Sermons

Introduction

So, if you would, turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 9, Luke 9, and we will continue in our study of the gospel of Luke this morning. I'll try to sprinkle enough Christmas snow on the sermon to encourage us appropriately this morning. But in God's providence, we won't have to work too hard because the passage before us, I think, fits perfectly with the celebration of our Savior's birth this week. Luke chapter 9, and we'll be in verses 28 through verse 36. Let me begin by reading our text this morning, Luke 9 beginning in verse 28.

"Now about eight days after these sayings He took with Him Peter and John and James and went up to the mountain to pray. And as He was praying, the appearance of His face was altered, and His clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with Him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with Him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. And as the men were parting from Him, Peter said to Jesus, 'Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah' – not knowing what he said. As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!' And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen." Pray with me.

[Prayer] Father, thank You for Your word. Thank You for Your kindness to us in Christ. And so now, Lord, as we look at this great passage, the Mount of Transfiguration, would we see just a glimpse of the glory of this Jesus, and would this morning our hearts be drawn to Him in worship. We ask Your Spirit's help that He would illumine our minds and our hearts this very morning as we look to Your word, in Jesus' name. Amen. [End]

This morning we will see in Luke 9 just a glimpse of the fullness of the glory that Jesus deserves.

I grew up in a neighboring country called San Francisco. I know it's enemy territory, both in football terms and in terms of cultural values. One thing that I remember from my childhood, growing up in the prestigious public school system of San Francisco, is putting together a diorama every year. Now, some of the more mature folks in the room know what I'm talking about. The perfect diorama begins with a cardboard box. A pair of Nikes will do, if you're me. Comes together with some figurines from the Dollar Store, and maybe some clay and some paint. And after a few hours of work, really, my mom doing most of the work, you put together a scene from history of some kind. Maybe it's the taking of the Alamo or a Civil War scene of some kind. Maybe it's the Industrial Revolution. It's a snapshot of history.

Now I can't remember if this was me or my faithful mother sticking it to the curriculum, but I remember one of my dioramas being a little young earth action in it. It was dinosaurs on one side and people on the other. It may or may not have been army men, but remains to be seen. The diorama was an artifact of a solid '90s public school education. And that's what we have here of sorts in these nine verses, a snapshot of the glory of Jesus, a glimpse of the glory that is His, has been His, and will always be His.

It's helpful for us this morning as we anticipate Christmas because both Christmas and this passage are occasions for us to pause and to ponder and to worship our Savior. I love what Dale Ralph Davis says, not specifically of this passage, but of passages like this. He says, "They are like a scale model demonstration." They are simply a miniature sized version of the greatness and glory of what God is doing in and throughout history and what He will do in Christ.

This event in this passage is called the transfiguration. The scene here and the term is generally familiar to us. It's the stuff of Sunday school flannel graph boards. It's been famously depicted in art, most famously by Raphael in his 16th century oil painting. And the term, the word "transfiguration" is a word that comes from a Latin word – I'm not going to try to say it for you this morning – but it means to change the shape of. It's become, this word "transfiguration," our way in English of describing this famous event in Scripture. Now this mountaintop scene is one of the most significant and yet most mysterious events in the life of our Savior. And so while it is familiar to us, it may be difficult to understand exactly what to make of it, what's the purpose of the mount of transfiguration.

There's something that we've all experienced in the past week or so – those of us who have a credit card and some family members to help bless for Christmas – we've all clicked on something, purchased something, and received a confirmation email. Went to the Mavs game, got a confirmation email. Paid for parking, got a confirmation email. The hotel was booked for us this weekend, got a confirmation email. We get confirmation emails all the time, rather underwhelming experience for all of us. But the confirmation email is a sign that everything's all right because all you have to do is show the confirmation email to whoever needs confirmation. The passage this morning is like a confirmation email in small ways. It's a sign that everything's all right. But this amazing snapshot of the glory of Christ brings together so much of what the gospel of Luke has shown us so far about Jesus, and it confirms in the mightiest of ways who this Jesus is. He is who He says He is, and He does what He says He will do all the time.

