132-Seeing No One, Only Jesus#
132-Seeing No One, Only Jesus
(JP Text Group - Happy Angel Organization)
Matthew 17:1-8:
1 After six days, Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
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.” 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!” 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You! Thank You for giving us this time to worship and praise You together. As we worship, let us look only to You, to Jesus. We see no one but Jesus; our focus in worship is not on any person but on Jesus as our center. May Your words also become the center of our faith, the strength in our lives, and bless every brother and sister who seeks You. Let us understand Your words and act according to Your words, to glorify the name of Jesus Christ. Thank You and praise You, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!
Why do we see no one but Jesus?
If there are people other than Jesus in our faith, it becomes troublesome, leading to many disputes and contradictions. When the focus is on Jesus, the disputes disappear.
Looking at today's text, it mentions:
After six days, this refers to the time when Jesus asked His disciples in Caesarea Philippi, “Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Six days after this event, Jesus took them up the high mountain. It does not specify what kind of high mountain it was, but based on the geographical description at that time, it should be Mount Hermon. On Mount Hermon, the disciples saw Jesus transfigured. Why was He transfigured?
The answer is found at the end of chapter 16, where Jesus said: ‘Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.’
In other words, Peter, James, and John were not seeing a real heavenly kingdom. No! They were only seeing a vision, just a glimpse of the resurrected Jesus in His future glory. The disciples saw His face shining like the sun. It is conceivable that when we are in the heavenly kingdom, Jesus will look like this, right? Indeed! Jesus is in this form.
In the heavenly kingdom, there are no electric lights; it is illuminated by God's light forever, and His clothes are as white as the shining light. What kind of clothes can shine? Sisters wear clothes with rhinestones that sparkle under the lights, but how does that light compare to sunlight? Isn’t it much inferior?
The Bible tells us that Jesus' future garments will be white like the shining light, displaying the divinity of Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, God appeared in a glorious form, symbolizing His presence. Moses once saw the presence of God, and the ground was like sapphire. That was just a shadow in the Old Testament; now the vision they saw was of the kingdom after the Lord Jesus returns, where we will see the form of Jesus Christ.
He no longer appears as a lamb. Many people think that Jesus was not much when He was on earth, that He had no temper, that He did not retaliate when others insulted Him or struck Him, appearing as a weak lamb. But here, the disciples saw not the form of a slain lamb, but the form of a lion from the tribe of Judah, a form of extreme glory. The disciples saw Jesus in the glory of the King of kings and Lord of lords! This also tells us that although Jesus was humble, He is still the King of kings and Lord of lords! Hallelujah!
Sharing the first point: The Law and the Prophets bear witness to Jesus.
When Jesus was transfigured before these three disciples, suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them. Were they speaking with Jesus? Why did Moses and Elijah appear? They represent the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament. Moses represents the Law; Elijah represents the Prophets. What is the purpose of the Law and the Prophets? It is to bear witness to Jesus. The Law is not for people to keep. Brothers and sisters, remember this, because no one can keep the Law.
God clearly knows that no one can keep all the Law. The purpose of the Law is to make us aware of sin. The book of Hebrews tells us that the Law has another purpose: to show us that we cannot keep it. It is a tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Hallelujah! So what is the ultimate effect of the Law? It is to bring us before Jesus Christ.
What about the effect of the Prophets? In the Old Testament, the Prophets were representatives of God, speaking for God among men. They can be understood as mediators, mediating between God and man. The people could not speak directly to God, but they could speak to the Prophets. God would not speak directly to the people; He revealed His words to the Prophets, who then told the people. What was the purpose of Jesus coming? We know that Moses and Elijah disappeared, leaving only Jesus. Does this mean that the Law and the Prophets disappeared? Did Jesus come to abolish the Law and the Prophets?
Let’s look at a passage from Matthew 5:17-19:
17 Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the Law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Perhaps everyone can understand the earlier part, ‘I did not come to destroy the Law and the Prophets,’ referring to Moses' Law and the words of the Prophets. He came not to oppose them, but ‘He came not to destroy but to fulfill.’ Can everyone understand the meaning of abolishing and fulfilling? Originally, there was the Law, and those who violate the Law should be punished by the Law. The consequence of violating the Law is death, and after death, one must face judgment and go to hell; this is the result that humanity should face. However, Jesus came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. For whom did He fulfill it? For me, Amen!
