Have you ever stopped at one of those California visitor centers or any of those welcome centers along the interstate when you cross the border of a state? When you stop at one of these visitor centers, you will see hundreds of different books, maps and brochures. All of them glorifying what you can see and do in whichever state it is. Those books and brochures contain all sorts of information about what wonderful destinations lay ahead for the traveler new to that state. The brochures and books contain pictures of happy smiling people, majestic natural beauty, interesting museums, and thrilling amusement parks. All of them show and promise you their glorious best features, but very few tell you the cost of admission until you get there or look online after having your interest piqued and it may not even live up to the hype.

In today’s Gospel text, something glorious and amazing happened to Jesus. Peter, James, and John were witnesses to it, but what happened was more than some interesting occurrence. It was a sign of the very real heavenly glory that was yet to come for Jesus but also for those who would believe in Him. Unlike travel brochures, however, Jesus had been very clear as to the price of admission: His own innocent sacrificial death on the cross.

In order to understand this text in Matthew 17, let us first take a brief look at Matthew 16. In Matthew 16, Peter confessed Jesus to be the Christ, when in the last verses of the chapter, Jesus talked to His disciples and explained that as the Christ He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Peter had tried to rebuke Jesus and tell Jesus that could never happen, but Jesus then rebuked Peter. “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”

The final verse of MT 16 says: “there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His reign”. This could be referring to the crucifixion, the resurrection, or even the transfiguration, perhaps all three.

Immediately after these verses that I just read to you, we have the text of today’s appointed Gospel lesson in which Jesus was transfigured before His disciples. He was changed in appearance, His clothes became pure white like light, and His face shone as brightly as the sun itself. Imagine that…what happens to you if you were to stare at the sun? You would go blind, wouldn’t you? Yet here is Jesus giving off the same light and glory. While this was happening, Moses and Elijah appeared and spoke with Him. Peter was so taken with this scene, He wanted to stay there and build tents for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, but as Peter was talking, a cloud surrounded them and a voice said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!” Although the disciples were terrified knowing that this was the voice of God the Father Himself, Jesus came and touched them and said, “Rise, and have no fear”. When they raised their eyes they saw no one but Jesus.

This transfiguration was a sign of things to come. I mean this whole occurrence was a glimpse into the glory that would be given to Jesus once He accomplished His earthly ministerial task. Perhaps I should say the glory that would be given “back” to Jesus, for indeed He was the very Son of God and worthy of all glory and the source of all light as the creator. The Transfiguration was also a sign explaining again what Jesus was doing during His ministry. The appearance of Moses, giver of the 10 commandments, leader of the Exodus from slavery to the promised land, represented that Jesus would fulfill the law, and lead all people in faith as the true Israel to an even greater promised land. Elijah represented Jesus as the ultimate prophet and the fulfillment of all prophecy. The cloud represented the Old Testament visible presence of God who now dwelt among the people not in temple or canvas tent but fully and bodily in the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ.

Another reason for this transfiguration of Jesus was as a testimony to and encouragement for the disciples. It was like a light at the end of a tunnel, giving hope to those who must travel through more darkness before emerging safe on the other side. The disciples needed this encouragement of witnessing Christ’s glory, for all too soon they would descend the mountain and Jesus would have to descend the depths of humiliation. The time was at hand for Jesus to be betrayed, to suffer, and be crucified. Meanwhile the disciples would suffer in confusion, fear, and weakness. This manifestation of Christ’s rightful light and glory would give them hope during the darkness of Good Friday. Though there would be much bitterness, sorrow, and mourning during Holy Week, on Sunday morning of Easter, Jesus would emerge victorious over sin, death, and the devil. He would be exalted and glorified with the glory that was rightfully His and which He has now won for all believers in Him.

Now we approach the season of the Church Year, we call Lent. As we do, we remember the price that Jesus paid so that we may enter eternal life rather than the damnation that our sins deserve. We remember that the price to be paid for the righteous wrath of God upon sin was the life of God’s own innocent Son, Jesus Christ, crucified for our sins and the sins of the world. We remember Jesus’ words that whoever must save His life must lose it, that whoever would come after Jesus must take up his cross and follow Jesus. The price of admission into Christ’s heavenly kingdom is also our own death. This does not mean that we must also be put to death and suffer as Christ suffered, but this death about which Jesus speaks is putting to death through repentance our old sinful selves, that it would be crucified and buried with Jesus Christ.

This has already been begun in us through Holy Baptism, for there in the waters Christ came to us and we were crucified with Him. Our old sinful selves were crucified and nailed to the tree even though we may not understand how. In Holy Baptism we also were transfigured because the Holy Spirit overcame our sin and we have been clothed with the pure white garments of light; the light of Jesus’ righteousness. Every time that we repent and confess our sins, our garments are made clean again by His absolution. We cannot see these clothes with the eyes of the flesh, but the Father sees them for Jesus’ sake. You are clothed with Christ through faith. You are able to look to the cross and see God’s glorious mercy for you. We can, by faith, see His redemptive light, which does not blind as when looking at the sun, but rather removes spiritual blindness. In the crucifixion of Jesus, we can see the love and mercy of God. In the terror of God’s judgment upon Jesus, we can see His tender compassion for us and all people. We can know without a doubt and be encouraged that God knows any grief or sorrow that we may bear in this life, for He bore all heartache and grief when His own Son died so that we may not die eternally. He died so that we might have life and have it abundantly. He died in humiliation so that we may partake in His glory, the glory of His triumphant resurrection.

Now as Christ lives in us, He lives through us as new people living with light in the midst of darkness. We have beheld the glory of His love in His redemption of us at the cross and His empty tomb. We are now transfigured by His Holy Spirit working through His Word and Sacraments to be holy people of God.

That is what is happening here in this worship service. The Holy Spirit gathers us to repent and remember our baptisms. Then Jesus comes stands before us and touches us by His grace through His Word and in His body and blood at the Lord’s supper and says, “Rise, do not fear”. You are forgiven. We have His peace by the forgiveness of our sins and His presence, we no longer need to fear, for the Lord is at our side. We partake of the glory of His forgiveness won for us, and we celebrate with all those who have gone before us the victory of Christ’s death and resurrection. The feast of victory in Christ’s body and blood gives us forgiveness and strength, filling our hearts and minds with joy. Now in His joy we may bear witness to the glory and love of God which He has shown to us through Christ’s death and resurrection even as St. Peter attests in the Epistle. We do not follow cleverly devised myths, but we may also proclaim to others the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been eyewitnesses of His majesty. Our great deliverer Jesus Christ has come and in His cross points us to the life and glory which is yet to come and is yours already through faith in Jesus Christ who has paid the price of your admission unto His glorious eternal life. God keep us in that faith in Jesus Christ, Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas