SERMON: The Transfiguration: God’s ‘Show and Tell Sunday’
One of my favourite TV shows when I was a kid was the 1978 series The Incredible Hulk. The main character is physician and scientist David Banner (played by Bill Bixby), who is accidentally exposed to extreme levels of gamma radiation in a laboratory experiment gone wrong, altering his body chemistry. Anger and stress-inducing situations trigger Dr Banner’s transfiguration to a green giant with superhuman strength—the Incredible Hulk. Criminal acts of injustice usually trigger Dr Banner’s anger, and he transfigures into a rampaging superhuman being, using his strength to free victims of crime and foil the criminals.
However the Hulk’s rampages are misunderstood by authorities, and he is continuously pursued by law enforcement agencies who try to capture him. As such, the Hulk remains a fugitive. As time passes and he calms down, the Hulk reverts back to the normal human appearance of Dr David Banner. Because of this situation, Banner leads a nomadic lifestyle. Each episode ends with him on the road, moving on to the next temporary lodging (ever wonder how his pants and shirt get fixed up?). This lifestyle invariably puts him in situations where crime and wrongdoing trigger his transfiguration into the Hulk again…and so the cycle continues.
Throughout the Scriptures we hear that Jesus also had an ordinary human side like David Banner. Jesus is born at Bethlehem, as a tiny baby, Mary and Joseph’s son. He got thirsty, he ate, he wept. When he preached in the synagogue in his hometown the people were flabbergasted because they knew him from a boy: “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us?” (Mt 13:55-56).
But Jesus also has a divine nature. In today’s text, Jesus is on top of a mountain praying, when, like Dr David Banner, a powerful nature is revealed—as he was praying, the appearance of Jesus’ face suddenly changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.
This Sunday closes the church season of Epiphany. ‘Epiphany’ means ‘A plain showing forth’; ‘a clear revelation’. The Christ Child, born in such humble surrounds in a stable in Bethlehem, a son born to Joseph and Mary, is also the Son of God and has been plainly shown as the Saviour from heaven for all people. He is a light from heaven for revelation to the Gentiles, and on the mount the glory of his divine nature is clearly on show.
The picture before us today is rich with Old Testament imagery. The mount itself is reminiscent of Mount Sinai, where God met with Moses in a cloud and spoke to him. It was an ominous sight—a fearsome epiphany—as God revealed his power and holiness to the people, with thunder and lightning, a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain—but they were not to touch it, or they would die (Exodus 19:16-17).
The two men on the mountain with Jesus, Moses and Elijah, were key Old Testament figures, representing the Law and the Prophets; the Old Testament scriptures. Luke tells us they were talking with Jesus about his departure from Jerusalem. In the original Greek, the word for ‘departure’ is ‘exodus’—they were discussing Jesus’ exodus from Jerusalem. That word recalls the exodus of God’s people from slavery in Egypt, where he passed over the households whose doorway was painted with the blood of a sacrificed lamb, before parting the seas and leading his people through to safety on dry ground, closing the waters again to drown their enemies who pursued them.
God commanded his people to commemorate the festival of tabernacles, where they were to live in small huts or tents, for seven days (Leviticus 23:42-43). This would remind them of how they lived in temporary shelters when God brought them out of Egypt—but was also understood as looking ahead to the glorious day of Israel’s final deliverance (Zechariah 14:16-21).
Today’s Gospel shows how all of God’s redemptive work through history is fulfilled in Jesus. Peter seems to understand this and is overjoyed by this awesome sight: “Master, it is good for us to be here” which is why he offers to make three shelters—one for Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah. Peter seems to understand that the long-awaited salvation has arrived in Christ! But that final day of deliverance for God’s people was still not yet. Suffering was still yet to come before glory. Through the prophet Isaiah, God had said:
See, my servant will act wisely;
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
Just as there were many who were appalled at him—
his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being
and his form marred beyond human likeness—
so he will sprinkle many nations,
and kings will shut their mouths because of him.” (Isaiah 52:13-15)
God’s complete and perfect salvation for all people would not be won by a show of physical force. Jesus would not go on a violent rampage, flexing his muscles, like the Hulk. The violence would be done against him, and he would sprinkle many nations with his precious blood, when he would be lifted up and highly exalted on the Cross. There, Jesus’ appearance would again be transfigured, through brutal suffering and death, and a second exodus would take place—Jesus would pass through the valley of death before victoriously descending to hell and rising from the tomb for all.
