A Glimpse of Glory

Sermon planned for Sunday, March 6th, 2011

Texts: 2 Peter 1:16-19; Matthew 17:1-13

This morning is ‘Transfiguration Sunday’. Once every year, we as a church take time to remember this story about Jesus being transformed on the mountain. It’s a strange story. This story interrupts the flow of Matthew’s storytelling. In chapter sixteen, verse twenty one, we read that Jesus then began to show his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem and that he would suffer there. And so, turning to Jerusalem, we suddenly have this story about Jesus climbing a mountain with three of his closest disciples – James, John & Peter. Just as Jesus was heading towards the lowest and most difficult point of his ministry – he took a detour and had the ultimate mountain-top experience.

In the past few weeks we’ve been talking about the Sermon on the Mount, and how all those teachings relate to the Kingdom of God. John the Baptist and Jesus both taught that the Kingdom of God was at hand – it was just around the corner. That’s why Peter couldn’t handle it when Jesus told his disciples that he was going to suffer. How could Jesus, the Messiah and King suffer? Wasn’t he supposed to get rid of the Romans? Wasn’t the Messiah the one who would return Israel to power? Instead, Jesus told his disciples that the Messiah of God’s Kingdom would have to suffer. The Messiah was heading to the cross. Peter couldn’t handle that news at the time. Can you blame him? Why would God’s anointed Savior have to suffer? Why couldn’t things just be easier for Him?

And then there’s this story we just heard – Jesus with three disciples climbing a mountain; only to experience something out of this world. How does it all fit together? I invite you to join me, in your bibles, at Matthew chapter seventeen, beginning at verse one. One of the first things that we notice about this story is that this experience was specifically chosen for three of Jesus’ closest disciples. Why only these three? We can’t be sure. This weird story about Jesus meeting Elijah and Moses on a mountain, this story about Peter wanting to build three tents, this story about Jesus’ face shining like the sun – this story was meant as a gift to us. Can we receive it? Or do we scratch our heads, confused about its meaning?

The whole scene, with Jesus on a mountain, shining like the sun, with a voice from a cloud – this whole scene points back to a time when Moses was standing on a mountain. Matthew’s story about Jesus being transformed on the mountain reminded the early church about Moses receiving God’s law on the mountain. In our story this morning, the three disciples come up the mountain to experience something similarly amazing.

In Matthew 17:2, we read that Jesus was transfigured before them and that his face shone like the sun, and that his clothes became dazzling white. What’s the deal with Jesus’ shining face? Well, there’s another connection with the story of Moses. In Exodus 34:29 we read that Moses came down from Mount Sinai, and that as he came down from the mountain with the Ten Commandments his own face was shining with some kind of light. Why? Because he had been talking with God. And in Exodus 24;17 we read that the appearance of God’s glory was like a devouring fire on the top of a mountain. What’s going on here?

These stories speak about what it means to encounter the glory of God. What is glory? What does it mean to experience the glory of God? In Hebrew the word we translate as glory means a spiritual weightiness, significance, or splendor. But whenever it is pictured, in the bible, authors write about a certain kind of light, or glowing, or fire. Moses experienced the presence of God on the mountain and it made his face shine. And when Jesus and his disciples were on the mountain, they encountered a similar brilliance and dazzling experience of God’s glory. They had a mountain-top experience of God’s presence, which was exactly what they needed to get them through to the end. But more about that later.

There are a few ways of understanding the importance of Moses and Elijah, and why these two appeared on the mountain with Jesus. First of all, Elijah never died but was taken directly to heaven, as we read in 2 Kings chapter two. And in Deuteronomy chapter thirty-four, we read that Moses died at God’s command, and the text makes it sound like God buried Moses himself in the land of Moab, in a valley. So, perhaps one of the reasons why these two meet Jesus on the mountain is because they were received by God in a special way. Death never claimed Elijah – and so he could come back at any time to help God’s people. Another interpretation of why these two are on the mountain with Jesus, rather than others, is because they are representatives of the law and the prophets. Moses was Israel’s chief lawgiver, and even to this day the Jews see Moses’ law as central to their faith. Elijah, on the other hand, was the prophet who challenged Israel’s enemies and won. When God blessed Elijah’s offering with fire, it proved that Elijah was the prophet of the True God and that the priests of Baal were liars.

