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THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD January 21, 2024 Pastor Tom Steers Christ the Saviour Lutheran Church, Toronto Divine Service III – Pages 184-202 Lutheran Service Hymn of Praise: 414 “Tis Good Lord to Be Here” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HexN-t9VWk The Invocation Confession and Absolution Page 184-185 The Introit – Psalm 84:1-2a, 4, 10-11; antiphon Ps. 77:18b Your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook. Our Collect Prayer: Almighty and everlasting God, who governs all things in heaven and on earth, mercifully hear the prayers of Your people and grant us Your peace throughout all our days; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Our Bible Readings – First Reading Exodus 34:29-35 Psalm 2 (antiphon: verse 7) In front of Hymnal Epistle Reading 2nd Peter 1:16-21 Our Gospel Reading Matthew 17:1-9 THE APOSTLES’ CREED Page 192 HYMN OF THE DAY: 413 “O Wondrous Type! O Vision Fair” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhxyX-QcMBk THE SERMON – How much easier life would be if we could have a peek at the "end result" when trouble strikes? When difficult times come. Because the one thing that really wears us down as we face a crisis, whether it’s sickness, grief, or financial problems, is the question: When will this end? When will the pain stop? How do I get through this? Will I get through it? If we could just get a glimpse into the future that lies beyond the uncertainty of the here and now, that vision would cause a change in how we live, and how we handle hardship. In fact, the painful uncertainty we all feel from time to time would be replaced with a sense of how temporary our problems are. No longer would we look at difficulties and ask, "Will this end?" Instead, we'd look past the problems and know, “This too will pass.” In our Gospel lesson this morning, we see this reality being played out before the eyes of Peter, James, and John. In the verses immediately before today’s text from the Gospel of Matthew, we hear Jesus foretelling His impending arrest, death, and resurrection. We know the disciples didn't take it well when they heard it. We're told Peter pulled Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him. Peter says – Lord, not on my watch. What Peter and the other disciples didn't understand is that the pain, suffering, and death Christ would endure was absolutely necessary for their salvation, and for the salvation of the entire world. Without the crucifixion -- redemption wouldn’t exist. It was hard news, but did God leave the disciples in doubt and sorrow? No. Because He also foretold His resurrection. The disciples, in a sense, were no different than you or me at times. Christ knew that when His prophecy began to unfold before the Apostles’ eyes, the disciples would be afraid, that they would go into "self-preservation" mode and flee. This is one of the reasons why our Lord took Peter, James, and John up a mountain before all the pain and persecution began, and gave them a glimpse and reminder of who He really is, and the reason He came to earth. That is why God the Father’s voice booms from Heaven, "This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him." It’s also why Moses and Elijah, the very personifications of all Old Testament Law and Prophecy, were sent by God to appear with Jesus before the disciples. Our Lord wanted the disciples to see, and understand, that God's plan of salvation, since He Himself proclaimed it in the Garden of Eden, had always pointed to Jesus, and His all-atoning sacrifice for our sin. In fact, we're told in St. Luke’s account of the Transfiguration, that Moses and Elijah spoke with Jesus about His “exodus, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.” They spoke with Christ about His necessary and willing death that would produce the completely free gifts of salvation and eternal life for all who believe. That would offer believers the eternal promised land of Heaven. Think about that for a moment. Because of Christ, sin, death, and the grave don’t get the final say for you. The appearance of Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration is an example of this. If you remember, Moses was forbidden from entering the physical promised land because of his disobedience to God. But Moses was shown that land from a mountaintop in the pagan country of Moab where he died. God Himself buried Moses. Yet here is Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration with Christ, talking about the impending salvation-producing sacrifice of Jesus. This is no coincidence. Our Lord knew exactly what He was doing when He had Moses appear on that mountain with Him. Sin, death, and the grave did not have the final say. Here is Moses, once forbidden from entering the promised land, now standing tall with Christ in glory! Brothers and sisters, in those moments when our Lord was transfigured, He gave these men, and all people, a glimpse of the "end result." They were shown the glorified body of Christ, -- the Christ who would descend into hell and proclaim victory; -- the Christ who would walk out of the tomb on Easter Sunday morning; -- the Christ who ascended into Heaven and sits victorious at the right hand of God, the Father. Notice – Jesus didn't show them a set of options. He didn't show them a fork in the road; one without pain and suffering, and one with a cross stuck in the middle of it. The road to salvation is a narrow path, and it leads right through the cross of Christ. There is no alternate route; no shortcut; no other way. As Christians, we too will encounter pain, suffering, and death. And, sadly, we don't have to go looking for those crosses. They find us. Jesus doesn’t promise us a trouble-free life, in fact He warned that in this fallen world, “you will have trouble.” What He promises us, as believers, is salvation. As He also told us, “take heart; I have overcome the world.” Our Lord and Saviour knows how difficult life on earth is, especially when it’s a life lived in faith and service to God. He lived that hard reality. But He also didn’t leave us to fend for ourselves, He never abandons us. Jesus Christ keeps His promise, "Lo, I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Our Lord continues to give us a Heavenly glimpse of His Almighty and divine love. He points us to His Church and means of grace — His Word, the Bible, and His Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, the great "foretaste of the feast to come." This is exactly what God is doing today. On the mountaintop, the Apostles were terrified having heard the voice of God the Father. Yet Jesus comforts them. Christ comes and touches them, saying, ‘Rise, and have no fear. And when they lifted their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.’ They saw Jesus alone. Jesus alone who is both true God and true man. Jesus alone who took our sins to the cross and made complete payment for them. Jesus alone who offers you forgiveness and eternal life. Amen. PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT Page 194 Post Communion Collect (Left-hand column) Page 201 CLOSING HYMN 417 “Alleluia, Song of Gladness” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGRTThO3P1A