Sermon preached at Our Savior for the Last Sunday after Epiphany, the Transfiguration of our Lord. Text: Luke 9:28-36
It Is Good for Us to Be Here!
I don't know how many people watched the opening ceremony of the Olympics a couple of nights ago, but it was quite a spectacle. Thousands of people were there in the stands. Amazing visuals and music were happening on stage. But the part that stood out most from what I saw was all the different countries' teams walking into the stadium. The crowds would cheer, and the athletes would walk and wave.
This part of the ceremony was for more than just entertainment. I've heard that walking into the stadium like they do is actually important for the athletes. After all, they are about to embark on quite a struggle. The Olympics are about competitions, competitions for which these athletes have trained years. But as they walk into the stadium to the roar of the crowd, the athletes get moments of glory. And it energizes them. It gets them ready for the struggle ahead. They've been to a lot of competitions, but now, as they walk and wave to the crowd, the athletes know they're ready to compete in the Olympics.
This is also important for those of us just watching the games. We could watch most of these sports at other times, but most of us don't. Why? Because it's not the Olympics! It doesn't have the same excitement for us. But when we see those opening ceremonies, when we see those athletes waving in all their glory, we realize that these are Olympic athletes. We realize that they're worth our time and attention over the next two weeks.
You might struggle to see what the opening ceremonies of the Olympics could possibly have to do with Jesus' transfiguration. But really, they have some striking similarities. The transfiguration was an amazing spectacle filled with light and glory. Jesus, too, was about to start on an incredible struggle. He would not compete in a sporting events; he would do battle with the devil himself as Jesus walked the road to the cross. Yes, right after the transfiguration, Jesus made his way to Jerusalem where he would be arrested, tortured, and put to death. The transfiguration is the opening ceremonies to Jesus' struggle against sin, death, and the devil.
Jesus didn't need the transfiguration for himself. But there was a great benefit for his disciples and for us. Because there we see exactly who our Savior really is. He's not some man going off on a fool's mission to die in Jerusalem. He is the true God of power and glory who was going to defeat sin, death, and the devil for us once and for all. And because of his victory, the glory he showed on that mountain is the glory we will share with him in heaven. And until that day, he's the same Savior of power who is with us no matter what. So as we look to our Savior, we can say along with Peter in our text, "It is good for us to be here!"
It probably didn't start out as anything unusual when Jesus "took Peter, John, and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray." (Lk. 9:28) That was probably routine. But the routine changed pretty quickly. "As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning." (Lk. 9:29) This is pretty hard for us to imagine. We've all seen flashes of lightning before, but they're just that: flashes. They don't last long. Jesus and his clothes changed and stayed that way. Imagine looking at a bright light bulb for a long time and it might give you an idea.
But Jesus was just showing who he really was: God. He'd always been God. The Bible reminds us that he had been there at the beginning (Jn. 1:1), in fact, everything was created through him! (Jn. 1:3) Of course he has all kinds of glory and power; he always has! But then, as the Nicene creed reminds us, "For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human."
When Jesus became human and was born, he did not become any less God. He just hid his true glory as God, and he didn't always make use of his full power as God. But there, on the mountain of transfiguration, Jesus showed his true glory.
How amazing it must have been! How comforting! Think about those disciples. Sure, they knew who Jesus was, at least they thought they did. Just before our text Peter had made a great confession that Jesus was the Christ. (Lk. 9:20) They'd seen his amazing miracles that pointed to him being true God. But still, there might have been doubts. Was Jesus really who he said he was? But now on that mountain, they had proof!
He is what he says! He really did have power! And then there's Moses and Elijah there talking with him all of a sudden! (Lk. 9:30-31) How incredible that would have been to see. Imagine how safe they must have felt, how loved. This is the true God! He's here with Moses and Elijah! Suddenly their worries and problems melted away. They had no more doubts, no more fears. No wonder Peter in a happy stupor says, "It is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters -- one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (Lk. 9:33) Peter wanted this moment to last forever.
Did you ever wish you could have a moment like that? I realize none of us were on that mountain with Jesus. None of us have seen our Savior in full glory. But we may have had our own mountain-top experience. Maybe something happened once that left you no doubt that God had just done something amazing. Maybe there was someone who was sick who just got better, despite doctors saying it was impossible. Maybe you were close to a car accident, but somehow you escaped it. You know God protected you. Maybe you had a moment in your life when you suddenly realized the amazing ways God had blessed you, and at that moment you could almost see his glory.
It's a great feeling to have. You don't doubt; you're not afraid. You just want it to last forever! But here's the thing: it doesn't. The moment passes. Life goes on. Your problems come back; so do those fears and doubts. And pretty soon you're wondering if that moment ever really happened. You're wondering if you'd ever really been sure of Jesus' glory.
And that's if you've ever had a moment like that. Lots of people haven't. Maybe you don't recall any sort of miracle or special feeling that you've ever had. Does that mean that you missed something? Does it mean that God doesn't use his glory for you? Does it mean you're just not that special to him? And then when the troubles come, when the fears and doubts come (and they always do), you wonder. Why is God letting this happen? Is he really in control? Is he really there for me?
It's good for us to be here. That's what Peter said on the mountain, but it's true in our lives now. It's good for us to be here! We're not in heaven yet! We're in the midst of a world that is full of trouble and sin. There is temptation all around us. The devil tempts us, and all too often we give in. We fail and we fall.
Why is it good for us to be here? Because this is where God has put us. This is where God wants us to live for him. And how can we live for him when we are in a world of sin, so full of our sin? We can because of the truth we learn at Jesus' transfiguration.
When Moses and Elijah were there with Jesus, did you ever wonder what they talked about? Our text tells us! It says, "They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem." (Lk. 9:31) Jesus' "departure" was his death. You'd think that was the last thing they'd want to talk about! You'd think Jesus would say, "Can we change the subject here? I don't want to think about that!" But he doesn't! In this brief time of his glory, Jesus talks about his death.
Think about that. Jesus' death is where his real glory is for us. If it wasn't for his death on that cross, Jesus' glory would be terrifying to us. It would be the true God who would wipe us out because of our sins. But no! After his transfiguration, Jesus went to Jerusalem. He was arrested, he suffered, and he died for you.
Instead of wiping us out because of our sins, Jesus died for them. He paid for them. Jesus' glory at his transfiguration reminds us that Jesus is God, that he is the one who had the power to die to save us. It reminds us that his resurrection means eternal life for us! It reminds us that because he lives, we will live with him in the glory of heaven where all our troubles will be gone forever!
But remember, we're not in heaven yet! And Jesus' transfiguration is a comfort for us now. Think of how it must have comforted someone like Peter. After this event, he went with Jesus to Jerusalem. He ran away when Jesus was arrested. He denied even knowing him. How horrible! How guilty he must have felt! But then he remembered: this man who died is the true God who was doing this to save me! Jesus did this to forgive me!
That's our comfort too. It's good for us to be here, it's good for us to live our real lives with all the ups and downs and pains and fears that come with us. Because those problems are meant to drive us back to God's Word to hear again and again what Jesus did for us. There in the Word we're reminded what God has done. We're comforted that our sins are gone. We're comforted that Jesus will never leave us, but will be with us always.
Remember what God the Father said after all this happened. "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." (Lk. 9:35) Let's listen to him. Let's go to his Word and hear his life and death that was for us. Let's listen to him at the altar as we receive that body and blood given for you, for your forgiveness. Let's listen to Jesus in his Word even when we're afraid, even when we're doubting, because in his Word he'll come our fears, and replace our doubts with faith. Yes, it's good for us to be here and to be in God's Word.
The Olympic opening ceremonies were quite a spectacle, and they cost millions to produce. But for the people who watched or participated, it was worth it. Jesus put on a spectacle at his transfiguration. And as we watch that spectacle through God's Word, we're reminded that the price Jesus paid was worth it, the blood shed was worth it, because he did it for our glory. He did it for our life. He did it for our salvation. May his glory be and abide with you through this life to the next.
Posts
