In Jesus Holy Name February 27, 2022 Text: Matthew17:1-9 Transfiguration Redeemer
“Transfiguration or Transformation?”
Jesus is both transfigured and transformed, There is a difference, as the cover of our bulletin demonstrates. The disciples were excited by the transfiguration but they will be astounded by the coming transformation. God speaks loudest on mountains. Think Mount Moriah, Mount Sinai, Mount Zion, The sermon on the mount. The Mount of Transfiguration. Mount Calvary.
(Jesus Speaks Leonard Sweet p. 72)
Today we find Jesus on the mountain with three disciples. Jesus is glorified. For just a moment, He is transfigured; a blinding radiance pours from Him. He becomes what He was before He came to earth. For one brief, shining moment, the burden of His humanity is lifted. He is elevated above earth’s horizon and escorted into the eternal. He is home again. Familiar sounds surround Him.
(In the Eye of The Storm p. 174 Max Lucado)
The Transfiguration story is in Matthew, Mark and Luke. We are told that Peter James and John followed Jesus up the mountain. That was not unusual. For three years, Peter, James and John followed Jesus just about wherever He went. The man they have known is transfigured. His clothes and His body was shining in divine glory. Moses and Elijah appeared and talking as if they were old friends. His purpose and Mission. Moses and Elijah spoke to him about what was going to happen in Jerusalem. Jesus has to remove the veil that is covering the Disciples minds regarding the role of the Messiah. Suddenly they disappear He returns to His human nature. Then a cloud appears, and God speaks as at His baptism. This is my beloved Son Listen to Him.
Nothing prepared them for what they experienced up on the mountain. First, Jesus started to glow, not with a reflected light coming from the setting sun. No, the light was brilliant, shield-your-face kind of brightness. The light was not confined to His face. His entire body glowed. This is transfiguration. But transformation is predicted . there is a difference.
In Exodus Moses Would go up on a mountain to hear God’s word. He received the ten Commandments, laws that would set the moral fabric of the Israelites and our own western culture. His face was so bright that he had to mask his face. When he went into the tabernacle he would have to cover His face. We know a lot about masks these days. People still use them to cover their identity or to protect others from the spread of germs. Moses represents the law and God’s way of giving forgiveness and covered his face because of the glow from being in the presence of God. Elijah was a prophet during the evil days of Ahab. Prophets gave God’s warnings and blessings when necessary. Jesus is the fulfilment of the law and prophets.
On the Mountain the disciples see Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah. How did they know? I don’t know but They knew. They knew these men were two of the greatest and long-ago leaders of Israel. They were talking with Jesus as if they were old friends which they were! Suddenly a cloud appears. From the cloud a voice spoke. They were terrified as were their ancestors when God spoke on the Mt of Sinai. These men had gone to Hebrew school. They knew voices coming from clouds was what their ancestors had heard on Mt. Sinai. The voice was clear: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to Him.” This was a transfiguration moment not a Transformation The transformation would come later. That’s why Jesus said. Don’t tell what you have seem until the son of Man has been raised from the dead, That will be transformation. The transformation That is coming for Jesus will happen after His crucifixion And much like the caterpillar Chrysalis stage. the dead human body of Jesus will lay in a shrouded tomb for 3 days then his body will be transformed. That transformation will change history.
The caterpillar is changed from one form to another. A complete metamorphosis into an adult butterfly A completely new being.
That same transformation is coming our way! Paul writes that When Jesus returns at the trumpet call of God then the dead in Christ will be transformed into a glorious resurrected body like the resurrected body of Jesus. Philippians 3:20-21
You know the bible never tells us Peter, James and John returned to that sacred mountain. They did not need too. Why? Because Jesus replaced his physical presence with His Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is the presence of the living resurrected Jesus who now dwells within each believer The Transfiguration is change from the inside out. Once we are believers in Jesus What once was is now no longer Paul explains the difference between what we were the old Adam into the “new Adam” Christ in me. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. The world looks at us from the outside, our resume or at and what we do to know who we are. Christianity is the result of transfiguration, who do we reflect? (I’m reminded of the story of Samuel and David) Samuel was judging from the outside what he saw. THE VOICE OF THE lord came to Samuel and said; I judge the hearts of men which caused Samuel to ask “Do you have any other sons?” The Holy Spirit transfigures us so that in our lives in our behavior, our character traits, now reflect the values of Jesus. This is living out the Beatitudes That Pastor Jim talked about last week. The Holy Spirit Assures us of God’s love and acceptance.
