LENTEN MESSAGE of TRANSFIGURATION
THE TEXT is The Gospel:.......LUKE 9: 28-43
I AM FAVORED TODAY TO SHARE MY VIEW FROM WHERE I SIT ALONG THE RIVER ON THE PURPOSE OF LENT AND ITS VALUE TO THE CATHOLIC (UNIVERSAL) CHURCH.
AND ALTHOUGH LENT IS A MAN DESIGNED OBSERVANCE. THE GENESIS ACCOUNT OF JOSEPH AFFIRMS THAT ALTHOUGH HUMANITY MAY HAVE DESIGN SOMETHING, FOR HIS PURPOSE GOD OFTEN TRANSFIGURES OUR PURPOSES AND GOALS...
HE OFTEN CHANGES WHAT IS CONSTRUCTED FOR MAN HONOR FOR HIS GLORY.
SO WE DON’T APPROACH ANYTHING WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING, BUT SEEK HOW WE CAN CAPTURE THE REFLECTED GLORY OF GOD, IN THE EFFORTS OF HUMANITY.
WE NEED FIRSTLY TO APPROACH LENT AS THE SEASON IT WAS INTENDED. THE SEASON OF TRANSFORMATION, NOT OF GIVING AS MUCH AS RECEIVING.
THE CHURCH OFFERS MANY OF OUR HOLY DAYS AS SEASON IN ORDER TO SAVOR THE RICHNESS,,, VERSES THE WORLD THAT SEE IT AS AN DAY OR PERIODIC OCCASION..
THE DAY FOR THE WORLD VERSES THE SEASON OF FOR CHRISTIANS. ...EASTER, ADVENT, THE SEASON OF PENTECOST. EACH WITH SUGGESTED, THEMES .AND READINGS AND COLORS. ALTAR PARAMENTS , THE CLOTHS ARE DEIGNED RED, WHITES, PURPLE, GREEN..
AND ASIDE FROM THE SEASON THEIR ARE DAY OF CELEBRATION, BESIDE THE TRADITIONAL..
WE HAVE TWO OF MY FAVORITES , ALL SAINTS DAY,,
AND THE LEAST RECOGNIZED BUT MOST NECESSARY, ASCENSION SUNDAY.
WHAT MAKE ASCENSION DAY SO IMPORTANT IS THAT
THE STORY OF SALVATION WOULD BE INCOMPLETE WITH OUT HONORING THE FACT THAT AFTER THE RESURRECTION AND DE- CESSION, THERE WAS AN BIBLICALLY REALITY..,
ASCENSION DAY ALLOWS US TO PREACH ON ASCENSION GIFTS, EPHESIANS WHEN HE ASCENDED HE GAVE GIFT UNTO MEN. APOSTLES, PROPHETS, PASTORS ,,,ETC,
LUKE DESCRIBES IT IN HIS GOSPEL AS WELL AS IN ACTS, THE CREEDS SAY IT HE ASCENDED, SO WHY NOT HONOR IT ANNUALLY, ,,
YET, MY TASK IS TO PRESENT LENT WHICH IS A SEASON OF FORTY DAYS. OF PRAYER, FASTING GIVING UP IN ORDER TO RECEIVE, A SEASON OF TRANSFORMATION...
YOU CAN PROBLEY FIND OUT MUCH MORE IN A DICTIONARY THAT WHAT I CAN PRESENT ABOUT, NO NEED TO WASTE YOUR TIME..
SO I WILL BRING THE WORD OF GOD CENTERED UPON THE SUNDAY THAT BRINGS LENT THE SEASON OF TRANSFORMATION, INTO OUR MIDST AS THE SEASON AND THIS SUNDAY IS
Transfiguration Sunday, is a SUNDAY in which we as the church community, celebrate Jesus’s Trans-figuration.
THE GOSPEL MESSAGE OF LUKE..CHAPTER 9.....REVEALS TO US THIS an remarkable, outline of this event:
1...IN VERSE 28..Jesus takes three disciples up the mountain to pray; WHILE HE IS praying HE IS transfigured; HIS APPEARANCE CHANGES..HE GLOWS..HIS FIGURE IS ALTERED...HIS CLOTHES BECOME A DAZZLING WHITE.
