Sermon for the Transfiguration of Our Lord: "Transforming Us Into the Image of God" (2 Corinthians 3:12-4:6)

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

 

Today, we celebrate the Transfiguration of Our Lord, and we remember how Peter, James, and John were given a glimpse of Christ’s unveiled glory upon the Mount of Transfiguration. But it is the Apostle Paul who will help us understand what truly took place upon that mountaintop. Essentially, it was the lesser – the Law – giving away to the greater – the Gospel. It is through this experience that we too are transformed into the image of God.

 

As great as the Old Covenant was, it was meant to only be temporary. The Old Covenant as revealed in the Old Testament Torah and the Prophets was never to be an end in themselves, but merely served God’s people as a guardian until the Messiah would come.

 

Well, that time has come! So, upon the Mount of Transfiguration, we see Moses and Elijah passing the torch to Jesus. The time of Moses and Elijah had passed. They served as types of the coming Messiah. They served to prepare us for the coming Messiah. There atop the mountain, Moses and Elijah, who represent the Old Covenant, which cannot save, point us to Jesus, who is the promised Savior.

 

Now, the Old Covenant also came with glory, as we heard about Moses’ shining face in our Old Testament lesson, but that glory was only “reflected” glory. Here, in our epistle, Paul compares that glory to a fading glory, because Moses’ glowing face would come to an end, so, “Moses … would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end” (2 Corinthians 3:13).

 

This is teaching us that the Law cannot save us. For the Law can only show us our sin and our need for something more permanent. Even if we kept the Torah, we would never reach the perfection God demands. In fact, in Galatians 3, Paul reminds us that the Law of Moses only had a teaching function. The Law of Moses was to only serve as a guardian instructing Israel on how sins would be truly atoned. So, with each animal that was sacrificed, Israel was being taught that without the shedding of blood, there could be no atonement. With every Passover celebration, Israel would be taught to look to the “Lamb of God,” who would once and for all take away the sins of the world.

 

That was the Old Covenant. It was glorious, but it was also veiled, and it was intended to fade away.

 

Sadly, many have never seen beyond that Old Covenant. So, a veil remains. 

 

For the Jews of Paul’s day through today, a veil remains. Each Sabbath day, they hear a public reading of the Law of Moses – and they hear it the same way as the Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai heard it. They view the Law of Moses as the final word, the cure-all and end-all. They fail to see that it is only temporary. They have rejected Jesus as the Christ, for only in Christ is the veil taken away. 

 

But this veil is not just over the hearts of the Jews, this veil is over all who have not yet been enlightened by the Gospel. We all know family, friends, and neighbors who do not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. For many of our unbelieving friends and neighbors, it is actually “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4) that has blinded their minds from seeing the light of Christ. It is the devil himself, who holds the veil over the hearts of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel.

 

By our own reason and strength, we cannot remove this veil. This veil is only removed when the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus to us through Word and Sacrament as He “calls, gathers, enlightens … in the one true faith.” Otherwise, we miss seeing the One who is behind the veil: Jesus Christ on every page in Scripture, Jesus absolving your sins, and Jesus under the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper!

 

It is only through the Holy Spirit’s work in us that we are able to recognize Jesus for who He truly is.

 

Paul and the Church at Corinth have true hope in the Gospel. God had indeed chosen them in Christ just as He has chosen you. 

And yet, this veil remains for many. This veil remains because of our sinful condition, since we came into this world turned from God, due to original sin. It is because of sin that this veil has kept many in Israel from receiving Jesus and it is because of this veil that many refuse to enter a church building. Remember, “[Christ] came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:11-13).

 

God became man with the purpose of being glorified. Not through the glory atop the Mount of Transfiguration, but glorified by being lifted up on the cross. As Jesus was lifted up, the Old Covenant was being fulfilled. Through Jesus’ shed blood, the veil was lifted. As Jesus draws His dying breath, He cries out, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The veil is not only being lifted, but it is also being torn from top to bottom.

 

As soon as God died on the cross, many were brought to repentance, but this conversion was only by the grace of God. As the veil is shredded, we can now see Jesus for who He truly is: our Savior from the Law, our Savior from sin, death, and the devil.

 

Through the power of Holy Spirit and His dwelling in us, it is not just Jesus who is transformed, but also you and me. By God’s grace, we have unveiled faces, so we reflect the glory of Christ as the Gospel dwells in us. The Law of Moses could never produce such a change, because we cannot keep it perfectly. But the Gospel can, because the Gospel is all about Jesus and what He accomplished for us on the cross!

