilt and sin and reconciles us to His Father.

The Holy Spirit  by enabling us to overcome temptations, therefore, prevents sin.

When the soul has been transformed, its' nature changes. The will and the mind conform to the new nature. Under law the soul is trained to comply to God's laws. Under grace the soul feels how God feels about sin, the law is written in the heart.

"When a (Christian) Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show what the law requires is written upon their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. Romans 2: 4-16.                                            

At the transfiguration Jesus’ countenance changed.

In our reading Luke records that the disciples Peter, James and John saw a change in the person of Jesus, The appearance of his countenance was altered.

They also witnessed a change in Jesus countenance after his resurrection.

I’ve witnessed many times seeing in ordinary Christians their countenance change when they shared with me their faith.

When a person comes to faith in Jesus their countenance changes: a brightness appears on the face which brightens up their whole appearance. A radiant smile that speaks of a transformed heart God’s Son presence within having been translated into His kingdom. The disciples had a glimpse into God’s dimension at the Transfiguration.

And so it’s by simple faith that we believe that Jesus is God’s Son, and God will confirm this truth to us 

The Messiah’s Secret – The Lighthouse

      We heard from two children as to why we have lighthouses: to stop ships from going onto rocks and people getting hurt and from an adult his local knowledge of the lighthouses in Sunderland where they were so important to the shipping. The shipping lanes are busy and the lighthouses navigated the ships safely into the harbour.        

Jesus is the light of the world. In the scene at his transfiguration  I saw Jesus like a lighthouse, his light  showing the way to find God, for people to navigate their way into the Kingdom of God.

A lighthouse is a tower or other type of structure that emits light from a system of lamps and lenses used for shipping to navigate dangerous coastlines and safe entries to harbours.

There are 64 working lighthouses in UK

John Smeaton in 1756 designed his lighthouse modelled on an oak tree, using granite stone blocks; he secured the blocks together using dove tail joints with marble dowels and developed lime mortar that set under water.

Picture of dovetail construction:

Years ago every lighthouse had a lighthouse keeper who kept the light operating saving many thousands of lives.

The Church is God’s lighthouse

The light the Good News about Jesus reaches out to save people from their lives being shipwrecked by the darkness.

The stones each one shaped to fit together and the cement that went between each stone reminds me of Jesus body the church. The Holy Spirit’s ministry shaping our lives acting on the word and the blood of Jesus running through the veins of his body the church giving life.

 The reflectors behind the light also had a magnifier which speaks of the light of the Church  being magnified by the number of Christians in the world. 

2 Corinthians 4: 3-6. Mark 9: 2-9

John Smeaton designed the shape of the tower so that it tapered as it grew in height, this allowed the waves to dissipate on impact with the walls. This construction was very strong and could withstand high winds a powerful waves. Christ’s church is so constructed that the principalities and powers can not destroy it.

Every Lighthouse had a lighthouse keeper who kept the light operating. It was an important job and probably a lonely one. Nowadays, solar power is used to keep the light shining. Lighthouses has saved thousands of lives.

In our Gospel reading of the transfiguration Jesus stood with Moses and Elijah his appearance was described as dazzling. Matthew in his account of Transfiguration wrote that Jesus’ face shone. In Luke’s account the three disciples John, James and Peter, described Moses and Elijah as being seen in the glory of the Lord, Jesus’ glory was reflected on them.

In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians Chapter 3 verse 13 God’s glory was reflected on Moses, so much so that the people could not look at him so he had to put a veil over his face. Paul used this image of the veil, to get across his message that the law was veiled, the veil was removed by Jesus. Through the law every person could not have a personal relationship with God.                

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4: 5, “For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ, who is the likeness of God. For it is the God who said, “ Let the light shine out of darkness,” The light Jesus’ presence  shining out of the darkness of the world. v 6 Jesus, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” 

After we heard or read about Jesus and asked him into our heart, his presence was realised, so all that we can do is to thank the Lord for bringing us from the darkness of this world into his marvellous light.

All of us personally are shining in the reflected light of his glory.

The light of God’s love is seen in a Christians eyes, the eye being the window of our soul. Also on rare occasions seeing Christ’s glory shining out from the whole face of a Christian.

Added afterwards (I’ve seen in five people Christ’s glory shining out from them: a young man sitting at a table I asked him what he was reading he said he was reading his Bible his face shone, a lady came to my market stall as soon as she witnessed her faith, her face literally lit up. Across a well lit room I saw a man with a halo around his head and the word love in the halo and Jim Wilkinson preaching at a Holly Bush meeting his face shining.)                                                                                          

2 Corinthians 3: 18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”                                    

The lighthouse conveys a message. 
It’s light gives warning that there are rocks near the surface, a danger to shipping. The beam of light can be seen across the sea for over twenty miles.

