“Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, who he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds.  He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word.” (Hebrews 1:1- 3a)

So, let us listen to him.  Let us listen to these words of Moses: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet.” (Deut 18:15). You shall listen to such a prophet.  We are talking about Jesus!  Oh, for a voice like that of James Earl Jones with which I could read the words that came from the cloud, “This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him!” (Luke 9:36)

We’re on the doorstep of Lent, the season in the church year in which we walk together through the life and death and life of Jesus, in which we walk together through life and death and life in Christ.  We are on holy ground here.  Let us ask for God’s help as we hear God’s word to us this day.

We are on holy ground here.  The Transfiguration.  It’s a big deal event in the life of Jesus.  One of only two times the voice of God is heard.  “You are my Son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased.”  These were God’s words for Jesus at his baptism.  God’s words in Luke 9 are for Christ’s followers: “This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him!”

Now, you have no doubt heard me say that the purpose of our listening to God in his word is not simply that we take what we hear and apply it to our lives.  This is not to say that the story of Good has no meaning in our day-to-day life.  The question that is always before us as followers of Jesus is, “What does it mean to apply my life to this story?”  It’s a subtle distinction, perhaps, but one that is evident in a story such as this. The story of Jesus’ transfiguration is not one from which we simply draw a moral lesson.  We might consider this story and say something about times in our lives when we have mountaintop experiences of God.  Experiences where we feel the presence of God in a special way.  We go from those experiences to acts of service, just as Jesus does later in chapter 9, healing a young boy.  The Christian life includes both special experiences of the presence of God and getting into the trenches, rolling up our sleeves, or putting our boots on and serving.  We are not going to stop there, though.

We are on holy ground here, along with Moses and Elijah and Jesus’ inner circle, Peter, James and John. The story which Luke tells here is a revelation of who Jesus is.  As Jesus’ followers, may it be the deep desire of all our hearts that we are ever more coming to know him.  How does this happen, you ask?  Stop, look, listen.  Be silent even, just as Peter, James and John were when all was said and done.

There are stories of Jesus to which we are called to respond with awe, wonder, and worship.  This is one such story, filled as it is with picture which invoke memories of going up mountains to hear from God; God’s presence known in a fiery pillar of cloud; chariots of fire; a cloud that descended on the tent of meeting in such a way that no one could go into the tent.  Pictures of the glory of God.  Peter doesn’t do so great here, and we often don’t do so great, but he didn’t know.  Later on Peter will write of this day and he’ll say this, “For he received honour and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory; saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.” (1 Peter 1:17-18)

The question for us may not be “Is Jesus simply one in a line of prophets/teachers/wise people?”  If that is the question, no, he’s not simply one in a line.  The more relevant question for us may be the one that Jesus himself posed to his followers.  “Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, 'Who do the crowds say that I am?” The answered, “John the Baptist; but others Elijah; and still others one of the ancient prophets has arisen.”  He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”  (Luke 9:18- 20a)

Surely the question of our lives!  Peter answers, “The Messiah of God.”

Do you want to know him more?  What kind of Lord is it that we follow?  Listen to him.  Jesus goes on, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” (9:22)  Then this, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.  For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.” (9:23-24)

Is it any wonder we talk about awe, wonder, and worship in the face of such words?

Eight days after this Jesus takes Peter and John and James up on the mountain.  What do they go there to do?  To pray.  It’s a pattern we see throughout Jesus’ life.  Before his baptism, he is praying.  Before choosing the 12, he is praying.  We want to know more of what God is like.  We want to know more of who Jesus is and who Jesus calls his followers to be.  We want God to be revealed to u,s yes? 

1. Pray and listen for God’s voice in his Word.  “And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.  Suddenly they say two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him.” (9:29-30)  Let us be people who pray and people who look to the scriptures. I’m glad we’ve been talking so much about Moses lately! Let us be a people who are in conversation with the scriptures.  Jesus is in conversation with two men who represent the Hebrew Scriptures – the law and the prophets.  Moses and Elijah.  Of course, Moses was a prophet too.  He brought the word of the Lord.  He brought the word of the Lord to Pharoah, and the word was “Let my people go.”  Freedom.  Deliverance.  Elijah spoke about expectation that what was promised by God would come to pass.  In the middle of drought and famine, the word of the Lord was, “I will send rain on the earth” (1 Kings 18:1)

While Jesus was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men.  The glory of God breaks through.  The heavens and the earth embrace.  They’re talking.  Moses and Elijah.  The Messiah.  The one who is the fulfillment of the words spoken by Moses about God raising up a great prophet.  I wonder if Moses was saying something like, “I couldn’t have imagined!”  The Word made flesh and setting up his tent among us.  I wonder if Elijah said something like, “I spoke about life-bringing rain, and you’re bringing life in a whole new way!” 

They are talking.  This story is told in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.  Luke is the only Gospel writer who tells us what they were discussing.  “They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.”  Jerusalem is where this whole story is going.  That is where we will be headed together as we follow Jesus together on his journey to Jerusalem.  Shortly after our passage, we read, “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem” (9:51). May God grant us the same resolve to go with him. They’re talking about his departure.

His Exodus.

This is the Greek word that’s used here.  When you go to Greece today and you look at Exit sign,s they say “Exodus”.  I was speaking earlier about why we look at things like the book of Exodus and why we spend so much time with them.  Jesus is in conversation with the one who led the first Exodus.  That prototypical saving event which meant deliverance for the people of Israel.  Deliverance from oppression.  Rescue from a situation from which they were unable to extricate themselves.

They’re talking about his Exodus.  The appearance of Jesus’ face has changed, and his clothes are dazzlingly white.  The great prophet Moses and the great prophet Elijah, who have appeared in glory because they’re part of the heavenly realm, are speaking to Jesus about what he is about to accomplish in Jerusalem.  A new exodus.  A new deliverance.  A new passing through the waters for a people – humanity -  who are oppressed by sin (our missing the mark, our messing up) and unable to help themselves, and he’s going to be leading us to freedom.

What we must remember as we’re looking at this scene is that they’re not just speaking of glory and triumph.  Look at how this exodus is going to be accomplished.  Look at this with awe and wonder and worship.    I know I say this every year, but surely it bears repeating -don’t go from the triumph of Palm Sunday to the triumph of Easter and miss something about which these three figures in our story are talking.  Don’t miss Good Friday (seriously, why come to church on Good Friday because it’s important).  How is this exodus going to be accomplished? Suffering and rejection and death and new life.  The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

The way of the cross.  Let us not go straight to new life without taking into account suffering and rejection and death because these things do not simply lie across the path to the exodus that Jesus is going to accomplish.  They’re part of the path.  Why do we keep a cross at the front of our sanctuary?   Why does Jesus bears the wounds in his hands and in his side?  Why do we continue to come to this table and proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes?

1. continued desire to know what it means to take up our crosses daily, to lose our lives for his sake so that our lives may be saved.  To say along with Jesus, “Not my will but yours be done, Lord.”  Perhaps it’s best if we sit silent before all this. 

Peter is not silent. Impulsive is Peter.  Man of action.  Act first, think later.  Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” – not knowing what he said.  Not knowing.  Wanting to prolong the occasion, maybe.  Wanting to mark the occasion, maybe.  Wanting to link the event they have just witnessed with a time and place.  That day on the mountain.

This exodus that Jesus will accomplish is for all of life.  This call to take up our cross is a call to take it up daily.  There is always an immediacy in Luke.  To you is born this day in the city of David.  Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.  I must stay at your house today.  It’s not something we’re supposed to contain.  We’re not supposed to contain it to Sunday morning in the church.  Or Saturday afternoon at Trinity Square. Or Wednesday morning in church or in someone’s home during the week when we get together.  This is not something we are to contain and compartmentalize and put in tents on the mountain where we can come back to it and remember it from time to time.    

This is for our whole lives.  So let us approach this story with awe and worship and praise.  Let us stand with Peter and James and John and listen as we are overshadowed by the presence of our Almighty God and listen to God’s voice.

“This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him!”

Listen to him.  Listen as he says, “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be filled.  Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.”  Who says, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”  Who says, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I tell you?”  Who says, “Your sins are forgiven.”  Who says, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

They don’t fully get it, these followers. We don’t fully get it.  They’re unable to heal in the next story.  Soon after, they’ll start arguing about who’s the greatest.  Even after Easter, Peter will not fully get it.  He’ll need to learn about things like who he’s able to sit down and share a meal with – even Gentiles.  They kept silent because it was only after Jesus’ death and resurrection that all this made any sort of sense.  It’s only when you’re following the risen Jesus that something like losing our lives to have them saved makes any kind of sense. 

None of us fully get it, but my prayer is that we are ever more fully coming to get it.  To commit ourselves to this suffering, rejected, dying, living Messiah in such a way that we are coming to know life.  To make this our prayer:

Pray – Lord, I give my life to you.  Do with me as you will.  Make of me what you will. 

To find life in this surrender.

To live each day with thankful hearts, lost in awe, wonder, love and praise.  May this be true for all who hear these words.

Amen