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??Introduction：Who is the Lord Jesus' Maybe you have heard what others have said about Him, but what do YOU really think about Jesus'Body：Even after following the Lord Jesus closely for three years, still some of His disciples weren't sure about the Lord Jesus. One day Jesus asked them, "Whom do people say that I am？" They answered, "Some say You are John the Baptist; and others say You are Elijah or Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets." Boys and girls, you will remember from our last lesson that Elijah had gone to Heaven in a whirlwind. Now the Lord Jesus was on earth about 900 years later, but people thought perhaps Jesus was Elijah come back to life. Of course Jesus was NOT Elijah or any of the other prophets.
??Then Jesus asked His disciples, "Whom do you say that I am？" That was a harder question for most of the disciples to answer! But Matthew 17：16 tells us Peter boldly answered, "You are the Christ, the son of the living God." Was Peter right？Yes! Jesus told them that the Father in heaven had revealed that answer to Peter, for Jesus is indeed the Son of God!
??Main Truth：If you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior from sin, you also know He is the perfect Son of God. God's Word says that we are to honor and obey God's Son as our Lord, which means our Master. In Matthew 28：18 Jesus says, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth..." Do you as God's child truly honor and obey the Lord Jesus, God's Son？Do you tell others about Him？If you know the Lord Jesus, don't be ashamed to tell others Jesus is the Son of God!
??Peter was not ashamed to confess that Jesus is the Son of the living God! About six to eight days after this, Jesus took His 3 closest followers, Peter, James and John, up into a high mountain. Jesus went apart from them to pray. Peter, James and John also began to pray, but Luke 9：32 tells us, "But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep：" As the disciples slept, an amazing thing happened! Suddenly the face of the Lord Jesus began to shine as the sun and his clothes became very white and radiating with brilliant shining light! What was happening？Even though Jesus was still here on earth, Jesus was being changed into His heavenly glory! Revelation 21：23 tells us that there will be no need of a sun or moon in the city of Heaven because Jesus in His glory will shine with such great brightness!
??That day on the mountain as Jesus began to change, suddenly there appeared with Him two men, Moses and Elijah. How could this be possible？Moses had been dead for about 1400 years, and you will remember that Elijah had been taken to Heaven in a whirlwind, and that had been 900 years ago! But where had Moses and Elijah been all this time？In Heaven with the Lord Jesus. Heaven is God's wonderful forever home where no one ever dies, or grows older. God Who created everything, including you, also made Heaven. He made it not only for His home, but He loves you and wants it to be your forever Home also! Because God is perfectly pure and holy, there can be no sin to spoil Heaven. It is a perfectly beautiful place, full of love and joy and safety. Moses and Elijah had been enjoying heaven all these years, but God had sent them down to earth to talk to our Lord Jesus. What do you suppose they were talking about？Perhaps about the wonderful miracle of when God opened up the Red Sea and Moses led the people of Israel across on dry land？No. Maybe they talked about when Elijah went to Heaven in the whirlwind？No. Luke 9：31 says they spoke of Jesus' death "which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." They were talking about the most important event of all time：When the Lord Jesus would die on the cross and take our punishment for sin.
??Gospel：It was the very reason Jesus had left Moses and Elijah and all the other believers in Heaven and come to earth. Jesus' name meant "for he shall save his people from their sins." Sin is the biggest problem in the world. You remember that sin is breaking God's laws, whether it's thinking, saying or doing wrong.
??God says we have all sinned, and that "the soul that sins, it shall die." Ezekiel 18：4. God is speaking of a forever death, being separated from Him and His wonderful Heaven. Every person in the world is born in a helpless condition, with a sin nature that causes us to be lost from God. Can you understand why you need a Savior from sin more than you need anything else？God saw our need, and in His great love He sent His own beloved Son to meet that greatest need. Moses and Elijah had come down from Heaven to talk to Jesus about how He was going to meet that need. To save us from our sin meant Jesus would have to die, and He knew that. Because of His great love for us, He was willing to be hated and cursed and spit upon, and then beaten and nailed to a wooden cross. Even before any of His disciples knew, Jesus knew He was going to die for us. In John 15：13 Jesus told why He was willing to die for us："Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
??As Jesus talked with Moses and Elijah about his coming death, suddenly Peter, James and John woke. Luke 9：32 says, " ...and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him." Can you imagine their surprise？! The Bible says Peter, James and John were also very afraid. Peter, not really knowing what he should say, spoke："Master, it is good for us to be here：and let us make three tabernacles (places of worship); one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah." But while he was speaking, a cloud came over them, and they heard a voice coming out of that cloud, "This is my beloved Son：hear him." Who was that speaking？It was God, and He was rebuking Peter! God wants us to worship the Lord Jesus only, not Moses or Elijah or any one else.
??Main Truth：Today many people worship and pray to Mary, or Saint John or Peter or others. Is God pleased with that？There is only One Who is the Son of God, only One Who loved us and gave His life for us, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. God's Word says, " ...God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name：That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2：9-11. If you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior from sin, don't be ashamed to confess, or to tell others that He is the Son of God, and that He is your Lord. As a child of God serve and obey your Lord every day, and tell others about Him! Think about how our Lord Jesus loved and served us, and remember He saved you to serve Him and tell others about Him! When we get to Heaven and see all the wonderful things He has prepared for us, it will be worth anything we have to suffer here on earth. As we enjoy Heaven forever, surely we will be so glad we were not ashamed to tell others of the Lord Jesus while we were on earth!
??Peter, James and John had the privilege of seeing a little bit of Heaven's glory on the mountain that day! And God had reminded them to keep their eyes on Jesus only, to listen to Him! When God lifted that cloud from the three disciples, they looked around and Moses and Elijah were gone. Then Jesus led them back down the mountain to join the other disciples. Jesus told them not to share what they had seen on the mountain that day until after He had risen from the dead. The disciples did not understand what Jesus meant about rising from the dead, but you and I know. It would be just a short time later that Jesus would go to the cross to die for our sin, and three days after He would rise from the dead.
??Now the Lord Jesus is in Heaven at the right hand of God the Father. Can we say our Bible memory verse for today, John 3：35？"The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand."
??Invitation：If you have never believed in the Lord Jesus, can you see you need to do that right now？John 3：36 says, "He that believes on the Son has everlasting life; and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath (anger) of God abides (stays) on him." The anger or punishment of sin must be on you, unless you tell the Lord Jesus you are believing on Him and ask Him to save you. If you want to tell the Lord Jesus you are believing on Him today, go now to "How to be a Child of God" and follow the steps!
??Challenge：If you have already believed on the Lord Jesus, are you obeying and telling others about Him？Never be ashamed to tell others that Jesus is the Son of God and that He is your Lord. But telling others about Jesus means that you really need to be believing and obeying God's Word daily! Jesus said, "Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do the things which I say？" Ask God to help you obey and tell others. Ask Him to show you two people to whom you should speak about the Lord Jesus this week!
??Why not tell them about this program？In closing let me ask you：Where is the prophet Elijah today？He is still enjoying heaven, after about three thousand years! And he will be there forever! If you know the Lord Jesus you will get to meet Elijah someday! Right now you can be sure he would urge you to serve the Lord Jesus faithfully and tell others about Him, for your reward in Heaven will surely be great, and it will be forever!
