Deo Gloria
March 2, 2025
Sermon for Transfiguration Sunday
Pastor Martin Bentz
Text: Luke 9:28-36
Theme: A Glimpse of Glory
- For the disciples
- For Jesus
- For us
The story we have before us this morning is an unusual story to say the least. If you didn’t know better, you might think it was an episode from the show “Stranger Things” or maybe “The Twilight Zone.” Yet nothing could be farther from the truth. What we have before us this morning is a true story. The names of the people involved have not been altered to protect their identity. In fact, nothing in this story has been altered or changed in any way. The story takes place on a mountain in northern Israel. As Luke records it, this is what took place: (Read text.) What we have recorded here is not a scene from a Star Wars movie, nor is it a kind of fantastic fairytale. No, what we find detailed in these verses is a genuine glimpse of glory.
First of all, for the disciples. Not all the disciples were privileged to see this sensational sight. Only three were: Peter, James, and John, the three disciples who were closest to Jesus. Jesus took these three men up onto a mountain by themselves. While they were there, they witnessed something incredible. They saw the glory of God. Now in and of itself, seeing the glory of God was certainly rare but not unheard of. I mean, the Children of Israel had seen the glory of God numerous times during their exodus from Egypt and during their years of wandering in the wilderness. The thing that made this vision of glory so extraordinary is that the glory the disciples saw was coming from Jesus.
The appearance of Jesus’ face changed, Luke tells us. It shone like the sun. The appearance of his clothes changed as well. They became as bright as a flash of lightning. True, the disciples were high on a mountain, but they were not “high” on some drug. What the disciples saw were Jesus’ true colors. The disciples witnessed what Jesus, by choice, normally kept hidden: his deity, his divine nature, his divine glory as the Son of God. “In Christ all the fullness of the deity (all the fullness of God) lives in bodily form.” That’s what Paul tells us in Colossians ch. 2. That’s what Peter, James, and John saw here, with their own eyes. What an awesome sight it must have been!
In addition, they saw Moses and Elijah, two Old Testament prophets, perhaps the two greatest prophets in the whole Old Testament. Moses is the only one in the entire Bible of whom it is said that he knew God face to face. Likewise, Moses is also the only one in the entire Bible who was not buried by other people, but by God himself. And then there’s Elijah, the prophet who called down fire from heaven, the prophet who unlike Moses never saw death, but was taken directly to heaven in a whirlwind. These two outstanding prophets of God were also seen by Peter, James, and John. They also appeared in glorious splendor and talked with Jesus.
Yet that wasn’t all. As Moses and Elijah finished their conversation with Jesus and began to leave, a cloud appeared and enshrouded the mountaintop. The disciples sensed that there was something unusual about this cloud. They were scared as they entered it. And it wasn’t long before their fears were confirmed. A voice came from the cloud. Now be honest, how many times have you heard clouds talk? Yet that’s what happened here. A voice came from this cloud and said, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him”(v. 35). And then, all at once, it was gone. No more glory. No more cloud. No more Moses and Elijah. Only Jesus. What a day! What an experience! What an inspiring glimpse of glory! Imagine how the faith of the disciples must have been strengthened that day!
If they had ever had any doubts about the existence of God, they didn’t anymore. If they had ever had any doubts about the truth and reliability of the Old Testament Scriptures and what was recorded there, they didn’t anymore. I’m sure Moses and the prophets took on a whole new meaning for them. If they had ever had any doubts about Jesus being the Christ, the Anointed One, the Chosen One of God, they didn’t anymore, which is precisely why Jesus had brought them along: so that their faith in him might be strengthened. In the days ahead their faith in him was going to be tested, severely tested, especially during Holy Week. In moments of doubt and confusion they could always look back on this glimpse of glory and find assurance for their faith.
Ironically, this glimpse of glory served a similar purpose for Jesus: It strengthened him. You know, sometimes I think we forget. Because he was the Son of God, I think sometimes we forget or perhaps fail to appreciate that Jesus was also a man, a true human being. Jesus got tired, just as we do. Jesus had to eat and sleep, just as we do. Jesus felt the need to spend time alone with his heavenly Father in prayer, just as we do. Remember, that’s why Jesus went up onto this mountain in the first place. And just as we do, Jesus needed strengthening, especially with the difficult task that lay ahead of him.
Whenever we’re faced with a difficult job, one that is a real challenge to us and our abilities, we often look for support and encouragement before we tackle it. If, for example, you’re facing the best team in the conference on Friday night, you’re going to look to your coach to get you psyched up for the game. Likewise, if you’re starting a new job, you might look to your friends or family members for support and encouragement.
