Intro Picture a rod of iron; it’s cold and black. Yet, when the iron rod rests within an intensely hot flame, it also becomes hot and glows with light. Yet, the heat and light that radiate from the iron rod are not a reflection of the fire. They are, instead, part of the properties of fire revealing itself through the iron rod. Through its union with fire, the qualities of fire make themselves known through the iron.
And so fire and iron help us to understand, in some small way, the mystery of Jesus’ transfiguration. For the glory of God that shone through Jesus that day was not something that reflected off Him. It came from within Jesus Himself. As heat and light display themselves through iron that is united to fire, so also did God’s brilliant glory emanate from, and display itself through, the flesh of Jesus. Main Body Listen again to how St. Matthew described it. “His face,” which refers to His humanity, “shone like the sun,” which refers to Jesus’ Divinity. “His clothes,” which were covering a body of flesh, “became as white as the light,” which is the glory of God. What we heard today testifies to the truth of Christmas. “The Word became flesh,” the Apostle John says (John 1:14). “In Christ, all the fullness of God’s nature lives in him,” is how the Apostle Paul puts it (Colossians 2:9). And the Small Catechism explains it through these words: “He is true God, born of the Father in eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary.” Because of that, Jesus could reveal some of the glory of God through His human flesh. That’s why we can say--even boldly confess--that in Jesus Christ, God suffered, God shed his Blood, and that even God died. That’s what each Christian is to believe. That’s what each Christian is to confess, as he is able. That’s also what the Apostle Paul told the pastors at Ephesus, when he told them “to shepherd the Church of God, which he [that is, God] purchased with his own Blood” (Acts 20:28). And it had to be that way--if Jesus’ death was going to save us! For if Jesus were only a man and lived a perfect, sinless life, He would have only saved Himself. However, because Jesus was both God and man, he could do more than live the perfect life. He could also take all our sins into Himself, and then die our death. And even more, because Jesus is also God, His perfect life and death could save the entire world! His death is then credited to us for our life. And so I ask you this question. On which mountain did God’s glory shine most brilliantly? Was it on the Mount of Transfiguration? Or was it on the mount just outside of Jerusalem, called Golgotha, where Jesus’ beaten and bloody body, nailed to a cross, slowly and painfully died in darkness? The answer is Golgotha! For Christ’s death, because it was God’s death, fully brought about the salvation of the world, made necessary because of our Fall into sin. Jesus’ true glory came through the cross. And because we are members of His spiritual body, the Church, through the Word attached to the waters of holy baptism, His death and resurrection become ours. Glory comes to us only through the cross. Moses and Elijah, with whom Jesus spoke, clearly show this to be. What did they look like on the Mount of Transfiguration? Their bodies glowed with God’s glory. However, their bodies were not the source of God’s glory but reflected it. But it wasn’t always that way. The earthly lives of those prophets of God were full of crosses. Moses’ mother, Jochebed, had to abandon baby Moses in the Nile, so he could live. Later, as an adult, fleeing Egypt, threatened by Pharaoh, Moses returned to be God’s instrument of liberation for the Israelites. Yet, he had to spend the last 40 years of his life leading a stubborn, stiff-necked people through a barren and hostile wilderness. For Elijah it wasn’t any easier. He had to battle King Ahab and his Baal-worshipping wife, Jezebel, and then even flee to Horeb to save his life. His crosses had so discouraged him that he once begged God to take his life. But now look at them! The crosses are gone. Bliss and glory have replaced their crosses. For on the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter, James, and John get a preview, a glimpse of what awaits them on the Last Day. They see that Christ has transformed Moses’ and Elijah’s lowly bodies, so their bodies are now like His glorious body. And Jesus will do the same for you. But first, we are to carry the crosses that we receive as His disciples. But that’s the problem, for we don’t want to wait. We want the glory now. We want all our crosses to flee far away from us. In that way, we’re a lot like Peter. Peter foolishly suggested to Jesus: “Lord, it’s good that we’re here. If you want, I’ll put up three tents: One for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (Matthew 17:4). Peter wanted Jesus to bypass the shame and humility of the cross, so he could, as well. And how do we know that? In the verses right before our Gospel reading for today, Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come with me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25). So Peter, wanting to avoid the crosses awaiting him, but also excited by experiencing some of God’s glory, doesn’t want to leave the mountain top. Yet, we find a few moments later, when Peter experienced more of God’s glory, when the bright cloud of God’s glory enveloped him, he fell to the ground terrified. So also did James and John. But why should they shake with fear when the cloud of God’s glory surrounds them? Why weren’t they trembling earlier? Jesus was shining like the sun. His clothes were as white as uncreated light. Both Moses and Elijah were standing next to Him in the air. That should’ve been enough for the disciples to quake in holy awe, but it wasn’t. When God reveals Himself in His glory, it’s not safe to be around--not if you’re a sinner! In the book of Exodus, the Lord told Moses to keep the people from coming up Mt. Sinai. For them even to come part way up the mountain, they needed to be covered with blood. For sin had ripped them apart from God, and it was only by death that they could safely again be brought together. At Sinai, before God gave the Ten Commandments, the elders of Israel could approach the Lord only after the shed blood for their sins was dripping from their beards. The Lord received the blood as an atonement for their sins. And so the Lord didn’t raise His hand against the Israelites. They saw God, and they ate and drank. Jesus has wrapped Himself in human flesh. He has taken human nature into Himself. That’s why Jesus can allow some of His glory to shine through His humanity without destroying His closest friends. Although He shines like the sun, His light does not beat down on them. Peter, James, and John are not set ablaze like the stubble that they are. Because of the Lord’s mercy, they see God and live. Yet, Peter knows, because of his sinfulness, that someone cannot see God and live. And so he trembles in fear, because he knows that sin has tainted and infected him, and before Him blazes the glory of God. And so Jesus came and touched His disciples and said, “Get up; don’t be afraid” (Matthew 17:7). And the word coming from the Word, Jesus, does what it says. Their fear is calmed and they are resting in Jesus’ peace. Jesus has done what was needed. Yet, let us think further on the implications of what Peter wanted. If Jesus had stayed on the mountain, then there would’ve been no crucifixion in Jerusalem. And if Jesus bypassed the crucifixion, we would have no life or salvation. So, Jesus ignores Peter. And when Peter, James, and John then look, Moses and Elijah are gone. Jesus now turns His face toward Jerusalem. There, He will go. There, He will suffer. And there, He will die. Although Peter wants mercy for Jesus on the cross, Jesus will find no mercy there. The Father will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will scatter. Jesus will drink in the full cup of God’s wrath. Mercy for Jesus would mean an eternal hell for all the Peters of the world, even for you and me. And so Jesus turned His face toward Jerusalem. When Jesus didn’t let Peter have his way to bypass the cross, we learn just how important God’s death in Christ Jesus is! His death means that we don’t have to fear God’s wrath, as Peter did on the Mount of Transfiguration. For Jesus has taken in God’s wrath, and, in its place, has forgiven us our sins. That means we are now recipients of His mercy, grace, and love. What else does Jesus’ cross of death mean for us? It means that even the crosses that come into our lives will, in the end, turn out for our good. And so the death of our God, in the end, means that we don’t even have to fear our own death, as Peter did when he denied his Lord three times. As Jesus died and rose to glory, so also will you die and rise to life eternal. It’s as sure and certain as Jesus’ own death and resurrection. Conclusion And as the flesh-and-blood Jesus came to His disciples and touched them to give them His peace, so also does He come to you. Your flesh-and-blood Savior will also come and touch you. In His Supper, His body and blood will touch your lips and go into your body to nourish you with life, salvation, and the forgiveness of sins. Even now, even today, Jesus still comes in the flesh to redeem those in the flesh. So, come now to receive Him and His life and salvation for you. Amen. -- Rich Futrell, Pastor Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Kimberling City, MO http://sothl.com Where we receive and confess the faith of the Church (in and with the Augsburg Confession): The faith once delivered to the saints, the faith of Christ Jesus, His Word of the Gospel, His full forgiveness of sins, His flesh and blood given and poured out for us, and His gracious gift of life for body, soul, and spirit. _______________________________________________ Sermons mailing list Sermons@cat41.org http://cat41.org/mailman/listinfo/sermons
