Preparation for our preaching in 2014 on (twenty)First Century Christianity from the Gospel of Mark continues. And as your pastors gathered this week for Bible study and prayer, we were reminded again that it is truly all about Jesus.

As pastors, Jesus has not called us to have followers, but to be followers of Him. And in following Him to make others followers of Him. Jesus should be much more than our oratorical objective; He should be the consuming passion of the entirety of our lives.

Our view of Jesus determines the trajectory of our ministry, whether it soars ever higher toward His glory or bends ever lower toward ourselves. If our objective is to be cool in whatever culture we are comfortable (from hip-hop to holy-roller to high-church), the result will be something far less than Jesus’ glory; it will in truth be our own glory.

One of the evidences of a less than Jesus glorifying trajectory is thoughtless speech about ourselves and our opinions. Preachers are notorious for talking a lot. After all preaching is our calling. But if we are always talking, we are never listening.

And while there are many gifted authors who have written Christ exalting books worthy of our time, the Father says of Jesus, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” We cannot speak in a Jesus glorifying way if we have not filled our hearts with what He has to say.

Following are the Scriptures, questions and notes we used to guide us through a time of prayerful Bible meditation together this week. I again would encourage you to consider each passage yourself along with the questions asked. And I continue to ask you to pray for your pastors. Continue to pray that we will recognize and repent of our sins. Continue to pray that we will be found walking in Jesus’ footsteps.

Mark 9:2–9 (ESV)
2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” 8 And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

▪ Is there any significance in whom Jesus chose to take with Him up the mountain? Were Peter, James and John chosen because they were exemplary or because they needed to learn something or some other reason? (Remember what happens in 10:35-45)

▪ What did the transfiguration of Jesus reveal about Jesus?

▪ What was the significance of Elijah and Moses appearing with and talking with Jesus?

Peter’s statement to Jesus – “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah” – has a few important grammatical notes to consider. 1) Peter calls Jesus, Rabbi, a term of honor used for teachers. 2) “Good” indicates something seen as “good” from without, or beautiful. Peter saw it as a really cool and neat thing that he, James and John were here for this moment. 3) “Let us make three tents” is not a request, but an exhortation for James, John and even Jesus to join with him in his plan.

▪ How does our view of Jesus impact the trajectory of ministry?

▪ Is there a danger in “coolness” in ministry? And if so, what is it?

▪ When we are scared and/or at a loss as to what to say or do, do we fall at Jesus’ feet and wait on Him to speak or do we fire from the hip and force a plan on Jesus?

▪ Who does God want front and center? Who is front and center in “our” ministry?

▪ How does constantly listening to Jesus impact listening to sermons, reading books, etc.?