Transfiguration Sunday 2/03/08 Text: MATTHEW 17:1-9 Title: Don't do something, Listen!
Transfiguration Sunday
2/03/08
Text: Matthew 17:1-9
Title: Don’t do something, Listen!
This morning is the last Sunday of Epiphany the season of light. And what better Gospel to finish the season with than Matthew 17:1-9, where we read in verse 2, “And he was transfigured, that is changed, not appeared to be changed, but literally changed before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.” The brilliance of that moment must have really caught them off guard. But it is not until verse 5 that they are driven to the ground in fear, for that is when a voice from a bright cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” That drove them to the ground in fear, for it is then that they knew God was speaking to them.
Before we get into the meaning of the text for us today, let’s compare our Old Testament reading with the Gospel so that we can better see what Matthew wants his reader, that is us too, to learn.
• The six days in verse 1 parallel the six days that the cloud covered Mount Sinai before Moses ascended it (Exodus 24:16). God spoke on the 7th Day of each account.
• The high mountain (v. 1) parallels Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:12). To the people of the day God spoke on high mountains.
• The three disciples, Peter, James and John parallel the three men Aaron, Nadab and Abihu who were invited to worship with Moses in Exodus 24:1. It is interesting to note that these three men were later ordained as priests, just as Peter, James, and John became Apostles.
• Jesus' shining face in verse 2 parallels Moses' shining face after his encounter with God in Exodus 34:29. This is a particularly strong parallel. Moses' shining face was a powerful image for Israel. However, his shining face was just a reflection of God's glory, while Jesus' shining face reflects his inner glory.
• God speaks from a cloud in verse 5, paralleling God's call to Moses from a cloud in Exodus 24:16.
• In verse 5 God says, "Listen to him," paralleling "You shall heed such a prophet" in Deuteronomy 18:15.
• We see in verse 6 that the disciples are afraid paralleling the fear of the Israelites when they saw Moses' shining face when he came down the mountain. To see God or hear God’s glory is a fearful thing.
Saint Matthew recorded the events, so that his readers could see with out a doubt that this Jesus was the Messiah, the one that the Torah spoke of, the one they had rejected and murdered. You had to really have your heart closed to the message of God to not get Matthew’s message, but most of the people then did not get it, just as people today refuse to believe God’s Word. They wanted an earthly king then just like so many people today want an earthly king, a king that will rule over their enemies, who will bestow wonderful blessings on his subjects.
Over the centuries, the Christian church has, at the same time, loved this story and not known quite what to do with it. It is mysterious, way beyond our everyday experience. It is difficult to understand. At its core, it is simply a revealing to the disciples and Christians forever, of Jesus' identity. It is God's stamp of approval on Jesus and the path upon which he has set his feet, a path that he has just revealed to the disciples in chapter 16:21-23, a path that will lead to his death on the cross and his glorious resurrection freeing us from punishment and eternal death.
You might be wondering why Jesus picked these particular disciples to be with him at this particular time. Peter, by this time appears to be leader of the disciples, but boy does he run hot and cold as far as his faith is concerned. John is traditionally considered to be "the one whom Jesus loved", making him another obvious choice. But what about James, John's brother? Maybe Jesus brought him along because he knows that in a short time he will be the first of the Apostles that will die for the faith. We will never know why, that is until Jesus comes back and ends the world as we know it.
And then there is that strange command Jesus gives them as they descend from the mountain, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” Can you imagine witnessing something like what happened and then have somebody tell you not to tell anyone.
Let us take a look at our Epistle reading 2 Peter 1 verses 16-21 to see if we can figure out why Jesus told the disciples not to tell anyone. Listen to what Peter says, “For we do not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,” Here is the big moment, “but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, (that is God), ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with on the holy mountain.”
If that is not enough, what more could a person want? Peter was there. What had been kept secret before was now out in the public arena. Peter goes on to tell them because we saw and heard this, we now know that what the prophets said about the Messiah were true.
We can now attest that the prophets’ words did not come from themselves but from God through the work of the Holy Spirit. What they said would happen did happen. This Jesus is the complete fulfillment of Moses and Elijah. That is why when the cloud lifted the only one there was Jesus. The other two had done what they had been sent to do. It is, as it were, Jesus turn. He was to do what the other two could not do, save us from God’s just wrath.
So what does all this mean to us today? I would put it like this. It is proof to us also that Jesus is the Messiah. The Transfiguration is like a railroad sign I saw one day on a lonely country road. Usually Railroad signs have just two big crossbars, but this one had written on it in big bold letters "Stop! Look! Listen!" I am sure that there was a reason for that sign being there. I am sure that somebody, maybe more than one had gotten killed at the crossing. What great advice!
