Transfiguration, 2011, Immanuel Lutheran Chapel, 2 Peter 1:16-21
V. 19, We have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
Today concludes the season of Epiphany the season of light. In Christ, “The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.” Now, we living in Christ’s salvation are a light to all nations. As we share the good news of Jesus with the world we answer the call to share our bread with the hungry and cover those without clothing; we will be a light that lights the whole house, leading many to give glory to the Father in heaven. In such ways we are providing God’s house as a home, a home enlightened by Christ, here at Immanuel Chapel.
Today is Transfiguration Sunday. The gospel of Matthew reports, “And his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.” Faced with such an intense light the three disciples hid their eyes from the sight. Here Jesus was revealed in His heavenly glory as the true Messiah. The disciples were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
In our text Peter reminds us of God’s approving words, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, listen to him.” Peter and the other two heard these words with their own ears. Moses was there who at another mountain had taken blood and thrown it on the people saying, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord had made with you.” This blood of the covenant would be fulfilled on Mt. Calvary where Jesus died on the cross. This blood of the covenant comes to us in Holy Communion, as we receive Jesus blood shed for us, in the wine and his body given for us, in the bread.
Moved by the Holy Spirit the apostles spoke and wrote their witness. Our faith today considers this process and names it inspiration. We cannot explain it, we believe it. Every scriptural Word is word of God from God about God. His word causes His day to dawn in our hearts and His morning star to rise, shining into a dark place. His Word is a light for us in the darkness of this world. His word is the “lamp for our feet and the light for our path.”
Our touchstone is always the forgiving power of the cross and open tomb of Jesus Christ. If any interpretation of Scripture obscures or darkens this central message of Scripture, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself,” then that interpretation is set aside.
On the other hand, just honoring a book as given by God would not be in order either. We do not admire and worship the product, but God the Producer.
We do not honor the creation but the Creator. The danger would be akin to setting up the pages of scripture as a golden calf rather than praising God for giving His Word in words that fit human situations, problems, and opportunities within the history of humankind. The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ was to this world. God transformed himself in the person of Jesus in this world. He was born in poverty, raised in obscurity, and died a condemned criminal in this world. The power of God was veiled in the coming of Jesus. The barn of Bethlehem led to the cross of Calvary.
God’s plan was to make the word of his forgiving love more sure in the suffering and death of His beloved Son. God was well pleased with Jesus, for he patiently and purposefully set His face toward Jerusalem. He came into this world that we might be his own, know Him as the Light of the world, listen to Him as sheep listen to the voice of their shepherd, and follow Him as true disciples of the Master.
God chose not to show himself to us in all His naked power, nor to deal with our sins accordingly. As the psalmist says, “If you lord should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You.” God chose to make himself known in Christ not as the God of power, but as the God of forgiving love.
The veil covering Christ’s majesty and power was torn aside in the Transfiguration. God allowed Jesus to be seen in a heavenly way in the brilliance that is rightfully His. Where does that leave us on this transfiguration Day? Merely standing in wonder and awe at another miracle? We are not just waiting for our turn on the mountain or for the time when we will get to heaven or for the moment when we will see Jesus and hear the voice of the Father. The same Spirit who gave the words to the disciples, the same Spirit who inspired them to spend their lives in the service of the early church, the same Spirit who moved them to change the world in which they lived is the Spirit who now gives us this same word of God to apply to our humans woes and troubles. The Word that shines in our hearts is to shine through our lives into the world and light it up.
We have ample models and examples for applying God’s word to our human situations and this age. Consider Moses facing Pharaoh and demanding release for enslaved Israel. Think of Amos, thundering against unscrupulous business practices, faithless employees. Demanding restitution for those who had been exploited. Prophet after prophet ranted against greedy men who thought of their own fortunes and bank accounts rather than the needs of their neighbors. Consider Jeremiah who warned governments against trust in political alliances or standing armies or arsenals of weapons as means to security. Jesus himself cleaned up the temple area of the robbers, short-change artists and herders who thought money raising was more important than worship and prayer. Paul faced a mob after ruining a fortune tellers business. Peter warned about extreme clothing fashions. James warned about kowtowing to the rich, for true religion shows in caring for the orphans and widows in their needs.
In the Creed we confess, “I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.” That should lead us to be in the forefront of cleaning up the environment. Clean air, antilitter, pure water-these are issues that are of interest to us for the sake of our heavenly Father who created this world that mankind is wrecking. Care for the homeless, the aged, the emotionally disturbed, in fact wherever people are feeling discarded and uncared for, there we Christians are called to show God’s love in our commitment to the sustaining power of the Spirit of God. It’s God’s Spirit, who brought us to faith, keeps us in the faith and impels us to go into the world with God’s love. Above all, our commitment to the transfigured Lord means learning to better speak for him to this world of Youtube, Facebook and Twitter where in the name of freedom, the best and the worst of human imagination is available to all.
Can we come down from the mountain to speak God’s prophetic word? Can we speak as the people in whom His Light shines? Can we be the lights of the world since He is the Light of the world?
Let God’s Son shine in your heart through faith. Let His word shine forth in your lives. Let your lives shine with His light into this age of darkness.
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