 

At the Fall, we lost the image of God. But through Christ’s atoning death and His glorious resurrection, we are gradually being transformed back into the image and likeness of God. Through the Holy Spirit, the veil of spiritual dullness and misunderstanding has been removed. So, as believers in Christ, we are in the same sense like Moses at Mount Sinai. So, the glory of God shines on us directly. But we have something more than Moses, for we have the glory of the New Covenant, the gospel of forgiveness and freedom and life. “For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:16).

 

The message of the Gospel produces a metamorphosis in Christians. This is a daily transformation, which the message of the Old Covenant, the Law, could never do. This daily transformation comes from the New Covenant, the Gospel, for which we receive in Word and Sacrament, God’s Means of Grace.

 

Now, this daily transformation will not be complete until we either die in Christ or Christ returns in glory on the Last Day – whichever comes first.

 

Until that Day, the Holy Spirit continues His transforming, His transfiguring work, in us as we continue to hear the Word and receive the Sacraments.

 

As we grow in our transformation into the lost image of God, we fear, love, and trust in God above all things; we gladly hear, learn and take to heart the preaching of the Gospel and in Bible studies; we partake of His gifts; we love our neighbor as ourselves; and simply confess Christ when and where God gives us the opportunity.

 

We, as baptized believers in Christ, are those whom the Holy Spirit has lifted the veil, so we can become bold confessors of the New Covenant, like Paul, for God said, “Let light shine out of the darkness” (2 Corinthians 4:6) for Christ has “called you out of the darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.   

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Sermon for the Transfiguration of Our Lord: "A Glimpse of What is to Come"

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

Happy Valentine’s Day to my dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[Intro]

“And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them” (Mark 9:2).

In just mere minutes, Peter, James, and John saw a glimpse of what is to come. So, what did they see? What did they hear? What did this experience mean for Jesus, for the disciples, and for us?

First, let’s go back six days before this mountaintop experience. Six days earlier, Jesus was with His disciples as they were on their way to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way, Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” (Mark 8:27b) The disciples then responded with what they heard from the crowds about Jesus, saying: “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets” (Mark 8:28).

Jesus then asks them, “But who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:29a) Peter immediately answered, “You are the Christ” (Mark 8:29b).

But that day did not end with Peter’s confession. That day continued, as Jesus talks about His going to Jerusalem. He talks about His upcoming suffering and death. He says that after three days, He would rise again. Jesus spoke this plainly. Each disciple understood what Jesus had said to them. But Peter, who just confessed Jesus to be the Christ, the very Messiah, could not fathom His Lord dying. Peter spoke up rebuking Jesus saying things like, “Never, I will never let you die!”

Then Jesus rebuked Peter for setting his mind on the things of man, rather than the things of God. Then Jesus speaks that if anyone would follow Him, they must deny themselves, they must take up a cross and always be ready to lose their life. Here, Jesus is preparing His disciples for what is to come.

[The Mount of Transfiguration]

Fast forward to today’s lesson, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain by themselves. Now, many crucial things in God’s saving plan have taken place on mountains. This mountaintop experience would be no different.

Suddenly, Jesus’ appearance transformed before their eyes. Jesus became dazzling bright and radiant. His face was radiating like the sun. His clothing became intensely white as white as pure light as no one on earth could bleach them. Now, there was no spotlight beaming onto Him; this was pure light coming from Him. Jesus was the source of this light. Jesus’ human appearance was being overpowered by His divine glory.

As Peter, James, and John were astounded by the light radiating from Jesus, there appeared in front of them Elijah and Moses talking with Jesus. Now, Elijah and Moses were also known for their own mountaintop experiences. God spoke to Elijah upon Mount Horeb. God also gave Moses the Ten Commandments upon Mount Sinai. But this mountaintop experience was like no other.

As there was confusion on who Jesus was six days earlier. Upon this mountain, there was no confusion. At this moment, Moses and Elijah – who represent the Law and the Prophets – are bearing witness that Jesus is the Savior of the world, who has come to suffer, die, and rise to restore humanity to God the Father.

As the disciples are overhearing this conversation between Jesus, Elijah and Moses, not knowing what to say, Peter blurts out, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents” (Mark 9:5a).

Sometimes, we are like Peter. We, too, often do not know what to say when it comes to suffering and death. And, frankly, if we had it our way, we would like to skip suffering and death, altogether.