Luke has increasingly asked and answered the question, "Who is this Jesus?" And so this passage serves as not just a confirmation we can forget about and delete. This is a powerful affirmation from the very throne room of heaven that Jesus is the Son of Man and He is the Son of God. The transfiguration, this glimpse of glory is divine confirmation of all that Jesus has been saying about who He is, about what He must do, and what you and I must do to faithfully follow Him.

The Glory Revealed

So, let's look at the truth of the transfiguration this morning in four parts, four scenes, and get a glimpse of the glory of Jesus so that it'll warm our hearts in worship to Him this morning and in this Christmas season. Let's look first at verses 28 and 29 and see "the glory revealed, the glory revealed."

If you remember last week, Austin took you through this set of dialogues that Jesus has with His disciples, those who were following Him. He asks them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" and they say, "Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah. Some say one of the prophets of old." And He asks them, "Well, who do you say I am?" and Peter rightly responds, "The Christ of God."

And then Jesus teaches His disciples, all who follow, about Himself, about His impending death, and about what it means to be His disciple. And Luke 9 shows the disciples, and each of us, who this Jesus is, and it begs the question in our hearts to answer individually that question. Well, according to verse 28, what's about to happen in our passage happens about eight days after. And now curiously, if you look at the gospel of Matthew or you look at Mark, they both say six days later. Now, just as a note, most likely, Luke is counting what we call inclusively, including the day that Jesus gives that instruction – you looked at last week – and also the day of the transfiguration that we're going to look at now, plus the six days in between. So he's counting inclusively, whereas Matthew and Mark are counting exclusively, just the six days in between those events.

And regardless of how you count the days, the transfiguration here in Luke 9 is associated with the prior section, you can't take them apart. It's, in fact, somewhat of a culmination of everything Jesus has been saying in chapter 9. It's the very top of the mountain peak, if you will. In verse 28, yet again, we find our Savior praying. We find that in Luke so much, Jesus is praying. He retreats to the mountain this time, either Tabor or Mount Hermon – choose your scholar, they'll tell you different – and it's with Peter, John, and James.

And then look at verse 29, "And as He was praying, the appearance of His face was altered, and His clothing became dazzling white." You see, as Jesus is communing with His Father, the appearance of His face changes, and His clothing becomes this dazzling white. The gospel of Matthew says it this way: "His face shone like the sun, and His garments became white as light." Mark tells us this: "He was transfigured before them, and His garments became radiant, intensely white" – and I love this – "as no one on earth could bleach them."

Some of you baseball moms or soccer moms think you can get those baseball pants all nice and white and clean again, right, those grass stains gone. Well, Jesus' garments here have you beat every single time, as no one on earth could bleach them. You see, Jesus' appearance here takes on a supernatural brightness, and it's not new to Him. This is the glory He has always had, it's just now revealed. His face shines, and His clothes emanate, emit light. The different translations here are almost at a loss for words in describing this. They make it sound like His clothes are just clean, but it's more than that. There is sparkling. There's a flashing radiance to Jesus' clothes. This word "dazzling" is a brilliant, flashing light. It's like lightening here.

Now, if you read your Bible, and I know that you do, you know this is something that in Scripture only happens with heavenly beings. Think of the appearance of the angel of the Lord all throughout the Old Testament; or think of the various other angels, these terrifying messengers from God from whom men hide their faces; or think of God Himself on the mountain. I think of Exodus 33, "a brightness of which no man can see and live." Jesus in Luke 9 is at the point in His ministry where He has clearly and overtly spoken of who He is and what He has come to do, and He has demonstrated it in His miracles, and here on the mountain His glory is revealed for all to see, confirming all that He has said about himself.

In the beginning of chapter 9, Jesus' divine powers on full display as He feeds the five thousand; and here on this mountain, His glory is revealed, and indeed He has seen to be God of very God. Just eight days ago Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ of God, and Jesus identifies Himself as the Son of Man, the One who would suffer many things, and be rejected, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And here on the mountain His glory is revealed, and indeed He is seen to be God of very God.

