If we watched the Olympic athletes train before the games, we would be impressed. The years of dedication to training programs and all that those athletes give up to fine tune their skills for a few moments competing is a feat in and of itself whether an athlete leaves with a medal. Yet the few seconds or minutes of the event shows how good an athlete is. When the judges are watching, it is time to shine.
When it was time to bringing judgment on the foreign gods of Egypt, God shined. When the oppression against Israel became so great in Egypt, God came to prove himself. The hardhearted Pharoah trusted in himself, his priests and his false gods making him arrogant when Moses asked that Israel be freed. So, God set up ten events, and through the Ten Plagues showed his power over Pharaoh, his priests and false gods. God proved there is only one podium, and he is the one true God who stands on it. Israel’s deliverance showed them God’s power and love for them, and that he kept the promises make to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Once out of Egypt, they came to Mount Sinai and God gave them his Ten Commandments as we read in our Old Testament reading from Exodus 24, 12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.” 15 When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, 16 and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud. 17 To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. God made it clear that what Moses brought down was not his own writings by sending the cloud to cover the mountain and his glory to shine like a consuming fire. These words were not to be compared alongside their personal thoughts, to philosophies, to other religions, gods or worldviews, but to be the standard by which everything else is judged. Following these would give you a ten out of ten, put you on the podium and standing with God in heaven. Following one’s personal thoughts, philosophies, other religions, gods or worldviews, would mean zero out of ten, exclusion from the game of life and eternal suffering in hell.
Many who saw God’s shining glory did not listen to his words. The Ten Commandments delivered by Moses often offended the people. Even before Moses brought the tablets down from Mount Sinai, the people had already rebelled against the First Commandment by casting a golden calf idol. So, throughout the Old Testament, Israel is described as stiff-necked and stubborn. God’s law offended them. When their sinful desires pulled them away from God and God showed them their sins, they were offended. Rather than repent and look to God for mercy, they grumbled, complained and turned to other gods.
Peter like Israel saw God’s shining glory. Today on Transfiguration Sunday, the Epiphany season ends after a series of Scripture readings showing and revealing Jesus to be the Son of God, the Chosen One, the Messiah and the Christ. Peter, James and John were on the Mount of Transfiguration and saw Jesus shine with his glory as God, but even before that moment they had seen him do many miraculous signs and healings. Plus, Jesus allowed them to do those things in his name. And, they had heard his authoritative preaching and teaching. Yet, they were offended at his words as the opening verse of our Gospel reading from Matthew 17, takes us back to Matthew 16, where six days before Peter, James, John and Jesus went up the mountain, Jesus said something to his disciples. We read in Matthew 16, 21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Jesus shared the fulfillment and foundation of the Christian faith, and all Scripture; Jesus would suffer, die and be raised to life to save the world. Then, we hear Peter was offended by Jesus’ words. Jesus’ statement surprised Peter and he did not pause to prepare a faith centered response, but a selfish one. Jesus quickly held the mirror of God’s holy word up to Peter exposing his emotional, impulsive and devilish rebuke. Peter did not trust Jesus and put his hope in his plan to not only die but rise from the dead.
Such a strong response from Jesus ought to have stuck with Peter, but he like Israel and all of us remained stiff-necked and stubborn. In our Gospel reading from Matthew 17, we read, 1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” Peter did not stop to respond with faith, but again was overcome with his selfish, emotional sinful thoughts. Peter’s idea to put up shelters as if to house Jesus there to rule over a sin corrupted world of death, disorder and disease was foolish. If Jesus had stayed there, at best he could cure sickness and drive out demons giving people a few decades of relief before they died and went to hell. The Gospel of Luke shares what Peter failed to listen to and what Moses, Elijah and Jesus spoke about in Luke 9, 31 They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Jesus was not staying, he was going to Jerusalem, the cross, the grave, back to life, then heaven. Jesus was nearing his departure from this world, not making plans to stay.
