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And after six days Jesus took with Him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them, and is face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with Him.
Is there something in your life if you followed it could tell most of your life story?
There have been some funerals here in which it was revealed that a saint was born, grew up, and died in the same house.
I know some who were wrapped in blanket at birth, wrapped in the same blanket after Holy Baptism and then wrapped their children in the same blanket years later for birth and baptism.
Perhaps most of a people or a person who could tell our story. My parents have been there for my birth, baptism, confirmation, graduations, marriage, children, ordination, and continue to be there as they watch their child’s children.
For our Lord, there are a few something’s that help tell the whole story of His revealed Word to us. Mountains are a big one.
It is on a mountain that our Lord provides a Lamb to be sacrificed instead of Abraham’s son, His only son, Isaac.
It is on a mountain that our Lord reveals His name to Moses as He speaks in, with, and under a burning bush that does not burn up.
It is on a mountain that our Lord writes the Ten Commandments with His own finger and gives them to Moses,
a mountain in which He will dwell in the temple,
a mountain in which that our Lord promises He will swallow up death forever, wipe away all tears from faces, and feast with rich food and well aged wine.
So, also, our Lord Jesus after becoming incarnate of the virgin Mary and becoming man,
a mountain in which the devil tempts Him by showing Him all the kingdoms of the world,
a mountain that He preaches a sermon that says He did not come to abolish the Law and Prophets, but fulfill them, and we ought be reconciled, turn the other cheek and pray “Our Father….”
It is on a mountain today that our Lord slightly reveals His divine nature that He has clothed with flesh and blood and be transfigured, with face like the sun and clothes like white as light.
On a mountain, of course, our Lord sweats drops of blood in Gethsemane saying, “Take this cup from me, yet not as I will, but as You will.
On a mountain He will die, be raised, appear to His disciples in Galilee (some think the same mountain He was transfigured on), and on a mountain near Bethany that He will ascend into heaven and begin again to sit at the right hand of God the Father, Almighty, promising that He will be with us always even unto the end of the age.
Now as Christians gathered here by our Lord today at Mount Calvary, as baptized saints in Christ, there’s a story that is told to us, with us, and in us.
Our Lord’s transfiguration begins to reveal what He had clothed in humility – He is the Son of God, in all His glory – in Himself Light, Life, purity, and radiance.
And when God reveals Himself to be God, one point He is making is this: we are not.
Our Lord, pure in Himself, shines His light on us – whom He has put His name on.
He shines the Light of His Holy Law so that we might once again, at this Mount Calvary, begin to see what we have within us.
Sin. Fear. Rebellion. Doubts. Pride. Darkness
Every valley shall be lifted and every mountain shall be made low.
Our Lord in revealing who we are inside, brings us to humility.
The children of Israel were fearful when Moses’ face shone.
Peter, James and John were fearful, but interestingly enough, only after hearing, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, listen to Him.
It’s a command they had not kept perfectly and now they saw they stood in the presence of their Judge.
And the same is true for us. We have not always delighted in His will and walked in His ways to the glory of His holy name.
But the text goes on:
But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
Our Jesus speaks to us today again. Rise, and have no fear.
He invites us again to lift up our eyes, and see no one but Him only.
Not what is inside of us, or outside in the world, and the problems and suffering that plague the church and our family and our nation.
But Jesus only. He is God. We are not.
Jesus only whose bloody sweat cleanses us and washes us.
Jesus only who dwells with us.
Jesus only who begin, will continue and will finally swallow up death forever and wipe away every tear.
Jesus only who defeats the devil and all the principalities and the powers of darkness for us, and begins again to fight with us and in us by the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God,
to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place (2 Peter 1:19).
Our Lord Jesus on that day revealed a little about Who He is on the inside, also continues to work in us a change, a transformation, beginning on the inside … important communion (?)…
Clothed??? Rev. 7? Shining Daniel?
Until the day He completely transforms our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to put all things under His feet.
As we wait, we are reminded that our Lord tells us our story, from beginning to glorious time that will have no end.