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Sermon Series: We are currently going through a sermon series in the Gospel of Matthew. Today, we’re talking about a special moment that 3 of Jesus’ disciples witness, and what it means for us today.

Matthew 17:1-13

The Transfiguration

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. ² And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. ³ And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. ⁴ And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁵ He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son,^[a] with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” ⁶ When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. ⁷ But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” ⁸ And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

⁹ And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” ¹⁰ And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” ¹¹ He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. ¹² But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” ¹³ Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

In this part of God’s Word, we get to read about a very unique and special moment that 3 of Jesus’ disciples witness: the transfiguration of Jesus. This passage Scripture gives us a clear picture that Jesus is who He says He is! By taking a look at the reaction of the disciples that were there, we can learn what it looks like to worship God, and avoid some of the mistakes that were made. 

Worship Mistakes to Avoid:

1. Thinking every worship experience will be the same

Matt. 17:1-4, Is. 43:19, 2 Cor. 5:17, Ex. 17:6-7, Num. 20:2-13, Ex. 14:15-16, Josh. 3:7-8

2. Holding others equal with God

Matt. 17:4-5, 1 Tim. 2:5, Heb. 4:16, 7:25, Rom. 8:26-27, James 5:17-18

3. Forgetting about the relationship God has with you

Matt. 17:5-8, Ps. 23:1, Prov. 8:17, John 15:15, Hos. 6:6, John 17:3

4. Not following the Lord’s leading

Matt. 17:9, John 8:47, Prov. 2:1-5, John 10:27-28, Rev. 3:20 

5. Caring too much about what others think

Matt. 17:10-13, 5:10-12, Gal. 1:10, Prov. 29:25, Jer. 17:5, 1 Thess. 2:4, Acts 5:29

6. Being set on your own ideas

Matt. 17:12-13, Eph. 5:18, Gal. 5:16, Rom. 8:5, Acts 1:8

Reflecting on God’s Word

Getting Started

• Take some time to read over Matthew 17-13 and pray. 
• Have you ever read or heard about this before? What stood out to you as we were talking about it? 
• What surprised you as we talked about it?
• When you think about worship, what comes to mind? 
• As we talked about this part of God’s Word, and some mistakes to avoid regarding worship, what stood out to you? 

Diving In

1. Read Matthew 17:1-4. Understandably, Peter wanted to stay up on the mountain. However, that wasn’t God’s plan. We too, can often have the tendency to want to stay in, and even idolise moments where we feel God’s presence the most. Those moments are very important, but they’re not forever. For the Disciples, Jesus had a plan, and it didn’t end on that mountain. The same goes for us, and if we try to stay in the moment, or back to something, without it being God’s will, we will surely miss out on the next thing that God has for us. How can you avoid the mistake of trying to stay in the moment, when God has something different for you?
   • What moments do you idolise?
   • What’s the next thing that God has for you, and how can you be faithful to that? 
   2. Read Matthew 17:10-13. The disciples bring up something that the scribes said would happen. However, when Jesus answers His disciples, He informs them that the scribes had actually missed what they were looking for, and that they did not recognize it. The scribes were too focused on their own vision and idea of what would happen, that they actually missed when God moved. Many times, we today can fall into this same mistake. We can have our own preconceived ideas of how things should look, that we can actually miss what God wants to do in our lives. Take some time, and ask God if you’ve ever fallen into this mistake. 
   • If you have made this mistake, what was it? What can you learn from it? 
   • How can you make sure you don’t make that mistake again? 
   • How can you help others to avoid this mistake? 

Applying the Scripture

What are your biggest takeaways from this passage of God’s Word? 

• What practical step(s) do you need to implement in your life to apply what God has taught you in this passage of Scripture? 
• How would applying this affect your life and your relationship with the Lord? 
• Who can you ask to keep you accountable to applying this to your life?

 

Small Group Guide: