Transfiguration

Good Shepherd

2004 Pass Rd, Biloxi, MS 39531

Draft Ex 3:1–14; 2 Peter 1:16–21; Mt 17:1–9; Ps 2; anti: v. 7   –     1/25/26

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

Last year I ended the sermon for Transfiguration Sunday by quoting Jesus as He warns the disciples about the coming persecution, and I closed, “I don’t know if this persecution is likely to befall any of us. At the very least, we all ought to strive to follow the example of Moses, Elijah and the prophets, the disciples, and the martyrs by studying the Bible and knowing it so well that its very words fill our daily speech and living by them becomes second nature.” This should always be my goal, and always be your goal so that our lips are equipped with the Word of God in the day of trouble and so that we always know where to look for Him

Now up on the high mountain we find Peter and James and John his brother by themselves with Jesus. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” A noble thing for Peter to suggest, to be sure, since here we have Moses standing for the Law, Elijah standing for the Prophets, and Jesus the very Gospel of peace all together exactly where every man of Israel could come and worship before the glorious light of God as ancient Israel had done outside the tabernacle. Noble, but foolish, for Peter has placed Moses and Elijah as equals with Jesus, and the Law and the Prophets as equal with the Gospel, though I doubt that was his conscious intent.

Remember that when Moses received the Law, God hid him in the cleft of the rock and passed before him so that Moses only saw the back of God. Likewise, God hid Elijah in the cave who wrapped his tunic about his face so that he saw God only through a veil. But Jesus here on this mountain shows Himself openly to Peter, James, and John. The disciples actually confront God in Jesus. For the people of Israel in Egypt, and even later in the promised land, God only came to them in the written word with commands, warnings, and wrath. But Jesus is there with Peter, James, and John in the flesh, grace and truth bodily among them.

Moses taught the people the strictness and harshness of God’s Law, that is, he taught them what was necessary for salvation: Perfect obedience, perfect sacrifice, the shedding of the blood of the innocent. Moses also taught them by that strictness and harshness that none of them, not even Moses himself could live so perfectly from birth, could attend to the obligations of the Tabernacle so faithfully from birth, could be innocent to pass the muster of the Law. That is also the lesson Peter, James, John, and you should take from Moses. Thus David sang, The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. (Psalm 14:1–3) And the writer of Hebrews reminds us, Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (9:22) Since these things are true, no man born in the likeness of Adam can be saved by his own deeds and virtue, and that includes you.

Elijah and the prophets taught the people about the wrath of God. Thus we find him in the book of Kings preaching woe and damnation to Israel and Samaria, bringing draught and famine on the unfaithful kings and people. Those who do not keep God’s Law die for their sins, their land suffers, their animals suffer, and their children perish in the womb. Thus the righteous destruction of the world in the flood during Noah’s day, thus the righteous judgment against the Canaanites during Joshua’s day, and thus also the righteous destruction of Jerusalem, not once, but twice, first for rejecting Moses and Elijah, who stand for the Law and the Prophets, and then for rejecting the Gospel in Jesus. This is also why we see the decline of the West, because the nations of Europe and the Americas have rejected Moses, Elijah, and Christ in favor of Baal, Ashura, and Molech, albeit under different names like interest that impoverishes the nation, bodily autonomy whether to murder your child or disfigure her, and feminism which makes men effeminate and puts women where only men belong. How could God not judge nations who deny the order of creation, who steal from each other, and who murder and mutilate marriage and children? The sins of our nation affect us just as the sins of the king affected the common Israelite, we must heed the warning of the Prophets and repent our sins, and pray for our nation.

However, Elijah and Moses also taught the people about the coming salvation. Their sayings were not always dark, but also spoke of the solution to sin. Thus Moses said, The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen (Deut 18:15), like him but greater than him in that while Moses only brought condemnation and accusation through the Law, this Prophet would bring only forgiveness, life, and salvation. And, as Moses also wrote, God said to the serpent, I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel, speaking of the one who would chain the devil and devour death. Thus also one of the prophets said, For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. (Is 9:6–7) These prophets prepared the way of the greater prophet by teaching the people the Law and what was needed for salvation, but they are mere servants to the greater One and they are not worthy to be His equals.

Then there is the second error in Peter’s noble thought, this high mountain is not where God has desired to meet us and deliver His gifts to us. The Mount of Transfiguration is not where we belong, it is a place of revelation and it is glorious, true, but it is not the place of victory, nor the place of gift-giving. Here at this high mountain there is only glory and the company of the great from the Old Testament, the trials and temptations of the world are far away, there is no struggle and therefore no victory yet. It would be a joyous place to abide with God and His servants for a time, but the war is not yet over, sin and death, the devil and fallen flesh remain with us so that God must still hide His face from us lest He destroy us in righteous wrath. On that account the Reverend Dr. David Scaer says, “We are not allowed to stay on the Mount of Transfiguration, but we are allowed to stay—and must stay—at the cross. If you want to look at God’s glory, look at the nails in the feet and hands of Jesus and find refuge in His side. Then when you look at the cross, you will hear the eternal Father say, ‘This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.’” (80–81) It is to Him you must listen, for only in Jesus, true God with the Father and the Holy Spirit, is there the way, the truth, and the life for all men (John 14:6)

On the mountain of the cross where Christ defeated death and sin for us that is where we belong, where Peter, James, and John find the Moses and Elijah fulfilled and vindicated. On that mountain it is as the prophet Isaiah said, On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” (25:6–9)

Any who seek salvation alone through Moses and Elijah only fall under the curse, as St. Paul warns, For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” (Gal 3:10) They are but the teachers and guardians of Israel, of the Church, until the day the promised messiah comes. They are there but to prepare the hearts of Israel, the Church, through the harshness of the Law to see her sins and need for the Savior. Any who cling to their Law without awaiting the coming of the Seed, of the Child, will not be justified before God. Therefore St. Paul directs us away from trusting in Moses and Elijah to save us through our keeping of the Law and instead to faith in Christ which alone justifies: Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. (Gal 3:11–14) This, St. Peter and the others did not understand at the time, that Moses and Elijah, the Law and the Prophets serve Christ and are there to prepare us, not save us. So these three men then hear the terror of the Father’s voice, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. It is as though the Law struck them, and the shame of their sins bound their faces in darkness, But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. Jesus did not come in harshness and wrath, but to bring grace and truth, to free the prisoners of sin and bring life to the dying. So learn from Moses and Elijah God’s Law and promises of the Messiah, and look to Jesus in whom alone is your salvation. Pass through the Mount of Transfiguration to learn Gods Word so that you may dwell with Christ on Mt Zion forever. Amen.

Now the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen