I can Tell you Matthew 7:1-13 – Easter

• Today we celebrate Resurrection Sunday- The day that Jesus rose from the Dead.
  
• The Easter story is simply- Jesus died on a cross, went to heaven and satisfied the wrath of God with his blood, returned to earth to prove he was alive and God in the flesh.
  
• That’s what Christians believe. It’s outlandish. It’s miraculous and inexplicable. But it changed the world forever. Not just in a spiritual sense but in a physical sense. Christians changed the world.
  
• 2.3 Billion people, in fact almost a third of the planet believe in some version of Christianity- and we join them today as the Global church
  
• At our Church we go through the Bible– that’s what we do. We believe that the Bible is the source document for understanding all that God wants us to know about him.
  
• We don’t worship the Bible- we worship God, but this Bible helps us to understand him
  
• And so today- we find ourselves in Matthew 17. Its just the natural progression of study
  
• Let me read it to you Matthew 17:1-13
  
• I can tell you It’s a very Fascinating story- equally peculiar with the resurrection story-
  
• There’s one scripture in this that I want us to focus on-
  
• 17:9 Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”
  
• In this story- Jesus is showing them something that I think is very significant for
  
• Let me teach you something and then I can tell you something.
  
• What’s going on in this story-
  
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• 1.           Why did Jesus tell them to not tell anyone? – Easter
  
• Because Jesus knew that people are people and if everyone heard about this event- the chances are they wouldn’t have heard the most important message Jesus came to do
  
• Anyone will tell you- I am not good at keeping secrets- but this one was important.
  
• The ultimate plane of Jesus was to go to the cross- not just do miracles.
  
• People, being the way that they are- would be inclined to follow the SIGNS not the SAVIOR if Jesus had not told them to be quiet- I’ve met sign follwers- go to the next
  
• •Youll notice, the thousands of people who followed Jesus were no where to be found when he went to the cross- they abandoned him. They fled from him.
  
• Jesus had to go to the cross- but Jesus had enough followers that they could have overthrown Rome,  but as soon as they saw that Jesus was going to the Cross- they were no where to be found- they abandoned him.
  
• So whatever message you may have heard about Jesus- the message of Jesus is simple
  
• I have overcome the grave for you to overcome sin and be in relationship with the Father. Leave your sins, be forgiven and follow me all the days of your life.
  
• And in this story- Jesus says- don’t tell anyone until I have risen from the dead-
  
• 1 cor 15 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
  

So now- what can I tell you about this transfiguration story since Jesus rose?

1.I can tell you This is a Recreation of the Sinai experience of Moses for the disciples – Easter

•Ex 19:3-5 Tells the experience of Moses with God on Mt Sinai

•This was a transformational time for the Nation of Israel in that now, the people of Israel would be able know exactly what God wanted them to do and how he wanted them to live because of what happened to Moses on Mt Sinai

•Moses goes up on the Mountain back and forth a few times, he experiences God and comes back and tells the Israelites how they should live- by the telling of the Law

•Exodus 20 lays out the 10 commands that God wants as the cornerstone of the law.

•4 things happened in this interaction: God became tangibly real to the Israelites, Direction and law was given to the Israelites, and Moses was then seen as the obvious leader of the nation of Israel, God was able to speak to his people through moses

•Exodus 20: 20-21 And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.” 21 So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.

•This “Sinai experience” was a redirect for all of Israel- from this point forward they knew who they were and where they were going and it came through Moses

•In the Military- There is a COC- The point where one commander steps down another steps up-standing on a hot parade field- for HOURS people falling out- why? So everyone know whos next in charge- after that- you answer to someone different.

•This is happening right now for the disciples as well, up on a mountain, God speaking, Jesus being transfigured and glowing All the same parts of Moses up on the mountain

• What does it mean to you??
  
• I can tell you Today, here in this church, you can have a sinai mount of transfiguration experience where you can meet Jesus- get new direction and have your life changed.
  
• God has brought you here and is revealing himself to you and you can choose what you are going to do with it- you can ignore it, deny it, or embrace it.
  
• There needs to be change of command in your heart.  He is giving you Direction , telling you Jesus wants to be your leader. I can tell you- leave your life of sin- come to Jesus
  
• Hebrews 1:2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
  
• I can tell you- this world creates a bunch of anxiety and problems in our hearts
  
• Just being alive is enough to create emotional problems with any of us.
  
• We are not living the existence of our forefathers- life is much more complicated.
  
• Think about this- there were only 188 million people on the earth when Jesus was alive
  
• Our population has grown more in the past 50 years than the previous 12,000 years.
  
