Sermon: Transfiguration Sunday

Date Preached: Sunday February 3rd 2008

Bible Reference:

Today is Transfiguration Sunday, the last Sunday before we begin the journey of Lent toward Easter. I wonder what today’s celebration means to you – or what impact this story has had on your spiritual life. It’s a strange and other-worldly story isn’t it – but actually, in the midst of this supernatural event we find a passage that can have some of the most concrete, down-to-earth applications for our own lives.

It’s recorded in all 3 synoptic gospels (Mat, Mark and Luke). Why not in John too? Well its absence in John’s gospel is usually accounted for on the ground that for John the whole of Christ’s life and ministry was a manifestation – a revealing - of the divine glory.

In Matthew we meet Jesus taking Peter, James, and John away with him up the mountain after telling them about his impending death and resurrection – and we’re going to see if there’s any sense in placing this story alongside others to see what insight we get.

We know the story well. Once on the mountain, we read that Jesus face was changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus, and talk to him – maybe about the journey he must yet face. Peter and the other two disciples had been tired (Luke tells us this), but were lucky enough to stay awake to witness this incredible event. Peter (true to form) goes ahead and suggests that they build tents or dwellings for the visitors and for Jesus, so that they can all stay on the mountain together. And before anyone could respond, a cloud overshadowed them, I imagine something like going through the clouds on an airplane. From inside the cloud they hear God's voice saying, "This is my Son, my Chosen! Listen to him!" And Peter, James, and John find themselves once more alone with Jesus. They return down from the mountain, speaking to no one of what has occurred. This is the Transfiguration of Christ, the event where his glory was revealed – made manifest - shown to just some hand-picked disciples. It was where God's voice rained on them much like it had at Jesus' baptism. It was another confirmation of the path that Jesus was following and of who he really is.

What other stories does it get us thinking about? (Actually our lectionary readings help us here). In our reading from Exodus (24:12-18) we find that Moses, too, has been spending his time on a mountain, talking to God – we’ll have a look at that in a moment. But there’s a strange parallel with another hilltop story isn’t there? Here on a mountain is Jesus, revealed in glory; another time on a rubbish tip outside Jerusalem is Jesus, only this time revealed in shame.

In this transfiguration story his clothes are shining white; there they’ve been stripped off – and soldiers are gambling – throwing dice - for them. (Are you seeing this?)

Here he’s flanked by Moses and Elijah, two of Israel’s greatest heroes – representing (?) the law and the prophets; there he’s flanked by two thieves – representing the level to which Israel has sunk in its rebellion against God.

Here a bright cloud – there? darkness across the land.

Here Peter blurts out just how wonderful Jesus is – there he hides in shame, denying any knowledge.

And then here a voice from God himself declares that this is his amazing Son, there a brutal pagan soldier declares in surprise that this really was God’s son after all.

This mountain story explains the hill-top if you think about it.

Perhaps we only really understand either of them when we see it side by side with the other. Here is our king of glory – to be abased, tortured and executed – and it’s only when we see these two things together that we get a sense that they shouldn’t fit – they’re juxtaposed if you want a posh word – a king who is also a servant?

And then there’s another story that Matthew’s inviting us to think about isn’t there? The gospel writer starts his gospel by highlighting the parallel between Jesus and Moses. Moses led the children our of slavery in Egypt and then, before completing his task, went up to Mount Sinai to receive the law – the commandments – and also to pray for his people Israel and to beg for God’s mercy because they were just so incredibly rebellious and such hard work! And here’s the thing. towards the end of Moses’ life, God promised to send the people a prophet just like him (you can check it out in Deuteronomy 18) – and gave them a command – you must listen to him. Can you see this: now Moses once again meets God on the mountain – and the voice from the cloud draws attention to Jesus – confirming what Peter (who usually ended up putting his foot in his mouth but on this occasion got it right) – what Peter had said just before when asked by Jesus who do people say I am – that this isn’t just a prophet, this is God’s own son, the Messiah – and guess what? God is delighted with what he’s doing. The word to the disciples on that mountain is just as much a word to us today. If you want to know the way to God – the way out of slavery to yourself, or to this world – a way into the Promised Land of all God could be to you – then you must listen to Jesus.