Encounters with Jesus Series: Peter, James and John

Matthew 17: 1-8

Ice breaker

Have you ever had the experience of knowing someone quite well, maybe a good friend or colleague, and then seeing a whole different aspect of their character, perhaps, when they were in a different context to what you’d normally engage with them? Share your experiences of this with each other……….

Introduction

We started this series of ‘Encounters with Jesus’ with Peter, James and John, meeting Jesus for the very first time.

They’d heard John the Baptist speaking of the need to repent and get ready for the imminent coming of the Messiah – the one they’d heard spoken about in the writings of the prophets that were read week by week in the synagogue.  And then through Peter’s brother, Andrew, they’d come face to face with this teacher, Jesus, who’d turned their world upside down.

They’d been travelling around with him now for some while and they’d got to know this remarkable man really well, or so they thought. Although the last few weeks had been a bit of a roller coaster.

Jesus had asked them who they thought he was – a big topic of conversation amongst everyone, from the religious leaders who mostly seemed to be trying to trip him up, to the ordinary folk who had all sorts of ideas. The way he spoke, taught, healed people was so remarkable that some said he was John the Baptist, or one of the prophets like Elijah or Jeremiah, returned from the dead.

When Jesus had asked them what they thought, Peter nailed it when he said, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God’. But then, not long after, Jesus had spoken about going to Jerusalem and being killed by the religious authorities. Peter couldn’t see how that could possibly fit in to this ‘kingdom of God’ that they were all about, and Jesus had said some tough things about commitment and sacrifice, which they were still trying to get their heads around.

Now, Jesus was taking the three of them up a mountain . . . for an unexpected encounter . . .

Read Matt 17: 1-13

Q. What’s your reaction to this passage? Does it seem a bit other worldly? More fiction than fact?

Q. What aspects of this passage seem to confirm that this was factual? (See also 2 Peter 1:16-18)

Q. Getting into the detail, what are the key elements of the occasion?

Jesus’ appearance, v2: ‘His face shone like the sun’ and Mark describes it is as ‘His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them!’

Q. How would you have reacted?

Q. What are the similarities and differences to Moses’ experience on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 34:29)

Q. Moses and Elijah presence, v3: What was the significance of Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus?

Q. What does it say about the relationship of the Old Testament to the New Testament?

Q. What were they talking about? (Luke 9:31).

Q. Peter’s reaction, v4: What do you think about Peter’s reaction?

Q. God’s affirmation, v5: There is a strong parallel with the occasion of Jesus’ baptism in the words that are heard from heaven (Matt 3: 16-17).

Q. Have you ever been in a (good or bad) situation where you’ve had to say ‘Yes, that’s my son or daughter?’, e.g. When using a ‘family ticket’ to gain entrance to an attraction; or to the person sitting next to you at a school play; or admitting to a neighbour who it was who broke their window! What are you doing when you say those words, ‘Yes, that’s my child’?

Q. What is the significance when these words are spoken by God on this occasion?

Q. What would they have meant to Jesus?

Q. What new aspect of Jesus did this encounter reveal to the disciples?

Q. In later life, what did this experience mean to Peter? (2 Peter 1:17):

Q. God’s instruction, v5b: ‘Listen to Him’ what did that mean for the disciples?

Our experience of Jesus:

Q. What was your first encounter with Jesus? Home, school, through friends, church?

Q. What did you think about him then?

Q. Looking back over your life, in what way has your encounter with Jesus changed what you think of him? Particularly recognising him as ‘Son of God’?

Q. What experiences or activities have caused you to change the way you see Jesus?

Q. How does this passage change our perspective and experience of Jesus? Colossians 1:26

Q. How are God’s words ‘Listen to him!’ applicable to us?

Prayer

Take some time now to close by praying for our world, our nation, our church and wider community and for ourselves.