Transfiguration C
A Tour of God’s Mountains
Saint Luke 9:28-36
7 February 2016 – Redeemer
How many Bible stories could you name that involve mountains? Well there’s Mount Moriah where Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac. There’s Mount Sinai where Moses received the 10 Commandments. There’s Mount Zion where the Temple was built in Jerusalem. There’s Mount Golgotha where Christ was crucified. There’s the mountain in today’s Old Testament reading – Mount Nebo where Moses stood to see the promised land before he died. And of course there’s the Mount of Transfiguration in today’s Gospel reading where Jesus shines forth in the lightning brightness of His divinity.
In today’s sermon I want to take you on a tour of Biblical mountains to show you God’s saving work and His saving ways.
So let’s start on Mount Nebo from today’s Old Testament reading. Moses has come to the end of his life – a life in which God called him for one purpose – to deliver the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and bring them to the land of Canaan – the land promised to Abraham and his descendents forever. Through Moses God had visited 10 plagues upon Egypt, set the Israelites free from slavery, drowned Pharaoh’s army, given the 10 commandments, established the whole Divine Service for Israel to use, and preserved God’s people for 40 years in the wilderness.
If you remember, the journey of Moses’ life was not without serious trouble. Pharaoh’s heart was hard. The Israelites were like whiny kids in the back of the minivan (for a 40 year trip). There were complaints about the bread, the meat, the drink, the Lord, Moses. There was a golden calf, ten cowardly spies, and deaths by snake bite. And once, even Moses lost faith in the Lord, and for that the Lord kept Moses out of the promised land. Moses saw the promised land, but he didn’t set foot in it. He saw the promised land, but had to take the Lord’s Word that Israel would get in. Moses obviously made it to heaven – he is alive in glory in today’s Gospel reading, but he never made it to the promised land. His life was one of seeing the Lord at work, hearing the Lord’s Word, and believing in the Lord’s promises, in the midst of troublesome people, incredible failures, and his own sin.
Elijah the Prophet appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration and it surely must have reminded him of the most glorious day of his prophetic office when he stood on Mount Carmel. Remember that great day. In this corner wearing camels hair and looking like a wild man Elijah, the Lord’s man. In this corner, numbering 450 plus, bedecked in jewels and gold and with the Royal endorsement of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel the prophets of Baal. A Battle Royale of the Prophets – the Lord against Baal. A simple contest for each God – all He had to do was burn up a sacrifice – start the fire that would burn up a bull.
It was like a World Wrestling Federation grudge match – there was taunting and showboating and bluster and trash talk. There was bleeding and screaming and crying and pleading. All day long the prophets of Baal called upon their god, and he couldn’t generate a spark. Then Elijah, approached the altar of the Lord, had it doused with water three times, and then simply prayed to the Lord to show Himself to be the Lord and show that Elijah alone was proclaiming God’s Word. The Lord answered with fire and the Lord’s bull was consumed, Baal’s bull was consumed and the Lord utterly destroyed Baal and his boys in that grudge match.
What you may not remember is what happened the next day. Elijah left that mountain and ran for his life. Queen Jezebel was not happy that Baal had been blown away and she wanted Elijah dead. Elijah ended up in a cave on another mountain – Mount Horeb. Not one person stood with Elijah. He was all alone, even after the Lord’s glorious victory. But there on that mountain – the Lord gave Elijah His Word – even though Elijah could not see anyone with him, there were still 7000 people in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal. The Lord still had 7000 children in Israel. And the Lord, by His Word, gave Elijah authority to anoint new Kings in Syria and Israel, and a new prophet to follow Elijah. Elijah saw the Lord’s glory, but did not receive a glorious life. Instead, like Moses, he was given God’s Word to believe. His life too was a life of seeing God’s Work, hearing God’s Word, and believing God’s promises in the midst of troublesome people, incredible failures, and his own suffering.
Those two men – Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, in glory. They were living visitors from heaven, reflecting the glory of God’s presence as they stood with Jesus. And they weren’t there for themselves – they were there with Jesus so that Peter, James, and John could see the glory of Jesus Christ. They stood there as icons of the Old Testament – the Law and the Prophets meet their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Jesus, the greater Moses, is going to deliver us from Satan’s slavery and bring us into the promised land of God’s Kingdom. Jesus is the Amen on Elijah’s prophetic preaching. And in case Peter, James, and John were still shaking the sleep out of their eyes Jesus happens to be glowing with the brightness of His divinity and once their eyes were wide open to what they were seeing, for good measure God spoke, “This is My Son, my Chosen One, listen to him!”
And why must Peter, James, and John see that Jesus is God Himself? Why must you see that Jesus is God Himself? Because one day you will find yourself like Moses facing death. Because like Elijah, you might find yourself all alone in a world of sadness and trouble, wondering if even the Lord has failed or forgotten you. Because throughout all the days of your life, in the midst of loneliness, trouble, and even on the day of death God has given you exactly what you need and what what you need is what you see in Jesus and what you hear from Jesus.
Peter, James, and John had to see Jesus in all His glory because of the next mountain on which they would see Jesus. On Mount Golgotha, Mount Calvary, it wasn’t Moses and Elijah beside Jesus, but two thieves. There was no shining glory, only shame and humiliation and deep darkness There was nothing in Jesus that appeared Godly. He looked like another failed man. And then He uttered His last words, “It is finished” and He died.
What did Peter, James, and John do with what they saw and heard on those mountains? They believed it. They preached it. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit they wrote it down for you and me. They confessed as eyewitnesses that your sins, your death, your hell were finished on Mount Golgotha because the guy who hung on that cross, who shed His blood, offered His body and gave up His Spirit was and is God Himself.
When you find yourself troubled by your sins, facing the consequences of your own misdeeds, like Moses on Mount Nebo – believe what you see in Jesus and what you hear from Him who is God Himself. Your sin is finished. Your salvation is finished.
When you find yourself all alone, when you wonder if God has forsaken you, when a great moment of glory has suddenly left you in a great valley of despair like Elijah on Mount Horeb, believe what you see in Jesus and what you heard Him say from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” In a Trinitarian mystery God the Father forsook God the Son so that your Father in heaven would never forsake you. Your Father will never leave you or forsake you because of His Son Jesus.
When you have come to your life’s end and the Devil throws some darts of doubt at you – will I see the promised land? Will I cross over from death to life? Believe what you see and hear, what Peter, James, and John saw, believed and confessed, what Moses and Elijah believed and confessed, believe what God Himself said on that Mountain – “This is My Son, my Chosen One, listen to Him.” And what does Jesus say that you might listen, believe, and live “Your sins are forgiven.” (Lk 7:48). In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Pr. Bruce Timm
6 February 2016