Matthew 17:1-9. A glimpse of the greatness of Jesus 6/3/11
1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
Last week as we focused our attention on what God has to say to us as we are surrounded by tragedies and disasters, one after another, we were reminded that Jesus came right down into the midst of our world and it’s disasters; and indeed suffered the greatest disaster of all in his death on the cross. Because of the sin of humanity we are forced now to live in the face of disaster and death. So we were very much focussed on the rough and tough of life and a Jesus who came and suffered right in the midst of it all, for us.
Well this week we are given a glimpse of who this Jesus really is, so as to help us cope not just with that message, but also the reality of his death and resurrection, and to help us come to grips with the importance of it all. As well, as to help us as Christian to live out our lives in the midst of uncertainty and the seeming tragedy of life.
Here we are given an account of Jesus taking Peter, James and John up onto a mountain, and there being transfigured before their very eyes; Glowing in perfect radiance. And their having Moses and Elijah appear in their midst – two of the great prophets who had long, long since passed from this earth. And we have God the Father speaking to them; telling them who this Jesus really was – God’s very own Son, and that they should listen to him. Pretty amazing stuff! Unbelievable in fact! Beyond the realms of human possibility! Is it any wonder that Jesus tells them not tell anyone until after his death and resurrection.
So why do we have this transfiguration account, and what is it’s purpose for us today? Nobody out there who are non-Christians would believe this story if we were to tell them. No, here Jesus takes his closest friends up onto a mountain to experience this event, in order to strengthen and encourage them. To strengthen and encourage them for the tough road ahead! You see, just before this, Jesus had told his disciples that now it was time for him head down the road to Jerusalem where he would suffer and die, and rise again three days later.
But Peter and the other disciples had just grasped the idea that Jesus was the Messiah; the One who was going to come and rescue his people and set up a new and glorious kingdom. How could he then be going to die! A king doesn’t suffer and die! He comes to town with power and might. He conquers and rules victorious. He is a winner. So to go to Jerusalem – the centre of action – there to die, that is a sign of a poor, weak human being and a failure. How could he then be the Messiah? It is ridiculous! Poor Peter and the others; it all just doesn’t make much sense.
It is then that Jesus takes his close friends up onto this mountain and all of this that we just read takes place. Yes, there they were reminded that Jesus is more than a mere human being; more than a great prophet. He glowed with the perfection of the Almighty himself. Here then was someone who truly is much closer to God. In fact he obviously is from God himself. So obviously this talk of suffering and death has something to do with the Almighty – not a sign of weakness. Somehow there is something greater involved here that helps us to see that God not only cares about us in the rough and tumble of life, but that he came right into the midst of it and suffers and dies in it for good..
Up there on the mountain they are drawn to see that life is more than simply our three score and ten years here on earth, and maybe a few more by grace of God, – but then that is it. Here Moses and Elijah appears – those guys who lived hundreds of years before. They are really there – so there is much more to life. Death is not the end of things. There is another whole dimension to life, and it is there connected to Jesus. So despite the talk of suffering, death and resurrection, it all somehow connects to things much greater than what we can see and understand. It all has greater and more far-reaching implications.
But then God himself arrives on the scene, in a cloud to shield his glory so that it does not harm them, and He says to them; “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” So here in Jesus it is confirmed that we have God himself. His very own Son who is loved and; in whom God is well pleased. So listen to him! Listen to him, not just when he performs his miracles and the good things, but particularly when he speaks of suffering, death and the like. His ways are God’s ways – even when it may seem foolish to us. Listen to him – because there we will know the things that are important to God.
As a result Peter could come down off the mountain and face the road to Jerusalem, even though he would still struggle to come to grips with it all. Here in Jesus he knew that there was God himself. Here in what Jesus was going through there was something vitally important happening. So now he could face the rough uncertainty of life and know that somehow it was going to work. Somehow Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection was going to turn life upside down - because God himself is here at work.
And we here, too, can and are given that same assurance as we are reminded of Christ and his death on the cross and also of our living in the midst of world of ever unfolding disasters. And as we, in these next weeks are brought face to face with the reality of sin: Our sin and of our hopeless situation before God on own merits, we are given the same assurance that, here in Jesus God is at work making things right for us; That, through the rough and tumble – the hurts and tragedy of life - the Almighty is working things for good. So we are helped to face the road through life to our own death knowing that in connection with Jesus all will be made right.
And this assurance is not just given as we hear of Jesus transfiguration on that mountain. In fact, every Sunday, we are taken up onto a mountain, and Jesus is revealed to us as God’s very own Son. Every Sunday as we gather together in worship we see the glorious Jesus come to us in the midst of the ordinary things of life, reassuring us over and over again, of his love for us and of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life that he extends to us through the hearing of the Word read, preached and sung. Through the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper we have Jesus revealed as the holy one of God – who came in order to die on the cross so that forgiveness could be ours, and of his presence with us as we live out our lives in the midst of the struggles and joys of life in this world. We are given that assurance every Sunday that through his death and resurrection we have the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. So we can be confident that it will all work out for us as go down the road of life.
Yes, here again our Lord comes to us to strengthen and encourage us; particularly as we are about to face another Lenten season and are confronted with a message of repentance for forgiveness of sins and of the importance of Jesus and his death and resurrection. All this he reveals so that we too are able to deny selves, take up our crosses and follow our Lord Jesus Christ, and to receive all the wonderful blessings he has in mind for us.