That same day, eight days ago from this passage, Jesus also speaks of Himself as the Son of Man who will come in His glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. And here now on the mountain, His glory is revealed, and here we get but a glimpse, a preview of this glorified Son of Man. It's the Son of Man described in Revelation 1. Just listen to this description: "The hairs of His head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace. And His voice was like the roar of many waters. In His right hand, He held seven stars. From His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword. And His face was like the sun shining in full strength." What a sight to see. His future glory, we get but a glimpse of here in Luke 9. And this glimpse is a powerful confirmation that this Jesus is who He says He is, and all that He said would happen will indeed happen, as we'll see in the gospel of Luke, that He will suffer and be rejected and be killed, and after three days, He will rise again. Amen.

Friends, this is the glorious Christ that we worship. This is Jesus who at Christmas we remember has come by the grace of God, born as a baby, God of very God, and who at Christmas we also remember will come again in glory and then reign forever in glory. Joy to the world. Of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over His kingdom to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore.

The Christ Confirmed

Friends, even if this account stopped right here, it would be enough. It would be a taste of heaven enough to see this truth about the glory of Christ. But here in Luke 9, the glorious Christ is not alone, He's got visitors. Let's look at verses 30 and 31 and see "the Christ confirmed, the Christ confirmed." Look at verse 30 with me. "And behold, two men were talking with Him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem." Here Moses and Elijah appear in glory with Jesus apparently in conversation with Him.

Now, a common conversation starter get to know you question we like to ask each other is, "If you could have dinner with any person in history, who would it be?" And you have your answer, right? Men, let me give you a clue. You're supposed to say your wife. You're always right if you say it in a case like that. Some of you might say Abe Lincoln. Some of you, your answer is Joe Biden. I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I'm kidding. I'm from San Francisco but not that kind of San Franciscan. Godly people, you would say the apostle Paul, right, because if you said Jesus would be something weird theologically about that. So, the apostle Paul maybe, somebody maybe in your industry that's lived generations before you; you would answer someone who fits your interest or serves a purpose in the kind of conversation you would have over dinner, provide you some insight, right?

Well, if Jesus were to appear in glory with two people, who would they be? It would have to be Moses and Elijah, of course, giants of the faith, respected spiritual leaders of their own day. And they both had something else in common that uniquely qualified them for this. They had each done this before. You see, both Moses and Elijah had spoken to God on a mountain. Moses in Exodus 19, as you know, as he receives the law of God; Elijah in 1 Kings 19 as he flees Jezebel and seeks God. They've spoken to God on a mountain. Moses, the prophet of old and the one who received God's very law, and Elijah, the mighty prophet of Yahweh who defeated the prophets of Baal and defended Yahweh's name, here, now, again on a mountain, but now with the glorified Christ.

See, this rendezvous is clear affirmation by the law, represented in Moses, and the prophets, represented in Elijah, that Jesus is the Christ. You guys talked about last week – because I watched the stream – Christ is not Jesus' surname. It's not His last name, even though it's got vowels in it. It's a title. It means Anointed One or Chosen One. You see, Jesus is the one foretold by the prophets and anticipated by God's people for so long. Here's what one commentator says; I love this because it uses a sports analogy here, a football analogy. He says, "Moses and Elijah reinforce the truth that Jesus is not a walk-on in the divine economy but the fulfillment of God's historical purpose for Israel through Israel for the world. The witness of Moses and Elijah does not rival Jesus, but points to Him and culminates in Him. Their word and work are consummately fulfilled in Jesus." Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 5 where He says, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish them, but" – what? – "to fulfill them."

Earlier in Luke 9, remember Jesus had spoken of and clarified the messianic hope of God's people, specifically that the Christ would have to suffer, that, as Isaiah 53 had said, He would bear our griefs and carry our sorrows, that He would be pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. And so now as the glory of Christ is revealed with Moses and Elijah in attendance, the Christ is confirmed, that though these things have not yet come to pass, that indeed Jesus is who He says He is and who Peter has confessed He is, the Christ of God. And as they say, a chat on the mountaintop, verse 31 says, "Jesus and Moses and Elijah spoke of His departure."