These are at least a few reasons for why Moses and Elijah were the two that met Jesus on the mountain – but we can’t know for sure, the text is silent about why. In verse four of our text for this morning we read Peter’s response. When he saw Jesus talking to Moses and Elijah, Peter told Jesus that he was going to build three tabernacles/tents, one for Moses, one for Elijah, and one for Jesus. As I said earlier – we’re dealing with a rather strange story. Why build a tabernacle? What’s with building a tent on the top of a mountain?

In the book of Zechariah chapter fourteen, the prophet wrote about the final day of the Lord. He wrote that all the nations will go up to Jerusalem and that they will go to worship God and celebrate at the Festival of Booths (or Tents). The festival of booths was a reminder to God’s people of how they lived when they were in the wilderness after leaving Egypt. They lived in the desert in tents. And when they celebrated the festival of booths, they remembered that time when they had to live in complete trust of God – they didn’t have homes or mansions, because they were exiles. This is the picture they had of the end times, they would live in ‘tents’. In other words, in God’s future plan, his children would live in constant trust in God.

So why does Peter want to build three tents for Moses, Elijah, and Jesus? My own guess is that he thinks the end has come. Jesus has been transformed, he’s dazzling white. It’s all over, and the Kingdom is coming down right now! Moses the lawgiver took his stand beside Jesus. Elijah had come, which meant that the new age was right around the corner. In Malachi chapter four we read that God would send the prophet Elijah before the ‘great and terrible day of the Lord’. The Jews believed that Elijah would show up in preparation for the Messiah of God. Peter was putting all the pieces together in his mind. Or was he? Just a week earlier, Jesus had told Peter that he was going to Jerusalem to suffer. Had Peter forgotten already? He sure did. Peter was in battle mode. Let’s build some tents and usher in God’s righteous Kingdom.

Peter’s not so different than the rest of us. When we have a mountain-top experience, we’re quick to idolize it and treat it as the new standard. Whether it’s a spiritual high at a revival meeting, an emotional high-point at camp, or a powerfully transforming book or resource we come across – we easily idolize our own spiritual-high experience and try to nail it down. We built a tent for it and then try to get others to join us on the mountain. How many times has someone told you, “you have to come to this event – you’ll meet God there”, or “you have to read this book, it’ll change your life”? Like Peter, when we have a transfiguration moment – when we catch a glimpse of the glory of God – we want to capture it in a tent so that we can keep coming back to it, as if the experience itself is our safe-zone, rather than the embrace of God.

Just as Peter was finishing his request about building tents – he didn’t even get his last word in – a bright cloud came over them and a voice from the cloud interrupted Peter’s gung-ho attitude. “This is my Son, the Beloved, with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” “But I have to go get these tents ready! Everyone else is gonna want to see this! The end is here!” “Quiet Peter! This is my Son, the Beloved… listen to him!” If this wasn’t the end, then what was it? If this wasn’t about a new age of living in tents – in complete trust in God and His sovereign power – then what?

On that mountain, Peter thought that the end had come. He was ready for anything – even ready to build some tents. And it’s not like he was way off the mark either. In the book of Revelation, when John gives us a picture of the final day, and the new Jerusalem, he writes that God will set up his tent in the midst of the new city and God will dwell with mortals. “He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them.” (Rev 21:3) But Peter jumped the gun on that mountain, when he saw Jesus, Elijah, and Moses. He had forgotten what Jesus had said about suffering in Jerusalem. Maybe that’s why the voice from the cloud said: Listen to Jesus! He’s my beloved Son! Take your cues from Him!

Many years later, Peter would write about this experience in a letter to some churches. We are blessed to be able to read it. In the New Living Translation it reads:
2 Peter 1:16-19 16 For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes 17 when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy." 18 We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place-- until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.

After several years, Peter could look back on this event and see why Jesus had invited him up the mountain. He didn’t go up the mountain to see a King transfigured and ready for battle. He was invited to see Jesus in all His glory. He was invited to catch a glimpse of the spiritual weightiness of God. He was asked to join Jesus on the mountain so that he could come down the mountain, with even greater confidence – as he later wrote. He was given a glimpse of Christ’s glory so that he would have a lamp in his heart, shining clearly when things would go dark.

