February 27 2022

Transfiguration Sunday February 27th   2022

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Psalm: Psalm 99

Epistle: Hebrews 3:1-6

Gospel: Luke 9:28-36

Sermon Text:                Luke 9:28-36

Sermon Title: “Consider Jesus”

Grace to you and peace, from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The author of Hebrews exhorts “all you who share in a heavenly calling; (all who have been baptized and trusted in Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins and the gift of eternal life) to consider Jesus (treasuring all that He has done for you; pondering these things in your hearts as Jesus’ mother Mary did.) (See Luke 2:19) (Jesus) who has been accounted worthy of more glory than Moses … (for) Christ is faithful over God’s house as a Son”. (Hebrews 3:1, 3a, 6a)  

Consider how He has revealed Himself in the Scriptures during this season of Epiphany. Consider how the voice of the Father in heaven declared of Him; “You are My beloved Son; with You I am well pleased”. (Luke 3:22b) Ponder how Jesus “manifested His glory” (John 2:11a) with His turning water into wine at the wedding at Cana. Stand in awe of the One who boldly bore witness of Himself in the synagogue; even though many there were filled with wrath against Him and “tried to throw Him down a cliff”. (Luke 4:29b)  

Remember the power He showed in His healing every kind of disease and disability, in the great catch of fish, and in “commanding the unclean spirits/demons” (Luke 4:36b) to come out. Not to mention the authority of the Word of God that He proclaimed in the Sermon on the Mount; which was unlike that of any other priest or preacher in all of Israel. In today’s Gospel text, the closest disciples see another glimpse of His glory in the transfiguration and this is the text from which we will “consider Jesus” our Lord this morning.  

“Now, about eight days after these sayings, Jesus took with Him Peter, John and James and went up on the mountain to pray”. (Luke 9:28) These were the same three disciples that Jesus had chosen once before to be His witnesses when He raised Jaius’s daughter from the dead. (See Luke 8:51) And again, these same three would accompany Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. (See Matthew 26:37) They were what some call the inner circle of the 12 disciples.

“And as Jesus was praying, the appearance of His face was altered and His clothing became dazzling white” (Luke 9:29); whiter than “anyone on earth could bleach them”. (Mark 9:3b) “And behold, two men were talking with Him; Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His departure, which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem”. (Luke 9:30-31) Why were these two men chosen from among all the Old Testament saints? And what exactly is Jesus’ departure?

Moses and Elijah were picked from among all the saints of old (likely) because Moses was the greatest representative of God’s law, having received the tablets on Mt. Sinai; and being “faithful in God’s house as a servant”. (Hebrews 3:5a) Elijah was the greatest representative of all the prophets of God in the Scriptures; even being carried into heaven without dying in “chariots of fire”. (2nd Kings 2:11) Their appearance was to assure the disciples that Jesus was indeed the long-promised Messiah and that all He said and did was in perfect accord with the Old Testament Scriptures; the Law and the Prophets.

His “departure” or “exodus” refers to Jesus’ entire work of redemption; His atoning for the sins of the world by His death on the cross, His bodily resurrection on the third day and His ascension into heaven. Just as the Lord; through Moses; led the people of Israel “out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Exodus 20:2b); so also, Jesus would set His people free from their slavery to sin and devil and the fear of death.

“Now, Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. And as the men were parting from Him, Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents; one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah; not knowing what he said”. (Luke 9:32-33) Having just woken up, Peter was not sure exactly what was going on, but whatever it was, he wanted it to go on for awhile longer. But, as you heard, Peter did not know what he was saying.

“As Peter was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud saying; This is My (beloved) Son, My chosen One; listen to Him”! (Luke 9:34-35) The Father’s voice confirms that Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Son of God; the Savior of the world. We are to pay attention to/listen to Him and His Word and receive His gifts.

“And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was alone. And they kept silent and told no one … anything of what they had seen”. (Luke 9:36) Matthew and Mark includes the detail that the disciples were “looking around/lifting their eyes and no longer saw anyone with them; but Jesus only”. (Mark 9:8, Matthew 17:8)

“Jesus alone” or “Jesus only”. (Luke 9:36, Mark 9:8, Matthew 17:8) was all three disciples saw at this moment. They had seen a glimpse of Jesus’ glory; “we were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2nd Peter 1:16b) as Peter would later declare. What they saw on this day and later on Easter morning and at His ascension; would strengthen them for service in the Kingdom of God; even in the midst of persecution and death. For as glorious as the transfiguration was, it was pointing ahead to the even greater glory of the resurrection to eternal life that awaits all believers on the last day; the kingdom that has no end.

Following their example, we too should focus on Jesus our Lord (and His Word) alone. For “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven, given among men by which we must be saved”. (Acts 4:12) And, “there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”. (1st Timothy 2:5) And “Lord, to whom shall we go? You “alone” have the words of eternal life”. (John 6:68)  

The four “solas” (or alones) of the Reformation are still true. Salvation is given to us by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ Jesus alone. And the Gospel message is to be found in Scripture alone. The entire Bible, both Old and New Testament, points to Christ as the world’s only Savior from the deadly consequences of our sin; through His atoning death on the cross and bodily resurrection. Therefore, “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe in Him is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the name of the only Son of God”. (John 3:18)

The transfiguration of Jesus also proves or illustrates many biblical truths about Christ. First, the fact that He has two natures; Jesus is both God (appearing in glory) and man. Second, the appearance of Moses and Elijah show that the Old Testament prophets also bears witness to Christ. Third, the hope of eternal life through Christ Jesus is demonstrated in the appearance of Moses and Elijah; they are still alive in spirit and will be raised up in glory on the last day. All these and many other doctrines of Christ are shown to be true in our text.  

Finally, our psalm this morning shows the power and sovereignty of our Lord Jesus in all things. “The Lord reigns (and Jesus is Lord) let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake. Let us praise Your great and awesome name … the King in His might loves justice … Holy is He”. (Psalm 99:1-5) “Therefore, let us humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God … (knowing) that He cares for you”. (1st Peter 5:6-7) Amen.

The peace of God … (Philippians 4:7)