Literally the word here is" the exodus." It's something that Moses is familiar with and something that Elijah experienced in the whirlwind out of this world, an exodus of sorts. And for Jesus, it would be through what He would accomplish in Jerusalem in the coming days. And what He would accomplish, friends, in His exodus was not just ancient prophecies fulfilled, some kind of cheap party trick to impress the peanut gallery. It was to be redemption accomplished. It was to be the way made for salvation and for forgiveness and peace with God, victory over sin and death. It's not just that Moses and Elijah agree with Him, it's that everything contained in their ministries and in the ministry of every prophet of God points to and finds ultimate fulfillment in this Jesus. He is the Promised One that Israel has hoped for and who now had come.

This Messiah was better than God's people had ever hoped for, you see, because the Christ confirmed on this mountain was not just a political ruler or a military deliverer, but a king forever, one who was God of very God, and yet we remember at Christmas was born as a child. He would live a perfect life, and suffer, and be rejected and die as sinners' death, all so that you and I might live. That's the grace of Christmas, friends, and it's the truth that we anticipate here as we stand on the mountain with Moses and Elijah.

Friend, you may have been here for a while or maybe you're new, but if you do not know this Jesus, all it takes is for you to place your faith in Him. He has done it all. And so this morning, even you can be saved from your sins if you place your faith in this Messiah, in this Christ. This reminds me of one of my favorite passages, Hebrews chapter 1: "Long ago at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son whom He appointed the heir of all things through whom He also created the worlds. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on High." This is the Jesus of Luke 9 and the Jesus that we worship this morning. Here on the mountain we see this Christ confirmed.

The Response Offered

Let's look at the third truth in verses 32 and 33 of Luke chapter 9 and we're going to see it in this heading, "the response offered, the response offered." So far we've seen this amazing display of Jesus and glory, and then these two heroes of the faith appearing in conversation with Him. And now we look at the response of the three disciples in verse 32. Look there at Luke 9:32, "Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep. When they became fully awake they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him."

You and I all have that one friend who always falls asleep at the best part of the movie. It's funny, some of you looked at each other, pointed the finger. It can't be both of you if you're both falling asleep. That's Peter and those who were with him here. You see, the attention's on Peter. It omits James and John's names here, but they're all guilty, they're all asleep. In Luke, Jesus is always praying, isn't He? He's always communing with God at the most important moments. And here the disciples, like we'll find them doing again in Gethsemane, they're sleeping.

You can draw whatever moralistic conclusions you want to hear about praying and sleeping as you draw up your New Year's resolutions, that's fine. The important aspect of this here though for us is that when they wake up, look at the second half of verse 32 again, they see Jesus in His glory and they see Moses and Elijah. "When they became fully awake they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him." You see, they are, even after their little nap, witnesses to the truth of this amazing scene; and as this dazzling, lightning-like conversation flashes before them, the words of Jesus flash in their memories from just a few days ago. Everything He had said about Himself, it's beginning to make sense. It's clicking a little bit for Peter, or so it should be.

Peter here on the mountain has a Peter-like moment. Like at verse 33: "And as the men were parting from Him, Peter said to Jesus, 'Master, it is good, we are here. Let us make three tents, one for You and one for Moses, and one for Elijah,' – and then Luke adds – "not knowing what He said." See, Peter makes a mistake of epic proportions. In his assessment of the situation and his quick hospitality instinct, he blurts this out. This is like taking a vegetarian to Terry Black's or taking of Niners fan like me to a Cowboys game. It's okay, we're both suffering this year. Peter here has the the right instinct, but he makes the wrong call.

Let's look at it though. Maybe we should give him a little more credit here than he deserves, you see, because all he sees in front of him is everything he could have ever wanted – Moses and Elijah and the One he is now confessed as the Christ of God all here together. And so in his mind, surely he could capture this moment, surely he could make it last. And so his suggestion, which will live on in infamy, "Let me build y'all some tents," he says.

Jesus, Moses, Elijah – tabernacle with us just like God did in the wilderness, just like how every year God's people celebrated at the Feast of Booths by living in tents, commemorating Yahweh's faithful provision and presence in the wilderness years. You see, just like in his confession about Jesus eight days ago, Peter was not all that wrong, in one sense. Peter doesn't know, he just reacts. It's what he does, he goes with his heart.