The Bible must apply to you; Jesus came to fulfill the Law for “you.” Why did He fulfill the Law for you? Because no one can keep all the Law, and those who cannot keep it must die. God sent His Son to bear our sins. Thus, God's justice is satisfied.
Because the wages of sin is death. Jesus came into this world to die on the cross for your and my sins. In this way, He fulfilled God's Law. Hallelujah! The messages of judgment spoken by the Prophets, such as if you do not repent, God's judgment will come upon you, God's punishment will come upon you. Now God does not look at your obedience; He looks at the obedience of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! Because of the obedience of Jesus Christ, God's blessings are upon you today.
In the Old Testament, when the people of Israel were disobedient, the outcome was that other nations began to invade them, and they suffered calamities and punishments. That is the state of people under the Law. When they could not keep God's words, curses came upon them, and punishments fell upon them.
Why do we say that curses and punishments will no longer come upon you? Because Jesus has borne them for you. Did Jesus bear stripes for you? Did He suffer punishment for you? Because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That is why Jesus came; He said He came not to abolish but to fulfill. To abolish means to violate the Law; you can ignore the Law, which is called abolishing. What is fulfilling? We should die for violating the Law, but Jesus died for us; this is fulfilling the Law.
Then it gets interesting. The earlier part may be understood, but the later part says, “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the Law till all is fulfilled.” What does this mean? Jesus Christ did not violate a single Law; He kept all the Law. He fulfilled it for us! Hallelujah! When we believe that Jesus has fulfilled the Law for us, the righteousness of the Law will be given to you.
Looking further, a conclusion emerges: “Therefore whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven.”
Why does it say this? What does this mean? Whoever breaks the least of the commandments and teaches men so, why is he called least in the kingdom of heaven? Then look at the next sentence: “But whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Isn’t it getting more confusing?
On one hand, it says, ‘I did not come to destroy the Law but to fulfill it,’ and on the other hand, it says, ‘whoever breaks the least of these commandments.’ Brothers and sisters, which commandment is the least? Is there a smallest one? If you think you have violated the smallest commandment, in God's eyes, you have violated all of them.
Anyone who dares to break one of the commandments and teaches others to do so, brothers and sisters, such a person does not understand God's Law. At that time, the Pharisees or the Jews taught that you should obey the greatest commandment among the commandments. Brothers and sisters, remember, such teaching is very dangerous! Such a person will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.
“Whoever does and teaches this commandment,” can anyone keep the commandments? No!
“And teaches others to keep them” means one must keep them oneself and then teach others to keep them; such a person will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. That’s right!
Some understand that this is not about us. Do we have the right to abolish the Law? No! Can we keep the Law? No! This tells us that whoever is to keep the commandments refers to Jesus keeping the commandments; He also teaches others to keep them. Do you understand?
Jesus did not abolish the Law; rather, those in Judaism thought that some commandments were the greatest and some were the least, so they could ignore the least ones and just keep the greatest ones. But Jesus here tells us that He restores the essence of the Law, the standard of the Law, back to its original standard.
Looking further, the book of Matthew tells us, You have heard that it was said of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery’ and ‘You shall not murder,’ but I say to you that whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of hellfire.
Why is it that calling your brother ‘Raca’ makes you a child of hell? Because you are also in hell. Does this abolish the Law? Thank the Lord! Whoever does and teaches this commandment will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
If you want to teach others the Law, please remember a principle: follow Jesus' way of keeping it, and teach according to Jesus' way. What does it mean to teach the Law correctly? It means to make others feel hopeless. If you teach others and make them feel they can keep the Law, you have already abolished the Law. Thank the Lord! Can everyone understand this?