So may the peace of God, revealed and made possible through our Lord Jesus Christ, and which is beyond our understanding, keep your hearts, minds and lives focussed on the Lord Jesus Christ. AMEN
Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish
1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
Last week as we focused our attention on what God has to say to us as we are surrounded by tragedies and disasters, one after another, we were reminded that Jesus came right down into the midst of our world and it’s disasters; and indeed suffered the greatest disaster of all in his death on the cross. Because of the sin of humanity we are forced now to live in the face of disaster and death. So we were very much focussed on the rough and tough of life and a Jesus who came and suffered right in the midst of it all, for us.
Well this week we are given a glimpse of who this Jesus really is, so as to help us cope not just with that message, but also the reality of his death and resurrection, and to help us come to grips with the importance of it all. As well, as to help us as Christian to live out our lives in the midst of uncertainty and the seeming tragedy of life.
Here we are given an account of Jesus taking Peter, James and John up onto a mountain, and there being transfigured before their very eyes; Glowing in perfect radiance. And their having Moses and Elijah appear in their midst – two of the great prophets who had long, long since passed from this earth. And we have God the Father speaking to them; telling them who this Jesus really was – God’s very own Son, and that they should listen to him. Pretty amazing stuff! Unbelievable in fact! Beyond the realms of human possibility! Is it any wonder that Jesus tells them not tell anyone until after his death and resurrection.
So why do we have this transfiguration account, and what is it’s purpose for us today? Nobody out there who are non-Christians would believe this story if we were to tell them. No, here Jesus takes his closest friends up onto a mountain to experience this event, in order to strengthen and encourage them. To strengthen and encourage them for the tough road ahead! You see, just before this, Jesus had told his disciples that now it was time for him head down the road to Jerusalem where he would suffer and die, and rise again three days later.
But Peter and the other disciples had just grasped the idea that Jesus was the Messiah; the One who was going to come and rescue his people and set up a new and glorious kingdom. How could he then be going to die! A king doesn’t suffer and die! He comes to town with power and might. He conquers and rules victorious. He is a winner. So to go to Jerusalem – the centre of action – there to die, that is a sign of a poor, weak human being and a failure. How could he then be the Messiah? It is ridiculous! Poor Peter and the others; it all just doesn’t make much sense.
It is then that Jesus takes his close friends up onto this mountain and all of this that we just read takes place. Yes, there they were reminded that Jesus is more than a mere human being; more than a great prophet. He glowed with the perfection of the Almighty himself. Here then was someone who truly is much closer to God. In fact he obviously is from God himself. So obviously this talk of suffering and death has something to do with the Almighty – not a sign of weakness. Somehow there is something greater involved here that helps us to see that God not only cares about us in the rough and tumble of life, but that he came right into the midst of it and suffers and dies in it for good..
Up there on the mountain they are drawn to see that life is more than simply our three score and ten years here on earth, and maybe a few more by grace of God, – but then that is it. Here Moses and Elijah appears – those guys who lived hundreds of years before. They are really there – so there is much more to life. Death is not the end of things. There is another whole dimension to life, and it is there connected to Jesus. So despite the talk of suffering, death and resurrection, it all somehow connects to things much greater than what we can see and understand. It all has greater and more far-reaching implications.
But then God himself arrives on the scene, in a cloud to shield his glory so that it does not harm them, and He says to them; “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” So here in Jesus it is confirmed that we have God himself. His very own Son who is loved and; in whom God is well pleased. So listen to him! Listen to him, not just when he performs his miracles and the good things, but particularly when he speaks of suffering, death and the like. His ways are God’s ways – even when it may seem foolish to us. Listen to him – because there we will know the things that are important to God.
As a result Peter could come down off the mountain and face the road to Jerusalem, even though he would still struggle to come to grips with it all. Here in Jesus he knew that there was God himself. Here in what Jesus was going through there was something vitally important happening. So now he could face the rough uncertainty of life and know that somehow it was going to work. Somehow Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection was going to turn life upside down - because God himself is here at work.
And we here, too, can and are given that same assurance as we are reminded of Christ and his death on the cross and also of our living in the midst of world of ever unfolding disasters. And as we, in these next weeks are brought face to face with the reality of sin: Our sin and of our hopeless situation before God on own merits, we are given the same assurance that, here in Jesus God is at work making things right for us; That, through the rough and tumble – the hurts and tragedy of life - the Almighty is working things for good. So we are helped to face the road through life to our own death knowing that in connection with Jesus all will be made right.
And this assurance is not just given as we hear of Jesus transfiguration on that mountain. In fact, every Sunday, we are taken up onto a mountain, and Jesus is revealed to us as God’s very own Son. Every Sunday as we gather together in worship we see the glorious Jesus come to us in the midst of the ordinary things of life, reassuring us over and over again, of his love for us and of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life that he extends to us through the hearing of the Word read, preached and sung. Through the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper we have Jesus revealed as the holy one of God – who came in order to die on the cross so that forgiveness could be ours, and of his presence with us as we live out our lives in the midst of the struggles and joys of life in this world. We are given that assurance every Sunday that through his death and resurrection we have the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. So we can be confident that it will all work out for us as go down the road of life.
Yes, here again our Lord comes to us to strengthen and encourage us; particularly as we are about to face another Lenten season and are confronted with a message of repentance for forgiveness of sins and of the importance of Jesus and his death and resurrection. All this he reveals so that we too are able to deny selves, take up our crosses and follow our Lord Jesus Christ, and to receive all the wonderful blessings he has in mind for us.
So may the peace of God, revealed and made possible through our Lord Jesus Christ, and which is beyond our understanding, keep your hearts, minds and lives focussed on the Lord Jesus Christ. AMEN
Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish
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