Pathway to Victory

David: Hey podcast listeners. Thanks for streaming today’s podcast from Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory is a nonprofit ministry featuring the Bible teaching of Dr. Robert Jeffress. Our mission is to pierce the darkness with the light of God’s word through the most effective media available, like this podcast. To support Pathway to Victory, go to ptv.org/donate or follow the link in our show notes. Now, here’s today’s podcast from Pathway to Victory.

Dr. Robert Jeffress: Hi, this is Robert Jeffress, and I’m glad to study God’s word with you every day on this Bible teaching program. On today’s edition of Pathway to Victory, and this cloud, the presence of God, enveloped the disciples and they became fearful, and the voice came out of the cloud, God the Father saying, "This is my son, my chosen one, listen to him." Can you imagine an experience like that?

David: Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress. Can you point to one or maybe two events in your life that can only be explained by supernatural means? These miraculous moments are certainly uncommon, but in times of doubt, they can restore our faith and lift our spirits. Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress looks at one such extraordinary event that took place on a mountaintop. But first, let’s take a moment to hear some important ministry updates.

Dr. Robert Jeffress: Thanks, David, and welcome again to Pathway to Victory. Around the world, Christians are preparing to celebrate the Holy Week. And with Easter Sunday right around the corner, it’s appropriate that we give our full attention to Jesus, our risen Lord and Savior.

But first, I’d like to extend a personal invitation for you to join me on the upcoming Pathway to Victory cruise to Alaska. The dates are June 13th through 20th. Talk to anyone who sailed with us a few years ago and you will hear their enthusiasm for this life-changing vacation. For me and Amy, Alaska holds a special place in our hearts. The sheer magnitude of God’s creative power on display there is something everyone should experience at least once. So what are you waiting for? Check out the exciting details and reserve your cabin today by going to ptv.org.

Earlier this week, I concluded a teaching series about spiritual warfare called The Divine Defense. It’s not too late to request my book by the same title. We’d be happy to send a copy to your home when you’ll follow the simple instructions at the end of today’s message. In The Divine Defense, I’ll walk you through six powerful strategies that will revolutionize your spiritual life and give you practical tools you can apply immediately. This is your field manual for daily winning the war. All right, I’ll say more about these opportunities later on. Right now, it’s time to open our Bibles to Luke chapter nine. I titled today’s message, A True Mountaintop Experience.

I’ve heard many sermons like you have about the birth of Jesus, about the death of Jesus, about the resurrection of Jesus, but I don’t recall ever hearing a sermon about the most supernatural event in Jesus’ life outside of the resurrection. It is an event that we commonly refer to as the transfiguration of Jesus Christ.

And in the few moments we have this morning, we’re going to do four things. First of all, we’re going to look at the timing of this event. That’s crucial. Secondly, we’re going to look at the details of the event. Third, we’re going to talk about the purposes of this event. And finally, we’re going to glean some timeless truths from this event for us today.

First of all, let’s look at the timing of this event. It’s found in verse 28 of Luke chapter nine. This event that we’re looking at takes place eight days after the sayings we talked about last week in which Peter said, "You are the Christ, the son of the living God." He said approximately eight days after these sayings, it came about that Jesus took along Peter, John, and James, and went up to the mountain to pray.

And so once again, these disciples begin to doubt who Jesus is, and so Jesus is going to display to them once and for all his true identity. And so he takes the representative leaders of the 12 apostles, Peter, James, and John. He takes them up to a mountaintop for an experience they will never forget.

Now, let’s look at the details of this event. We looked at the timing of it. It was when the disciples were starting to doubt again who Jesus was. Let’s look at the details of the event. Verse 29: "And while Jesus was praying, the appearance of his face became different, and his clothing became white and gleaming." "Became different." Underline that in your Bible.

In Matthew and Mark, the words are "he was transfigured." Here, it says "he became different," but in all three synoptics, it’s the same word in Greek. It’s the word we get our word metamorphosis. He changed. Matthew 17:2 gives us even further details about this event: "And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as lights."

His face was so bright that they illuminated his clothes. I think Peter probably thought to himself as he watched this miraculous display, he thought to himself, "I never knew how right I was last week when I said, 'You are the Christ, the son of the living God.'"

