Sermonstudio

BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS

Lesson 1: Exodus 24:12-18 (C); Exodus 24:12 (13-14) 15-18 (E); Exodus 24:12, 15-18 (L)
God instructs Moses to ascend Mount Sinai to receive the law of the Lord. The glory of God appeared to the people on top of the mountain as a consuming fire. Moses enters the mysterious cloud and approaches the fire to receive the divine revelation.

Lesson 1: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 (RC)
In the vision of Daniel, the Lord God sits in judgment on the heavenly court. All power and glory are conveyed by the Almighty to the messianic king who will reign forever.

Lesson 2: 2 Peter 1:16-21 (C); 2 Peter 1:16-19 (RC, L)
Peter asserts that Christianity is not based on cleverly devised myths but on eyewitness accounts. He himself witnessed the divine glory in the face of Jesus, as the heavenly voice testified that Jesus is God's own dear Son, with whom he is pleased. The written word of God is confirmed by the incarnate Word, who shines as a light in a world of darkness.

Lesson 2: Philippians 3:7-14 (E)
Paul regards all his accomplishments as rubbish in comparison to the value of knowing Christ. It is his passion to share in Christ's sufferings and death, so that he might also share his resurrection. He has not yet completely taken possession of this new life in Christ, but he presses on like a runner straining for the goal line.

Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9 (C, RC, E, L)
Jesus has just announced that he is going to Jerusalem to face suffering and death. To confirm this course he ascends a mountain to commune with the Father. On the mountain, Jesus is luminous with divine glory. Peter, James and John are awed and frightened by the sight and sound of it all. Christ's course is confirmed by the appearance of Elijah, the greatest of the prophets, and Moses, the lawgiver.This sight is a foretaste of resurrection glory, but as they leave the summit the disciples are told not to share their experience until after the resurrection.

Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 99 (C, E) -- "Worship at his holy mountain ..." (v. 9).
Psalm 2:6-13 (L) -- "You are my son, today I have begotten you" (v. 7b).

Prayer Of The Day
God of light, as you revealed your glory through the transfiguration of your Son, so open our sleepy eyes that we might also see your glory and be transformed thereby. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Transfiguration -- Bridge Between Epiphany And Lent
The Epiphany season serves to reveal the glory of God in Jesus. In the transfiguration event, the glory reaches its apex, as the divine substance shines through the body of Jesus and the divine voice renders witness to the Christ. This theophany occurs at a crucial juncture in the Lord's ministry. He is going to Jerusalem to suffer and die on the cross as the sacrifice for the sins of the world. The transfiguration is both a strengthening and a confirmation of that decision. Jesus could proceed with the Father's blessing to the cross. The presence of Elijah and Moses indicates that Jesus' decision is a fulfillment of the law and the prophets.

Not all churches observe the transfiguration on the last Sunday after the Epiphany. The Roman Church reads the transfiguration gospel lesson on the second Sunday in Lent, as well as August 6, when transfiguration is observed by both the Roman and Episcopalian churches. The Presbyterian and United Church of Christ churches employ the lessons for Pentecost. If transfiguration is observed, it should be preached in light of the cross. Just as Jesus was preparing for his journey to Jerusalem, so we are preparing for our Lenten pilgrimage. The glory of God is revealed not only on the revelatory peaks but in the valley of sacrificial service.


THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS

Lesson 1: Exodus 24:12-18
Waiting on the Lord. Moses was instructed by God to meet him on the mountain. He instructed the people to wait below. Then he and Joshua went up the mountain. The cloud of God's presence covered the mountain for six days, and finally, on the seventh day, God spoke out of the cloud. Moses remained on Mount Sinai 40 days and nights, receiving the commandments of the Lord. One would think that God could have expedited the matter more quickly, but the Lord doesn't operate on our timetable. Being God gives him the wisdom and the power to speak or not, to act or refrain from acting. The important factor is that we are willing to watch, as we wait on the Lord, and that we be in the place where God instructs us to be. Isaiah expresses this thought best: "He who waits upon the Lord will renew his strength ..." (Isaiah 40:31). We know that those who waited at the base of the mountain refused to wait. They constructed a golden calf, and this brought the wrath of God down upon their heads.

Lesson 1: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
Transcendent vision. The transfiguration was a transcendent vision for those who witnessed it. The scene described by Daniel was also a transcendent vision. Both of these visions came at a time of duress, a period of struggle with the enemy who appeared to have the advantage. Both visions come to the same conclusion: all people and powers will eventually bow before the awesome majesty of our God. The New Testament goes one step further than the book of Daniel in claiming that God will rule eternally through his Son, Jesus the Christ.