Like Peter we are offended by God’s Word. Like Peter we are offended when God’s Word makes us uncomfortable. We would rather have God affirm our heart’s desire, rather than expose our sins. Like Peter, we would like Jesus to keep our feelings from getting hurt and be our personal Jesus in a tent in the backyard. We certainly do not like a Jesus that allows people to die, or a Jesus that would have us leave our comfort zone to interact with other people, especially all those people who voted for the other party, call that person their partner, are from that country and most especially those sinful people. Jesus offends us because he does allow emotional distress and death in our lives, and he calls us to shine his light to those who like us are sinners in need of a Savior. We can give ourselves a simple self-test to see how offensive God’s Word is to us with a few questions. First, if we can name ten Olympic sports and not the Ten Commandments, God’s Word offends us. Second, if we can name ten winter Olympic sports and not the Ten Commandments, God’s Word offends us. Third, if we can name the Ten Commandments but not explain them, God’s Word offends us. Fourth, if we can name and explain the Ten Commandments, but do not keep them, God’s Word offends us. Fifth, if we can name, explain and think we can keep all Ten Commandments, then we are liars and God’s Word offends us. As with Peter, we like to put less offensive words in Jesus’ mouth, but Jesus lovingly rebukes us. Jesus showed Peter his sin so that he was not left worshiping his own idea of Jesus at an empty tent up on a mountain. Jesus wants us to listen to his word that exposes our sins.
Jesus’ transfiguration allows us to be honest about our sins. When Jesus shined with his glory as the Son of God on the Mount of Transfiguration, God the Father spoke from heaven as we read in Matthew 17, 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” Again, the Father spoke as he did at Jesus’ baptism confirming him as his beloved Son who had done everything right, but this time the Father added, “Listen to him!” In a display far more impressive than the opening ceremonies of the Olympics Jesus showed his glory proving he had the power to do what he said. Fear gripped the disciples and Peter’s foolish rambling stopped as we read in Matthew 17, 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. Jesus did not show his power to terrify, but to testify to his power as the Son of God, the Chosen One, the Messiah and Christ who would die and rise to save us. Through Jesus we are not afraid of the offensiveness of our sins. Through Jesus we are not afraid that our sins lead to death. Jesus became our offensive sins and was crucified for us. By fulfilling his own words and the Old Testament prophecies, Jesus has guaranteed our place in the golden halls of heaven.
When Peter’s false understanding was pitted against Jesus’ transfiguration, there was a clear winner. Jesus turned Peter away from devilish delusions with the epiphany of his transfiguration, and with his grace filled words, “I must go, suffer, be handed over, killed and on the third day be raised to life” and “do not be afraid.” As with Peter, our souls need the light of Scripture shined on them daily as God alone has the power to beat down our sinful nature and raise up the new creation in all of us. The new creation in all of us has been enlightened and looks forward to the glory of heaven. Until then, we rely on the prophecies of the Old Testament and the eyewitness accounts of the New Testament as we hear Peter’s words in our New Testament reading from 2 Peter 1, 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place… 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. Listen and pay attention to the Word of God. Jesus has prepared you for heaven placing his robe of righteousness over you and washing your sins away in baptism, which is better than a gold medal. And Jesus still comes to us in the Lord’s Supper giving us his body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins, the assurance of the new covenant, which is his work for us, and we are not terrified by his glory here, but comforted. Like a husband who not only tells his wife he loves her on Valentine’s Day, but brings her a card, flowers, chocolates and takes her out to a nice restaurant, God sends his Holy Spirit to strengthen our faith through the words of the prophets and apostles in the Old and New Testament, and through the sacraments. We are the bride of Christ, the Church, and his love for us is richer and fuller than anything else in all his creation. We live to please God as his beloved people who regularly study the same Ten Commandments Moses was given so that we can apply them to the way we think, speak and act. If we watched the Olympic athletes train before the games, we would be impressed. Yet the few seconds or minutes of the event shows how good an athlete is; when the judges are watching, it is time to shine. When Jesus shined with his glory as the Son of God on the Mount of Transfiguration, God the Father spoke confirming him as his beloved Son who had done everything right. The Father also added, “Listen to him!” Six days earlier Jesus told his disciples that soon he would suffer, die and rise. By fulfilling these words and the Old Testament prophecies, Jesus guaranteeing our place in the golden halls of heaven. Listen to God’s beloved Son who takes away our fear of death from sin. Amen.
Gunnar Ledermann, Pastor Divine Peace Church
Gunnar Ledermann
I’m passionate about Rockwall’s vibrant community and actively engage with local non-profits and community organizations, including the Rockwall Chamber of Commerce, the City of Rockwall, and the Downtown Rockwall Association. My background includes a bachelor’s degree in Classical Languages and a master’s degree in divinity. Currently serving as a pastor at Divine Peace Church in Rockwall, I also enjoy spending time with my wife, Marinda, and our five children.