Now, if that was not enough, notice what else happened in verse 30: "And behold, two men were talking with Jesus, and they were Moses and Elijah." From heaven came two divine visitors, Moses and Elijah. Why these two guys? The most probable explanation is what they represented. Moses represented the law. Elijah represented the prophets. The law and the prophets were the two main divisions of the Old Testament.

Look at verse 31: "Who," talking about Elijah and Moses, "appearing in glory, were speaking of his departure which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem." They were talking to Jesus about his departure. That is the Greek word exodus. And they were talking to Jesus about his exodus which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

What could they tell Jesus that he didn’t already know? I don’t think they were giving Jesus new information. They were there to encourage Jesus. Jesus was not looking forward to the experience of the cross, not only for the physical suffering but because of the spiritual suffering he would go through. And so God knew his son needed encouragement, and he sent Elijah and Moses back.

Now, Peter and his companions had become overcome with sleep. Their first response to a prayer meeting was always to sleep. Anything over five minutes, they’re out. All right? But when they were fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.

And it came about as they were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here, and let us make three tabernacles." He wasn’t realizing what he was saying. His mistake was not in wanting to prolong this experience. You know what the mistake he made was? Peter still didn’t get it. Jesus was not just another lawgiver. He was not just another prophet. He was the unique son of God.

And while Peter was saying this, while he was saying "let’s build a booth for each of you," a cloud formed and began to overshadow them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. What is this cloud? This cloud was the Shekinah. The Shekinah. And the cloud throughout Scripture was a symbol of the presence of God.

As one writer says, this cloud, this cloud right here, was the same cloud that led the Israelites out of Egypt. It was the same cloud that led them miraculously through the Red Sea. This was the cloud at the front of the tent of the meeting when Moses and God met together. This was the cloud that surrounded the shepherds on that hill in Bethlehem when the angel announced that the Messiah had come. And I believe that this cloud is the very same cloud that a generation of Christians, perhaps you and I, will ascend into one day when we shall be raptured to meet the Lord in the air. This is the cloud, the presence of God.

And this cloud, the presence of God, enveloped the disciples and they became fearful, and the voice came out of the cloud, God the Father saying, "This is my son, my chosen one, listen to him." Can you imagine an experience like that? God the Father saying, "This is my son, listen to him."

The words of God the Father that day actually were an echo of what Moses had written 1,400 years earlier. In Deuteronomy 18 verses 15 and 18, Moses prophesied of the coming of Christ. He said, "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you and from your countrymen, and you shall listen to him. I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak them to them all that I command him." Now 1,400 years later, God is saying, "This is the one Moses talked about. This is my beloved son. Listen to everything that he says."

Verse 36: "And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen." What was the purpose of this supernatural encounter the three apostles had with Jesus? First of all, there were certainly for the disciples themselves a purpose for it. It was a way of confirming that Jesus was exactly who he said he was and that they should pay attention to everything that he said.

You know, it’s interesting to me that they didn’t talk about this event for decades. Nobody said a word about it. But they treasured it in their heart. The Apostle Peter, when he was an old man, looking forward to the time he would be in heaven as he wrote his last letter, he wrote about this experience in the words we read just a few moments ago.

Second Peter 1 verses 16 through 18, Peter wrote: "For we want you to know," this was Peter’s last testimony, "we want you to know, we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." That is, we and the other apostles didn’t sit up in a room and make all this stuff up. This isn’t some myth we created.

No, he said, "We were eyewitnesses to his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to him by the majestic glory," that is, God the Father. He said, "'This is my beloved son with whom I am well-pleased.'" Some people think he’s talking about his baptism when God said that. No, the apostles weren’t there at that time. No, he’s talking about the transfiguration.

Look at verse 18: "And we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain." This was a confirming sign for the apostles that Jesus was who he said he was. For Jesus, this experience was meant as an encouragement from God. Again, Jesus dreaded going to the cross. Remember in the garden of Gethsemane he prayed, "Lord, if there is any other way to accomplish the plan of redemption, please show me and show me now."

But there was no other way. There’s no other way for somebody to be saved other than the way of Calvary, the cross. The death of Jesus Christ for our sins was the only way to make atonement for our sins. And so Jesus needed encouragement as he faced the cross, and God sent that encouragement.

You know, this experience Jesus had reminds us that God’s way is often difficult. It’s not easy. It’s costly, not cheap. But God’s way is always best. And God sent Moses and Elijah to remind Jesus of that truth. We can easily see the purpose of this experience for the disciples and for Jesus himself, but what about us? Why is this included in Scripture for us? I do think there are some principles for us that are different than the central truth of this passage.