• And this truly does create a scarcity for goods services and energy. Everything is at a premium- There’s wars and rumors of wars, pandemics, inflation and all else.
  
• And if you haven’t submitted to Christ as Lord- this can be a bloodcurdling thought
  
• I can tell you with Jesus being your leader- you can live a great life
  

2. I can tell you This is Establishment of Jesus supremacy

•4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

•in this moment, Peter wants to establish what he thinks is the best plan- “all these great men are up here on the mountain, lets set up shop. Everyone can come up here and worship”

•To peter, this is a much better plan than the plan of death burial and resurrection-

•Lets take what God is doing, package it, and this plan will be much better

• Its not unlike what people do today with the resurrection story- lets turn it into something other than what it is- lets package it in a way that we don’t have say what it actually is- lets make Jesus as palatable as possible – I can tell you- this is not good
  
• Let’s make the resurrection about something else than overcoming sin and getting new life- Lets make Easter about bunnies and families-
  

•Here’s the other problem tho- Peter is equating Moses and Elijah with Jesus

•To him, Jesus is just the next step in the process- its not the position that Jesus is supposed to be in To Peter- First moses, then Elijah, then Jesus

• This is what people today think as well- Jesus is just another option- (just move to a new country and you can get a new leader- ) But he is not just another option
  

•The reason that Jesus is up on the mountain, with Moses and Elijah is because Moses represents the Law and Elijah represents the Prophets but Christ is shown superior

•v2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

•To Peter, they are all equal, but the issue is that they are not all equal Christ is SUPERIOR

•Jews revered Moses almost as much as God- Acts 6:11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”

•This was an important part of this process- to establish Jesus as the superior one to Moses and Elijah

•Hebrews 1:1-4 READ

•Christ is superior! He is over the Law, he is the fulfillment of the prophets! This is what He wanted to establish- that he was over all of that

• What does it mean to you
  
• I can tell you Christ is superior to any and everything that you think your life should be about- Anything you’re holding onto isn’t going to be enough to sustain you
  
• I can tell you Christ wants to forgive you of your sin- and direct and lead every aspect of your life- he wants to forgive you of your deep and nasty sins and give you life.
  
• I can tell you Christ is superior over your allegiance to your country– love America- but Jesus first- why we refused to stop worshipping during covid- no way- Christ comes first
  
• Christ is superior over my life- that’s why I don’t care if I die- I mean I do but I don’t
  
• Christ is superior over our time, talents, treasures, it’s a full submission to his righteousness
  
• I use a lot of military examples because they easily translate- The army Told me when, how, what to wear, how to talk, think, for 6 years they owned me even on vacation.
  
• Inventory Saturday- all day- why? Because we said- that’s why-
  
• Submitting to Christ is the same- its all day every day 24-7 365
  

3.I will tell you that this changed the Direction of the disciples

•5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”

•The point of bringing Jesus up on the mountain with the disciples was to establish his supremacy and to give them marching orders so they could know what to do

•Quite simple from God- This is my son- listen to what he says!

This is transformational in that these disciples were Jewish and followed Jewish law- but now they were going to follow Jesus- What Jesus said was now their leader

•The disciples need to follow Jesus! They need to follow what he is going to tell them to do! They are the instrument that God is going to use

•Luke 9:35 ESV And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”

•As Jesus is talking to them- he is describing to them where the plan of salvation is going- to the cross- after this interaction- that’s where its all going! Salvation after the resurrection.

•These guys should listen to Jesus! Merely being around him, isn’t enough!

• John 8:47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”
  
• What does it mean to you
  
• Since it’s Easter- and Jesus has risen from the dead- I can tell you that you can change the direction of your life as well by the words of Jesus
  
• You may find yourself in a directionless existence where you don’t know what you’re supposed to do or how you are supposed to live.
  
• I can tell you that you can leave today- do nothing and not know what tomorrow holds.
  
• Jesus wants to give you that direction- Jesus wants to lead you to a new place
  
• But I can tell you have to submit to him- He’s shown himself to you- don’t build a tent- don’t follow signs and wonders- embrace the direction change that Jesus wants to bring- I can tell you that it’s the best life on this side of heaven.
  
• This is the salvation I can tell you
  
• We were born into sin because of Adam, because of Adam we all were born into sin
  
• God wants to have a relationship with us- but we need a mediator to make it happen
  
• Jesus came as that mediator- As the one who can bridge the gap between a sinful man and a holy God- He has risen from the dead- I can tell you- Turn to him.
  
• Jesus went to the cross, paid the penalty for our sin and now, because he has been resurrected- is the only one who can save us from our sins.
  
• All we need to do is receive him, turn from our sins, and live for him.
  
• Will you receive him today?
  

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