Lesson 2: 2 Peter 1:16-21
Confirmation hearing. Every time the President of the United States nominates someone to head a major governmental body, it requires a confirmation hearing by the Congress. Friend and foe seek to lift up his or her good and bad points. In a case such as the confirmation of Judge Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, it turned out to be a bruising ideological battle. Though confirmed eventually, Thomas shows signs of being wounded by the fray. Friends say that he is different than before and that he tends to shy away from social contacts. How different than the confirmation hearing that our Lord had on the mountain of transfiguration.


Those present heard an exceedingly confirming message: "This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased." This hearing gave Jesus the strength he needed to go on to Calvary and it later served to confirm the faith of Peter, James and John, as well as those who heard their message.

Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9
Listening to the clouds. Did you know that clouds speak? Weather forecasters make a living trying to interpret what they are communicating. High and wispy cirrus clouds tell us to expect a tranquil day. On the other hand, ominous cumulus thunderheads warn of imminent storms. These clouds capture our attention with sudden stabs of blinding light, accompanied by earth-shaking thunder. On the mountain where Jesus was transfigured, the disciples there were suddenly enshrouded by a bright cloud. They fell like dead men, quaking with fear of the unknown. Then a voice echoed from the cloud: "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him!" (v. 5).

In the Old Testament, God led his people by a pillar of cloud to the promised land and he gave the law to Moses from the cloud that enshrouded Mount Sinai. The cloud symbolizes the mysterious presence of Yahweh -- both concealing and revealing. God spoke through the cloud to reassure and to guide his people and the Almighty still speaks to us through the clouds that suddenly close in upon us. Figuratively speaking, clouds may overwhelm us at intervals throughout our lives. The clouds may be of our own making or God sent. These clouds may appear to be ominously dark and foreboding; they may obscure the horizon or force us to our knees. The important thing is to listen to God's voice in the cloud. He is present to reassure and guide us. God can transform an apparently ominous cloud into a bright revelatory cloud of his gracious presence.

"Listen to him." That is what the heavenly voice told the disciples on the mount of transfiguration. What is it that God wants them to listen to? To understand this we must consider the second half of the preceding chapter. This section begins with the confession of Peter that Jesus was the Messiah (v. 13). He instructs the disciples not to reveal his identity yet and then reveals something that causes them to reel in shock. He is going to suffer and die in Jerusalem and then rise from the dead. Following this, Peter and Jesus exchange rebukes. This notion of suffering and death is anathema to Peter and the others. Then comes the second part of the one-two punch. Not only must their Master suffer and die but they must take up their crosses also. Finally, Jesus speaks of the Son of Man returning in glory to establish the kingdom, which some standing there will witness before they die (vv. 27-28).

What God wanted the disciples to listen to was the message of the cross, a message alien to their thinking. The glory of the kingdom would not be like the glory of the world. The glory of God is revealed in self-giving servanthood. Truly, some of them would see the kingdom during the transfiguration. Like a strobe image, it would freeze the action in their minds. Many others witnessed the kingdom through the death and resurrection of Christ. To receive the kingdom, we must still listen to the mighty words and deeds of the Christ.


PREACHING APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS

Lesson 1: Exodus 24:12-18
Sermon Title: Waiting On The Lord
Sermon Angle: God could have merely dropped the tablets of his commandments from the sky into the camp of the Israelites but he didn't. It took 40 days of waiting, watching and dialogue. Moses was gone so long the people thought some ill had befallen him and they got into mischief. In order to receive direction from God we must be willing to wait and watch. God is sovereign and will show himself when he is ready. An important aspect of preparing is being in the place where God has appointed.

Outline:
1. Thesis: we are morally and spiritually adrift as a society
2. Moral decay follows from a loss of transcendence
3. The Ten Commandments resulted from a transcendent encounter
4. Like Moses, we need to wait on the Lord to receive the transcendent vision
5. Strategy to accomplish that end

-- recommit our lives to the Lord

-- feed on God's word daily

-- spend regular times in worship and prayer

Lesson 1: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
Sermon Title: The Beatific Vision
Sermon Angle: People of faith have received immeasurable strength for the struggles of life because they have caught a glimpse of the beatific (heavenly) vision. In the conflicts of existence, in their battles with the power of wickedness, the eyes of faith allow them to see God's future. All existence will be united under the glorious rule of our God.
Outline:
1. The book of Daniel was written at a time when God's people were struggling for spiritual survival (Highlight the persecution by Antiochus Epiphanes)
2. God's people still struggle with the enemy (examples)
3. The beatific vision of God's triumphant rule gives us strength

