Pastor Slaughter

February 11, 2024

Transfiguration

Theme: A Glimpse of Glory

Text: Mark 9:2-9

 

Today is the last day of the Season of Epiphany. As we made the journey from the River to the mountain we saw the amazing work that Christ accomplished of the world and how he calls us and uses us to proclaim his life saving message. Last week we saw how he has total authority even over the devil. Today we make the journey up the mountain, and we see Jesus’ Glory.

Transfiguration Sunday is unique to Lutheranism. When they made it a part of the set reading for today, they wanted to make sure people saw and remembered Jesus Glory as we begin the solemn season of lent where we are reminded of our sin. Where we see clearly what Jesus suffered for us. Because in the middle of his suffering, it is hard to see his Divine glory.

 

When I preach on Transfiguration Sunday, I initially struggle with how this applies to us.  I mean Jesus goes up on a mountain with Peter, James, and John. Jesus is transfigured before them. The bible describes how “His clothes became radiant, dazzling white, whiter than anyone on earth could bleach them.” And you have Elijah the great prophet of old who went toe to toe with the prophets of Baal, calling the people back to the lord from a wicked king. And Moses the one who led the people out of captivity and into the wilderness. The Great law giver. You hear God speaking “This is my Son whom I love listen to him.” And they go down form the mountain and Jesus tells them not to speak of it until he had risen from the dead. What does this all mean for us here today? Why is this such an important event?

Well let me tell you about a couple men. They recently hear about how their best friend, who was more like a brother than a friend, was going to suffer and die. One of the friends couldn’t accept this. His friend was talking nonsense. I mean don’t give up. Don’t be so willing to leave us. This could never happen to you. You are such a good person. Don’t talk like that. I think some of you may be able to relate to that at some level. The suffering you hear from a friend’s/family’s diagnosis. How you want to cling and hold on to them and not want to let them go.

If you haven’t guessed it, I am talking about Peter James and John. And which one was the one who spoke up? It was Peter who was rebuked by Jesus saying, “Get behind me Satan! You do not have your mind set on the things of God, but the things of men. “And then Jesus talks to his disciples and tells them that they are going to have to suffer, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.”

Can you relate to Peter who his probably depressed because he feels the guilt of his sin hearing Jesus call him Satan? Can you relate with the disciples as you go through suffering yourself, having feelings of depression, anxiety, and worry. Struggle with finances. Facing persecution for the sake of Christ. Becoming overwhelmed by guilt over sin. At those times it is hard for us to see Christ’s glory. It’s almost like it is hidden from our eyes.

It makes sense that when we are suffering, we want to be taken away from it. We are hardwired with that fight or flight response. It’s human nature to want to avoid pain and suffering at all costs. The temptation is in our desire to want to avoid the pain we don’t want to accept what it means that Jesus is the Christ.

Peter didn’t understand what it meant. He just heard Jesus say he would suffer and die and rise on the third day. He didn’t take to hear that it really meant for him to up his cross and follow him because when he was on that mount of Transfiguration, he sees Jesus in all of his glory and Elijah and Moses there, he said, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tents: one for you one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” I don’t what I would have said in his shoes. He wanted to build tents for them. He wanted to stay there.

Think about the comfort in seeing Jesus in all his glory standing before you. For the disciples it would seems like the problems of yesterday just disappeared. They would not have ot worry about Jesus saying he was going to suffer and die. They would not have to worry about the toils and troubles that life brings. They would not have to worry about suffering. There were in the presence of Jesus. Not only were they in the presence of Jesus but they were able to visibly see his divine glory.

Don’t we want that as well? Don’t we just think that things would be better if Jesus showed the world, what he showed there on that mountain? It would be better if he showed us what he showed on the mountain. Jesus telling us with his own lips that we are forgiven. Jesus holding us in his arms telling us it will be ok. Looking at the light radiating from him, would just drown the times where the world feels dark with suffering pain, worry, anxiety, depression. It would be better if you showed us your glory…

It would be better if… what are we really saying? That we know better then God. And if we think we know better than God, we are essentially saying, “God you should listen to me!” Instead of “I will listen to you.”

I think this is why God the Father overshadowed them in a cloud and spoke saying, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him.” Look at the Son God loves. When you do you see his glory. When we endure suffering or hardship, when think that Jesus should listen to us, it maybe hard to see his glory. When Jesus came down from the mountain he looked like any ordinary man. When he came down and made the way to the cross, as he suffered, as he was crucified, it didn’t appear to those watching that he had this glory seen today. But we can’t forget it. Because as one commentator put “He (Jesus) is our glory because he left that scene of glory and went down the mountain to do what shone God’s glory the brightest. Our Lord again ascended a mount—the hill of shame. Upon the cross he proffered himself to agony; his holy soul he offered to set the guilty free.”

Look at the Son! This is the Son that God the Father loves. With these words God is telling us that Jesus has his approval for what he did, and for what he was going to do. Jesus lived the sinless life. HIs sacrifice meant we have the forgiveness. Forgiveness for when we sinned which takes away our guilt. In the middle of suffering worry, for those times where it is hard for us to see Christ glory where we didn’t listen to his words like Peter, He shows us his love in the shame of the cross, his love that demonstrates his true glory in a far more lasting ways than beams of light. Eternal life.

So look at the Son God loves, and listen to him. And how do we do that? We turn to his Word where see his glory, where we hear what he has done, where we hear his precious promises, and he strengthens our faith. When we are feeling down and out, turn to the one who loves you and saves you. See his forgiveness, his love, his glory!  God doesn’t promise us our lives will be a bed of roses, in fact he tells us to expect suffering for his sake. The devil will point to God and say, “You are the cause for all my problems in my life.” But we know that is not true. The problem is sin. God did something about that sin by nailing it to a cross. We have the encouragement that when this is over, he will take us home to be with him for all eternity. Where we will see that glory firsthand and never worry about suffering again.

 

My family in Christ, Transfiguration Sunday We are given a glimpse of Jesus glory. So, when we enter the season of lent, we can see this is the Son whose God loves. The glory that is revealed in the salvation he has won for us. We are reminded in the middle of suffering That YEs Jesus is God. Yes, what he says is for our good. Yes, I will listen because his glory is meaning my salvation.