More than an experience

Scripture Lessons

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Psalm 99:1-9

Hebrews 3:1-6

Luke 9:28-36

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Recently the daily lectionary readings featured 2 Peter 1 in which Peter describes his experience on the mount of transfiguration.

¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. ¹⁷ For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” ¹⁸ we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. ¹⁹ And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, ²⁰ knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. ²¹ 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. 2 Peter 1:16-21

I recently was told by someone that Jesus never said anything about homosexuality, ordination of women, or so-called transgenderism. To borrow a phrase from General Norman Schwarzkopf, I would describe that assertion as bovine scatology, or perhaps better known as BS. My response of course was that all of the letters in the Bible are red letters because Jesus Christ is God incarnate and every word contained in the Bible is Jesus’ word. What’s more important than my opinion (or anyone else’s opinion) is that God speaks clearly to this.

In fact, as you heard in the gospel lesson, God spoke to three witnesses (not counting Moses and Elijah). He spoke to Peter, John, and James and told them, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”

Let’s recount the experience briefly, from Peter’s perspective. They went up the mountain to pray. They were all tired. It was only some of the apostles (Peter the leader among the twelve along with James and John who are also called the sons of thunder or sons of Zebedee). While there on the mountain, “the appearance of [Jesus’] face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white.” Moses and Elijah also appeared and were talking with Him. They were talking of His upcoming exodus from Jerusalem. [Side note: exodus is a term that is freighted with meaning as it draws to mind all of the proceedings from Egypt as God brought out His chosen people by a mighty hand. The word “departure” in the ESV translates the Greek word exodus.] As if witnessing the refulgent glory of Jesus Christ and actually seeing Moses and Elijah was not enough of a mountain-top experience, God the Father spoke from the cloud, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” After these words Moses and Elijah were gone and there was Jesus, the “Chosen One” to whom they were to listen.

People talk about a mountaintop experience. The Transfiguration of Our Lord is a true mountaintop experience and Peter was there!

Now this takes me back to what the apostle Peter later said in regards to this mountaintop experience. To paraphrase, Peter said, “Yes, we ourselves witnessed the transfiguration of our lord. We were on the mountain and heard the voice of God the Father speaking through the cloud. And yet, there is something greater than that mountaintop experience. It is the very word of God. “And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place…. 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.” 2 Peter 1:19, 21.

Moses and Elijah, along with all the prophets, pointed to Jesus Christ. Why should they listen to Jesus? Because He will correct the teaching of Moses and Elijah? No! Because Jesus fulfilled their teaching. Because the word of God will be fulfilled, just as Moses died, “in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.” Moses was a man like no other, who knew God face to face. He received from God the law and transmitted it to the people. But Jesus is the God-man who has come in fulfillment of the word of God and who has satisfied the demands of the law that you can’t fulfill and in His suffering death, He has transmitted salvation to the people.

It's easy to see why Moses, Elijah, and Jesus when speaking on the mount of transfiguration would discuss the coming exodus. “Exodus” is to say, the crucifixion of Jesus, where He would bear the sin of the world as the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The cross is the centerpiece of redemptive history.

Because of our fallen condition, because of our hardness of heart, we are ever prone to put aside the Word of God. To not listen to Him. Instead of hearing His Word, we chase our passions. We invent excuses for why we can’t do the thing we ought or must do the thing we ought not. We rationalize our conduct, even when we know it is sinful. God calls you, and all people, to return to His Word. Listen to Him, that is Jesus Christ, who has spoken to you all of what is received in the canon of scripture. If you have doubted God’s Word, repent and receive forgiveness. If you have heard God’s Word and believed it, and yet acted and acted contrary to His Word, repent and receive forgiveness. If you have fallen short of the glory of God, fear not! Jesus Christ has made atonement for your sins. Repent and receive forgiveness. You my beloved are blessed to have God’s prophetic word, more fully confirmed than if you had been on the mount of transfiguration yourself.

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