Peter would need that greater confidence to face the persecutions that would come in the years ahead. But what about Jesus? Jesus met with these two giants from the Old Testament. We’re not quite sure why, but I’m guessing it had something to do with preparing Jesus for the journey to the cross. Maybe God sent Moses and Elijah to encourage Jesus. Can you imagine what it must have felt like, for Jesus, to know what was coming in Jerusalem? To know that the only way to break the power of sin, the only way to atone for our guilt, the only way to show us the depths of God’s love, was to climb up that cross and willingly give up his life? To stare death in the face and trust in God’s resurrecting power?

Some of you have had experiences of tremendous suffering. Some of you are staring death in the face, or you soon will. Put yourself in Peter’s shoes, this morning, and catch a glimpse of Christ’s glory. Has God given you a ‘transfiguration’ moment, where you’ve felt the weight of God’s presence? Has an experience, or a place, or a book, given you a glimpse of God’s dazzling brightness or majesty? Cling to these mountaintop experiences, but do it without idolizing them. God gives these moments to us as gifts, not for exploitation, or to seal them up in jars or tents. Rather, God knows the journey that we’re on, and that it can be a difficult, painful journey – and so God gives us ‘transfiguration’ moments that, like Peter, are meant to give us an even greater confidence in God.

In the coming weeks we begin the journey of Lent, which is a season of Christian worship where we focus on Christ’s journey to Jerusalem – to the cross. Lent is about confessing our sin, repentance, and humility. It is about putting our distractions aside and focusing on our relationship to Jesus Christ in a very intentional way. Some people give up certain practices they feel distract them from their Christian journey. Others decide to take up a spiritual discipline; either keeping a journal, or increasing their study of scripture, or using a variety of prayer practices. We as disciples can get into spirutal ruts where we don’t focus on our Christian journey and our relationship with God. Lent is a time to refocus on Jesus, and when we do that we realize that our Savior is on the road to Calvary. We recognize that we are in relationship to Jesus who underwent great suffering for our sins.

But before we begin this journey towards Jerusalem – before we begin the journey of Lent – we’re invited to hear this story that was initially only meant for James, John and Peter. By God’s grace, we can hear this strange story as well. By God’s grace, you and I are invited to see Christ in his dazzling white clothes. Can you see his radiant face, shining like the sun?

When I was seventeen, during one of the most difficult weeks at camp, I decided to take my hour-off by going on a canoe ride onto the middle of Moose Lake. I was tired, exhausted and emotionally spent from counseling a group of boys. One of the boys was dealing with a home life that would make any of us cringe. I took a lot of that emotion on my shoulders – I’ve always had a difficult time keeping ‘professional distance’. I was in tears on that canoe, frustrated with God, with what was happening in this boy’s life at home. But as I slowly paddled out onto the middle of Moose Lake – the lake that I have come to love – I felt a sense of God’s presence. I don’t know how to describe it with words, but I caught a glimpse of God’s glory that afternoon. I felt the weight of God’s Spirit, and it melted my anger and frustration away. It was my mountain-top experience – and it helped me survive all summer long.

Are you in the valley of darkness? Are you experiencing brokenness? Are you staring death and disease in the face? Is sin, disease, or addiction causing you to lose hope? Like the disciples, before heading into the Lenten journey towards the cross, we need a picture of God’s glory and the majesty of Jesus Christ our Lord – to sustain us, to strengthen us, and to give us hope. When the disciples were lying on the ground, Jesus touched them, he raised them up, and walked with them back down that mountain into the ordinary.

May God give you a sign of His glory, a sense of Christ’s majesty; and may you feel His presence beside you when you’re not on the mountain… but in the ordinary and the everyday. May you see Jesus and listen to him! May you see his radiant face; and may you realize that the same one who is living in your heart – your Savior and Friend – is none other than the Beloved Son of God. Take comfort in knowing that he is beside you in your struggles and in your journey. Allow him to raise you up from the failures and struggles you’re dealing with. Allow Jesus to pick you up, dust you off, and then join Jesus on the journey to Good Friday and Easter. Join Jesus in a life of radical trust in God. And in the name of our only Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, all of God’s people said, “Amen!”