Grace Lutheran Church

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+ In Nomine Jesu +

The Rev. Evan Gaertner

Transfiguration Sunday                                                                                     "Seeing the Glory of Jesus"

February 26, 2006                                                                                                                              Mark 9:2-9

Transfiguration Sunday always precedes the season of Lent. The season of Epiphany is about the glory of God shining forward into this world. Epiphany begins with the visitation of the Wise Men to the Infant Jesus. They worship this baby that contrasts with the world sense of power and majesty and give to him their praise and worship. At first they watched and listened in Jerusalem to King Herod, but they then saw the star that guided them to witness Jesus in Bethlehem. Today the season of Epiphany closes with Jesus upon the mountain top transfigured into the glory and majesty that is his as true God. But on the way down the mountain his told the disciples not to tell anyone of what they saw till the son of man had been risen from the dead.

Throughout the gospel of Mark we are invited to watch Jesus and listen to him. As we watch and hear Jesus we find continually the disconnect between what we expect and who God truly is. God's wrath and the sin of the of the world our both overcome in the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

Standing before the majesty of God in worship today I find revealed about myself the truth of what Isaiah said, "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"

Beyond the hate, anger, frustration, and selfishness in this world it can be hard to see the grace filled work of Jesus. Jesus took his disciples to a mountain top and was revealed in his majesty and they still did not get it. Peter tried to put his mind around it and ended up putting Jesus at par with Elijah and Moses.

Consider that before the transfiguration Mark records Jesus healing a blind man at Bethsaida. Jesus spit upon the man's eyes and laids his hands on him and asked him, "Do you see anything?" The man looked up and said, "I see men, but they look like trees, walking." Jesus again laid his hands on his eyes. The man opened his eyes and his sight was restored. He now saw everything clearly.

The disciples even as they walk around with Jesus do not fully see the purpose of God at work in Jesus. They hear his wisdom, and they see him perform miracles that amaze, but they do not see or hear why God's at work in our world.

Jesus asked the disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" They told him, "John the Baptist, others say, Elijah, and others, one of the prophets." Jesus asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ." The disciples illustrate the difficulty in seeing Jesus when the crowds are confused.

Amidst the crowded confusion of false religions and misinterpretations of the purpose of Christ, today on the mountain of transfiguration we find the both/and of Jesus Christ. He is both the glory of God in our world and the one that has come to suffer, die, and rise again to brings us salvation.

Watch and listen to what people see in the Jesus they believe in? Is it power, comfort, companionship? All of these are found in Jesus, but most importantly I desire that we see and hear in Jesus that he is our savior.

Lutheran Hour ministries recently passed on the story of Alexander. Alexander grew up in a good and wealthy family in Kazakhstan. But as he grew older he became a criminal and was arrested and imprisoned for his crimes. His hatred settled into his heart and he lost all love for his friends and family. He began to see everyone in his life as reasons for his misery and situation. He figured bad things were happening to him because his friends had betrayed him and his family refused to bribe the police to get him out of jail. He saw and heard the world as a out to get him.

In prison, Alexander felt his strongest hatred toward those who believed in God. He resented that other prisoners in his same situation could still be joyful and continue to have faith in freedom.

Workers and volunteers from Lutheran Hour Ministries would visit the prison to talk with prisoners who had faith. Alexander, feeling angry and hateful, would laugh at them and make hurtful comments. He was always surprised that these people would never retaliate or say anything back to him.

One day, a group of believers came to the prison to perform a baptism. Alexander joined other prisoners full of hatred and shouted profane words and taunted the Christians. One of the women volunteers said to the others, "Let's pray for those people." Alexander expected the prayer to one of condemnation and blame, but instead she began to pray that they would know the forgiveness of Jesus.

Alexander saw that the woman was crying and he knew that she was crying for him, suffering with him. He ran away from this scene and realized that all his life he had made others cry. He found that the hatred he showed to others was really hatred he felt toward himself.

He had never been to church and didn't know what to do next so he asked one of the other Christians for help. When he went towards them he saw their smiling faces and became angry but remembered the woman tear-filled prayer and knew their smiles were not of self-righteousness. Alexander joined them in prayer and prayed for his own forgiveness. Alexander continues to seek God's love and rid himself of his hatred.

Why did I tell you about this story of Alexander? Because I want you to think about when people see and hear Jesus. People may think of holiness, miracles, power, or majesty. And because of the successful witnessing of the gospel they may also see love and care and compassion. Alexander in Kazakhstan saw in Jesus a person to blame, because his life did not turn out the way he wanted.

There are times in this dark world of ours that the light of Jesus Christ may be difficult to see or hear. But the promise is certain, the light of Christ scatters the darkness. So when people see Jesus through the Word and the Sacraments. When people see Jesus witnessed in you as the body of Christ I want them to see the undeserved love of God revealed in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection.

On the mountaintop Jesus was revealed in his glory and the voice from heaven declared, "This is my beloved Son; listen to him." The glory and wonder of the majesty of God was witnessed by the disciples that day. But on the way down the mountain Jesus said to the disciples not to tell any one what they had seen , until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Praise to God the Father that he loves us so much that he did not withhold his own son but gave him up so that we might have life once again. It is only through this selfless sacrifice that we do not deserve that we witness the true glory and majesty of God. I pray today that you find comfort and deliverance in witnessing Jesus Christ as your savior from sin, death, and the devil. In him you have life and victory. God be praised.

Soli Deo Gloria

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