Matt5-2

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

B. Think:

1. What does the location of this event suggest?

2. What does what happened to Jesus suggest?

3. Why do you think Peter said what he said?

C. Comment:

About a week after Peter's declaration, Jesus takes the inner core of the twelve with him up a mountain. Mountains in Scripture speak of encounters with God and so this is to be an encounter with heaven (Luke tells us he went to pray). When they arrive something of the reality of heaven breaks through and perhaps it is something of Jesus' previous glory in heaven (see Jn 17:5) that is seen.

Then Moses, the symbol of the Law, and Elijah, the symbol of the prophets who is to restore all things (Mal 4:5,6 & Mk 9:11 -13) appear, and Luke (Lk 9:28 -) tells us they talked about Jesus death. Shortly after this Luke tells us (Lk 9:51 ) that Jesus set out resolutely for Jerusalem , so this seems a last planning / confirmation meeting before the Cross. Obviously a significant meeting!

Peter's reaction is to want to establish or prolong what is happening by putting up shelters for each of them, but again Luke adds that Peter didn't know what he was saying. That seems to infer he just uttered what was the desire of his heart, but that wasn't to be. Suddenly a voice from heaven repeats the same words that had been uttered at Jesus baptism ( 3:17 ) and adds, “Listen to him!” The message is quite clear: God is giving his approval to his Son for the benefit of the disciples, so they had better listen!

D. Application:

1. Listen to Jesus! Do what he says.

2. Worship & honour him as the glorious Son of God that he is.

Chapter: Matthew 17

Passage: Matthew 17:6-13

A. Find Out:

1. How did the three disciples respond to the voice? v.6

When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified.

2. What did Jesus do and say? v.7

But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid."

3. What did Jesus instruct them? v.9

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

4. What did the disciples ask? v.10

The disciples asked him, "Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?"

5. What did Jesus say about Elijah? v.11,12

Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands."

6. What did the disciples then realise? v.13

Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

B. Think:

1. Why do you think Jesus told the disciples not to tell what happened?

2. What do you think the question about Elijah indicates?

3. How is the “Elijah ministry” both past and future?

C. Comment:

The disciples have seen Jesus' glory and they have heard the Father's voice and, for this moment at least, there seems little doubt in them about who Jesus is. Very well, says Jesus, but keep it to yourselves until after I have been raised from the dead. Interestingly they make no comment on this; they seem too taken up with what has just happened to query that. But, they reason, if you are the Messiah, what about the prophecies about Elijah coming back before the Messiah comes? (see Mal 3:1 & 4:5) That's all right, continues Jesus, Elijah has already come, and in the way he describes him the disciples realise that Jesus was referring to John the Baptist.

The ministry of the returning Elijah was to prepare the way of the Lord and establish a new family unity, according to Malachi. John had already done that in a measure, and yet in Jesus' words there is also a sense of something yet to be fulfilled in the future. This is a ministry yet to be completely fulfilled before Jesus returns again, for Malachi referred to it as happening before the judgement day when Messiah would come to judge, and that is still in the future.

D. Application:

1. God always prepares the way before He sends His Son, whether it was

for his first coming, coming by his Spirit or his second coming.

2. The preparation is always of people's hearts. Do we allow the Lord to

prepare our hearts for his coming?

Chapter: Matthew 17

Passage: Matthew 17:14-18

A. Find Out:

1. What happened when they got back? v.14

When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him.

2. What was happening to the man's son? v.15

"Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.

3. What had he done with what effect? v.16

I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him."

4. What was Jesus' reaction to this? v.17

"O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me."

5. What did he then do and with what effect? v.18

Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.

B. Think:

1. What seems to be the state of the man?

2. Why?

3. Why do you think Jesus appears frustrated?

C. Comment:

They arrive back, having come down the mountain, only to find a desperate man. He had obviously brought his demon possessed son to the other disciples for deliverance but found that they were incapable of dealing with the demon. Now at this point we might start feeling a measure of sympathy for the disciples, for perhaps we have never cast out a demon and wouldn't have fared any better. Jesus, however, is not so tolerant of what has been happening. His reaction indicates that he would have expected them to have been ale to deal with it. He simply gets on with the job and the boy is delivered.

The question arises, does Jesus expect every one of us to be able to deliver a demon possessed person, or is this only the job of an apostle? Well yes, the apostles did seem to exercise special authority but in John 14:12 we find Jesus saying “ANYONE who has faith in me will do what I have been doing”, so it is not a matter or role or position but simply of faith. The challenge must come: do we have faith in Jesus? If so then we will do these things. But there are very few demon possessed people about, you might say. Wrong! Not in the church maybe, but plenty in the world. As we reach out to the world, the need is there. Are we ready for it?

D. Application:

1. Ask the Lord to release faith in you to become a Christian who can

move in faith with power and authority.

2. Ask the Lord also to touch your heart for the lost world.

Chapter: Matthew 17

Passage: Matthew 17:19-23

A. Find Out:

1. What did the disciples ask where? v.19

Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

2. What was Jesus' answer to that? v.20a

He replied, "Because you have so little faith

3. What did he say they could do if they had what? v.20b,21

I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, `Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

4. Where did they move on to? v.22a

When they came together in Galilee

5. What did he say was going to happen? v.22b,23a

he said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life."

6. What did the disciples feel? v.23b

And the disciples were filled with grief.

B. Think:

1. What had prompted the discussion on faith?

2. Why, do you think, a large amount of faith isn't necessary?

3. Read Rom 10:7 & Heb 11:1 What are the “ingredients” of faith?

C. Comment:

The remaining disciples had not been able to deal with the demonic boy and so once they are on their own with Jesus they ask what the problem was. Lack of faith, says Jesus. By what he goes on to say, he implies that they virtually had no faith at all, because look, he says, if you had a grain of faith you can move mountains. Why?

Well, when we read the two verses noted above, we find that faith comes from hearing, and it is hearing what God has said. All faith originates in God speaking. When it comes to healing it may be different people who have heard but SOMEBODY will have heard God speaking saying He wants to bring it. When God has spoken, then you have that assurance or certainty that it will happen. It doesn't matter how big or how small that certainty is, you will just know that you have heard God and therefore it WILL happen.

What had happened in the case of the boy was that the disciples had probably worked on the basis of “this is what you do” or “this is how it works” which completely left God out of it. If, instead, they had prayed and asked Father they would have heard His desire to heal and could then have ministered on the basis of that.

D. Application:

1. Faith comes from listening to God.

2. When God has spoken His will then you can do it with certainty.

Chapter: Matthew 17

Passage: Matthew 17:24-27

A. Find Out:

1. Who asked Peter what, where? v.24

After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum , the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax ?"

2. What was Peter's reply? v.25a

"Yes, he does," he replied.

3. What did Jesus ask, when? v.25b

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. "What do you think, Simon?" he asked. "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes--from their own sons or from others?"

4. What was Peter's reply? v.26a

"From others," Peter answered.

5. So what was Jesus' conclusion? v.26b

"Then the sons are exempt," Jesus said to him

6. Yet what did he instruct Peter to do? v.27

"But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours."

B. Think:

1. What, do you think, was Peter defending?

2. What point was Jesus making in v.25?

3. Read Exo 30:12-14, 38:26, 2 Chron 24:6,9

C. Comment:

As they come back to Capernaum , having been away some time in the north, Peter is approached by one of the local tax collectors and asked if they have recently paid the tax they each paid that was used to help maintain the temple in Jerusalem . Of course, replies Peter, wanting to appear a good law-abiding citizen. Yet the moment Peter gets back to the house Jesus (?by word of knowledge or was he nearby when Peter was approached?) raises the subject with Peter.

Note who Jesus speaks about: kings and their families. No, kings do not take taxes from their own families. Now look what Jesus now implies: I am a son of The King and therefore my Father doesn't tax me! We have here another of those very low key claims to divinity that Jesus makes. But then comes something more, an act of grace: “so that we may not offend them”. Jesus is concerned not to go out of his way to upset those who are only doing their duty and would not understand. So he tells Peter to go and perform a miracle to provide the money! Out of Peter's natural ability (fishing) Jesus will bring the miraculous.

D. Application:

1. We may be sons and daughters of the kingdom but we are not to go

out of our way to offend the sons of the world.

2. Jesus can take our “secular” or natural occupations and bring

something more out of them to bring blessing.

RECAP: Transfiguration, Trying Times & Taxes- Matthew 17

SUMMARY :

In this second group of 5 studies we have seen :

- Jesus taking Peter, James & John on the mountain

- Jesus being transfigured with Moses & Elijah

- Peter wanting to hold onto the experience

- Jesus teaching about Elijah coming again

- the other disciples having a trying time with a demoniac

- Jesus explaining their problem was lack of faith

- Peter replying to a tax collector

- Jesus providing for him

COMMENT :

Jesus is first revealed in his former glory on the mountain. Then he is revealed as the one who has no problem dealing with the enemy. Finally he is seen as the one who can provide miraculously. In each case he is completely in control. He is the king, he reigns!

On the mountain Peter interferes foolishly. Later on with the tax collector, he speaks foolishly. Meanwhile the rest of the disciples reveal the poverty of their faith. These are the men to whom Jesus is going to entrust the evangelization of the world! And he still does!

LESSONS?

1. Jesus is the all-glorious Son of God from heaven.

2. We are not to try to control wonderful revelations.

3. Before Jesus comes, there is always preparation.

4. Small faith is sufficient to achieve great things.

5. Jesus is able to provide miraculously through normal life.

PRAY :

Thank the Lord he takes our weakness and uses it to his glory. Thank him that he provides. Ask for your faith to be enlarged.

PART 3 : "Teaching on Humility & Mercy"

In chapter 18 we find another block of solid teaching about childlike humility, God's wonderful grace & mercy reaching out to the lost, the grace and mercy that he wants us to have towards one another. He is the example, and we are to follow that example. Watch for it.