Transfiguration Sunday – Matt 17 – Jan 24th and 25th, 2026
In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the World +
Ah, the mountain top event and experience. Isn't that so often what we crave, the mountaintop experience of excitement and wonder and awe. And this Transfiguration Day our readings give us two mountaintop experiences – we hear Moses in the Old Testament, we see the transfiguration in the New – so when, when Pastor do we get our mountaintop adventure? Well, I want you to understand, you do, you get a better mountaintop experience, it's grand to be in the church – but let's take our time getting to that point. Because before we talk about what Jesus gives us today, we need to reconsider the mountaintop experiences we heard in our lessons and understand that they perhaps weren't so grand.
To start, our Old Testament reading – Moses and the Burning Bush. So, here we come across Moses, and it's a down and out Moses. He had been a Prince of Egypt, but he killed an Egyptian who was abusing a Jewish man, and thus Moses fled for his life. And he ended up in the wilderness, and, well, we hear: Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. Understand how far Moses had fallen. He had been royalty – how he's working outdoors, hanging with the sheep. And not even his own sheep – his father-in-law's sheep. Not wandering royal courtyards, now Moses is wandering the wilderness. And as he is wandering, He sees the burning bush – a bush that is aflame but not consumed. And we are told that this is an appearance of The Angel of the LORD – an appearance of Jesus before His incarnation – if you see the “the Angel of the LORD” with the “the” there in the Old Testament, that's Jesus before the Incarnation. And Moses heads on over and God calls out to Moses and says, “Take off your shoes.” You've really stepped in it this time Moses – literally, you've stepped in it, shepherd, get those filthy shoes off because you're standing on holy ground. And do you know who I am? I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
Oh, how neat, right? A mighty wonder, God Himself speaking to you, glory and power and majesty! How great, right? And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. He was afraid. Moses wasn't jumping up and down with joy, he was terrified. It was too much for poor Moses. And even as God sets him on his task – you will lead the people of Israel to the promised land - Moses fearfully dithers. Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt? I'm a nobody, what are You doing, don't send me, don't send me. And besides I wouldn't be good at this, I wouldn't even know how to address You. Moses is terrified. And Moses actually spends the rest of chapter 3 and chapter 4 trying to talk God out of this. Oh, they won't listen to me, I'm not a good speaker... blah blah blah. Not exactly an uplifting experience, is it?
Well, okay, but surely our Gospel lesson is uplifting and inspiring, right? After six days Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and his clothes were white as light. Alright, we got the mountaintop, we got the glowing Jesus – at least He's only glowing, not burning. This will be grand, right? Oh, and there's more! And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with Him. And even better – Moses and Elijah show up, and they are talking to Jesus – Luke notes that they are speaking about Jesus' Exodus, His path to Jerusalem and the Cross – the mysteries of the ages. This should be wonderful, right? Peter, James, and John should be there just enraptured – this is far, far better than any sermon or bible study that any of us have ever heard. And yet.. Peter pops up. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” We don't hear this rightly, we don't get what Peter is doing. This is a polite way of excusing yourself and getting out of dodge. Oh, this is a great sermon pastor, but you know what we need? Donuts? And you know what, don't stop preaching, just carry on, I'll get up and run to Casey's, you just carry on. I am sure that some of you in here have dodged your mother-in-law by running errands just as silly as this before. Because Peter is scared, it's too much for him, and he wants to get away.
But God does have a sense of humor – He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them – Peter doesn't even get to finish explaining his plan when a bright cloud comes. And understand what this bright cloud overshadowing them would be – this is the Glory Cloud of the Old Testament – the Glory of God filling the Tabernacle, the Temple, and when it was there you don't go in because if you do you are a dead man. And from that cloud the voice of God thunders forth – This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him. No Peter, no running away – listen to Jesus. And it's too much – When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. Another mountaintop, and once again man in abject terror and fear.
Do you see how these “mountaintop” experiences aren't quite what they are often cracked up to be? It's not the envigorating weekend retreat or what we would normally call a mountaintop experience today... it's something much deeper and more dread. It's God coming into the presence of sinful man, and sinful man just not able to handle it. Even when they know God. Jesus is Peter and James and John's friend, and yet, there are the disciples on the ground terrified. Expecting to die. Thus the reality of sin.