The Transfiguration event reminds us that Jesus was the sacrificial Lamb of God He kept the law perfectly. The original purpose of the law was to bring humanity into a right relation with God, it could not because humanity cannot keep it. Jesus came to redeem humanity from the wrath of the law. By His wounds we are healed. The law was suppose to restore me and you who have been alienated by sin, to intimacy, friendship, harmony and peace if we kept it perfectly. Paul writes Christ “in” me. Jesus changes us from the inside to the point where we become a new creatures our face becomes the face of Christ in the world. By our Actions we can be the “Light” and “salt” for the culture.
1) Today, as human beings one of our greatest needs is the need to be accepted. Visitors to a church want to know… “Will they accept me?” One of the major responsibilities of parents is to help their children know that they are loved and accepted for “Who” they are and not for “What” they do.
2) Intimacy is the experience of knowing and feeling that you are accepted. “God created man in his own image, he created male and female in His image. God saw all that he had made and it was very good.” Genesis 1:27,
3) When we experience acceptance then we are reassured of love through pleasurable contact.
This happens with parents and children all the time. A parent reaches down to hold a hand of a child… there is a hug
A smile. I accept you. I love you.
1) When we feel acceptance through friendship, nurture and care, we begin to understand what it means to be in “harmony” with one another and to be at “peace.” Jesus brings harmony and peace restoring our friendship with God that our soul needs, this is transfiguration.
2) Intimacy and friendship with people and for that matter with God, means that we are in an “expansive” or growing relationship over time. Falling in love takes time. Companionship, friendship with others or with God, takes time.
Perfect love, harmony and peace are now things people in our world only hope to possess. Even with one in every two marriages in California ending in divorce… people still want to be married. There is hope, a longing for intimacy and acceptance. Marriage is the ultimate statement of “acceptance.”
People today are in a constant search for acceptance and affirmation. We hope to find peace and harmony and intimacy. People simply want to know that someone accepts them.
Our culture is addicted to experience. No wonder Peter said: “Can we stay.” When God speaks he asks us to listen to the words of Jesus.
Jesus is also in the transformation business. When a caterpillar enters the silent shroud, the chrysalis stage, It is waiting for transformation into a beautiful butterfly. When Jesus was laid in the tomb after His crucifixion his human body was waiting for transformation. A few Sunday’s ago we sang this hymn: God’s own child I know it. Listen to stanza 4 Dead you can not end my gladness. I am baptized into Christ Open eyed my grave is starring. Even there I Sleep secure. I am a child of paradise. On Easter morn Jesus emerged Transformed. He walked out with a glorified resurrection body. Paul tells us that We have experienced transfiguration Because Christ Lives in us.. He also tells us that we will be transformed. We will experience Transformation. (Philippians 3:20-21) As a matter of fact I have this verse printed on the back of my tombstone. This is what I’m waiting for the transformation of this body into the glorified resurrected body, meant for eternity, no more sickness, no more death
Satan led Jesus to a high mountain and offered him power. Jesus led His disciples to a mountain and offers sacrificial love. This week begins a time set aside for intimacy with our Savior. It is a period of 40 days we call lent.
Our staff has prepared a devotion and a video of a hymn that will provide you with that moment of connection, a moment of intimacy with your Lord. Each week the devotion will be on our web site. I encourage you to seek a moment of silent contemplation.
Then on Easter Sunday you will be invited to stand before our Lord’s empty tomb and know that Jesus defeated death, so that all who believe can be saved. On that first Easter the Pharisees could have stopped the story of Jesus and His resurrection. All they had to do is to produce His body. The enemies of Jesus could not come up with a corpse. There was none to produce. The disciples knew that Jesus had risen. Only God can transform the human body of Jesus into the eternal resurrection body to live in heaven for eternity.
I’m looking forward to my transformation!