Many people live under the Law, thinking they are okay, that they can live under the Law, believing they can keep the Law. For these people, you must give them the Law and tell them that the true essence of the Law is to keep all of it, not leaving out a single commandment! If you violate what you think is the smallest commandment, you have violated all of them, and all curses may come upon you.
How should we teach others the Law? It is to tell them they are doomed! Let them have no hope under the Law. People will say, “Then where is my way out?” You tell them to trust in Jesus Christ; this is how we should teach the Law. To teach others to keep the Law, you will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Hallelujah! Although you teach the Law this way, you know that the Law bears witness to Jesus, and people under the Law feel they cannot do it at all, which is why they will rely on Jesus.
The people of Israel under the Law thought they were okay, that they had kept these laws, but Jesus said, “You still lack one thing.” Many such lawyers appeared, and a young rich man appeared, and Jesus said, “You still lack one thing.” When the Pharisees or the lawyers thought they loved others very much, Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan, saying, “You know what to do.” They found they could not do it at all; this is the true teaching of the Law. When teaching others the Law, you must make them feel hopeless. Let them come before Jesus Christ and live by the grace of Jesus Christ. This is the characteristic of the Law.
Now let’s explain the greatest and the least.
Matthew 11:11-13:
11 Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
Here it mentions the least and the greatest. Was John the Baptist a teacher of the Law? He was the last prophet of the Old Testament. After John the Baptist, Jesus took over. From the time of Jesus, it was no longer about striving to enter the kingdom of heaven; it began to be about believing the gospel. Here, the greatest and the least appear again.
Jesus said: Among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist.
John the Baptist is the greatest; why is he the greatest? Because the prophets of the Old Testament were all bearing witness to Jesus. But only John the Baptist was a prophet who had seen Jesus. Do you understand? He brought people directly to Jesus, saying, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
Then he told his disciples, “You go and follow Him.” This is something that the prophets of the Old Testament could not do. Here it tells us: Among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist. However, what is the turning point? “But he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Who does this refer to? It refers to those who believe in Jesus Christ and enter the kingdom of heaven; even the least among them is greater than John the Baptist! Do you know why? Because before John the Baptist, in the era of the Law, the kingdom of heaven was strived to be entered. How was it strived to be entered? By striving to keep all the Law.
At that time, people living under the Law were very miserable, very painful; they had to maintain good behavior and ensure they were pleasing to God, or else they would fall under curses. This tells us that it is an explanation of the previous matter: “For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.”
Why did it end with John? Because both the Law and the Prophets were bearing witness to Jesus. Now that Jesus has come, is there still a need for them to bear witness? No, the previous prophecies have already ceased. They said a Messiah would come to lead you into the eternal kingdom of God. Hasn’t Jesus already come? The kingdom of heaven is no longer strived to be entered.
From the time of Jesus, we no longer preach striving to enter the kingdom of heaven; we believe in Jesus and receive it!
Why are they the least? Why are we the greatest? Peter later made a suggestion, saying, “Lord, if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Peter thought, “I will make a tabernacle for each of them because they are all great people. Moses is the most esteemed among the people of Israel; Elijah is the most esteemed among the prophets; Jesus is our Lord!” How wonderful that would be.
But remember: these three are absolutely not the same; their statuses are not the same. Moses and Elijah are both men, Amen! But Jesus is God; can their statuses be the same? Moses and Elijah are both servants of God, remember?
In the Old Testament, was anyone called a son? They were all called servants of God. Would such a great man as Moses dare to call himself the Son of God? He was called a servant; Elijah was also called a servant. Why are they the least? Because they are servants, but we are children of God! Do you know the difference? When you accept Jesus, you are not a servant; you are not a slave; you are a son! Are you sure?
Let’s read a passage from Galatians 4:6-7:
6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
You are a son! Tell the person next to you that you are a son. If you get this wrong, it can be troublesome. What is the difference between a son and a servant? A servant does not know the master's business, but a son knows. A servant can only listen to the master's commands, but a son can negotiate with the father. Therefore, the servants in the Old Testament could only listen; if they did not listen, punishment would come immediately. We are sons, so there are many unruly people because we are sons; we must understand our identity.
