Transfiguration Sunday

Transfiguration Sunday
2/13/11
Matthew 17:1-9
Bror Erickson



[17:1] And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. [2] And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. [3] And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. [4] And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah." [5] He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." [6] When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. [7] But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and have no fear." [8] And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
[9] And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead." Matthew 17:1-9 (ESV)


Transfiguration Sunday is an odd holiday. Different churches have celebrated it at different times for different reasons. Some celebrate it in the middle of summer, it seems for no other reason than to punctuate the monotony of Pentecost with a special Sunday. German speaking Lutheranism moved it to the end of Epiphany early on during the reformation for a couple reasons. It is the Epiphany of Epiphany, the ultimate in revelations concerning the divine nature of the Son of Man and his purpose in life and death. It is also the turning point in his ministry, coming down from the mountain Jesus warns the disciples not to say anything about the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead. Then he begins his journey to another mountain, a hill called the place of the skull, Golgotha where it would not be his divine nature revealed, but the son of man would show his humanity in death. So it marks the transition between Epiphany and Lent.
It is a great text for it. The disciples are having one of those coveted mountain top experiences. One gets the impression on a day like today that God only speaks to people on mountain tops. People love to chase these, and then we like Peter want to stay build tents and remain there. And it is possible that every once in a while we have them. Maybe we aren’t really on a mountain. But we have those days, maybe in church, maybe after prayer and devotion, the word of God speaks to you so powerfully, reaches into your soul and touches the wounds hidden there with the healing power of forgiveness, and warms your heart with sure confidence in the love of God. Excitement consumes your entire being, as you are given a small foretaste of the heaven to come. And this is what the transfiguration was in part, a foretaste of what was to come. The heavenly glory of Jesus is returned, conversations with the saints, even if those conversations were concerning the fulfillment of the law and the prophets in the cross. Here was a small taste of heaven on earth, meant to strengthen and encourage Jesus for the days to come.
But as with all such experiences a soul wants to stay where it belongs, in heaven. The soul gets a taste of home and confuses it with home. It is tempted to stay there, to build tents, to forget what needs to be done and lose its bearings, to lose track of where it is going, or what the Christian life is really about.
But a couple things happen. The Father opens the heavens with his mantra of faith, This is my Son, with whom I am well pleased; Listen to him. It is incredible. Fear strikes their souls as they are confronted with the Almighty, but then the one mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ, comforts them, they listen to the Son and their fear is relieved. Then raising their eyes they see Jesus only, Jesus only.
Jesus only, because Jesus left the mountain top before, left his heavenly home for us, to bring us with him, to lead the way back. But the way to Jesus home requires us to live in and through this world we cannot escape. To see Jesus only, is to follow Jesus alone, our only savior, our only hope, the only mediator between God and man, where he leads us. And leaving the mountain top behind he descends the mountain and travels to Jerusalem. He goes to save us, to restore to us the joy of our salvation. But to do so he leads us down from the mountain.
The mountain top experiences are not always with us. We will not always be surrounded by joy and awe in this world. But whether on the Mountain or in the Valley, whether joy or despair, Jesus is there with us, leading us. He leads us to church, to the baptismal font of living waters, to the altar rail feeding us his body and blood for the forgiveness of sins, strengthening us for the journey in this world. Then he leads us again out of the sanctuary, out into the world to suffer with friends, to rejoice with family, to speak with his mouth the words of his gospel comforting the souls of those we love and even those we dislike. He leads us through the peaks and valleys of life, the hard times and the good times never forsaking us. He leads us, yes, even to the grave, that he might lead us through even death that we might not perish but in him alone find eternal life. Because the Christian life may know some glory in this life as much as this world has to offer or can offer. But this world cannot offer but a shadow of the glory to come. The Christian life may know some glory, but it will know suffering and pain too, success here and failure there. But through it all is Jesus blessing us and forgiving us as he leads us through, leads us on our journey home, where finally there will be no reason to build booths to set up camp, because our Lord there has prepared us a home, and prepared us for the home with his death and resurrection the forgiveness of sins, that from the mount of Golgatha we would experience our own transfiguration for all eternity.
Now the peace of God that surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus only, our lord.