So there stands Jesus on the mountain of the transfiguration. And for just a bit, He had gotten to let His glory shine, and He got to talk with His old friends Moses and Elijah, and He brought His more recent friends along... and it was just too much for them. And there is Jesus, in His glory, looking at Peter and James and John, as they are cowering in fear before Him. This mountaintop wasn't going to cut it – but Jesus knew that already. He had been talking to Moses and Elijah about His exodus that would take place on another mountaintop – a mountaintop He had begun to tell and warn His disciples of, an experience they didn't want to hear about. Seeing Peter and James and John on the ground, Jesus looks ahead to another mountain – Mount Calvary. That's the mountain that He would have to go to if He was going to fix this, if He would be able to be with His people again safely, happily, eternally. This weight and burden of sin, this guilt and shame that drove man away from Jesus, something had to be done about it. And so, to the Cross Jesus would go. And His brief bit of relaxation with Moses and Elijah, Jesus' slight taste of the glory that He laid aside to come down from heaven for us men and for our salvation is put aside, that gets put away. Things go back to normal – just the normal, plain, frail Jesus – and He goes to the disciples, and He touches them. Touch. Contact. Physical contact. See, it's Me. “Rise, and have no fear.” And they don't understand it yet – and Jesus tells them not to talk about it until after He is raised from the dead, because they won't understand until that third mountain, until Calvary claims the life of Christ, until He rises from the dead. Jesus dies and rises, so that by winning forgiveness and life, Jesus may say to Moses and Peter and you and me, “Rise, and have no fear.”
The burning bush, the mountain of transfiguration, even Mt. Calvary and the Crucifixion. All dread, all heavy. All fearful. But in all of them, while it's too much for sinful man, you see Jesus determined and focused upon winning you salvation. And He does – He dies and rises, and you are forgiven – and He wants you to receive, to delight in this forgiveness – so Jesus sets up and establishes a mountaintop encounter for you – but one that isn't as terrifying as any of these three. No, in the Church, after His resurrection, Jesus comes to you in a Mountaintop experience that isn't terrifying, that gives forgiveness and life. And you guys see it all the time. In fact, this Sanctuary, this holy ground – that is what a Sanctuary is, after all – is built around that very mountain. Do you see it? I mean, it's not a very tall mountain, it's only – what 3 or 4 steps high. And this holy Sanctuary and this holy mountain with it's altar on it – what is it for? The Celebration of our Lord's Supper. And every communion service here is a better, safer, gentler, more wondrous mount of transfiguration. And I mean that quite seriously.
Consider – Jesus invites Peter, James and John to that mountain, just as He has invited you here today. And on that mountain, Jesus brought Moses and Elijah to be with Peter and James and John. Well, today, as we move into our communion liturgy, we make a mighty confession. We take attendance for church each week, but it's wrong – and that's not me saying that the ushers can't count, but rather we don't count enough, we count us but we don't really count all of us because Therefore with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, ever more praising you and saying, Holy, Holy, Holy. We. We sing. That we is angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, that host beyond the ability of any usher to count. That's who is here. And Christ Jesus comes to us, and we join in the heavenly feast, the victory of our God, the song of the Angels in Isaiah, the song of the angels on Christmas Eve, the wonders of eternity. And Jesus comes to you, and He touches you, He comes to you in bread and wine, Here, now, for you is His own Body, here now is His own Blood, shed for you – Jesus physically and really and truly touches you just as assuredly as He touched Peter – and then, rise, and have no fear. And then – you guys get to go back to your seats and the scariest part is trying to figure out what verse of the communion hymn we're on. Do you see what a gift this is? How Peter can say in his epistle, “Yes, the mount of transfiguration was neat – terrifying but neat – but we have something more sure, the prophetic word, which you will do well to pay attention to as to a lamp shining in a dark place. More sure. The Scriptures, the Preaching – you are forgiven on account of Christ's death and resurrection. The prophetic word which says, “the Body of Christ – The Blood of Christ for you.” And not just one time like that transfiguration mount – nah, week in and week out, Jesus calls you here so that He can be with you and give you every blessing, so that He can give you forgiveness, life, and salvation again and again even until you are called to the eternal feast (though you'll still get to be here with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven – because Jesus is just cool like that).
So I told you, at the start that you do get your own mountaintop experience – and you do, and it's even better than the burning bush or the mount of transfiguration because it doesn't scare you half to death, and you get to do it again and again, safely and happily – even until we get to enjoy the never-ending Supper of the Lamb together with our Lord for all eternity. Jesus is so good to us. In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the World +
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