22nd July 2026

22nd July 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read (Matthew 17:1–13 focus)


Message (Alan Burke)


A few weeks ago, Scott and I were in Rome. You’ll likely hear many illustrations from us in the years to come about our wee trip and how we fitted a lot in over those almost three days. When we were there, there were many beautiful buildings, wonderful sights, all declaring the glory of man. The day after I arrived home, I did my usual walk on my usual route, and I was struck with the birdsong, the hedgerows, the sun, the sky, and everything in between, all declaring the glory of God. Today I’m sitting in the garden writing this devotion under a tree, hearing the leaves rustle, the birds, feeling the warmth of the sun, and I’m in awe of my God who made it. Oh, what a sight it would have been for Peter, James, and John that day as what had been veiled by the humanity of Christ was suddenly before them as he was transfigured. There we are told that just then Moses and Elijah appeared and were talking with Jesus. What a sight that would have been. 


What was unfolding was directly linking what has come before to what is happening in their day through Jesus Christ. Here we have Moses, who was the mediator of the Covenant with the people of God. He was Israel’s deliverer. He foreshadowed Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, the true deliverer of God’s people. Whereas Elijah was one of the most prominent prophets who was supposed to appear at the dawning of the end time and God’s ultimate redemption of Israel. 


Peter offers to put up three shelters, and at that moment, Peter was interrupted; a cloud appeared, again another illusion to what happened before; the cloud envelopes them, it is a symbol of the presence of God overshadowing them, with the voice of God coming from the cloud saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”. In Matthew’s gospel, the Father only speaks twice at Jesus' baptism and at His transfiguration. Once at the beginning of His ministry and now on the road to the cross. Jesus was not like Moses or Elijah; he was the Son of the living God. The Son is the revealer of the new covenant; it was prophesied in Deuteronomy 18, that there would be a prophet like Moses, one from among them, to whom they should listen (Dt 18:15). Jesus is indeed the fulfilment of the scriptures; before them, they had witnessed the Glory of the LORD, the Son of God, and it brings terror. These disciples, they're on their knees. They're fallen face down to the ground. It’s like, they're prostrating themselves on the ground, so awesome is the sight.


This is what happens here: they fell at their feet though dead; they had come into the presence of God and were confronted with his glory. In the presence of the living God, any pretence of self-righteousness is stripped away; our sin is exposed for what it is. Yet in this we see again a wonderful picture of the grace of our saviour. As Jesus says to them, “Get up. Don't be afraid” (v7). In the presence of the living God, confronted with his glory, they knew what it was to fear, for he is Holy, Holy, Holy. Fear is the natural response of sinful man in the presence of God. For as the psalmist exclaims, “If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, LORD, who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3). The truth is none of us; these disciples were filled with terror for they had witnessed the glory of the LORD, the Son of God, and it brings terror, but grace comes through his suffering for he would rise from the dead. Through Jesus, those who have repented and believed can stand before the Lord because He opened the way for sinners to approach a holy God by His sacrifice. (See Isaiah 1:18 and 1 John 1:9)


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q19 What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?
A. All mankind, by their fall, lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever.
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