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Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this last Sunday of the Epiphany, right before we begin our journey to the cross in the season of Lent, the text for this Transfiguration Sunday comes from the Gospel reading regarding that Transfiguration. You may be seated.
Look at me when I’m talking to you! When my dad said that, I knew I was in deep trouble. Because he wanted my complete, full, utter attention. I knew when he invited me to listen to him, it wasn’t an invitation that was to be taken lightly. It was an invitation that only a father can say to his son. It is implying that I am to not just listen, the old going in one ear and out the other, but listen intently, listen humbly, and listen obediently.
In this morning’s Gospel reading, such an invitation was given to Peter, James, and John. This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him. But that invitation is being given to you this morning. This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him. Intently, listen to Him humbly. Listen to Him obediently.
Now, it’s the last Sunday of Epiphany, Transfiguration Sunday. Epiphany began back on January the 6th with the visitation of the wise men to the little baby Jesus and Mary and Joseph. Jesus was approximately two years old, the text says. And after that epiphany or manifestation that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, and that he is both God and man, the next Sunday was the baptism of our Lord, which… By the way, it was the only other time in the texts of Scripture where the Father’s voice speaks from heaven and said, This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. But this morning he adds one other line as we just said. He adds, Listen to me.
After the baptism of our Lord up until today, we looked at miraculous healings and miracles of various kinds. Even the driving out of demons. Listen to me. This is the climactic end to Epiphany. It is the manifestation or the epiphany or the revelation of Jesus as God and man, but more importantly, it reveals Jesus’ glory, which for you is muy importante. It is very important because it is Jesus revealing who you are going to be like in your flesh and blood body when you enter heaven. A Lutheran Christian sermon. That’s the kind of hope that you and I will die in. That is the kind of hope in which we live our life here and now in by faith.
Now the moment of when this happened is very interesting. Days before, approximately six days before, did Peter, the one who can never keep his mouth shut, confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God? In answer, Peter to the question that was given to all of the disciples, who do you say that I am? But remember what happened? Peter, who couldn’t keep his mouth shut, having said something so supernal in the theological realm of truth, at the same time when Jesus tells them that he will suffer, be rejected, and die, and rise again, Peter says to Jesus, come here, Jesus, this shall never happen to you. And Jesus says to Peter, get behind me, Satan.
Well, Peter is not without words this morning either. Here they’re on this monumental event on this mountain. And the father is having a transaction of information between him and the son and Moses and Elijah. And Jesus takes with him that holy trifecta, Peter, James, and John, so that they can see it and give witness to it up on that mountain.
Now, so important was this that Peter made sure he wrote about it in his second epistle. Listen to what Peter wrote about this very event in 2 Peter. Peter writes, We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. But we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father… And the voice was born to him by the majestic glory, this is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased. We ourselves heard this very voice born from heaven. And we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention.
On this mountain did Peter and the other two actually hear and see the very things that our text talks about. So that not only are we hearing it from Matthew, Mark, and Luke in the gospel readings, we are also hearing it from the eyewitnesses, Peter. Now this revelation that God gives on this mountain to Peter, James, and John, showing them his glory and in effect showing them their glory, glory to be revealed upon their death. Did Paul write about? Listen.
So it is with the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown perishable, but the body that is raised is imperishable. The body that is sown into the ground is a natural body. The body that is raised is a spiritual body. Just as we all have borne the image of the man of dust, the dust man, the dirt man, meaning Adam, so we shall also bear the image of the man from heaven, Jesus. Just as we see in the text how he was revealed with glory, so shall we bear that image upon our resurrection. That is our hope, not wishful thinking, fully confident of the promises that God has declared.
Back to Peter. As I said, he can’t keep his mouth shut. As he’s listening to this conversation between Moses and Elijah and Jesus, they’re talking about this very glory to be revealed, and they’re also talking about another kind of glory, a different kind of glory, a glory that will also be revealed, but it’s a glory you will never have to bear, for they spoke of the glory of Christ’s crucifixion for you. That’s your glory. Why else do we call the Friday upon which Jesus died Good Friday? It’s only good for you, not for him.
These things are things that will be seen, but even if they’re seen, that’s not how they are believed upon. They are believed upon by faith that God gives you to trust in these revelations that God has presented to you in his holy word. Peter says, because he can’t keep his mouth shut, and the text says that, he did not know what to say. Peter opens his mouth and says, Lord, it’s good to be here. Let’s build a little tabernacle for you and for Moses and for Elijah, and let’s just stay here in this glory.
And that’s a problem you and I have. We’re always craving for better days, aren’t we? Always craving for better days. Never satisfied with the present. Always thinking that our days aren’t as good as their days. Always measuring ourselves and saying, well, at least my worst day is not as bad as his best day. Do you even know what a better day is? Do any of us? Jesus revealed it to Peter, James, and John on that mountain. But in order for them to receive that better day in heaven, there has to be someone giving up that better day for them.
In that crucified body on that cross, did Jesus give up? The better day that you may have the better day. No matter what you experience in this life, even though flippantly it’s written about, sung about, that we’re going through hell on earth, that is the most understatement of all statements that can be made by a mortal creature. The only hell on earth is there, where Jesus experienced hell for you. That you may have the glory he revealed to Peter, James, and John. That your hope may be fixed firmly upon the one who showed himself to you so that you would have hope in knowing you will be restored to your glory. The glory to be revealed upon your death.
There’s only one better day, brothers and sisters, and that better day isn’t found here in this life and in this time. When Peter was wanting to build that temple for these three men, notice what happened. He no more gets those words out of his mouth, Lord, it’s great to be here, let’s do that. Then what happens? Moses and Elijah vanish, the cloud descends, and they go from being in deep awe to being terrified, the text says. And they fall flat on their faces in abject humility.
And out of the cloud does the voice that’s only spoken to this world in hearing sense at his baptism speak again and adds only one more phrase to what he spoke at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. He adds only one more phrase, the point of this morning’s sermon. Listen to him.
Don’t let it go in one ear and out the other. Listen intently. Listen humbly. Listen obediently as you would to your parents and to your teachers and to your mentors, to your most beloved. Listen. And not just once, but constantly, repeatedly, continuously, that you may not fear God. But that you may be confident the better day has been promised and revealed in Jesus on this mount.
And he will show it one more time before he ascends into heaven. Thomas, behold my hands and my side. Put your hands here. Feel me. Stop doubting and believe. When he reveals himself in glory after his resurrection. The body that you and I will have. Glorified. Perfect. Touchable. Seeable. That is what God has spoken to you for us to listen.
In this world there are lots of sirens. Not the kind on top of a police car or a fire engine, but voices that sing unto you to draw you into the reefs of destruction. Everybody wants your attention from the TV to your cell phone to your iPad and your laptop. Everybody and everything wants your attention.
Now God didn’t say, look at me when I’m talking to you. He might as well have said that because we need to be stopped in our path so that we listen and hear again what God has done for us. That the best day of all has been reserved for us. By Christ who suffered the worst day of all, and he suffered it eternally for you in the name of Jesus who was revealed this day in glory. Amen.
The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and your minds on Christ Jesus to life everlasting. Amen.
