The Transfiguration of Our Lord, February 26, 2006

Text: Mark 9:2-9

A Flash of Light

Have you ever noticed how difficult it is not to turn your head at a flash of light? Somewhere along the line the advertising people figured this out too. Bright lights illuminate signs. Light chases light from bulb to bulb. There are even searchlights in front of theaters, shopping malls, and automobile dealerships. Advertisers use light to say, “Look here right now!”
I have talked to people who regularly walk by our church, but say they have never noticed it. So, for the first time in our churches history we put Christmas lights along our church’s front steps. Now the dark could no longer hide our church. People’s eyes were drawn to the lights.

In our Gospel reading, we heard how God used light in a similar way. On the Mount of Transfiguration the light of Jesus’ transfiguration drew the disciples’ attention to Him in a new way. There on the mountain, the Father showed Jesus in a different light than the disciples had ever seen Him before. Their friend was not just a carpenter, not just a teacher, not just a miracle worker. He was much, much more. “Look here!” the light emanating from Jesus demanded. The Father’s voice proclaimed, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to Him!”
This morning, God uses the light that shone from Jesus once again. In this light that shines from the Word, the Father once again draws our attention to Jesus to enlighten us. “He’s more than you’ve imagined!” the light exclaims. “Listen to Him!” the Father decrees.

In the Transfiguration, God Gives Us a Glimpse of Jesus’ Glory So That We Listen to Him.

By this time the disciples had been following Jesus for almost three years. They knew that Jesus was something special—and yet, what they saw didn’t always make sense.
Take what happened just six days before the Transfiguration. Then Jesus asked his disciples who the people thought He was. And then Jesus asked them point-blank, “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” To which Peter famously replied, “You are the Christ.” Peter saw, but not too clearly. When Jesus goes on to give the title “Christ” the content of His cross . . . what Peter heard just didn’t make sense with what he knew.

So now, six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain. I’m sure they thought they were ascending for prayer. They’d done that many times before. It wasn’t at all unusual. They’d probably even become used to it, thought it was ordinary. And for a while that day, it was—until something very extraordinary happened.

Suddenly Jesus’ clothes became impossibly white and two prophets of ancient times, Elijah and Moses, appeared and spoke with Him. Adding to their astonishment and fear, a cloud enshrouded them and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to Him!” Then, just as suddenly as it all happened, it was over. No dazzlingly white clothes, no visitors, no voice, only Jesus. With the blue spots from the light still burning in their eyes and with that voice still ringing in their ears, it was over.

This incredible vision and voice let them know that Jesus was far more than they imagined. “Listen to Him,” the voice said. They had been startled from the stupor of the ordinary, but what now? What did it all mean? It would be some time before they could know. His light had shined in their darkened understanding, but what did it mean? Jesus was obviously more than they ever imagined!

On the other hand, the disciples have us at a serious disadvantage. They were there, and we were not. They saw the light and felt the fear and suffered the confusion and heard the voice. The Transfiguration left enough of an impression on the disciples that it finds its way into all four Gospels. Yet it was so overwhelming that they found it difficult to put into words. In Matthew, the transfiguration itself occupies only five verses (Mt 17:1–5). In Mark, only six verses (Mk 9:2–7), and in Luke only seven (Lk 9:29–35). In John, only half of one verse, as he alludes to that overwhelming experience: “We have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:14b ESV).

To have been there must have been spectacular and awe-inspiring. What wouldn’t you give to be able to travel in a time machine to see what they saw and hear what they heard on that mountain? How could you experience such an event and not be changed—transformed—yourself?

On the other hand, as we read the story today, we have a distinct advantage over what the disciples were able to recognize that day. We know what the transfiguration means. We know that there on the mountain the disciples were treated to a glimpse of what was to come. By peeling back a corner of the plain brown wrapper of Jesus’ human nature they caught a glimpse of the glory that would be His forever after his cross and resurrection. Here the Father showed the three disciples who it was whom they were called to follow.

Which begs a question: If we already know that Jesus is the eternal Son, crucified and risen from the dead, reigning now in glory, why do we need this story? One could simply say that we need this story because it happened. That just because it happened should be reason enough for it to be included in the Gospels. And yet that isn’t quite satisfying. That the Transfiguration is remembered as a pivotal event in Jesus’ ministry should be enough to clue us in that something important is being proclaimed here.

First, we need this story because it is one of those flashing lights that catch our attention. It’s a very brief story, yet like the flash of a distant light on a dark night it demands that we look here and see. And when we look—even if we’ve looked here before—Jesus, briefly robed in brilliant light, calls us to consider again more fully who He really is.

The danger, even for those who put their faith in Christ, is that we become so accustomed to hearing about Jesus and hearing His Word that it all becomes routine. Familiarity then breeds indifference to His Word and disobedience to His will. And when faith in Jesus becomes routine, we miss the transformation that God intends for us. So again today we see Jesus transfigured—the eternal Son of the eternal Father, the brightness of his glory beyond our imagination.

Second, we need this story because we need to hear again the Father’s words, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to Him!” We need to hear the Father’s admonition to hear and believe that the crucified Messiah is our only hope—that in His death and resurrection is our life. We need to hear that only in following Jesus is there ever real life. We need to hear from Him that to pursue any way other than the way of the cross is to lose forever the hope of life.

Drawn to Jesus, our ordinary lives are transformed to become extra-ordinary and illumined. The lights that illumined our church at Christmas attracted the attention of passersby. With Christ illumining our lives with faith, hope and love, people’s attention will be drawn to His light.

To keep us from growing indifferent to Jesus and his Word, the story of Jesus’ Transfiguration is a flash of light that draws our attention again to the truth of who He is. He is the light of God’s mercy, the glorified Son, the one to whom we must listen and whom we must follow. And following Jesus, may the light of God’s love shine brightly in us, touching those around us.

And now may the grace of our Lord Jesus, the love of the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit grant you peace. Amen.