Series: All!
Jesus has all authority,
So that all nations
Might pledge all allegiance to him.
Scripture: Matthew 17:1-13
Cross references: Luke 9:31; 2 Cor 3:18; 4:4-6; Romans 5:8, 12:1-2; Malachi 4:1-6; 2 Tim 3:16-17
Title: “How does worshiping Jesus Christ affect my daily life?” (Darien Gabriel)
A lot of help came through David Platt’s commentary this week (see below)
Bottom line: Worshiping Jesus Christ affects my daily life by transforming your affections. This affects your daily decisions and the motivations behind them.
Discussion questions for group and personal study.
Reflect and Discuss
1. What hobbies, activities, and people do you spend most of your time with? How do these things affect your thinking and your behavior?
2. If we become like what we behold, then what does it look like to behold Christ today while He is not physically present?
3. List five attributes of Jesus Christ in Matthew 17.
4. How does this passage speak to the superiority of Jesus Christ over well-known Old Testament figures?
5. Describe the relationship between Elijah and John the Baptist in verses 9-13.
6. Does this passage speak to Jesus' divinity? Explain.
Final Questions (optional or in place of above)
What is God saying to you right now?
What are you going to do about it?
Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast
Q. What do I want you to know?
A. That we are transformed by what we treasure; we live our lives based on what we worship.
Q. Why?
A. Because you are changed by what you value—what you truly love. This drives your motivations and decisions.
Q. What do I want you to do?
A. Treasure Christ above all so that you’ll become more like Christ in character and competency.
Q. Why?
A. Because there is no better way to please God than to “Listen to him.”
INTRO
I am who I am today because of one key relationship—my wife, Anita. (We celebrated our 35 anniversary this month)
From the day I met her, my desire has been to be with, around and even like her.
Our friendship started in 9th grade. She snagged my heart that early. Overtime, as we’ve grown closer to God and each other, I’ve oriented my life around her (often in concern with Christ, but not always) and this has changed me into who I have become. And it’s still happening. I went from friend, to boyfriend to fiancée to husband to fellow parent and grandparent. I also went from a lost, self-centered, self-absorbed young man to a found, somewhat self-centered, somewhat self-absorbed older man. I have become what I beheld. What have I beheld? What have I set my affections on? Her. Jesus. And by God’s grace we’ve both moved up our marriage triangle towards Christ and, as a result, each other.
This is what it means that we become what we behold. We behold or become beholden to or set our affections on that which we value. The more we value it, the more of a hold it has on us. And the more the hold, the more it transforms us into it’s image. If that is godly, we become more like Christ. If it’s not, we become less like him.
This foundational to what the Lord is teaching us in Matthew 17 today.
It starts with this question:
How does worshipping Jesus Christ affect my daily life? I submit it does so in 5 ways (with some help from David Platt). Today we’ll focus just on the first one.
I. It transforms me from what I value to what Jesus Christ values. (17:1-13; cf. 16:23)
Why? Because we become what we behold.
Ex. My pursuit of Anita has transformed me over the years into a more mature person, a husband (we’re one), a father and a follower of Jesus Christ.
How? Through glad obedience.
II. It helps me suffer long. (17:14-21) Longo-suffering = patience. Love is patient (1 Cor 13:4)
Why? Putting others first is hard but it’s what love does.
How? By the power of faith (prayer)
Rick Warren says he can tell a person’s faith by their prayers
III. It helps me surrender my life. (17:22)
Why? Because of his merciful example. Romans 5:8; 12:1
How? Buy the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2; 2 Tim 3:16-17
IV. It helps me with my perspective. (17:23)
Why? It reminds me that Jesus Christ won at the cross.
How? By grace through faith.
V. It helps me live humbly and confidently. (17:24-27)
Why? Because I know who’s authority I have and live under already.
How? By forsaking/surrendering my rights in this world.
CONCLUSION
So my bottom line today is worshipping Jesus Christ affects my daily life by transforming my affections which affects my daily decisions my motivations behind them.
Who are you becoming?
What are you beholding?
What are you setting your affections on?
Anything less than Jesus Christ and his kingdom means you’re settling for something so inferior to what you could have. And you’ll never become who God created you to be until you get this right.
My prayer for you today is that you’ll repent of pursuing any and everything in your life that doesn’t deserve your affections and reorient your life around your merciful Creator and Savior.
Let’s pray.
Bottom line: Worshiping Jesus Christ affects my daily life by transforming your affections. This affects your daily decisions and the motivations behind them.