Mark's gospel even gives perhaps a more gracious take than Luke does here. Mark 9:6 says, "For he did not know what to answer because they became terrified." I mean, if you were scared like this at the sight of the glory of Christ, what would you say? It's what Mark is saying.

You see, Peter had just nailed it in his answer to Jesus earlier in this chapter, the passage you just looked at last week. Unknowingly, almost, he had gotten it right: "Jesus is the Christ of God, the Messiah." But he had spoken, not knowing the full essence of those words. And here at the Mount of Transfiguration, that unknowing part of Peter becomes even more obvious. You see, for Jesus, the Christ of God, this Son of Man who would fulfill all the prophets had foretold, it would make no sense for him to tabernacle with Moses and Elijah as if all three were on an equal playing field as if this moment here on the mountaintop were the bliss of eternal glory that could just be captured by building tents.

No. You see, this glory here on the mountain is but a glimpse of the glory of Jesus, the unrivaled Son of God, and it will be His forever fully and finally in eternity. And so for Peter, this is a reactionary swing and a miss. It's well-intentioned but short-sighted, that Peter has forgotten all that Jesus says He must do as the Son of Man, and he fails to see with his sleepy eyes the glory of the preeminent Son of God right in front of him.

Now, what we do know is that by the time Jesus did go to Jerusalem and suffered and was rejected and then died, being raised three days later, that Peter would hit rock bottom. He would deny his Lord three times, and then he would be restored at the Sea of Galilee proclaiming his love for Jesus three times. And Peter having seen Jesus accomplish all that He had said He would do way, way later, writes the book of 2 Peter – you can turn there with me. He writes this book to scattered Christians around Asia Minor about the sure hope we have in Jesus. And let's just look at his perspective as he writes about this mountaintop experience.

Second Peter chapter 1, look at verse 16. He writes, "For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were witnesses of His majesty." Verse 17, "For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was born to Him by the Majestic Glory, 'This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased' we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with Him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts." That, friends, is the sure testimony of a man who struggled throughout his life, and yet with clarity saw God's perfect salvation in the Christ. And that's the testimony of a faithful and patient God working in a sinful man.

You see, the lesson to learn from Peter here is not to not fall asleep or to not say foolish things – amen and amen though. But it's to learn and to remember and to anchor your life upon the great and glorious plan of God in Christ to understand and ascertain the glory of Christ, not just on the mountaintop but in everyday life. And you have that opportunity to see the glory of Jesus right in front of you every Sunday morning as you study the gospel of Luke as a church family, to see the glory of this Jesus snapshot by snapshot.

The Son Affirmed

For now, back in Luke 9, notice Jesus doesn't rebuke Peter. Instead, maybe the most amazing thing happens instead. You see, Peter wanted to build tents for the three so they would tabernacle, their presence would be there for an extended period of time. And in return, what happens? God's very presence comes down on the mountain. Here, fourthly, let's see in verses 34 and 35, "the Son affirmed, the Son affirmed."

Look at verse 34 with me: "As He was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud." The glorious presence of God arrives on the scene, the God who is the source and standard of all that is good and true and right, here graciously shrouded in a cloud of darkness that overshadows the scene before us. You see, no one can see Him and live, but yet this God arrives graciously. Look at verse 35: "And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!'" God the Father speaks out of the cloud and affirms with definitive authority this is His Son, this is His Chosen One.

Listen to the prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 42, where he speaks of and foretells of this Chosen One. And listen to the Christmas in this passage as well. "Behold My servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up His voice, or make it heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break, and a faintly burning wick He will not quench; He will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for His law.

"Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: 'I am the Lord; I have called You in righteousness. I will take You by the hand and keep You. I will give You as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I am the Lord, that is My name; My glory I give to no other, nor My praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.'"

In Jesus, the Son of God, God's Chosen One, light had come. The former things had come to pass, and the new things declared had now sprung forth in Jesus, foretold by the prophet Isaiah. And so for these three disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, and for us today, from the very mouth of God, we get the affirmation of God the Father that this Jesus is His Son, His Chosen One. And don't miss what God says here: "Listen to Him. Listen to Him. Listen to Him." It hearkens back to Deuteronomy 18:15 where Moses promises God's people that "the Lord will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers." And then he says, "It is to Him you shall listen." And God says in Luke 9 here, "This is My Chosen One, My Son; listen to Him!"