The book of Galatians talks about believing in Jesus, and God sends the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, not saying that if you do not believe enough, you must have good behavior for the Spirit of His Son to enter you so you can cry out, “Abba, Father.” At the moment you accept Jesus, you can call God Father. When you have this title, you are already a son. The conclusion is: Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son. A slave has no right to inherit property. But a son has the right to inherit the estate.
Brothers and sisters, remember that a son has the right to inherit the estate. A son has the power to inherit the father's legacy. No matter how disobedient a son is, for example, if our elder has a very large estate and one day goes to meet God, will the estate be given to his son? Even if the son does not listen to him, it will still be given to him. Why? Because he is a son!
The difference is here. If this son says, “I am not worthy; my behavior is so bad; how could my father possibly give me his estate?” then you might be a servant, or you might be coming to be one. Knowing you are a son should give you this assurance that this inheritance is for me.
“If a son, then an heir of God through Christ,” do you know the characteristics of an heir? You are His children; you can receive His inheritance. Hallelujah! Therefore, because we believe in Jesus Christ, we are all children of the Father, and God will give us His inheritance. There are two kinds of inheritance: the first is on earth; the second is the eternal inheritance in heaven.
Do we have an inheritance on earth? What is your inheritance? Children are an inheritance; bank savings are also an inheritance. We already have an inheritance on this earth, but the future inheritance in heaven is eternal. How is the eternal inheritance accumulated? What you do for the Lord on earth will leave you with a permanent inheritance in heaven. Hallelujah!
This is the Law and the Prophets bearing witness to Jesus. The Holy Spirit also bears witness for us, telling us that we are sons through Jesus Christ, so in the kingdom of heaven, you are great. John the Baptist is a servant, so he is small. Even though they did so many things, they are still servants, while those who believe in Jesus are all sons. Brothers and sisters, one is a servant, one is a son; one is the least, one is the greatest; therefore, we are great. Amen! Because it is not by our efforts, not by our behavior, not by keeping the Law that we enter the kingdom of heaven; it is by believing in Jesus Christ that we receive it because Jesus has given us His.
So you also have the identity of a son. Did Jesus give you His Spirit? Therefore, you also have the Holy Spirit inside you. Jesus has given you all that He has, so you are much more than a servant. Can you understand this? Do not envy those under the Old Testament; they are envious of us. Although our behavior may not be good, we are sons. They have to work hard to please the master and are still servants. Now do you understand the difference between the great and the small? Thank God! Moses and Elijah appeared, talking with Jesus. Have you ever wondered what they were discussing?
Luke 9:30-31:
30 Suddenly, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
Brothers and sisters, Moses and Elijah appeared together, talking with Jesus about His decease. They were discussing Jesus taking on our sins. He was to fulfill the Law for us; this is what was about to be accomplished in Jerusalem. He was to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, to die on the cross for our sins, so that all who believe in Jesus Christ may receive eternal life and the status of sons. Moreover, they can inherit the inheritance of sons.
But Peter did not understand. Peter said, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” In Peter's heart, he thought Moses should have one, Elijah should have one, and Jesus should not be left out. Where was Peter's problem? He wanted to keep the Law and the Prophets and elevated the Law and the Prophets to the same status as Jesus. As mentioned earlier, the two are completely not equal to Jesus. No one can be equal to Jesus, no matter how good a teacher or how great a prophet they are; they cannot be equal to Jesus.
Many people want to balance the Law and grace. Many say you cannot just preach grace; you must also teach people to strive to keep the Law. This is exactly the same mistake Peter made. Many church issues arise here. Clearly, we tell others they are sons, but we let others treat them like servants, and that creates problems. Peter thought, “Jesus, we are here; it is wonderful! You are our teacher, but Moses and Elijah are equally important.” So he wanted to build the same tabernacle for all three. Does this mean that from now on, the Law, the Prophets, and grace coexist?
Brothers and sisters, can the Law and grace be balanced? You can only choose one. No one can balance the Law and grace because they are not under the same covenant. The Old Testament is based on behavior; the New Testament is based on what Jesus Christ has done. The Old Testament is one covenant; the New Testament is another covenant. We cannot keep two covenants at the same time.