There is an old story of a lighthouse keeper who received his new supply of oil once a month to keep the light burning. Not being far from the shore, one night a woman came begged him for some oil to keep her family warm, another needed some oil for his lamp, another to lubricate a wheel. The lighthouse keeper tried to please everyone and gave them the oil. Towards the end of the month his oil was very low, soon it was gone and the light went out. 
That night several ships were wrecked and lives were lost. When the authorities investigated, to his excuses and pleading their reply was, “You were given the oil for one purpose to keep the light burning.”

The people in the story had problems : the woman needed oil to keep her family warm etc The Corinthian Church had problems and its light was in danger of going out.

Christian Jews were trying to enforce Judaism on to Gentile believers. Paul’s had taught that the wall or veil of division between Jew and Gentile had been removed. Paul's teaching created opposition against him.                                                                                                    

And in our reading verse 4 the gospel was also veiled due to some of its members compromising the word of God by continuing to follow the god of this world, Regardless of Paul’s letter some were continuing to practice their former pagan lifestyles and taking each other to court

Jesus spoke of his followers being salt and light. 
Salt disinfects, purifies - light  searches the heart.

 Paul’s first letter his words were seasoned with salt and light. 1 Corinthians 13: 1, 2. Paul told them that they had shown no love. Paul’s first letter was taken by Timothy to the Corinthian church, but it was to no avail, even after Paul had been to Corinth to sort out the church he had failed. In my Bible concordance it reads: “Paul made a visit to Corinth hoping to settle the controversy; he met with defeat. Paul sent a third letter in stern and severe terms to Corinth by Titus.”( this third letter must have been written before 2 Corinthians)                                                                     

In our recent study of Titus on Tuesday, we found that Titus’ delivered Paul’s letter and stayed with the church at Corinth, he was salt and light by helping them to sort out their problems subsequently he reported back to Paul the good news that the church had repented and acknowledged Paul’s teaching. 2 Corinthians 7: 6-16. 8: 23.

Today we are called to be salt and light in the world: to think before we speak and to coin a phrase that Duncan uses, “What would Jesus say?” We are to walk in the light of the gospel, the gospel having the power to illuminate the darkest of places and the grace to restore, to bring Christ’s healing touch.  

Jesus the lighthouse has saved millions of peoples lives from the death of eternal darkness, navigating them into the kingdom of God.

God our Father and all heaven rejoices is to see Jesus' glory, his light dwelling in our hearts through faith in him and for us to see Jesus in each other, his reflected glory. Amen.

Book Markers given out

The Messiah's Secret - The Transfiguration

Mrs Paris was the wife of one of our church Wardens at Christ Church Walmersley Bury. She was a very quiet reserved lady, I could tell that she had a strong faith and she knew her Bible well. One day we were talking and she told me of her encounter with Jesus. Before she was married she worked in a sewing factory, it was as she was busy at her work, when she looked up and saw Jesus standing at the side of her machine he was all in white and shining and in a moment he was gone.

The Transfiguration
“And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of man is raised from the dead.” Matthew 17: 1-9

Jesus transfigured – A change of form
Jesus was shining from the top of his head to the tips of his fingers and toes, and his clothes were glistening. Jesus did not want the vision that the disciples had seen to be made known before his resurrection for two reasons:
1/ If the people had heard about this vision and that the prophets Moses and Elijah were present in the vision, the expectation of Elijah heralding in the Messiah would have been very great. Jesus told his disciples that John the Baptist ministered in the power and spirit of Elijah. Luke 1:17. Matthew 17: 11-13. Mark 9: 11-13.
2/ Jesus had to die on the cross at Calvary before he could be received by the nations leaders as the Messiah, the call of the Messiah was first to the nation of Israel.

1/ The Jews were taught that Elijah would announce the coming of the Messiah’s Day of Judgement. Malachi 4: 5.
The people were in expectation of Elijah heralding the coming of the Messiah. If the disciples had told the people about Elijah being present in the vision then the people would have expected seeing Elijah not John the Baptist in the power and spirit of Elijah.

John the Baptist was preparing the nation through a baptism of repentance, restoring the people under the Law of Moses. He spoke of the need to prepare themselves for coming of the Messiah he would baptise them with the Holy Spirit and bring in a fire of judgement. To give them understanding he described the Messiah using his winnowing fork to separate the chaff from the wheat. The chaff he would burn with unquenchable fire. The chaff represented the unbelieving lawless, selfish people who would enter into eternal darkness and the wheat the people who believed and were obedient to the Laws of Moses sharing what they possessed with each other they would enter into the kingdom of God. Matthew 25: 31-46

Paul and Barnabas on their first ministry tour, when they arrived at the synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia Paul spoke of John the Baptist that he had preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. But he was not the Christ; he was the one opening up the way. Acts 13: 24.
Just like Elijah who threw his mantle onto the water of the Jordan as he did so the waters parted opening up the way across the Jordan. Both he and Elisha walked on the ground of the dry river bed. 2 Kings 2: 1-12