Lesson 2: 2 Peter 1:16-21
Sermon Title: Confirmation Hearing
Sermon Angle: A confirmation hearing was held on top of the mountain of transfiguration; not a hearing to determine whether Jesus was worthy but to make known that he was the one on whom God's favor rested. The Spirit confirmed to Jesus that he was God's Son, the beloved. God's favor was bestowed simply because he was God's Son. Next, the Spirit made known that he was well pleased with Jesus. Here the Spirit is confirming the conduct of his life and the course of his mission. This experience of the Father's grace and favor enabled Jesus to fulfill the mission that had been given him. Our baptism is such a confirmation hearing. God declares his favor to us and grants us the grace to go to the cross.
Outline:
1. The Father confirmed that Jesus was the Son of his favor
2. The Father also confirmed the course Jesus was taking
3. The disciples heard and witnessed the divine approbation
4. God has confirmed his love for us in Christ
5. Filled with grace, let us confirm our love for God through sacrificial service

Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9
Sermon Title: Just Listen To Him
Sermon Angle: Sometimes when a person says something contradictory or outrageous, a witness may state sarcastically, "Just listen to him!" In a different context, one in which a group of people is seeking guidance for decision making, a person may counsel, "He makes a lot of sense, just listen to him." The mountain of the transfiguration was such a place. The three disciples didn't know what to make of this frighteningly strange event. Peter foolishly proposed making three structures. Suddenly overshadowed by the bright cloud of glory, the divine voice boomed: "This is my Son, the Beloved, (just) listen to him" (v. 5). God is saying, in effect, listen especially to what he is saying about betrayal, suffering, death and resurrection. It isn't enough to merely hear him -- you must listen to him!
Outline:
1. In this world there is often a welter of conflicting voices
2. Problem: How do we distinguish the voice of God?

-- the world rejects suffering, sacrifice, and death

-- Christ lifts up suffering, sacrifice and death for the sake of the gospel
3. Just hear Christ, listen to him!

Sermon Title: A Breakthrough Of Transcendence
Sermon Angle: The entire ministry of Jesus might be described as a breakthrough of transcendence. Yet the divine Spirit of power and light broke through much more forcefully at certain times. Peter confessed this transcendence at Caesarea-Philippi, but on the mountain of transfiguration, he and the others were bowled over by it. The western world has come to so worship human reason that we are largely unaware of the transcendent dimension of the Spirit. Yet, at the same time, we hunger to experience the domain of the Spirit. The Spirit of God is never far from the surface of our lives but are we looking and listening for such breakthroughs?

Outline:
1. The Christ event is a breakthrough of transcendence
2. The transfiguration was a special breakthrough of transcendence
3. Our society has lost its sense of transcendence (indications and consequences)
4. Yet, many seek for spiritual experience

-- Belief in angels is one such indication (see below)

-- Other examples: worship, selfless service, prayer


According to Time Magazine, a majority of Americans believe in the existence of angels (69%) and 46% believe that they have their own Guardian Angel. Harvard Divinity School has a course on angels and Boston College has two. The subject is so popular that bookstores have established special angel sections and five of the ten top religious books, according to Publisher's Weekly, have been about angels. Billy Graham's 1975 book, Angels: God's Secret Agents was a best-seller at 2.6 million copies. Yet, how deeply felt is this belief in angels? Do the figures point to a resurgence of interest in the things of the spirit or a mere wistfulness for the realm of the transcendent, without firm conviction? A number of theologians believe that the latter is the case: that this popularity of angels is all whipped cream and meringue. The fearsome seraphim and cherubim have been transformed into benign, accepting beings, who are always there when you reach the end of your rope.

Sophy Burnham wrote a book about angel encounters titled A Book Of Angels, where she maintains that angels are all around but invisible. She contends that angels disguise themselves as a gust of wind, a pulse of energy, a thought and so forth. The heavenly host don't care about being seen; they are only concerned to put across their message. The form and directness of the angelic visitations is dependent on our capacity to receive.

Does this interest in angels reflect a new enthusiasm for transcendence and things spiritual? It's hard to say but, at least, it shows that we are not content with a strictly materialistic, here and now world.

It can be argued that the Soviet Union collapsed not only because the communistic economic model failed so miserably to supply the goods, but more importantly, that it disintegrated because it lost its transcendent vision. Communism was born of a burning vision of an earthly paradise, where all would share equally and injustice would be vanquished. Unfortunately, the vision was usurped by despots as a means of control. When the vision seemed so far removed from reality, it lacked credibility and died.
In the United States, we have had a longer track record of sustaining the American dream, which is a kind of transcendent vision. Dangerously, however, those are signs that the vision is fading under an assault of selfishness, greed and violence. Some years ago, George G. Kennan, a former ambassador and political scientist, made an observation about the east-west conflict: "I sometimes wonder what use there is in trying to protect the Western world against fancied threats, when the signs of disintegration from within are so striking." The vision has been distorted by those who view the American dream as consisting of unrestrained personal freedoms. We need to temper the personal freedoms with the so-called republican virtues that the founders of our country held high, such as godliness, patience, hard work and neighborliness.