When signing a contract with a client, you cannot sign two contracts at the same time. If the two contracts conflict, which one should be executed? Therefore, you can only choose one. Otherwise, you choose the covenant of the Law and become a servant, or you choose the new covenant of grace because the grace covenant is completed by Jesus for us. This is being a son! You either choose to be a son or choose to be a servant; you cannot be a servant one moment and a son the next. This is not something that can coexist, so remember: do not try to balance the Law and grace because you cannot balance them; they are not under the same system.
The Bible tells us: sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the Law but under grace. The focus is all on Jesus Christ and what He accomplished for us on the cross. The Law and the Prophets, which we just mentioned, Moses and Elijah, exist to guide people to know Jesus. The purpose is to bring people to Jesus. Including later prophets telling us; “A virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel,” isn’t that also referring to Jesus?
When the reality comes, the two should exit the stage of history; that era has ended. A new era, a new covenant has begun!
Brothers and sisters, those are just shadows. What is the relationship between the New Testament and the Old Testament for us? The Old Testament is a shadow; the New Testament is the reality. Many things in the Old Testament are vague, referring to a Messiah who is to come, while the New Testament is the real coming of Jesus. The Old Testament is a photograph, while the New Testament becomes a real person. Amen! These two refer to the same thing, but the New Testament is the best!
I have shared before, for example, when a son goes to college, and you miss him very much, you take out your phone every day to look at his photo, “Hmm, he is so handsome! The son is getting more and more handsome!” When the son comes home, do you still need to hold the photo and say, “You are so handsome”? Shouldn’t you put the photo down and communicate with your son? This is the living reality; do you understand?
Brothers and sisters, we are under the New Testament; the Old Testament points to Jesus. The New Testament has Jesus who has come, so let’s communicate well with Jesus! Don’t go back to talking to the photo, okay? This is already a problem. Many people throw Jesus aside; when the son comes back and sits on the sofa, you are still talking to the photo, “Son, you are so handsome!” This proves either you have a problem or the photo has a problem. The photo may be handsome, but you would rather look at the photo than at your son.
Brothers and sisters, we are under the New Testament, with the identity of a son! Hallelujah! Moses and Elijah were talking with Jesus, actually discussing Jesus' decease, which was to die for the sins of all humanity, Amen! Two thousand years ago, Jesus was hung on the cross outside the city of Jerusalem, so that our sins could be forgiven. All the things mentioned in the Old Testament have been fulfilled in the New Testament through Jesus.
Let’s look at a passage from Colossians 2:16-17:
16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
The Old Testament has many festivals, and those festivals ultimately point to Jesus. Many holidays ultimately refer to Jesus. The Passover ultimately refers to the reality of Jesus; the Feast of Tabernacles also ultimately refers to the reality of Jesus. These festivals, new moons, and sabbaths, when Jesus returns, He said, “The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” All these will become reality in Jesus.
Unfortunately, many people observe this shadow but are unwilling to draw near to Jesus, or they put the two together, worshiping and observing them together. Isn’t that problematic? It is like saying your son came home, and you stick a photo on your son’s head. Wherever your son goes, the two cannot be separated; the photo is there, and the son is also there. Can you play like this? Therefore, you can only choose one. Since the reality has come, put down the shadow. Let us focus on the reality. Hallelujah!
In God's kingdom, any rituals, rules, laws, and spiritual greats, referring to the prophets, are not worthy to share the same status as Christ. Moses and Elijah, although they are the most respected figures among the Israelites, cannot be equal to Jesus. No spiritual great or minister can be equal to Jesus, no matter how much they have done in this world or how much gospel they have preached. Can you say you have become God? Absolutely not! But Jesus Himself is God.
When Peter had such a wrong idea, verse 5 says: 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!”
