St. John Lutheran Church

Transfiguration, 2018

“Transfigured”

Mark 9:2-9

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

Life wasn’t perfect for the 12 Disciples of our Lord. Both they and Jesus were questioned by the religious leaders of Israel concerning Jesus’ authority. They had mourned the death of John the Baptist who was beheaded. They had seen and visited many who were sick, dying, possessed by Demons, and suffering. It was a lot to take in. On the other hand this group of misfits also had a cult like status. Crowds would gather when they came to town…crowds would even follow them as they left. They were after all Jesus handpicked Disciples. They were appointed by Jesus to go out and preach…to heal the sick and cast out demons. They were to do what Jesus had been doing.

I encourage you to read through the book of Mark. Over and over again we read about what Jesus did. The Disciples would see and be with Jesus as He: drove out evil spirits, healed many, prayed, healed a leper, healed a paralytic, calms a storm, heals a demon possessed man, heals a sick woman, raises a girl from the dead, feeds 5000, walks on water, heals a girl with a demon, heals a deaf & mute man, feeds 4,000, and heals a blind man. Could you imagine seeing all of that? No wonder the crowds would come out and follow them. On top of healing all kinds of people…He shared the wonderful news of a Savior. He forgave sins. He made people whole. He promised eternal life…even as he restored life to so many.

Things would change. Quickly. Drastically. Right before our Lord would go up the mount of Transfiguration…he would share something that shocked His Disciples. “And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Mark 8:31-33)

Things might not have been perfect…but they seemed to be going well! People loved Jesus and His Disciples. The religious leaders were a pain…made accusations…questioned them…and tried to make things difficult. But the people…the huge crowds…they all loved Jesus. At one point they even wanted to make Jesus King! Why would Jesus have to kill everyone’s spirit and start talking about being killed? The reason…is that Jesus had to die. There would be no forgiveness of sins without His death. There would be no life everlasting without Jesus losing His own life. Rock star status might have seemed great…but that was temporal; that wouldn’t last. And so Jesus begins to prepare the Disciples for His coming death. Everything would change.

“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, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.” (Mark 9:2-9)

Peter, James, and John were in awe and trembling with fear. Jesus changed; He was transfigured. His clothes turned intensely white, Jesus was radiant. Not only was Jesus hard to look at because of the light coming from him…there appeared Elijah and Moses…two of the greatest prophets and patriarchs of Old Testament Israel. This was startling and awesome. This was more like it. This was the kind of Savior the Disciples were hoping and looking for. It was good for them to be there…but not for those reasons…at least not only those reasons.

The Transfiguration was a reminder to Peter, James, and John of who Jesus really was: God in the flesh. They also needed to hear a reminder from the Heavenly Father: “This is my beloved Son; listen to Him.” (Mark 9:7) Don’t get caught up in wanting a rock star Savior. Don’t get caught up in the hype and popularity. Instead. Listen to Him. Listen to Jesus.

The large masses that followed Jesus…didn’t follow Him to the cross. The Religious Leaders of Israel…would do more than just sit back…whine…and complain…and question the authority of Jesus…they would arrest and kill Him. The Disciples would flee and hide. Peter would deny his Lord three times. The popularity would end. The suffering would begin. Even the Disciples would be tormented by suffering and death for proclaiming Christ. So the Heavenly Father reminds them…to listen to Jesus.

Listen to Jesus. Don’t get caught up in this world. Don’t get caught up by churches that look more like this world than they do the Church. Don’t get caught up in things that are shiny and new…or seem to have that “rock star” status. Simply listen to Jesus. Listen to what He has to say. Listen when our Lord says “this is my body…this is my blood.” Listen to His Word proclaimed. Listen to His promise of life and salvation found in water, bread, and wine. Listen to Him and His unchanging Word in a world that is constantly changing. For just as it was good for Peter, James, and John to be at the Transfiguration of our Lord it is good for us to be here where our Lord promises to be. It is good for us to be here where His Word is proclaimed, where the waters of Holy Baptism have raised us from death to life in Christ and given us the gift of faith, where Jesus body and blood are given in with and under the bread and wine for the forgiveness of our sins and strength to overcome sin.

At the Transfiguration everything changed. But not in the way you’d expect. Jesus’ appearance changed…but He was still the same Jesus. While things changed for the Disciples…God’s plan of salvation did not. As the mood of our worship services change this Ash Wednesday…they change only in that they remind us that the Lenten season is one of somber repentance and humility. We will no longer sing Hallelujah or Alleluia. Often the music will sound like a funeral dirge. But the focus is still the same. The focus is on the cross where Christ died for you. The focus is still on Jesus. The result is still the same. The Lord is Risen.

Because He is risen we find our hope in the resurrection and our Transfigured Lord’s promise: “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, 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. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-57) Amen.

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.