And that is what the word of God does, for it keeps us from dying an eternal death, plus helps us to live our lives better. The transfiguration is our warning sign to stop, look, and listen.
Notice how God interrupts Peter as he is busy trying to take care of everyone. In Psalm 46:10 the psalmist said, “Be still and know that I am God…”. In other words, before you go blundering off in a direction that may not want to go later, stop and listen for God’s direction, his voice through the scripture. Take some time to collect your thoughts, ponder what you are getting ready to do before taking off.
After you have stopped, then take the time to look, but not just look around, but to look up for God’s help as the Psalmist tells us in Psalm 121:1-2, “I lift up my eyes to the hills-where does my help comes from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven & earth.” When you look up, you quit focusing on yourself and your desires and start focusing on the heavenly Father who loves you and wants you to be in him.
Then we are to listen, for it does no good to stop and look for God’s guidance, if we do not listen. That is why God the Father said, “Listen to him.” Do as young Samuel did in 1 Samuel 3:10. Just say, “Speak for your servant is listening”. God speaks to us, through the Bible, the Sacraments, through Godly counsel, and through our inner spirit. You might be asking, “How do I know if it is God who is speaking to me?” Does what you think God is telling you give him alone the glory? If it does then it is God’s direction.
http://leidancatienza.multiply.com/journal/item/11/STOP_LOOK_LISTEN
And how are we to know that what we have been reading this morning is the truth? Check it out in the Scriptures. For Peter tells us in verse 21 that, “For no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” How do you know that the interpretation that you are reading or hearing is correct? You go to the Scripture to see what other passages say about the same subject. It is God’s book and he revels himself in it. He tells us that in his book, the Bible. This is not the only scripture passage that attests to God’s revelation. There are six more that you can look at. I have included the references on the saintjohnlutheran.com sermon page website so if you are interested you can look them up.
There is one last verse I would like to talk to you about this morning. It is where, after the disciples had fallen down in fear that Jesus reached out and touch the disciples. That is powerful, for it is Jesus along that can calm your fears that can touch you, wherever you are at; whether in sickness or health, poverty or wealth. Wherever you are at Jesus can touch you if only you stop, look, and listen. Amen
1. Matthew 5:17–19
2. I Corinthians 2:9–13
3. I Thessalonians 2:13
4. II Timothy 3:16
5. I Peter 1:23–25
6. II Peter 1:20–21
7. II Peter 3:15–16
2/03/08
Text: Matthew 17:1-9
Title: Don’t do something, Listen!
This morning is the last Sunday of Epiphany the season of light. And what better Gospel to finish the season with than Matthew 17:1-9, where we read in verse 2, “And he was transfigured, that is changed, not appeared to be changed, but literally changed before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.” The brilliance of that moment must have really caught them off guard. But it is not until verse 5 that they are driven to the ground in fear, for that is when a voice from a bright cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” That drove them to the ground in fear, for it is then that they knew God was speaking to them.
Before we get into the meaning of the text for us today, let’s compare our Old Testament reading with the Gospel so that we can better see what Matthew wants his reader, that is us too, to learn.
• The six days in verse 1 parallel the six days that the cloud covered Mount Sinai before Moses ascended it (Exodus 24:16). God spoke on the 7th Day of each account.
• The high mountain (v. 1) parallels Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:12). To the people of the day God spoke on high mountains.
• The three disciples, Peter, James and John parallel the three men Aaron, Nadab and Abihu who were invited to worship with Moses in Exodus 24:1. It is interesting to note that these three men were later ordained as priests, just as Peter, James, and John became Apostles.
• Jesus' shining face in verse 2 parallels Moses' shining face after his encounter with God in Exodus 34:29. This is a particularly strong parallel. Moses' shining face was a powerful image for Israel. However, his shining face was just a reflection of God's glory, while Jesus' shining face reflects his inner glory.
• God speaks from a cloud in verse 5, paralleling God's call to Moses from a cloud in Exodus 24:16.
• In verse 5 God says, "Listen to him," paralleling "You shall heed such a prophet" in Deuteronomy 18:15.
• We see in verse 6 that the disciples are afraid paralleling the fear of the Israelites when they saw Moses' shining face when he came down the mountain. To see God or hear God’s glory is a fearful thing.
Saint Matthew recorded the events, so that his readers could see with out a doubt that this Jesus was the Messiah, the one that the Torah spoke of, the one they had rejected and murdered. You had to really have your heart closed to the message of God to not get Matthew’s message, but most of the people then did not get it, just as people today refuse to believe God’s Word. They wanted an earthly king then just like so many people today want an earthly king, a king that will rule over their enemies, who will bestow wonderful blessings on his subjects.