“17:1-9 The transfiguration was:
(1) a revelation of the glory of the Son of God, a glory hidden now but to be fully revealed when he returns; (2) a confirmation of the difficult teaching given to the disciples at Caesarea Philippi
(16:13-20); and
(3) a beneficial experience for the disciples, who were discouraged after having been reminded so recently of Jesus' impending suffering and death (16:21). See notes on Mk 9:2-7; Lk 9:28-35.” NIV Study Bible
“Transfigured is a weak word, but perhaps it is the best available English word to translate the Greek word Matthew uses here, which is the passive form of the verb metamorphoō. The verb literally means “a change of form.” It comes over into the English language as the word metamorphosis. We use it to describe the amazing transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly. But transfiguration includes the prefix trans-, which means “across.” What was crossed in the transfiguration? We might say Jesus crossed the line from the natural to the supernatural, from the human to the divine, as the cloak of humanity that veiled His true glory was removed and His glory became visible.” —RC Sproul
Excerpt From
Matthew - An Expositional Commentary
R.C. Sproul
https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewBook?id=0
This material may be protected by copyright.
BIOY, Jan 24, 2023
By Nicky Gumbel
…On the other hand, if you follow Jesus and surrender your life to him, you find the very purpose of life. The words of Jesus are extraordinarily powerful. There has never been a time when it is more important to ‘listen to him’ than now!
Jesus took Peter, James and John up a high mountain. Jesus’ appearance changed right before their eyes. ‘Sunlight poured from his face. His clothes were filled with light. Then they realised that Moses and Elijah were also there in deep conversation with him’ (17:1–3, MSG). They heard God say, ‘This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of my delight. Listen to him’ (v.5, MSG).
As Moses and Elijah talked with Jesus, so you too can live a life ‘talking with Jesus’. Your experience may not be as visual or auditory as that of the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, but you too can know the presence of Jesus in your life. Through reading his words and meditating on them, you can experience a conversation with Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
You can, in a sense, look into his face, which shines ‘like the sun’ (v.2). You can fall down in worship (v.6). It can feel as if Jesus is actually touching you and saying to you ‘do not be afraid’ (v.7). And there are times when you may look up and see ‘no one except Jesus’ (v.8).
Lord, thank you that when I lose my life for you, I find it. Help me to *listen* to your voice and to follow you, daily.
SECTION OUTLINE SIXTEEN (MATTHEW 17)
God confirms Peter's earlier acknowledgment of the deity of Christ by transfiguring Jesus on the mountaintop. Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy, predicts his own death, and instructs Peter to pay the Temple tax with a coin found in the mouth of a fish.
I. THE SPLENDOR OF THE SAVIOR (17:1-13)
A. The confirmation on top of the mountain (17:1-8): Jesus takes Peter, James, and John with him.
1. What they see (17:1-3)
a. The appearance of God's Messiah (17:1-2): His face and clothing shine like the noonday sun!
b. The arrival of God's messengers (17:3): Moses and Elijah appear and speak to Jesus.
2. What they say (17:4): Peter wants to build three shelters, one each for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.
3. What they hear (17:5): The Father speaks from heaven, attesting to the love he has for his Son.
4. What they do (17:6-8): They fall to the ground, terrified, but are reassured by Jesus.
B. The conversation coming down the mountain (17:9-13)
1. The command (17:9): Jesus instructs the three to say nothing concerning what they saw until his resurrection.
2. The confusion (17:10): They want to know if Elijah will come before the return of the Messiah.
3. The clarification (17:11-13)
a. His answer (17:11-12)
(1) Elijah will indeed come (17:11).
(2) Elijah has already come (17:12).
b. Their assumption (17:13): By this they understand that he is referring to John the Baptist.
II. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SAVIOR (17:14-21, 24-27): Jesus demonstrates his deity through two miracles.
A. The boy with a demon (17:14-21)
1. The desperation of the father (17:14-16): He begs Jesus to heal his son.
2. The exorcism by the Lord (17:17-18: Jesus quickly drives the demon from the lad.
3. The frustration of the disciples (17:19-21)
a. They say, "Why couldn't we cast out that demon?" (17:19).
b. He says, "You didn't have enough faith" (17:21).
B. The fish with a coin (17:24-27)
1. The who (17:24b): Some tax collectors approach Peter.
2. The what (17:24c): They demand to know if Jesus will pay the Temple tax.
3. The where (17:24a): This takes place upon Jesus' arrival in Capernaum.
4. The why (17:25-26): Jesus informs Peter of two things.
a. Why he should not have to pay this tax (17:25): Kings tax the conquered, not their own people.
b. Why he should pay the tax anyway (17:26): Though he is free, he should try not to offend anyone.
5. The how (17:27): Jesus tells Peter to throw a line in the lake, open the mouth of the first fish he catches, and use the coin he will find there to pay the tax!
III. THE SUFFERING OF THE SAVIOR (17:22-23)
A. His revelation (17:22-23a): He tells the disciples of his coming betrayal, death, and resurrection.
B. Their reaction (17:23b): The disciples are filled with grief.
References/Bibliography:
“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes
“Matthew” by RC Sproul
“CSB Christ Chronological,” Holman
“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)
“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)
“Exalting Jesus in Matthew” by David Platt (CCE)
Outline Bible, D Willmington
NIV Study Bible (NIVSB)
ESV Study Bible
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