2.....TWO FIGURES OF ISRAEL HISTORY..Moses and Elijah appear and speak with Jesus..
3.....Peter and the other two disciples who witnessed this event
HEARS A VOICE FROM A CLOUD WHICH speaks;
4.....Jesus remains alone with the disciples; and they remain silent concerning what they saw. AND COME DOWN WITH JESUS FROM THE MOUNTAIN.
Now this account of the transfiguration ALSO occurs in Matthew AS WELL AS MARK 9: 2-8 but our reflective source for today is the gospel of Luke 9:28-36
LUKE opens the story with, "Now about EIGHT days later that Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him up A HIGH mountain.
The mention of the mountain recalls the many Old Testament times of divine revelation that took place on mountains,,,
Next, Jesus went to pray. Luke specifies the purpose of Jesus’ is consistent with his behavior throughout the Gospel.
HIS TEACHING VARIED
HIS PREACHING VARIED
HIS MIRACLES VARIED
BUT THE ONE THING THAT DOESN’T VARIES IS HIS ATTITUDE OF PRAYER.
In THE GOSPELS.... Jesus is often at prayer,
NEXT,,,, WE READ THAT Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus, TALKING WITH HIM.
This experiences OF JESUS is witnessed by disciples’ who are "weighted down with sleep. AS LUKE 9: 32 TELLS US, BUT THEY STILL MANAGE TO STAY AWAKE...
I WISH TO POINT YOUR ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THEY WERE INITIALLY SLEEPY BUT MANAGED TO STAY AWAKE..
AND AT THE END OF THEIR EXPERIENCE. A voice from the cloud tells the disciples who Jesus is and how they are to relate to him.
The whole atmosphere of the Mountain of Transfiguration is glory. From start to finish the keynote of this whole incident is glory.
JESUS TOOK Peter, John, and James, his closest disciples, the inner circle of his Twelve, and went up to a high mountain to pray.
And while he was praying, his appearance was changed. His face was changed. And his clothing became bright with a heavenly brilliance, as bright as a flash of lightning.
What did this vision mean? It showed that there was more to Jesus than MEETS the eye.
But here, on this mountain, Jesus let his divine nature shine through his humanity.
Jesus’ face shone like the sun, and His garments glistened and gleamed like the light.
JESUS INVITES THE DISCIPLES TO COME UP WITH ME.
AND I WILL LET YOU BEHOLD SOMETHING THAT FEW WILL SEE..
LET ME REVEAL MY SELF TO YOU..
LOOK AT THE REAL ME...
NOT THE EARTHLY ME, PHYSICAL ME BUT THE REAL ME WHO I REALLY AM..
WE BEGAN LENT WITH A EXPERIENCE OF JESUS WHO CHANGES WATER INTO WINE IN JOHN GOSPEL CHAPTER, .AT THE WEDDING FEAST OF CANA, IN VERSE
11, JOHN RECORDS HE REVEALED HIS GLORY,,
The account of the transfiguration of our Lord is perhaps one of the greatest of our Lord’s miracles.
With this miracle Jesus didn’t save anyone from drowning, no sick people were cured, no food was provided for the hungry.
This miracle gave the disciples a glimpse of the Savior’s glory. It helped to impress upon them the truth which the Father spoke from the cloud. "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him."
This glorious vision reported in our text serves to give us a glimpse of his eternal glory.
AND I RAISE THE QUESTION WHAT DOES THE TRANSFIGURATION MEAN TO THE DISCIPLES..
THEIR INITIAL RESPONSE IS TO BUILD THREE TENTS, DWELLING, OR SHRINES AND OFFER WORSHIP....
WHEN WE see the same glory the disciples saw on that Mount of Transfiguration when we are set free from all the sorrows of this life.
THE TRANSFIGURATION WHICH IS OUR LENTEN EXPERIENCE LEADS US INTO WORSHIP..
Note two things about the word TRANSFIGURED...that is translated "being transformed."
First, transformation is a process, not an event. We should therefore not expect instant change, nor grow impatient when the pace of change is not as fast as we’d like.