2/ The disciples Peter, James and John heard the voice of God, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” On hearing these words they responded by falling upon their knees in awe, Jesus touched them and said “have no fear.” The touch of Jesus was comforting, re-assuring and strengthening his disciples. Jesus' gentle touch on our lives especially when we’re in difficult situations from my experience gives a sense of being lifted up and comforted.
On another occasion the people heard a voice in response to Jesus speaking aloud to his Father. Jesus said that his time had now come to fulfil the purposes of God, “Father glorify thy name.” In reply the voice of God saying, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” It sounded like thunder, others said that an angel had spoken to him. Jesus told them that this voice had come for their sake, not for his. He also indicated the death he was to die, “When I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” The people had not been taught that the Messiah would come and die for their sins. They assumed that when he came he would remain for ever. “The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that when the Christ comes he will remain for ever. How can you say that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?” John 12: 33, 34.
The people were wondering if Jesus was referring to another Son of man, because they realised that he was speaking of dying on a cross, which they did not know anything about.
Mark records the words spoken by the chief priest and the scribes, “He saved others but he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Mark 15: 31, 32.10.

Paul taught that the Christ had to suffer and die
Paul made it known to the people in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia that those who lived in Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognise Jesus or understand the utterances of the prophets, the scriptures that refer to the Messiah’s suffering and death, they fulfilled these prophesies by condemning him. Acts 13: 27.

Here are two prophesies out of over thirty prophesies fulfilled by Jesus (see blog Mercy not Sacrifice)
“Yet it pleased him to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand;
Fulfilled. It was in the plan of God that Jesus would suffer and be killed and that on the third day God would raise him from the dead.
“Jesus said, “For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was reckoned with transgressors’; for what is written about me has its fulfilment.” Luke 22: 37.
25. Prophecy. A great Calvary miracle prophecy uttered about 800 years before. “ And it shall come to pass in that day, said the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day.” Amos 8: 9
Fulfilled. This is one of the most profound prophesies of the word of God. On the day that the Saviour would be crucified, there would be darkness at noonday.
“Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. (12noon – 3pm) Matthew 27: 45.

On the hill of Calvary Jesus was crucified
Jesus in his suffering cried out, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” “And some of the bystanders hearing him, “Behold he’s calling Elijah.” And one ran and, filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait lets see if Elijah will come and take him down.” Mark 15: 35, 36.
They was watching to see if what they had been taught by their leaders would happen. God hearing his plea, would he send Elijah to come before he died on the cross and rescue him. The death of the Messiah was hidden from their understanding. Even Caiaphas the leading man of the council of the Sanhedrin did not understand, God had hidden these prophesies concerning the death of the Messiah from him and the other members of the council.
But Caiaphas had received a prophesy from God, prophesying that one man would die to save the nation. He believed that he was doing God’s will in pursuing Jesus death.
It was God’s will, Caiaphas had accomplished what God intended without knowing that Jesus was the Messiah who had to die to fulfil those prophesies given by God to the prophets. John 11: 49-52

“The Gospel in the Feasts of Israel” by Victor Buksbazen’
“At the Passover table a place is set for Elijah, the herald of the Messiah, and he would announce that the Messiah had at last come. For the rabbis say the Messiah is most likely to come on the night of the Passover, so the traditional cup and an empty chair awaits him.”
Jesus was crucified on the eve of the Passover, on the Day of Preparation when all the lambs were killed at the temple in Jerusalem.
Jesus the sacrificial lamb, his blood brushed onto the doorposts and lintels of the repentant heart of every believer. As a result we pass over death, on the dry ground of the Jordan on having our sins forgiven and we are translated into the kingdom of God.

Luke records at the transfiguration that Jesus was heard to speak of his departure from Jerusalem, that departure being his resurrection and ascension into heaven to be with his Father.
Elisha walked with Elijah across the Jordan. A chariot of fire came between them and caught up Elijah and took him into heaven and because Elisha saw this he received the portion of Elijah’s spirit that he had requested.

“I pray you; let me inherit a double portion of your spirit?” And Elijah said, “You have asked for a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 2 Kings 2: 9, 10.

After Pentecost the Holy Spirit is given as a gift to every believer in Christ.
Today the Holy Spirit is given to all who believe in Jesus, he comes to us to witness to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news of God's saving love for all people. Jesus embraced death to give us life, eternal life. Elijah was translated into eternal life without going through a physical death. Elijah has witnessed to what every believer in Christ receives. Paul wrote, "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." Authorised or King James Version. Colossians 1: 13.
We have entered into the place were Jesus is in heavenly places in our union with him in the Holy Spirit.
(Unlike Elijah we do go through a physical death.)