Suffering must come before glory for us too. Though we have this redemption through faith in Christ, we still live in this world that is in bondage to decay, agonisingly groaning as all creation awaits redemption, as Paul said in Romans 8. We live in a world that is dying, a world where life is swallowed up by death and is spiritually dead; a world that is self-destructing as leaders selfishly seek glory in political and military domination. We live in a world where political structures forget that all people desperately need grace, are longing to have hope and longing to be loved. We live in a world that selfishly manipulates and exploits, killing and destroying to obtain the riches of this life; riches that will one day disappear like sand running through one’s fingers. We live in a world where at times it is hard to see God’s light in the darkness, and the wicked seem to have the glory yet those who are faithful know suffering. We live in a world where wrongs are done to us, and we do wrong to others too. We live in a world that hurts us and where we hurt others. We long for peace but so often the troubles of this life bring only fear. We still live in frail, mortal flesh and know pain and death.
That is the world that Peter, James and John knew too. They had seen the Kingdom of God come into the world in the Person of Jesus, bringing grace and truth to life as he taught, and healed and raised the dead to life, and freed those oppressed by the kingdom of darkness. But to overcome death once for all for all people, Jesus had to die. To bring life to the world, Jesus had to taste death. To win the victory, Jesus had to lose—his own life. To normal human logic, that looks like failure and defeat. That’s why the Father shows Peter James and John this fleeting epiphany of God’s glory in Christ on the mountain—a preview of what all of God’s faithful people will see in heaven, forever.
That is why God gave a new commandment at Jesus’ transfiguration. On Mount Sinai, God had given his people Ten Commandments to live by. On the mount of Transfiguration, God gives just one: “Listen to him.”
We have not seen Jesus like Peter, James and John did. Yet Jesus walks with us too. He continues to bring light in the face of darkness, he continues to bring life in the midst of frailty and mortality, and reign over the kingdom of evil by his living and active word, even today. Our task, as God’s church in the world, is first and foremost, to listen to Jesus. After experiencing Jesus’ transfiguration, Peter wrote:
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honour and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts (2 Peter 1:16–19)
Through the scriptures the Kingdom of God reigns, overcoming evil with grace, shining light in a dark place. As we listen to the scriptures, we listen to Jesus. This command to listen to Jesus does not do away with the Ten Commandments God gave on Mount Sinai—but they are actually one and the same thing. When we listen to Jesus as Lord, we place no other gods above him. When we listen to Jesus, we are keeping God’s name holy. When we listen to Jesus, we are honouring the Sabbath day and keeping it holy. When we respect our parents and all those in authority we are listening to Jesus. When we give help and care to our neighbour we are listening to Jesus. When husbands and wives honour each other, even in our thoughts and words, we are listening to Jesus. When we listen to Jesus we do not covet or steal from our neighbour, but bless them and help protect what is theirs. When we listen to Jesus, we do not bear false witness, but speak honestly to put the best construction on things, so as to defend our neighbour’s reputation. In all these things we don’t just seek to refrain from evil, but actively pursue what is right, to help and bless those around us, that the light of God’s glory might be reflected through us and transfigure the hearts of those we serve.
As we prepare to turn the corner into Lent, and fix our eyes on the Cross, there we see the glory of God exalted and lifted up, there we see God’s clear revelation; his plain showing forth of his grace and love for the unlovely, and the unloving. That is where we see his love for us too. And so we are to listen to Jesus, because he speaks words that Moses cannot give. Moses came only to give God’s law; Jesus came full of grace and truth. Listen to Jesus and hear him say: “Peace be with you.” Listen to Jesus and hear him say: “I am with you always.” Listen to Jesus and hear him say: “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Listen to Jesus and hear him say: “I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Listen to Jesus and hear him say: “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest.” Listen to Jesus and hear him say: “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” Listen to Jesus and hear him say: “God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” And for you who listen and believe his words, you will have eternal life, and see him in glory with his garments as white as lighting—not for a few seconds, but forever and ever. Amen.