Paul says it is NOT SOMETHING THAT WE DO BUT WHAT GOD DOES IN US.."from the Lord, the Spirit." The Holy Spirit is transforming us by enabling us to see who the Lord is and nurturing our relationship with him (John 16:14, Galatians 4:6).
AS WE GO FROM GLORY TO GLORY,, 2 CORINTHIAN 3:18
A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS EXPERIENCE IS THAT OF MOSES IN OUR OLD TESTAMENT LESSON..
In Exodus 34:29-35, WE READ WHERE Moses heads down the mountain after 40 days of interacting with the Lord,..
HE WAS WITH GOD FASTING AND PRAYING, A SEASON OF 40 DAYS...
He carries with him the new stone tablets on which the Lord has written the 10 commandments.
The description of Moses’ is UNIQUE IN THE SENSE , Moses’ face is shining.
The reason for it is his speaking with the Lord.
Moses spoke with the Lord before, yet his face didn’t shine. Why is it shining now?
The only development to take place WITH the Lord was the people’s rejection of the Lord as seen in their worship of the golden calf.
After the golden calf, Moses’ role as a mediator intensifies. The people have rejected the Lord, but Moses has not. It’s as if the relationship that the Lord desired with the nation is now narrowed down to Moses. The Lord is now going to relate to the nation more through Moses than earlier.
Moses is under even more pressure than before. As such, he prays intensely for relationship with the Lord (33:12-23).
Thus Moses’ interaction with the Lord is more intense than before, and it shows on his face, which is shining.
Interaction with the Lord produces a change in Moses. The Lord’s glory has rubbed off on him. He is now more like the Lord.
A.........Interaction with the Lord changes people. People never leave an exchange with the living God unaffected. It is what changes us. It is what causes spiritual growth, as the Lord’s glory rubs off on us, too, and we also become more like the Lord.
B........VERSE 29...Moses, however, is unaware of the change. He comes down the mountain beaming he doesn’t know it.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW TODAY THAT OFTEN TIMES The best kind of personal growth is the kind that we’re unaware of.
We go about seeking the Lord, and in the seeking we see the Lord, and in the seeing we are changed, usually gradually, and it catches us by surprise.
C.....VERSE 30....Aaron and the people notice the change, but their first reaction is to run for cover. They are afraid to come near him. We may get the same reaction from others as the Lord changes us into people more devoted to him. Not everyone wants to be around someone who is following the Lord.
LASTLY......Moses, calls first to Aaron and the leaders, and they are reassured to the extent that they allow Moses to speak with them. Then Moses speaks with all the people, SHARING WITH them the Lord’s commands.
Then after speaking the Lord’s commands to the people, Moses does something interesting. He puts a veil over his face. Then whenever he went to speak with Lord, he removed the veil. When he emerged from the tent, he spoke to the people the commands of the Lord, unveiled. After speaking with the people, Moses would replace the veil.
What is the reason for this? The text says that he used a veil because the people would "see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone."
So when Moses was not issuing forth the words of the Lord, he put a veil on his face so that they could not see the glory of the Lord, reflected in his face.
Moses, then, is protecting them, just as the Lord protected him by hiding him in the cleft of the rock and covering Moses as the glory of the Lord passed by (33:21-22).
The reason they couldn’t look is that "their minds were hardened" by sin,.
AND A hard mind, which is resistant to reception of truth, certainly can’t absorb the truth of who the Lord is.
CONCLUSION:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Today WE CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY THROUGH The season of Lent.
Forty days of fasting and praying (not counting Sundays) until Holy Week.
The Mount of Transfiguration was for Jesus indeed a spiritual mountain peak.
BUT THIS episode of the Transfiguration did something, not only for Jesus, but for the disciples also.
(1) The whole atmosphere of the Mountain of Transfiguration is glory. From start to finish the keynote of this whole incident is glory. Jesus’ face shone like the sun, and His garments glistened and gleamed like the light.
LENT ALLOW US THE CHANCE TO FAST AND PRAY FOR FORTY DAYS.
FORTY DAYS JESUS WAS TEMPTED AND OVERCAME.
MOSES IN THE MOUNTAIN WITH GOD AND HIS FACE SHOWN..