Let’s talk about the principles first of all. You know, the disciples’ encounter here was a true supernatural event. It’s what I call a milestone moment in their spiritual life. And we all hopefully have milestone moments when we can look back and say, "This is what God did."

Three truths about milestone moments. First of all, milestone moments are necessary. They’re necessary. Let’s face it, we don’t get to see these divine manifestations of God’s power like the Israelites experienced. We are not like the apostles. We’re now separated by more than 2,000 years from a visible Jesus Christ on earth. And that’s why I believe every now and then, God allows us to experience a milestone moment to confirm our faith in an invisible God.

Have you had a milestone moment? Hopefully you had one or two experiences you can look back on and see the hand of God. Maybe it was a dramatic answer to a prayer. Maybe it was God meeting a specific need at just the right time and in just the right way. Maybe it was a so-called coincidence that could not be explained any other way than by providence, the miraculous working of God.

Hopefully every one of us has one or two of those milestone moments. They’re necessary. But secondly, milestone moments are extraordinary. They’re extraordinary. They are extraordinary. They are beyond the ordinary. The word supernatural, super means above that which is natural. By their very definition, milestone moments don’t happen that often. That’s why we call them miracles and not usuals. They are the exception, not the rule of life.

They occur rarely. And by the way, notice what the apostles did. They didn’t go around telling everybody about their miracles. They kept it to themselves for a long, long period of time. Miracles are extraordinary, milestone moments.

Thirdly, milestone moments are secondary to God’s word. Listen, milestone events, they can be very meaningful, but their meaning is fleeting. They dissipate very, very quickly. That was true for Peter. I mean, look at all that he experienced. He had just had this milestone moment on the Mount of Transfiguration. It wouldn’t be long afterwards that he was in the courtyard of Caiaphas the high priest, denying Jesus Christ not once, twice, but three different times.

Milestone moments, their effectiveness wears off after a period of time. And that’s why our faith cannot be centered on experience. Our faith is centered on the unchanging truth of God’s word. Remember the story Jesus told about the rich man who died and was in Hades? Being in flames and in agony, he cried out, "Father Abraham, give me relief for I am in agony in these flames." Abraham explained, "I can’t do anything. There is a great gulf between you and me. I can’t come over to you and you sure can’t come over to me."

And in a moment of unexpected unselfishness, the rich man actually started to think of somebody other than himself. He said, "Well, if you can’t help me, help my brothers who are still alive on earth. They don’t believe you yet, but if you would just send somebody back from the dead, they would certainly listen and obey." And Abraham said no. He said, "They have Moses and the prophets to listen to. They can read the Scripture."

And the rich man said, "Well, you don’t understand. My brothers aren’t church-going brothers. They don’t ever read the Bible. They won’t listen to the Bible, but if somebody were to come back from the dead, surely that would get their attention." And in Luke 16:31, Abraham said to him, "If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if somebody rises from the dead."

If they’re not going to be convinced by Scripture, they’re not going to be convinced by a supernatural experience. And of course, that’s exactly what happened. Even after Jesus was raised from the dead, the majority still dismissed that supernatural display of God’s power. Milestone moments are necessary. They are rare. But they are secondary to the truth of God’s word.

Now, those are some principles that come from this story, but none of these principles is the central truth of this story. The central truth of the transfiguration is found in verse 35 of Luke 9 when God the Father said from heaven, "This is my son, my chosen one, listen to him."

What did he mean? He was saying, "This is the Messiah. This is my son. Therefore, everything Jesus says is true. Therefore, you better listen and follow everything he says." That’s the central truth of this passage. Since Jesus is the son of God, we must believe and act on everything he says.

Well, pastor, Jesus said a lot of things. Is there anything in particular God had in mind here when he said, "This is my son, listen to him?" I think there’s something he did have in mind. And the apostles in just a few months were going to have an experience in Jerusalem that all the Israelites experienced. And I think God was foreshadowing what it is that the Israelites needed to listen to from the lips of Jesus.

One commentator sets the story this way. Listen to this carefully. Several months after the transfiguration, Jesus and his apostles were in Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles. It was the end of the festival and the night before an unforgettable ceremony. The illumination of the temple had taken place before four massive golden candelabra topped with huge torches. The candelabra were as tall as the highest walls of the temple.