God did not say to listen to all; He said to listen to Jesus. Hallelujah! God personally interrupted Peter's words and corrected his concept. The Father has praised Jesus twice, saying: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Do you remember the first time? When Jesus came up from the water after being baptized, suddenly the heavens opened, and a voice came from the cloud, saying, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
The Jordan River is the lowest place in the world, and now it is on Mount Hermon, the highest place. This tells us that one is humbly obedient unto death, while the other is exalted, honored, and glorious. This is the two forms of Jesus Christ. Amen! One is the slain lamb, killed during His three and a half years on earth. He was gentle like a lamb. Now the form is that of a victorious and glorious King. Hallelujah! One is in the lowest place of the Jordan River, and the other is at the highest point of Mount Hermon. This tells us that no matter where Jesus is, whether in the lowest place or the highest place, He is the beloved of God, and no one can replace Him!
When you are at the lowest point in life, God is there too; you are loved by God! We often encounter problems, such as difficulties arising, and we say, “Lord, where have You gone? It seems You do not care about me.” When we are in the valley of the shadow of death, we must remember this phrase, “You are My beloved Son,” meaning God is still with him!
No matter where you are, God is with you! When you are at a high point, and someone is doing something very glorious and successful, remember that it is God who has made you successful, God who has made you wealthy, and God who has lifted you up; you are loved by God! Only by recognizing this will you not become self-deprecating when facing problems or arrogant when at a high point. Only by realizing that God loves us at all times and gives us all this will you correctly understand yourself. Peter did not understand this now, so he wanted to equate the Law and the Prophets with Jesus.
God personally came out to correct him, saying, “No, You must listen to Him, not to them; you must listen to the words of Jesus Christ. This is something everyone must understand; it is not to listen to the Law but to listen to Jesus Christ! Many people ask how to have faith. Listen more to the words of Christ! Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ! Is the Old Testament the word of God? Is the Law the word of God? But can the Law give you faith? Originally, you had faith, but the more you read the Law, the less faith you have, the more despair you feel! But Christ is different; Jesus Christ can give you faith because He is the author and finisher of faith.
The Bible tells us, “Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.” Brothers and sisters, if you want to have faith, read more of the words of Christ. If you want your faith to be greater, read the Ten Commandments; once you read them, you will have little faith left, and you will realize how terrifying God is.
Sharing the second point: Seeing No One but Jesus.
Our Heavenly Father wants these three to listen not to Moses and Elijah but to listen only to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In His presence, Moses is nothing, and Elijah is nothing; we must listen to the words of Jesus Christ and honor Jesus as great! Never equate Jesus with the Law. After Jesus resurrected and ascended, Peter understood this truth. When he preached for the first time, filled with the Holy Spirit, he spoke a word to the people of Israel, which we just saw.
Acts 2:36: Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.
At this time, Peter did not say, “You should know that in addition to keeping the Law, you must also believe in Jesus.” What he said was: “This Jesus whom you crucified, God has made Him both Lord and Christ.” Now who is the Lord? But at that time, the Jews often regarded Moses as the Lord. The Pharisees said, “You are disciples of Jesus, but we are disciples of Moses.” They thought of themselves as disciples of the Law. But we should not become disciples of the Law, as that often leads to condemning others.
Few people like the high priest because he often condemns others. Similarly, in life, people who often condemn others are also not liked by many. Otherwise, try it out. For example, if we meet, and you say, “Look at your hair; how did you do it? Look at your clothes.” If you encounter someone like this, would you want to stay with them? Wouldn’t you want to avoid them? Because he is a child of the Law, always looking at others' shortcomings; this is the characteristic of the Law. The Law reveals your problems, points out your deficiencies, and highlights your corruption; this is the function of the Law. The Law makes people aware of sin.
But Jesus always points out your strengths, always reminds you that you are a beloved child of God. He always reminds you that although you are not good, I am willing to bless you. Although you cannot keep the Law, you fulfill the Law through love because I have already fulfilled the Law. When you encounter difficulties in the world, Jesus says, “Do not be afraid; do not worry, for I have overcome the world!” Thank and praise the Lord! This is our Jesus Christ!
Verse 7: Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.”
