Luke 9:28-36 Pastor Nathan P. Kassulke
“It Is Good to See the Glory of Jesus”
Transfiguration Sunday, March 3, 2019
Have you ever been in a situation where you just did not know what to say? I suppose there are a number of those sorts of situations that we could think about. When your child asks you a question that you didn’t expect, and that you think is maybe a little bit above their maturity level, it’s hard to know what to say. When something is surprising or awe-inspiring, perhaps both, we often say that it “leaves us speechless,” and sometimes that’s exactly what it feels like. We just don’t have the words to articulate what we feel when we hear or see something like that. The account of the Transfiguration of Jesus tells us about a time when a small band of Jesus’ disciples felt that same way. In fact, Peter tried to say something, but even the Gospel-writer Luke dismisses it by saying, “He did not realize what he was saying.” And that’s the reality of what took place on that special mountain. It was something so unique, something so different from anything else, something so powerful that it is really difficult to put it into words. It is hard for us even to imagine what it must have looked like and felt like to experience what the disciples Peter, James, and John did when Jesus’ appearance changed so drastically in front of them. So maybe we can relate to Peter trying to say something that didn’t totally make sense. Of course, even with Peter not knowing what to say, he did get one thing right. He said to Jesus, “It is good for us to be here.” It was good for those disciples to be on the mountain. That’s why Jesus brought them and allowed them to see what they did and hear what they did: because he wanted them to have this good experience. And so we will say something similar as we consider what took place on the mountain. It is good for us to see the glory of Jesus. It was good for the three disciples to see the glory of Jesus on the mountain. And that is exactly what they saw. Jesus’ appearance changed. We are told that his clothing became dazzling white. Another Gospel writer, Matthew, describes the face of Jesus shining like the sun (Matthew 17:2). The description of this event is that of a shining light coming from him in a way that is nearly impossible to put into words and to capture. This is a unique moment. It certainly can remind us of what we heard about in the First Lesson (Exodus 34:29-35). What I mean is this: the brightness of the glory of Jesus is that same glory that Moses saw on the mountain when he would talk to God, the same glory that was reflected in the face of Moses each time he returned, until it faded from view. This transfiguration was a momentary view of the real Jesus, true God in all his glory and also a true human being who otherwise veiled and hid that glory during his ministry on earth. It was good for the disciples to see this glory. It was good for them to be reminded that this man that they followed was far more than a teacher, far more than even a great teacher. He was and is almighty God. And that glimpse of his glory on the mountain could go with them, be in their minds and hearts and in their memories as they saw what would unfold next. Jesus was making his way to Jerusalem. There he would not look so glorious. He would not look so powerful. That’s what Jesus discussed with Moses and Elijah who appeared on the mountain with him—his departure. It was good for the disciples to see the glory of Jesus because they would most certainly see his humility. It is good for us to see that glory, too. Obviously I mean something different than having a chance to see in person such a display of Jesus’ glory. You can still travel to the Holy Land and see the mountain where this event may have taken place. But you can’t recreate the event or see it for yourself. No, we are able to see the glory of Jesus by reading in his Word what took place on the mountain. Each year in the church, as we approach the season of Lent where our focus shifts to the lowliness, the humility, and the suffering and death of Jesus, we first revisit this mountain to see the real Jesus in his glory and majesty and splendor. It is good for us to see the glory of Jesus on the mountain and to recognize and realize that he humbled himself, he faced suffering and death, not because he had to but because he wanted to—for us and for our sake.