But suffering and death is the way of Jesus. He would come down from that mountain and once again hide His glorious appearance. He would walk through the valley of the shadow of death for all people. He would be falsely tried and unjustly convicted. He would carry His own cross to Golgotha. He would feel the heavy nails piercing His wrists and ankles. He would experience the lifting of the cross into its place in the stone. He would die.

Knowing all that was ahead of Him, Jesus gives a glimpse of His glory. Jesus revealed His glory for His disciples and for us. But why did Jesus do this? This morning, we’ll look at some of those reasons Jesus manifested His divine glory.

[Christ is Our Hope]

First, Jesus knew His time on earth was coming to a close and He knew His departure would cause fear and doubt in the minds of His disciples. Although, Christ’s disciples have seen many miracles and signs, they still lacked faith from time to time, just as we do.

We, like the disciples, tend to worry about what is next. We can get ourselves caught up in being world-weary. After watching any news cast, many of us ask, “Where do we go from here?”

Like us, the disciples were world-weary. Like us, they needed hope. This is why Jesus displayed His real glory on the mountaintop. You see, Jesus knew that His upcoming suffering and death may cause His disciples to lose heart. This is why He displayed His divine glory to give them hope and to remind them that He is in fact still in control. Despite being nailed to the cross, Jesus is still in control. All we have to do is to trust.

So, even in what seems like the worst of times, God is there to turn that bad into good. Through His Transfiguration, He is teaching His disciples that it is only through His suffering and death that He will show is true glory – His resurrection glory!

[Christ Gives Us a Glimpse of Heaven]

Second, Jesus gave His disciples and us a glimpse of heaven. You see, a little glimpse of heaven was displayed upon that mountaintop.

On the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus never introduced Moses and Elijah to Peter, James, and John. And there were not any quality pictures of Moses and Elijah. Yet, these three disciples instinctively knew they were in the presence of Moses and Elijah. How would they recognize Moses and Elijah?

Many of us may wonder if we would, in fact, recognize our loved ones in heaven.

This moment at the Transfiguration proves that we will recognize our loved ones in heaven. This includes even those we have never seen with our own eyes. For anyone who has experienced the death of a child, or you never met a grandparent, you will recognize everyone you see in heaven. This is how Peter, James, and John recognized Moses and Elijah as this glimpse of heaven on earth was revealed to them. You see, when we are in heaven, we will recognize everyone, those we knew in our earthly life and those we never met.

[Christ Leads us to Follow Him]

Third, Jesus gives us a glimpse of our transformation in Christ. You see, by grace through faith in Jesus, we are transformed, even in this life in a fallen world. As Paul says in our epistle lesson, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit”… So, “we renounce disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s Word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 3:18, 4:2).

As God the Father proclaimed from the cloud upon the mountaintop, “This is my beloved Son; listen to Him” (Mark 9:7), we listen to our Savior Jesus as we hear His words of life, forgiveness, and salvation. In this, we are transformed. Due to Jesus and His life-giving cross, we have a striking alteration of our character. Instead of becoming a lover of self, we become a lover of God in Christ. And, we become a lover of our neighbor, too.

So, whatever our vocations in life – male or female; mother, father, or child; in the workplace; or in the Church – we receive a new life in Christ. In this new life, we repent of our sins daily and remember that our identity is that of a child of the heavenly Father, which God proclaimed at your baptism.

[Glimpse of Our Resurrected Bodies]

Today, on this Transfiguration of Our Lord Sunday, Christ prepares us for what is to come. He alone gives us the sure and certain hope in all circumstances.

As we soon will begin the season of Lent, Jesus will leave the mount of Transfiguration and turn His face to Mount Calvary. Even through the darkness of Mount Calvary, His light shines through that darkness and bursts forth on Easter.

Even today, we continue to receive a glimpse of Christ’s glory as He continues to transform us through His Word and Sacrament. Through His Word, we hear His life-giving voice as He leads us in His Law and Gospel. Through His Sacrament, Jesus comes to us transformed in the form of bread and wine to forgive our sins and strengthen our faith.

Lastly, Christ reveals to us a glimpse of our own resurrected bodies. You see, when Christ returns in all glory, everyone in Christ will be transformed to the fullness of our inheritance as He will transform our mortal bodies into a body like His. We will be transformed into immortal bodies. This will all happen “in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:52).

In this blessed moment upon the mount of Transfiguration, we receive a glimpse of the blessings to come that are ours by grace through faith in Jesus Christ! Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T