Why were they afraid? Because at that time, Peter and the others were still living under the Law. Their understanding of Jesus was merely that of a rabbi. Although Peter had previously said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” after six days, he forgot it all. Brothers and sisters, do you know why we gather every seven days? Because by the sixth day, you basically forget most of it, so on the seventh day, hurry back to recharge! To correctly remind you of your identity. Amen! Thank and praise our Lord!
Six days ago, Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Now he has reduced Jesus to the title of rabbi. How different are these two identities? One is called Lord, and the other is called teacher. The difference is huge. At this time, God said, “Do not be afraid.” Jesus personally comforted them, telling them not to be afraid. Why?
Verse 6 says: When the disciples heard the voice of God, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.
Under the Law, even if you feel very holy, your mindset when coming before God is one of great fear. A mindset of terror and trembling. Observe carefully those around you who believe in Jesus. If they are always saying, “Lord, do not correct me; Lord, please shine Your light on me; I know I have sinned; please do not bring calamity upon me,” or if they are very fearful every time they see God.
Under the Law, he is a servant. We are sons. Although a son may not be good, God can give us strength to correct us. Would you abandon your son because he has shortcomings? You would correct him! Therefore, in the New Testament, there is discipline; God will discipline us and correct us with His words. But if it is a servant, would you discipline someone else's child? You would not discipline them. If it is a servant, what if the servant does not listen? You can just find another servant. If your housekeeper always goes against you, what would you do? Would you discipline him, saying, “Hurry up and change”? Would it be like that? If a servant does not listen, what do you do? You can just find another one!
So the difference between a son and a servant is very significant, brothers and sisters. Always remember we are sons! As sons, if there is a problem, God can change you, give you love, and give you the strength to correct you. If it is a servant, you can just replace him, and that’s it. Although these three disciples did not understand at that time, Jesus said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” When they lifted their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus Christ. This is a very important point! In your life, do not let the Law appear; you must only see Jesus Christ! How can you be victorious in life? It is to let Jesus Christ be the only one left in your life. Let the words of Christ become your standard; let the words of Jesus Christ become your strength, and you will have faith.
Hebrews 4:14-16:
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
It is not that you have not sinned; it is not that you have overcome temptation; it is that He has overcome temptation and has not sinned, so you can come boldly. Do you see the difference? It is not that when you do not sin and overcome temptation, you can come boldly. Jesus was tempted, but He did not sin. Jesus has already overcome; you just need to hold fast to this truth. Believe that Jesus has already overcome, and come to God’s throne of grace with this heart. To obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
God knows our weaknesses, so you must come to the throne of grace, let His grace fill you, let the words of Christ fill you, let His mercy fill you, and let His grace become your help at all times. Only in this way will you not be afraid.
Brothers and sisters, there will indeed be many problems in life. When you know you can come before this most high and loving Jesus, you will not be afraid. Jesus is wiser, more capable, and more honorable than any great person in this world. Therefore, we often rely on Jesus in our lives.
May brothers and sisters let Jesus become your standard in life. Amen! The characteristic of Jesus is never to condemn people's sins; He always gives love, always comforts others. You must know Jesus Christ, whether through reading the Bible or praying, let you continually know this Lord, and then live through the strength you receive. You will become someone loved by everyone, someone who is very likable. Amen! When Jesus was very young, both people loved Him and God loved Him, and His heart grew together. May the lives of our church brothers and sisters grow like this! Hallelujah!
Let us pray together:
For the words you have received today, let us respond in prayer before God. Our failure is because we equate Jesus with the words of others or equate Jesus with the Law, thinking that human teachings also make sense, but they do not. Only the words of Christ are our standard; only the words written in the Bible by Christ are our standard.
Lord Jesus, lead all brothers and sisters to live by Your words as this week begins. Let us see no one but Jesus. Let us not take the standards of the world as our standards but let Jesus' standards be our standards! Heavenly Father, we thank You! You are so gracious to us; You do not want us to live in a mixture of grace and Law. You want us to live completely under Your provision. Thank You for renewing us through Your words! As the new week begins, Your grace has already come down, and You will give me strength, allowing me to overcome by Your words! Because You have already overcome this world! Thank and praise You! May all glory be to You! In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray! Amen!