Listen to Him

Luke 9:28-36

Key Verse 9:35

A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him."

This passage helps us to see our life here on earth according to God's perspective, so that by seeing our life in this world from God's perspective we should be able to listen to the words of Jesus (i.e., deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow him), and obey Him. 

1. What does "this" in verse 28 refer to? (Luke 9:20-27) Jesus had more than three disciples. Yet, why do you think he might have taken only Peter, James, and John with him in verse 28? (Mark 8:32; 10:35-45)

** "this" refers to what Jesus taught in the previous passage, that is, who he is (the Christ of God), what he came to fulfill (i.e., to solve two problems, that is, the problem of sin and the problem of death), and in view of who he is and what he came to fulfill, what we ought to do as his followers. 

2. Verses 28 and 29 describe Jesus engaged in prayer on a mountainside. Compare this Jesus with the problems (and/or challenges) He might have had at that particular moment. What can we learn from Jesus in helping sheep to listen to God and obey His will?

** We can learn from Jesus God's wisdom to help sheep who are filled with their own ideas and human dreams and therefore unwilling to accept the message of the cross and resurrection, the life that serves God's world mission command. And the wisdom is: 

1) pray to God for God to help the stubborn sheep; 

2) pray that the Lord God would show stubborn sheep God's vision; 

3) pray that through seeing God's vision, sheep would overcome their spiritual blindness, and see clearly what is truly valuable, what is not, where one comes from and where one is going, why one is allowed to live here in this body for a while, while in the body what one is called to do, and after that where one is supposed to go, with what result. 

3. Meditate on the meanings of the glorious vision described in verses 29-31. In what respect do the following scenes help us to listen to Jesus and obey His word?

1) …the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning;

2) Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus;

3) They spoke about his "departure"; and

4) …which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem

** This helps us to listen to him and obey his word, in that it shows us that to listen to Jesus and obey his word is never a losing proposition.  In fact, it is the only way to reach the glory the Lord God has in mind, which is as glorious as the preview of the transfigured Jesus. Notice the word "bright". One of its meanings is that the future/ultimate outcome of the life that follows Jesus and obeys His will is truly blessed one. Bright = glowing, light, luminous, radiant, brilliant, splendid, shining, hopeful, rosy, cheerful, happy, vivacious, intelligent, clear, sunny, colorful...

** The two men, Moses and Elijah, serves as witnesses testifying to the truth set forth above, that is, how the Lord will reward those who suffer for God's mission (such as leading the flock of God out of the bondage to the power of sin and death, to God's freedom, tending sheep with God's word and long patience, or rebuking sheep to repent of their idol worship and turn to God in worship of him in spirit and truth, etc.). According to the law, two witnesses are necessary to establish the veracity/probity of the testimonies being made. 

** His "departure" refers to Jesus' death on the cross and his resurrection. The word "departure" indicates: a) the physical world here on earth is not the only world there is; b) the life here in the body represents a holy pilgrimage which has a beginning point and an ending point; and c) our real home is not here in this world but in the fellowship with God the Father who awaits us as we finish our mission journey here on earth and come back home in His kingdom.

** The word "fulfillment" refers to the mission Jesus came to fulfill, that is, to open the way for all sinners to be forgiven of their sins, come to the Father in repentance, and be restored back to the Father. 

Likewise, our mission here on earth is to live as Jesus' witnesses, spreading the gospel, making disciples of all nations, leading the flock to God. 

4. Think about Peter's response in verses 32-33. What does Peter's suggestion indicate about the problem(s) he had in listening to the Lord?

** 1) He tried to build his life security in the wrong place. Peter wanted to build his security here in his mundane world. 

2) His ignorance of the value of the life that suffers for Jesus' name's sake. He did not want to go down and suffer for God's sake. He is like a man who wants to get the best of both world without even lifting a finger. It was because he did not know that sufferings for the sake of Jesus are the passage to reaching God's glory. 

5. Verses 34-35 introduce us to a "voice". Whose voice was this? What do the following words teach us about God's will for all people on earth? 1) This is my Son; 2) whom I have chosen; and 3) listen to him.

** It was God's voice, the voice of the one who sent Jesus to this world.

** It has been said, "Like Father, like the Son." So God's will for all people on earth is for all to know God the Father by looking at Jesus, the Son.

** Choosing to listen to Jesus is choosing to listen to God the Father who chose Jesus to restore man back to Himself. 

** "Listen to him" especially the word "him" indicates that we should pay attention to what Jesus says, so we would fully understand him, and obey Him, rather than being side-tracked by our own desires or worldly messages. 

6. Compare verse 36 with what Peter later said in 2Pe 1:10-18. What does this comparison tell us about the lessons Peter (as well as John and James) must have learned from Jesus on that mountainside?

** This experience helped them: 

1) to make the purpose of their calling and election sure, and thereby not drop out of the race in the middle; 

2) to understand that this side of the world is not our home but the kingdom of Jesus Christ is; 

3) to see one's life here on earth as a holy pilgrimage;

4) while on earth one is called to do the work God has sent him to do; and 

5) after his life is over, he will receive a rich welcome into His kingdom.

The end