At the top of each candelabra were mounted great bowls that contained 65 liters of oil. There was a ladder for each of the candelabrum, and when evening came, young priests would climb the ladder and light the massive wicks. Eyewitnesses said that the huge flames not only illuminated the massive temple, but much of the city of Jerusalem. The Israelites would dance under the candelabra, celebrating the great pillar of fire which was the presence of God that had led their ancestors out of Egypt.

The next morning, after that ceremony, Jesus stood in front of the charred torches which were still in place. He lifted up his voice above the crowd, and he proclaimed, "I am the light of the world." No one standing there misunderstood what Jesus was saying. Standing under those candelabra that had provided that brilliant illumination the night before, Jesus was saying, "I am he. I am the light that led your ancestors out of Egypt. I am the light that led you through the Red Sea. I am he who surrounded Mount Sinai when God gave the law to Moses. I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness but will have the light of life."

Ladies and gentlemen, when you come to that place in your life, when you believe what Jesus says, when you believe that he is the only light that can lead you out of the darkness of this world and death into the presence of God, when you come to that realization, you have experienced a miracle just as great as the apostles experienced at the transfiguration.

What a grand moment in history. On top of that mountain, Jesus declared his deity. And for generations to come, Jesus has been a bright light shining in the darkness. In that spirit, and as we enter into the Holy Week leading up to Resurrection Sunday, would you join us in this all-out effort to spread the gospel far and wide?

Maybe it’s been a while since you sent a donation to Pathway to Victory. Perhaps you’ve never done so. I can assure you that God will use your gift, no matter its size, to bring men and women into his forever family.

Now, I’ve been a pastor a very long time, but I don’t remember a season more urgent than the one we’re living through right now. While there are glimpses of hope coming from our nation’s capital, we know that Americans are divided. Look, Washington DC, while critically important, cannot heal our land. America can only be saved one soul at a time. Now’s the time. Please join us as we endeavor to shine a light of hope to the world. And when you give a generous gift to support Pathway to Victory, I’m going to say thanks by providing my best-selling book on spiritual warfare. It’s called The Divine Defense. Whether it’s anger or irrational fear or loneliness, God doesn’t want you to feel defeated by the enemy. My book The Divine Defense gives you the spiritual equipment to win your relentless battles. Here’s David with all the details.

David: When you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory, we’ll say thanks by sending you Dr. Jeffress’s best-selling book, The Divine Defense. As an added bonus, we’ll also send you the Equipped for Battle brochure. To request your copy, call 866-999-2965 or visit online at ptv.org.

You could also make your donation by texting PTV to 78800. And when you invest in this ministry with a gift of $100 or more, you’ll also receive the Divine Defense teaching set on audio and video disc. You’ll get the companion study guide and an illustrated book for children titled Suit Up for Kids. This beautiful book teaches children that God has given them everything they need to win their battles. To make your request, call 866-999-2965 or visit ptv.org. You could write to us at this address: PO Box 223609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. Again, that’s PO Box 223609, Dallas, Texas, 75222.

I’m David J. Mullens. Every day, companies bombard us with offers they say we just can’t pass up. But what about the greatest offer ever made? Find out why so many people reject it. That’s coming up Friday on Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas.

You made it to the end of today’s podcast from Pathway to Victory, and we’re so glad you’re here. Pathway to Victory relies on the generosity of loyal listeners like you to make this podcast possible. One of the most impactful ways you can give is by becoming a Pathway partner. Your monthly gift will empower Pathway to Victory to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and help others become rooted more firmly in his word. To become a Pathway partner, go to ptv.org/donate or you can follow the link in our show notes.

We hope you’ve been blessed by today’s podcast from Pathway to Victory. Oh, and one last thing before we go: have you reserved your spot yet for the 2026 Pathway to Victory cruise to Alaska? You’ve been hearing me and Dr. Jeffress mention it, so what are you waiting for? Just picture yourself on the deck of Holland America’s elegant Koningsdam and stepping out on deck to witness nature’s grandeur. It’s beautiful. These moments in God’s creation will deepen your faith in powerful ways, it really will. Experience five-star dining, luxurious staterooms, and visiting iconic ports like Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. We’re also bringing along our own Christian entertainment, you’ll love it. Seats are filling up, so book your spot today at ptv.org.