32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became
fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him – Luke
9:32.
It may seem strange that the disciples should have been very sleepy in
the midst of everything going on. One of my most embarrassing
moments still remains from Ukraine. It was August 1998. I was working
with OM in Hungary. It had been a long last 48 hours – with a team
coming back from Teenstreet – an OM teenager conference – and a
damaged van that needed sorting out – and getting ready to hand over
our street evangelism work to my colleagues.
Then myself and a few others were going to Western Ukraine. I managed
90 mins sleep. From Budapest via train. A friend of mine took a terrible
photo of me sleeping on that train. We arrived in Munkacs before next
day we’d be going to the hills to do some teaching for the youth. I was
staying with Valentin’s family – a young Hungarian pastor – and we were
chatting and I was really tired and more and more drifting and then the
guy wanted to tell me his testimony which was an awesome one but to
be honest I fell asleep in the chair listening to this guy talk about how he
believed in Jesus. He was very gracious. He said maybe I should go to
bed…
That phrase reminds us – how these three will again be remembered for
being sleepy – in Gethsemane. It is easy maybe to be hard on them – but
Daniel , in Daniel 8, was awake and then fell sleep when Gabriel was
revealing many great things to him. So the disciples weren’t the only ones
to be sleepy in the presence of the supernatural…
However they had to be awake to see the glory of Christ.
Let’s focus on that.
They needed to be awake to see Christ’s glory.
Why?
A) they needed to be awake so that the transfiguration could be known
as a fact. It was not a daydream or an illusion. It was a fact. Just like
Christ was born in Bethlehem, as he had worked as carpenter, as he had
walked up that mountain, as he had healed the sick and cast out demons
since his baptism, and as he really did die on a cross on Calvary, it was a
fact on a mountain near Galilee, that was was transfigure and those three
disciples saw that wonderful glory.
Peter wrote years later, in 2 Peter, about this day. He does not remember
– or maybe it was not important – what he said. But he knew what he
SAW. They saw his glory.
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses
of his majesty. 2 Peter 1:16
He had not imagined it, like some semi-conscious state when we are half
awake. They saw Christ and his companions from the glory land.
Peter did not remember what he said but he also remembered what he
heard. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the
voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom
I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that
came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 2
Peter 1:17-18
He had to be awake to confirm this all happened and to share it with us.
b)They saw his glory.
Jesus the Servant King. The Lord let ‘’some beams of his glory shine out’’
(Spurgeon) even when he was here. And think of it, if incarnate among
us, his face shone so bright – then what must his glory be in heaven at
the right hand of the father?! Face brighter than the sun, eyes like fire,
feel like brass in a furnace. And think – for a moment, the veil was lifted –
his disciples overwhelmed – what must it be like to see his face for ever
in glory land?
Do we envy these three men – as they saw our Lord? It was all so
glorious, so glorious was he – our Lord Jesus – that Peter called that
mountain – the sacred mountain – remembering the mountain on which
Moses – the same Moses who appeared to Jesus – had cried ‘’ now show
me your glory!’’
Would we not also want something like that – a glimpse of Christ’s glory
with our eyes awake. Can we cry like Moses – Now show me your glory…
what do we want when we sing ‘’fill this house with your glory’’ and do
we long for it…
2. It is necessary for us to be awake to see Christ’s Glory.
a) We need to be awake to who we are.
Do we remember how much we need his grace? Not just for salvation but
day by day? I guess if we begin to think we have it all, don’t need him for
much, beyond salvation at the end, then what glory does he hold for us?
But if we realise how we are dependent on him, for the peace, joy, love,
courage, everything? Do we remember how weak we really are – our
sins, our struggles, our fears – yet as we are awake to our weaknesses,
our needs, our dangers, we will see his glory… for we will rightly value
him…
Someone prayed : Lord awake us to know what we are, for then shall we
begin to see the glories of thy son!
b) Also we want to be awake the mercies and grace we receive.
Can we be asleep about the blessings we receive and have received.
Think of how God opened our hearts and eyes when we heard about
Jesus; think of the redemption and salvation achieved for us as he was
handed over to men; think of how we are called God’s children – given a
right to be one; think of how his blood cleanses us from every sin; think
how the third person of the Trinity dwells within you; think how we have
been lifted up, held up, supplied, taught, comforted, strengthened; think
of what is still to come – more peace, joy, patience, goodness; think of
how what the Lord has began he completes; and think of the entrance
into the new heaven and new earth that awaits you… Let our minds think
on these wonders, and bless they Lord for each one as they come to us…
When we are awake to all this grace and mercies, surely we see our
Lord’s glory…
All these blessings, they make us see what a glorious Saviour and Lord he
is to you.
Again a prayer ‘’Father of mercies, wake us up to a sense of thy mercies
that we may see the glory of Jesus in them all.’’
c) Yet we need also to be awake in our spiritual disciplines.
The American author Annie Dillard once said, “How we spend our days is,
of course, how we spend
our lives.” … How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.
Our prayers. When he was praying. Jesus who prayed despite all his
advantages.
How are our prayers… does it get fitted in or is it a priority in the day.
UK figures from 2021 had us spending 2 ½ hours on social media and
more than 3 hours watching tv / netflx whatever. And yet we fit in
prayer… we are too busy to pray…
And in our singing. Praise is a blessed way to get near to Christ… yet can
we sing mechanically?
Or does our praise echo what Revelation 4 and 5 want to capture us with
– the whole of creation rocking with heartfelt praise for the Lord…
When we come to the Lord’s table – do we come, half awake? Do we see
the glory of Christ in this sacrament. Or is it a piece of bread, a sip of
wine…
When they were awake they saw his glory…
Final thoughts
Let’s use the verse one more time.
They became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing
with him Luke 9:32.
Looking ahead, some of us will probably fall asleep, all unless the Lord
returns.
We fall asleep, as the NT calls that state of death Christians fell into.
But think of what a waking is to come…
First of our soul, for as Paul says – I desire to depart and to be with
Christ– when we see him as he is.
What will those first 5 minutes of being with him be like? If there are
minutes in eternity.
And then the joy when we are raised. The trumpet sounded, we see his
glory…
And all that will come – that first glimpse of Jesus on his throne, a sight
beyond all compare,
The dwelling of God is with man…
And then his prayer is answered: 24 “Father, I want those you have given
me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory.’’
We go to sleep each night – content to know that such a waking as
Christians awaits us. We will awake and see his glory…
Prayer…
May the Lord grant to you and me the bless of awakening to behold his
glory in this life and in the life to come… Amen.