Last week I tried to give you an overview of the Transfiguration of Christ. Let me try to refresh your memory. Six days after Jesus said some people would see Him in His glory, three disciples saw Him in His Glory. I believe that this metamorphisis took place in order to authenticate what Christ had just told everyone. It particularly highlighted “how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.” James, John and Peter saw Christ in His resurrection glory. They also heard the voice of the Heavenly Father – “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Additionally, they saw two Old Testament saints who had been sent back from heaven in order to discuss Christ’s “decease” – His “exodus.” The Son of God talked with Moses and Elijah about His sacrifice and His resurrection for our salvation. The three disciples were left speechless by it all – or at least as speechless as Peter could possibly be.
Luke tells us that “as (Jesus) prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.” That word “glistering” is used only once in the Bible, but in other literature it refers to lightning. Mark tells us that “He was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.” And as we read in Matthew, “His face did shine as the sun, as his raiment was white as the light.”
As I was asking the Lord for a message, He brought to my mind a couple verses from the Book of John. Then as I meditated on them for a few minutes I saw how they meld with the story of the transfiguration. “Jesus (spake) again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” A chapter later He said, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” I’d like us to make a quick survey of those scriptures and one in Acts before returning to Matthew 17.
We read from John 9 a few minutes ago, and I invite you to turn there once again.
Of course this scripture begins with the man who was born blind, and the common Jewish misconception about cases like that. “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” Why is it so common for us to think the worst when it comes to personal tragedies in others? We don’t ask that question when WE are struck down with some disease or accident. Why do we think like this when these things befall others? After shooting down the misconception, Jesus gave the man sight, which he had never had before. And in the process He said, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Despite what poets like Bliss might say, Jesus’ statement had little to do with the healing of the blind man. Christ was saying, “I am here in this world, because I have a work to perform – I have a commission.” “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” Jesus had a work, and a commission, and a schedule – “the night cometh, when no man can work.” Apparently the coming night referred to His death – His exodus from earth. But – “as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Notice how the Lord Jesus summarized His commission – He was performing “the works of God.” “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” As far as this poor blind man was concerned, the Person who is “the light of the world” gave him sight. But keep in mind that there is more than one kind of “sight.” Isn’t there is a difference between eye-sight and insight? There is also a difference between physical sight and spiritual sight. In II Corinthians Paul describes a group of people as “lost.” “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” And for that reason Paul preached the gospel of Christ Jesus the Lord – “the light of the world.” In Ephesians 4 Paul made reference to that same group of people. “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.” Then he described them as past feeling and “given over to lasciviousness” and uncleanness. In a fashion somewhat like the blind man of John 9, myriads of human beings are spiritually blind. What did Jesus say to Nicodemus in John 3? “Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Have YOU be born again? You, me – all of us – need the One who is “the light of world” because without Him we are blind.
In John 8 there is another place where Christ Jesus called himself “the light of the world.”
I can’t tell you with absolute assurance that Jesus’ statement is directly linked to the opening events of that chapter, but it seems to me to be the case. John 8 opens with a bunch of wicked Pharisees bringing a sinful woman before the Saviour. She had been caught committing adultery, and the Pharisees were hoping that they could use her to discredit Christ. “But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.” They continued prodding him, that they might have to accuse him, but He remained silent for a while. Then he said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her,” before writing in the dirt once again. After a few seconds, slowly the woman’s accusers gave up the fight and left. “When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
The next verse, verse 12 says, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” There may not be a direct connection between the adulterous woman and Jesus the light of the world. But the word “then” is generally used as a conjunction, so they seem to go together.
In that light, doesn’t “the light of the world” reveal something to us? A few nights ago, Judy and I had just gotten home and had taken our coats off, when I remember that I needed something from the garage. When I opened the door, the lights on garage door opener were still on. But when I got to the other side of the car, the timer expired, and I was enveloped in blackness. I couldn’t see anything – I was temporarily and thoroughly blinded. Because of my blindness, I needed a light – I needed a revelation. The accusers of that woman were just as blind as I was until “the light of world” began writing in the dirt. Light exposes things – it is a means of revelation.
Another thing which light can do is purify. For the last 64½ years I have suffered from excema, but it’s always worse in the winter than the summer. That’s because certain parts of ordinary sunlight kill the cause of my disease. “Men” – in the sense of general humanity – “love darkness, because their deeds are evil.” In John 8 the presence of the “light of the world,” drove those wicked men from the battlefield. And then to take that a step farther – Jesus said to the woman, “Go, and sin no more.” I can’t tell you that she obeyed. But I can tell you that if she had remained in the presence of the Son of God, she probably did not sin. “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness.”