Over the centuries, the Christian church has, at the same time, loved this story and not known quite what to do with it. It is mysterious, way beyond our everyday experience. It is difficult to understand. At its core, it is simply a revealing to the disciples and Christians forever, of Jesus' identity. It is God's stamp of approval on Jesus and the path upon which he has set his feet, a path that he has just revealed to the disciples in chapter 16:21-23, a path that will lead to his death on the cross and his glorious resurrection freeing us from punishment and eternal death.
You might be wondering why Jesus picked these particular disciples to be with him at this particular time. Peter, by this time appears to be leader of the disciples, but boy does he run hot and cold as far as his faith is concerned. John is traditionally considered to be "the one whom Jesus loved", making him another obvious choice. But what about James, John's brother? Maybe Jesus brought him along because he knows that in a short time he will be the first of the Apostles that will die for the faith. We will never know why, that is until Jesus comes back and ends the world as we know it.
And then there is that strange command Jesus gives them as they descend from the mountain, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” Can you imagine witnessing something like what happened and then have somebody tell you not to tell anyone.
Let us take a look at our Epistle reading 2 Peter 1 verses 16-21 to see if we can figure out why Jesus told the disciples not to tell anyone. Listen to what Peter says, “For we do not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,” Here is the big moment, “but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, (that is God), ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with on the holy mountain.”
If that is not enough, what more could a person want? Peter was there. What had been kept secret before was now out in the public arena. Peter goes on to tell them because we saw and heard this, we now know that what the prophets said about the Messiah were true.
We can now attest that the prophets’ words did not come from themselves but from God through the work of the Holy Spirit. What they said would happen did happen. This Jesus is the complete fulfillment of Moses and Elijah. That is why when the cloud lifted the only one there was Jesus. The other two had done what they had been sent to do. It is, as it were, Jesus turn. He was to do what the other two could not do, save us from God’s just wrath.
So what does all this mean to us today? I would put it like this. It is proof to us also that Jesus is the Messiah. The Transfiguration is like a railroad sign I saw one day on a lonely country road. Usually Railroad signs have just two big crossbars, but this one had written on it in big bold letters "Stop! Look! Listen!" I am sure that there was a reason for that sign being there. I am sure that somebody, maybe more than one had gotten killed at the crossing. What great advice!
And that is what the word of God does, for it keeps us from dying an eternal death, plus helps us to live our lives better. The transfiguration is our warning sign to stop, look, and listen.
Notice how God interrupts Peter as he is busy trying to take care of everyone. In Psalm 46:10 the psalmist said, “Be still and know that I am God…”. In other words, before you go blundering off in a direction that may not want to go later, stop and listen for God’s direction, his voice through the scripture. Take some time to collect your thoughts, ponder what you are getting ready to do before taking off.
After you have stopped, then take the time to look, but not just look around, but to look up for God’s help as the Psalmist tells us in Psalm 121:1-2, “I lift up my eyes to the hills-where does my help comes from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven & earth.” When you look up, you quit focusing on yourself and your desires and start focusing on the heavenly Father who loves you and wants you to be in him.
Then we are to listen, for it does no good to stop and look for God’s guidance, if we do not listen. That is why God the Father said, “Listen to him.” Do as young Samuel did in 1 Samuel 3:10. Just say, “Speak for your servant is listening”. God speaks to us, through the Bible, the Sacraments, through Godly counsel, and through our inner spirit. You might be asking, “How do I know if it is God who is speaking to me?” Does what you think God is telling you give him alone the glory? If it does then it is God’s direction.
http://leidancatienza.multiply.com/journal/item/11/STOP_LOOK_LISTEN
And how are we to know that what we have been reading this morning is the truth? Check it out in the Scriptures. For Peter tells us in verse 21 that, “For no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” How do you know that the interpretation that you are reading or hearing is correct? You go to the Scripture to see what other passages say about the same subject. It is God’s book and he revels himself in it. He tells us that in his book, the Bible. This is not the only scripture passage that attests to God’s revelation. There are six more that you can look at. I have included the references on the saintjohnlutheran.com sermon page website so if you are interested you can look them up.
There is one last verse I would like to talk to you about this morning. It is where, after the disciples had fallen down in fear that Jesus reached out and touch the disciples. That is powerful, for it is Jesus along that can calm your fears that can touch you, wherever you are at; whether in sickness or health, poverty or wealth. Wherever you are at Jesus can touch you if only you stop, look, and listen. Amen
1. Matthew 5:17–19
2. I Corinthians 2:9–13
3. I Thessalonians 2:13
4. II Timothy 3:16
5. I Peter 1:23–25
6. II Peter 1:20–21
7. II Peter 3:15–16
posted by Pastor Rhoads | 7:16 PM
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