JESUS TRANSFIGURED AND GOD IS HEARD TO SPEAK.
LENT IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE OUR SELVES TO BEHOLD THE REFLECTED GLORY OF GOD.
The Greek word for glory is doxa..
No man can rightly define glory, any more than he can define God. BUT WE TRY BY SAYING THAT....
Glory is the fullness of God, and that is a subject too high for our finite minds. Yet, we do know in part.
When God gives His glory, He gives Himself.
We know so little of His glory.
We think only in terms of cosmic power and splendor. We are such strangers to the real meaning of God’s glory,
THIS "seeing OF his glory" is not a mystical vision as such. It is really in- vision, insight.
The glory of God is available to those who thirst for intimacy.
Scripture makes clear that it’s possible for every true follower of Jesus to see and understand the glory of God. Indeed, our Lord reveals his glory to all who ask and seek for it diligently.
Contrary to some Christians’ thinking, the glory of God is not a physical manifestation of some kind.
It’s not an ecstatic feeling that overcomes you.
Simply put, God’s glory is a revelation of his nature and attributes!
Moses had a gnawing hunger and thirst to know who the great I AM was -- to know what his nature and character were all about.
I believe this is why Moses cried, "[Lord]...I beseech thee, shew me thy glory" (Exodus 33:18
And the Lord answered Moses’ prayer. First, he instructed Moses to hide himself in the cleft of a rock.
Yet, as Moses waited for the glory of God to appear, he saw no thunder, no lightning, no shaking of the earth. Rather, God’s glory came to him in a simple revelation:
Now, God only reveals his power or glory with a purpose in mind. So, what was his purpose here?
It certainly wasn’t to give Moses a moment of ecstasy.
And it wasn’t to give him a legacy, something he could tell his children and grandchildren about.
No -- God allowed Moses to see his glory so that he might be changed by the sight of it! And the same is true for us today.
God reveals his glory to us so that, by seeing it, we might be changed into his very own image!
Today, Jesus Christ is the express image of who God is. When our Lord became flesh, it was as a full revelation of the heavenly father’s
mercy,
grace,
goodness and readiness to forgive.
God wrapped up everything of his nature and character in Jesus. And any revelation of his glory to us now is meant to change us into an expression of Christ!
Beloved, God wants to tell us, "Moses understood my glory, and now I want you to understand it. I want to open your eyes by my Spirit to show you who I am.
When Moses saw this revelation of God’s glory -- that he is good, loving, caring, gracious, forgiving -- he quickly fell to his knees and worshipped. "Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped" (Exodus 34:8).
I believe this one verse tells us much about the church today. It says a Christian can pray diligently without ever really worshiping. Indeed, it’s possible to be a prayer warrior and intercessor and still not be a worshiper of God.
You can plead for your unsaved children, pray for the needs of an entire church, be holy and meek in seeking God’s burden -- and yet never truly worship him!
The Lord is forever waiting to show us his love to forgive us, shower us with his mercy and restore us to himself!
Many Christians talk about intimacy with the Lord walking with him, knowing him, having fellowship with him.
TOMMY TUNNEY SAY HE DOES NOT. WANT THE HAND OF GOD BUT THE FACE OF GOD, THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
BUT WE CAN HAVE BOTH THE FACE, PRESENCE OF GOD AS ELLAS THE HAND OF PROVISION, AND PROMISE OF GOD..
MAY WE ALLOW LENT TO SHAPE US AND LEAD US DEEPER INTO INTIMACY WITH GOD,,,
Do we have to wait till LENT to behold the REFLECTED glory of God of corse not,
YET THIS SEASON OF LENT DRAWS AWAY THE CURTAIN AND IT MAKES IT EASIER AS IT OFFERS US A TIME OF STRUCTURED PRAYERS AND FASTING..
MAY OUR TRANSFIGURATION BE AS GLORIOUS AS PETER, JAMES, JOHN, MOSES OR THE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS, SO AS WE ALSO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD WHO SAYS THIS IS MY BELOVED IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASE. COULD WE HOPE TO HEAR ANYTHING ELSE.
AMEN...............AMEN......................AMEN
