TRANSFIGURATION
February
14-16, 2026
Pastor
Timothy J. Spaude
Text:
Matthew 17:1-9
TRANSFIGURATION’S
TIMELY TRUTH:
“DO NOT BE
AFRAID!”
1.
If
following Christ hasn’t seemed so glorious.
2.
If
following Christ doesn’t seem so glorious.
The events described in our Gospel lesson
are straightforward. Words cannot do them justice. Nor can pictures. Jesus was
transfigured before Peter James and John. You are Lutherans. You are used to
asking the good question, “What does this mean?” Matthew described it as best
as he could. Jesus’ face shining like the sun. His clothing bright white. How
many lumens is that? Moses and Elijah, great Old Testament prophets and leaders
for God’s people. What did they look like? How did the disciples know it was Moses
and Elijah? A bright cloud. What does that look like? God the Father’s voice
from heaven. What does that sound like? Jesus’ Transfiguration has been
described as a taste of heaven for Peter, James and John. If that is accurate
it would certainly explain why they wanted to stay. “It is good for us to be
here. Let’s make some shelters, some dwellings for us to live in.” Matthew
describes the event as best he can. I guarantee you that whatever picture you
conjured up in your mind if you are a creative person falls way short of how
glorious it really was. I guarantee you that this artist’s rendering, as much
as it tries to show the glory, falls far short of how awesome it was.
The events of Jesus’ Transfiguration are
straightforward. He let his disciples see a glimpse of His true glory. The
question we need to be asking is “Why?” Why did this happen when it happened?
Why did the Holy Spirit make sure Matthew wrote it down, Mark and Luke too? The
Transfiguration of Jesus did not happen in a vacuum. It was done on purpose by
Jesus at a time His disciples needed it. Its message is just as timely for
disciples of Jesus today. “Jesus approached and as he touched them, he said,
“Get up, and do not be afraid.” That is the truth, the lesson, that all
believers get from Jesus’ Transfiguration. Do not be afraid.
Do not be afraid when you look back at
your life and realize that following Christ has not been all that glorious.
Matthew tells us that the Transfiguration took place “six days later.” If you
let your fingers do the walking through the white pages of your Bibles, you
will find that six days before Jesus’ Transfiguration the disciples had to deal
with some tough truths. At first when Jesus called them to be His disciples it
was, well, glorious. Jesus started doing miracles. People were amazed. Jesus
taught Scripture with authority, not like the weaselly Pharisees and teachers
of the law. People were amazed. Like the entourages of the famous folk today
they got to bask in the glory and attention paid to Jesus. People came up to
them to gain access to Jesus. Then things changed. Jesus’ message got more
pointed. “Repent, all of you, or you will perish.” He started to refuse to do
miracles because people wanted a show, not a Savior. He spoke in parables, only
meaningful for the family of faith. Finally, Jesus helped them to come to grips
with His real mission. “Who do people say that I am?” What is the word on the
street? A great prophet. Nothing more. Nothing less. Not so glorious anymore. We
are not told but we can certainly understand if doubts filled the disciples’
minds. Is Jesus really the Christ? If He is, why doesn’t everybody who’s been
waiting for Him for forever love Him like we do? Where is the glory? So Jesus
showed them. He gave them just a glimpse to help them wipe away their doubts
and wipe away their fears. Do not be afraid if following me hasn’t always
seemed so glorious, because glory beyond your comprehension is coming.
Good news for you and me too. Whether you
have had the privilege of knowing Jesus as your Savior ever since you can
remember or it’s relatively new for you, disappointment that comes from lack of
understanding God’s wise ways is a part of life. You look back at the times you
prayed for someone’s healing and God’s answer is not the one you wanted. You
strive to live life God’s ways and friends and family can mock you instead of
praising you. I know one sister in Christ whose nickname at work was June
Cleaver. Those of you who don’t get the reference can use your google machine
on your own to find out who she was Now, was that a compliment or an insult
hidden behind a smile? Then there is the burden and hurt and disappointment
borne by too many Christian parents. They raise their children in the training
and instruction of the Lord. You did your sinful best but they have left the
Lord behind. Lord, where are you? What about your promises? You apply yourself
to the word. You feed your faith. Still that pet sin plagues you. Consequences
of past sins don’t magically disappear. Where is the glory? Doubts and fears
can fill our minds too. Sh!! Says Jesus. Do not be afraid. You think too little
and too small. The Father’s plan is for glory beyond your imagination. Wait and
you will see. Do not be afraid if you look back on your life and following
Christ hasn’t seemed so glorious.
Do the same with whatever comes next!
Right before the Transfiguration, after Jesus asked his disciples what other
people thought about Him, he turned to them. “Who do you say I am?” “The
Christ, the Son of God!” Good answer. The truth! Then Jesus told them what the
Christ would do. He will go to Jerusalem, (Ooh, we like that! Probably getting
ready to set up His royal palace. I wonder what my room will be like?) But
Jesus went on. He would not set up an earthly kingdom, instead he would be
betrayed to the chief priests. He would suffer many things and be put to death.
Wait, what? Where is the glory in that?
And then everything happened just as Jesus
said it would. The arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, the suffering of many
things at the hands of the chief priests. His death on Calvary. The Gospel
writers do not tell us all of the thoughts of the disciples. Just what they
did. The fled in the Garden, but John followed. Peter denied but wept bitterly
after seeing Jesus. The disciples ran, but they did gather together on Easter
Sunday. Do you think at any time they remembered the Transfiguration? Did it
give them comfort in their time of trauma? I think so. Jesus Transfiguration
had a purpose. Do not be afraid. When things look the worst, when following me
does not seem so glorious just wait, great glory is coming. That happened for
the disciples too, just as Jesus said. He rose from the dead. He ascended into
heaven. The disciples became bold witnesses for Jesus as you heard Peter
proclaim in the second reading. The Transfiguration of Jesus enabled them to
live without fear when following Christ would not seem so glorious.
Same thing for you and me. There is not a
lot about our earthly lives following Jesus that we know for certain. Will we live in a country that will become
more Chirstian or keep becoming less? Will our family hold together or fall
apart? Will I have easy financial times or are hard times coming? Will my
health hold or is a physical or mental landmine about to explode? We don’t
know. Jesus has told us to expect times when following Him will not seem so
glorious. Think of the Beatitudes we heard a couple of weeks ago. “Blessed are
you when people persecute you, mock you, insult you because of me,” said Jesus.
Think of the testimony of the Apostles. “We must go through many tribulations
to enter the kingdom of God.” Well, that won’t seem so glorious! “Do not be
afraid,” says your Lord Jesus. Don’t be afraid when following Christ doesn’t
seem so glorious in the future.
Why not? Real glory, eternal glory is
coming. Glory so awesome words cannot not do it justice. Glory so awesome
pictures cannot do it justice. Glory so awesome that when you get it, like
Peter James and John, you will not want to let it go. Because of what Jesus has
done for you, you won’t have to. Your sins are forgiven so the glory of heaven
is coming. And it won’t just be Moses and Elijah that you will see with Jesus.
Noah and Adam and Eve and the Apostle Paul, they will be there. Everyone of
your loved ones who has entered heaven through Jesus will be there too. And
many of your little ones that you didn’t get to know here on earth, they are
waiting too. No picture or words can describe what that will be like when Jesus
says, “Come you who are blessed by my Father, who sneered at earthly glory for
the joy of this glory. Come and enjoy your inheritance, the kingdom prepared
for you since the creation of the world.” But until that happens, no matter
what happens, these are Jesus’ words for you, “Do not be afraid!” Amen.
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