26th April 2010

Mark 9:1-13 – The Transfiguration – Coming Kingdom

• Jesus’ words "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power." are also mentioned in the other gospels.
• One interpretation is that the coming with power refers to after the resurrection.
• 1 Tim 3:16 -  He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit
• Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man – there are two sets of sayings about the son of man in the Gospels: In one the Son of Man is humiliated & suffers in the other sets the Son of Man is vindicated and glorified.
• His vindication is sometimes described visually [functionally] as sitting at the right hand of God. Which is a functional way of saying a place of power.
• So before His judges, about to be crucified Jesus says; from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.
• So basically Jesus’ saying seems to allude to His resurrection and coming in power.
• Before that the first set of sayings apply – after that the second set apply; His power is greater and so are the miracles plus His movement suddenly picks up huge momentum and the world has never been the same since.
• It is so powerful that the gates of Hades cannot stop it.
• Jesus persevered through so much because He knew they was a coming vindication.
• Christianity is not simply about believing in Jesus; it is about believing in the things Jesus believed in.