So friends, what is our response to this amazing scene at the Mount of Transfiguration? What's our responsibility? It is to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and to follow Him. It's to worship Him on Sunday mornings like this in the Christmas season that we're in and with our very lives every single day until He comes again in glory; and we do that by listening to Him.

We listen to Him primarily here in this passage contextually by believing that He is who He says He is and He does all that He says He will do. It's to then also take Him at His word, and to trust Him and to obey Him, and to know Him and love Him, and obey His commandments. This is God's own Son, so we must listen to Him.

The Glory Concealed

In verse 36, we see – I'll sneak in a fifth – a fifth title, and it's quick, "the glory concealed, the glory concealed." You see, just as quickly as the appearance of our Savior on the mountain is revealed, it's now concealed. For now, at this point in Jesus' ministry, it is only for His disciples to know. It's for them only to witness and worship at this amazing affirmation of who He is and all that He would do. And this glimpse of glory, this snapshot on the mountain, is something like looking into a kaleidoscope. You remember a kaleidoscope, right, a toy you had as a kid, a cylindrical object, or the little cone-shaped toy you had. You look into it, into the light, and you see light and shapes and refractions and different little funny things as you pointed at the different things on your road trip. It made it a little more bearable to take that drive.

We look here into just one snapshot, one instance at the Mount of Transfiguration. And we see all the many perspectives and waypoints throughout the history of redemption, that God is so clearly working in His people, and it's through the Christ, it's through Jesus. All we've needed this morning is to get a glimpse of this glory; and it multiplies in us confidence and rest and assurance in Him, that He is who He says He is, and He'll do what He says He'll do.

Conclusion

Friends, this is the glory of Christmas, as in this season we cast our minds to the cradle and to the cross of Christ, our hopes set on the person and work of Jesus, God become man, dying a sinner's death in the first advent. Yet in this mountain scene, this glimpse of glory, our hope is expanded and extended to see the second advent and the glory that has always been His but that will be supremely and finally and fully His, when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord; when that glorious Christ will, as Hebrews 2 says, bring many sons to glory – that's us. For all those who follow after Christ and listen to Him, we will be with Him forever.

We're going to end our time together this morning and really start this week, this Christmas week at a high point by taking the Lord's Supper together. If you don't have one of these communion packs, you can get one at the sound booth back there right now as I pray. Let's pray to finish our time in the word.

[Prayer] Lord, we are so grateful for Your kindness to us in Christ. You've not only given us Your Son, here this morning we have seen how clearly You have confirmed His Person and His work for us, and it's all in Your word. And so Lord, help us to faithfully follow Him and listen to Him. And would this Christmas be yet another glimpse at the glory and grace of Your Son Jesus, in His name. Amen. [End]

In 1 Corinthians 11, the apostle Paul leaves instruction for us for what we are to with regularity as a church to do and why we are to do it. We are to partake of this ordinance from our Lord Jesus in eating this bread and drinking this cup, and we do this to proclaim His death till He comes. It's a beautiful truth. And so you can begin to peel back the bread side as I read the words of the apostle Paul.

He says there, "For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.'" Let's eat of it together.

[Prayer] Lord, thank You for this bread. It is Your body broken for us, and so we remember and we proclaim Your all-sufficient work on the cross. You yourself bore our sins in Your body on a tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By Your wounds we have been healed, and so we worship You now. Amen. [End]

And now let's partake of the cup together. You can very carefully peel back the cup portion as I read Paul's words in that same passage. Paul writes there, "In the same way, He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.'" Let's drink it together.

[Prayer] Lord, thank You for this cup. It is Your blood shed for us. And without the shedding of blood, there can be no forgiveness for sins. And so You have, once for all, shed Your blood for us. What an incredible truth we reflect on now and we worship You for. Lord, as we go, help us even this week to be reminded afresh of the grace and the glory of Christ, born in a manger, and crucified on the cross, to be exalted forevermore. It's in His name we pray. Amen. [End]

And now a final benediction: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

Church, go this week in peace and in joy. Have a great Christmas.