The sermon for January 28 was based on Matthew 17:1-9.

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

Epiphany begins and ends with the voice of God the Father from heaven, declaring Christ Jesus to be His beloved and well–pleasing Son, first at the Baptism of our Lord and now again at His Transfiguration, as He is about to embark upon the last downward trek of His journey. It is precisely as the beloved Son—out of love for His Father and His great love for you—that Jesus makes His way from Baptism unto death in your stead. To love you in this way, to sacrifice Himself for you, is what it means for Him to be the beloved Son of God.

In this respect Epiphany also begins and ends with Holy Baptism, Baptism that leads forward to Good Friday and Easter. By your Baptism into Christ, God the Father speaks from heaven about you, that you are His beloved and well–pleasing son. You share the sonship and inheritance of Christ, who lived, suffered, died and rose again for you. Thus today, you see in Christ the glory that you share as a member of His Church.

Saint Matthew begins the account of the Transfiguration, "After six days. . .." So, what happened six days before? Saint Peter gave his great confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. But when Jesus went on to explain what it must mean for Him to be the Christ, that He must suffer and die, then Simon Peter became an agent of Satan—rebuking the Lord and denying His cross. The Lord must continue to teach the disciples and you to understand the glory of His cross. By that cross you are saved and given life. You, like the disciples, share that cross through Baptism into Christ's death.

The glory of the Transfiguration is simply the glory of the cross made visible to the eyes. Jesus gave His apostles this revelation so that they could preach, proclaim, and record that glory for the spiritual "eyes" of faith for those who would receive the Gospel. Normally not the eyes, but the ears perceive the true glory of Christ and of His cross revealed through His Word. To this Word you cling and in this Word you hope, come hell or high water against you, in spite of what your eyes or your feelings tell you.

The glory of God is Love, not simply that He is loving, but that He Himself is Love. The glory of God is that He creates and still preserves all things out of the Father's love for the Son, and the Son's love for the Father, in the loving bond and unity of the Holy Spirit. But the greatest display of this divine glory is that the Father should so greatly desire to share His Love for His Beloved Son, that He is willing to sacrifice that very Son for the forgiveness, life, and salvation of poor, miserable sinners. That God died for you is the brightest revelation of His glory.

Saint Paul says it this way: "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." [Rom 5:8] The Love that God is is most clearly expressed and revealed in the cross of Christ. There you see the heart of God the Father turned toward you in a Love that far surpasses human understanding. In this way the cross of Christ is the glory of God. That is the glory made manifest in the Transfiguration—nothing more nor less, nor anything else than the glory of the cross.

The Transfiguration reveals that Jesus, though a Man of flesh and blood, is also indeed the Christ, the Son of the Living God. It is necessary for the disciples to know this, as they will soon behold their dear Lord Jesus being taken away and crucified, led like a sheep to the slaughter. They must know that no one takes His life from Him, but that He lays it down willingly. They must know that all His Words to them are Spirit and Life and Truth.

So the prophetic Word is fulfilled, revealed, and made more sure in the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ transfigured with His glory. The prophetic Word is made more sure in His flesh and blood, offered as a sacrifice for sin upon the Cross. The Word is made more sure in the flesh and blood that He gives and pours out for you, for the forgiveness of your sin, in His Supper. His Word to you in Holy Baptism is made more sure in His transfigured flesh, as is the Word of Holy Absolution.

Like the frightened apostles, you are lifted up by the voice of Jesus, as He touches you with His flesh. Even when you face the cross in your own life, when you must carry its heavy load, when you are being nailed to it, Jesus comforts you by His flesh and blood. God your heavenly Father has not rejected you, nor forgotten you, nor abandoned you. You share in the cross of Christ, for you are baptized into Him, you share His life, His death, His resurrection. The Father's voice from the excellent glory declares: "You are My beloved son, with whom I am well–pleased!"

None of this makes sense until the cross and resurrection are accomplished. The disciples do not understand. For the moment, they are dazzled and confused, even afraid. When the cross arrives, they will scatter in fear. Bold, brave, boisterous Peter will deny his Lord with curses, then weep like a baby with bitter remorse. Now he sees the glory of the Lord, but Peter does not understand: it is the glory of the fast–approaching cross.

This makes no sense, no more for Peter than for you. It is the contradiction of all human wisdom, reason, experience, and strength. That is why you must listen to Jesus, why you must cling to His Word for dear life. Only His Word reveals the true reality and the true glory of His cross. That is why the Transfiguration was not to be told until after Easter. This glory has no meaning apart from the cross and resurrection of Jesus, nor can it be understood apart from these.

Only after "the Son of Man has risen from the dead" will Peter be able to understand the Transfiguration, the glory of the cross, and the prophetic Word confirmed in the flesh of Christ. Now, by the preaching of this Word–made–flesh, the Sun of Righteousness dawns upon you and the Morning Star now rises in your heart. His Light now shines in you as you take His cross upon you in Baptism and follow Him. The glory that you share with Him is still the glory of His cross. This cross you carry as a beloved and well–pleasing son of the Father in Christ, in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection.

You certainly do not achieve this glory for yourself; but you receive the glory of the cross by the preaching of the apostles and the Ministry of God's Word unto you. Thus, from another high and holy mountain, before His ascension, Jesus sends out His holy apostles to deliver His holy Word to you. No longer should the apostles keep silence concerning what they have seen and heard; indeed, they must speak, for in no other way do you "Hear Him." The glory of Christ shines forth as disciples are made of all nations by baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and by teaching them the Word of Jesus.

The final Word of God is not the glory of His Law, but the glory of Christ and His Gospel: "Hear Him," says the Father, "not Moses, nor Elijah, but Jesus the Christ." His glory is the cross, the flesh and blood of sacrifice. His love is the gentle touch of compassion, the still, small voice of forgiveness, saying, "Arise, and do not be afraid." Here there is no condemnation, nor death or damnation. Here there is no one but Jesus only.

For in many and various ways, God spoke to His people of old by the prophets; but now, in these last days, He has spoken to you by His Son, saying: "I baptize you in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. I forgive you all your sins. Take eat, this is My Body; take drink, this is My Blood, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of all your sins." And these, the Body and Blood that were transfigured with the radiant glory of the cross, will transform your own body and soul into the glorious image of Christ; for you abide in Him, and He in you. By His cross you are forgiven, and in His resurrection you will rise to live with Him forever. Amen.

The peace of God, which passes . . .

Last Updated: 7/15/2008