Not only does light reveal and purify, but it also is a key ingredient in life itself. It is said by some that on more than one occasion, the tiny island of Iceland, nearly destroyed life on earth. There have been huge Icelandic volcanic eruptions which spewed so much ash into the atmosphere that it nearly blocked out the light of the sun. Temperatures plunged around world, and plants struggled for light enough for photosynthesis. When vegetables can’t vegetate, then animals die, eventually taking human beings with them. Sunlight is one of the essentials for life upon earth. But there is a sense in which the Son of God – “the light of the world” – is even more essential.
Now please consider Acts 9, for one more illustration before we return to the transfiguration.
Acts 9 describes the way Saul of Tarsus became a believer, a disciple and then a servant of Jesus Christ. Saul was a wicked, wicked man – partially because of his ignorance. He sincerely thought that he had was a servant of Jehovah – one whom he had never met. One day Saul was on his way to Damascus, Syria in order to persecute Christ’s saints in that place. But the Lord had other plans, and Christ initiated a very spectacular meeting. Saul heard a voice unlike any other voice he had ever heard. And he saw a light, one which few people had ever seen and survived. “As he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?”
That divine light ripped open the heart of the man and exposed it. Light has the ability to reveal – and THIS light is exceptionally exceptional at it. Then like a powerful flashlight, the “light of the world” gave Saul direction, showing him where to go. But more importantly, at some point there in those few minutes outside of Damascus, under a light which made the afternoon sun look like a candle, Saul was purified by Christ – “the light of the world.” He became a new creature, “old things (instantly) passed away; behold, all things became new.” Temporarily, Saul lost his physical sight, but he gained insight and spiritual sight which he’d never possessed before.
I could, and probably should, spend much more time on Saul of Tarsus, the blind man and that woman, but….
Let’s return to the transfiguration.
As Christ was praying, all of a sudden the glorious light of the Son of God began to radiate out of Him. The word’s “glistering” and whiter “as no fuller on earth can white” suggests that the brightness which radiated out our Lord was brighter than a thousand simultaneous lightning bolts. That light didn’t shine out of His eyes like some Hollywood special effects stunt. It seems that every inch of the Saviour’s body instantly began to glow. It was the true nature of the Second Person of the Trinity coming to the forefront where it should have always been.
The Bible clearly declares that the one whom we know as Jesus Christ was first revealed as the Creator. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” “For by him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible.” One aspect of creation was light – “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” Wasn’t that light ignited by the pre-transfigured Son of God? – “the light of the world?” By the way, light was created, and sustained earth’s plant life for 24 hours before the creation of the sun. On that day, 6,000 years later, towards the top of Mt. Hermon, the Creator was revealed to the disciples – the original, the one and only Light of the World was exposed once again.
I plan to deal with this subject more fully later, but the disciples heard the voice of the heavenly Father. “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” What happened in John 8 just before Christ said, “I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness?” Essentially He told the Pharisees to shut up and listen to what He was writing in the dirt. “I have something to reveal to you.” And when Saul was just about to enter Damascus, didn’t the Lord tell him, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” Saul had the proper response, “Speak, Lord, for thy servant hearth.” He didn’t slink off as some of his Pharisee friends had done. He was overcome by everything, including the “Light of the World.”
Last week I raised the question; “Why out of all the Old Testament saints were Moses and Elijah selected to come and speak to Jesus.” I suggested that perhaps it was because one was translated and the other died mysteriously. Bro. Gaston mentioned to me after the service that perhaps the reason was that Moses is the one man most closely connected to the Old Testament law, and Elias, or Elijah was one of the prophets. I plan to return to this idea next week, but let’s consider Bro. Terry’s idea for just a moment. “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” The great prophesies of both the Old Testament and the New are wonderful, exciting and encouraging. But they contain almost as much mystery as they do revelation. And the Old Testament law, as important as it is in revealing our sinful condition, can’t supply us with the answer for our sins. “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” “The light of the world” is infinitely more important and beneficial than either the Law or the Prophets.
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness.” Without Christ, “the light of the world,” we are blind just like that man in John 9, but much worse – blind spiritually. Without Christ, “the light of the world,” we are sinners doomed to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire. Without Christ, “the light of the world,” we are lifeless and hopeless. “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness.”
The purpose of the Transfiguration was to corroborate and authenticate Jesus’ earlier revelation. “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.” The disciples rebelled at that thought, but that sacrifice was essential for our deliverance from sin. For three hours later that Spring, the world became a dark place because, in a sense, the “the light of the world” had been extinguished. But three days after His crucifixion He arose victorious over the grave. Now the light of the world is as bright or brighter than it has ever been.
Peter, James and John were given a special revelation of the “light of the world” the source of revelation, purification, sanctification and salvation. You and I don’t need to witness the transfiguration. We need to experience what the transfiguration revealed – salvation in the person of the “light of the world.” As sinners you and I need to be reborn – regenerated through the grace of God, like Saul of Tarsus, who saw the light. Do you still need to repent? Is your faith and hope in something other than Christ Jesus? I beg of you, repent before God and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ – “the light of the world.”