A Panel Discussion Between Moses, Elijah and Jesus

ALL – Psalm 73:1-28
ALL – Proverbs 12:10
OT – Deuteronomy 18:1-20:20
NT – Luke 9:28-50

You’ve seen it at leadership conferences, weight-loss retreats, church planting networks, universities, and Fortune-500 companies. When experts get together, people pay attention. After all, what’s better than one expert? How about a whole panel of them? If you want to learn, you turn to the experts, and panel discussions are wonderful opportunities for learning because experts sharpen one another and spur on one another’s best thinking.

If you want to know God, you ought to listen to the experts. Peter, James and John had that opportunity one day. They went up a mountain with Jesus, and while they were there they saw Moses and Elijah appear with them on the mountain. Not only that, but Jesus was gloriously transfigured before them. These three men represent all the wisdom God has revealed; Moses represents God’s Law (part of the Old Testament), Elijah represents God’s Prophets (another part of the OT), and Jesus is the center of our entire New Testament. What greater experts could you find to point the way to God? In this panel discussion of the ages, what did they talk about?

They were splendid in appearance, glorious to see; and they were speaking of his death at Jerusalem, to be carried out in accordance with God’s plan. – Luke 9:31, The Living Bible

They were talking about the culmination of Jesus’ ministry! The cross! The resurrection! Perhaps even His ascension (other translations say they were talking about “his departure”)! Moses (the Law), Elijah (the Prophets) and Jesus all agree: Jesus’ cross is our way to God!

Let’s pay attention to this panel discussion.

But let’s notice one thing more: our hope is not in the panel. Our hope is in the Expert of experts, the Servant of servants, the Guide of guides, the Lord of lords and King of kings—Jesus Christ. As Peter and the other two disciples began to realize what was going on, they responded with awe and wanted to set up camp right there, to hold on to all three of these wonderful people. But God intervened:

And a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him.” Then, as the voice died away, Jesus was there alone with his disciples. – Luke 9:35-36, The Living Bible

Moses and Elijah never expected to receive the glory and honor and attention we give to Jesus. They came to lead us to Jesus. They came to introduce us to our God, the King, the eternal Son, the one who would one day die for our sins, conquering sin—only to rise from the dead three days later, conquering death, too.

Are you listening to Him?

To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.