Kingdom Principle: The disciples are struggling to grasp Jesus’ real purpose in coming to earth. He came in order that he might die. The disciples aren’t ready for this. They don’t want Jesus to die. This hesitancy is seen in our own hearts as we would much rather hold on to comfort and security instead of actually following Jesus into death and uncertainty. Peter wants to _______________________Luke 9:33 (ESV) — 33 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. This was one of the three great pilgrimage-festivals of the Jewish year; it was kept for 7 days… This feast had a historical reference to the Exodus from Egypt and reminded the Jews of their wandering and dwelling in booths in the wilderness (Lv. 23:43)… it points to the truth that Israel’s life rested upon redemption which in its ultimate meaning is the forgiveness of sin.Zechariah 14:8–9 (ESV) 8 On that day (the day of the coming Messiah) living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter. 9 And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one. Zechariah 14:16 (ESV) 16 Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths. Seeing God’s glory on the mountaintop was intended to sustain Peter in the valley of the shadow of death. It is the very goodness of God, beloved, that we see in times of “blessing” that sustain us in times of hardship. God is still good in the hard seasons.The Disciples want to _________________________Luke 9:40–41 (ESV) — 40 And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” Jesus first purpose is to do what God calls him to do. But the disciples are distracted from this. They are trying to compete with the religious elite as to who has the better solution to all of earth’s problems. Mark 9:14–18 (ESV) — 14 And when they came to the disciples [that is when they came down off the mount of Transfiguration], they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” Matthew 17:15 says that the boy suffered terribly by falling into fire and water, a condition that Matthew identifies as epilepsy (σεληνιάζεται, selēniazetai; lit., moonstruck; BAGD 746; BAA 1493; Matt. 4:24). Later Judaism debated whether the moon directly caused the disease or indirectly caused evil spirits to roam the earth… The Jews and other ancients saw epilepsy as particularly devastating and as very difficult to cure. Given its supernatural association, the disease caused terror, an important note that adds emotion to the account.’One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness was not from lack of time.’ –John PiperQuestions to consider:What are some things you are distracted by that are keeping you from actually accomplishing what God is calling you to? How might you give these things over to Jesus and trust him in acting for his kingdom?
