The Arvada enterprise., 1918-04-18
LESSON. FOR APRIL 21
JESUS TRANSFORMED, OR A
PORCELAIN OF THE KINGDOM
OF GOD,

LESSON TExT-Mark s:a-a.
GOLDEN TExT-This IL my beloved
Son: hear ye Him.-Mark 81.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS-Matthew H:1-2o; Luke s:2s-
~: II Peter 1:1-N.
mountain.
INTERMEDIATE Top1c-MeetinE DIFF.
hculties with prayer.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL-James 5:16-
10.
SENIOR AND ADULT roP1c-vision
and service.
The hopes Of the disciples were
crushed when Christ announced his
death on the cross. They were unable
to see how victory could issue from
death. Jesus took with him Peter,
James and John, and went into the
mountain apart by themselves. Ac-
cording to Luke, they went there to
pray (Luke 9:2s). While. doubtless,
he longed for fellowship and sympathy
as the shadows Of the cross were fall
ing upon him, his chief desire was to
get the disciples apart and into state
Of receptivity. SO that he might show
them the methods Of the kingdom. Be-
fore going into the mountain, he de-
clared that there were some standing
in his presence who would not taste of
death till they had seen the kingdom
Of God come with power (v. ~. That
their dropping spirits might be revived
and their confidence restored. he was
transfigured before them. The disci.
pies sorely needed such vision. II
the faith of the disciples was to be
kept through the dark hour Of the
cross which was looming large before
them the light of the eternal must
beam forth. The disciple now, rs
then, needs glimpse Of the glory be-
yond the cross in order to face the is
sues Of the hour.
!. Jesus Christ oIorIned on the
Mountain tvv. 2, 81. He took his dis
ciples "by themselves" and was "trans-
figured before them" This shows the
purpose terminated upon the disciples
and not upon himself. Chrlst's rebuke
Of Peter for his unwillingness to hear
concerning his death apparently for a
time estranged the disciples from him.
To heal this breech. an unusual trans
action was required. His shining raj.
ment" was typical Of that glory which
shall be manifest when he comes back
to the earth.
u. Peter, James and John Repre-
cent israel In the Flesh In Connection
with the Kingdom ". p. Christ is
peculiarly the King Of Israel. Accord
ing to Ezekiel 81 :21-27. they are to be
the central people In the kingdom.
This people shall be gathered from
among the nations, united as one In
that kingdom In their own country.
III. Moses and Elias Appeared In
Glory With Jesus (vv. 4-13). These men
In the gloriifed state are typical of the
state Of the saints in glory. Moses,
who was once denied an entrance to
Palestine, appears now In glory. repre-
senting the redeemed Of the Lord who
shall pnss through death Into the king.
dom. The thousands of the Lord who
have fallen asleep. at Christ's coming
shall be awakened and pass into the
kingdom through translation. Many
shall be living upon the earth when
the Lord shnll come. and they, with
out dying. shall be changed and pass
into the kingdom Il Cor. 10 :5O-53 !:
! Thess. 4:14-1S).
]. Peters foolish proposal (vv. 3, o..
Moses and Elias. who had been a
long time in glory. would be III at
home IN tabernacle on the mountain.
side. II would have been to Peters
credit to have been silent. since he
knew not what to say.
2. The Divine voice out Of the cloud
tvv. Z. 81.
He Is declared to be the beloved Son
In whom God In well pleased. When
one desires to know what pleases God.
look at his perfect Son, Jesus Christ.
3. Jesus charge wv. 0-1S).
He instructed them that they should
tell no man concerning the things
which they had seen until he had risen
from the dead.
~. The Mighty Power Of the Divine
Servant (vv. 1%2s). When they de-
scended from the mountain. they saw
n great multitude In a state OF per-
plexity. The immediate cause Of their
perplexity was the grievous state Of n
young man who was possessed with n
demon ". 1s). The fnther Of the
the young mnn had appealed TO the
disciples to cast the demon out. but
they were unable. When they brought
him 20 Jesus. the foul spirit was re-
bukcd ". 25), md cnme forth. This
young mans stntc is representative OF
the nations who nrc oppressed by the
devil. The people were grIevously op.
pressed.
There nrc times when the devil
In especially active In the Op.
preston Of men. During Christs 40
journ on cnrth he seems 10 have been
very active. md we hnvc renson to be.
lIe,e from the Scriptures TINT Just pre-.
cetiing his second coming he will be
even more active: for he knows Tint
his time In short. One Of the omlnous
signs Of the imminent coming Of IN"
Lord Il the almost universal activity
A. A.