Ahead of Jesus lay a difficult task, an extremely difficult task: his suffering and death for the sins of the whole world, his suffering and death for your sins and mine. Jesus wasn’t going to be condemned to death because he was guilty. He was going to be condemned to death because we were guilty—not because he lied, because we did; not because he cursed and swore, because we did; not because he disobeyed his parents and made faces behind their backs, because we did; not because he hated other people and hurt other people by his words and actions, because we did. He was going to have to suffer and die on Calvary’s cross because of our sins. And he knew how awful it would be. He knew about the pain and the agony and the humiliation. He knew that he would have to carry the staggering load of our sin and guilt and then suffer the punishment that we deserved: separation from God. Yes, Jesus knew. And in light of that he needed to be strengthened. He needed to be encouraged for his difficult mission. And here on this mountain he was.
Jesus was strengthened, for example, by his conversation with Moses and Elijah. When they met with Jesus on the mountaintop, they didn’t talk about the weather. They didn’t talk about the state of the economy or how the Twins were doing in spring training. They talked about “his departure” [literally, it says, his “exodus”], which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem”(v. 31). I’m sure Moses and Elijah reminded Jesus of the importance of the work he was about to do, leading God’s people out of slavery, that oppressive slavery to Satan and sin and death, bringing them into “the promised land.” What they had spoken of and written about Jesus was now about to accomplish and complete. As fellow human beings and fellow servants of God, Moses and Elijah came to support Jesus and encourage him for this all-important work.
Jesus also received encouragement from God the Father. To relate to Jesus’ situation, think of it like this: Maybe there was a time in your life when you had some doubts about whether you could do a particular job. You expressed your doubts to your boss; but then your boss turned around and said, “No, Henry, you’re the one. I know you can do it. That’s why I picked you for this job.” What a boost of confidence! Or maybe you got a little nervous before one of your dance recitals. OK, maybe you were more than just a little nervous, running to the bathroom every five minutes. Sensing that you were uptight, your coach came up to you, put her arm around you and said, “Hey, look, you don’t need to be nervous. You did a great job the other night at rehearsal. And besides, you’re one of my best dancers. Just go out there and give it your best.” What a boast that would be! “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him”—a divine vote of confidence you might call it, a shot of encouragement for Jesus.
And what about us? What things can we take home from this glimpse of glory? For one thing, we are confirmed in our conviction that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior. During our lifetimes you and I will probably never experience anything close to what the disciples did on the Mount of Transfiguration. And yet, in a way we have—in a second hand way, through the eyes and ears of those who were there. Through the eyes of Peter, James, and John we too see Jesus in all his glory. Through the ears of Peter, James, and John we too hear the voice of God the Father saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen.” And our faith likewise is strengthened.
In this story we also catch another glimpse of our Savior’s love for us. Even though Jesus knew what was coming, he didn’t back away from his mission. Even though he was innocent, he was willing to be condemned for us. Even though he had never sinned or done anything wrong, he was willing to suffer in our place and die in our place, that we might be forgiven, that we might not be separated from God, but that we might live with him in glory forever. Here again we see his amazing love for us.
The third thing we see in this story is a little glimpse of heaven. We see Jesus, for instance, as we will see him one day, face to face in all his glory. Likewise, we notice the presence of God the Father, who will also be present in heaven. There he will live with us. We will be his people, and God himself will be our God. There we will not only hear his voice, but see his face as well. Thirdly, we see other believers, Old Testament believes like Moses and Elijah—arrayed in glorious splendor, as we one day will be, after Jesus has changed our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Can you really blame Peter for wanting to stay? I know I’d sure like to stay in a place like that. I imagine the same is true of you.
If so, then let me suggest that you follow the Father’s advice: “Listen to him.” Listen to Jesus. Don’t ever stop. Don’t let the noise and clamor of the world or the TV drown out your Savior’s voice. Don’t let the hectic pace of everyday life rob you of your time with Jesus. Turn off the TV, turn off the computer, open your Bible and listen to Jesus.
I hope you’re already in the habit of reading God’s Word on your own each day. Maybe you begin your day that way or maybe it’s what you do right before you go to bed. Or maybe you’re involved in one of our Bible studies here at church and that’s where you spend time in God’s Word. If so, great. If not, I’d like to encourage you this morning to give it a try. And what better time to start than Lent! Beginning today, make it your goal to spend 15 minutes in God’s Word each day, 15 minutes reading God’s Word for yourself and listening to your Savior. I can tell you right now that you won’t regret it. As you spend time in God’s Word, you’ll run across many different stories, including stories like this one, stories that might seem rather incredible, and yet stories that are meant to encourage you, to strengthen you in your faith, and to give you a glimpse of glory. Amen.