Sermon -- Transfiguration of our Lord (February 23, 2020)

2 PETER 1:16-21

HERE IS GLORY 

YOU CAN BE SURE OF.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Simon Peter was about to die.  He had been arrested for preaching about Jesus.  It was not the first time.  Peter had spent more than three decades boldly proclaiming Jesus who is both God and man, who was both crucified and risen, who ascended into heaven and will come again to judge the living and the dead.  Soon, the executioner would silence his voice.  But Simon Peter still had time to make sure that they could not silence the Gospel.  He wrote one final epistle which was to be read, copied, and circulated among all the Christian churches.  To this day, God's people read it and are encouraged by it.
     In our epistle reading, Simon Peter wants to remind us about the things he personally saw and heard with Jesus.  He does not want Christians to forget what their faith rests on, and he does not want us to be deceived into thinking that we believe in fantasies or fairy tales.  This was especially true for his original audience since they were also suffering for the faith they held and confessed.  Peter wrote: “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 honor 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.” (2 Peter 1:16-18) 
     Here is glory you can be sure of.  In the days of Simon Peter, skeptics were mocking the Christians for their faith.  The Christians believed that Jesus had redeemed them and that he was coming again to bring them into an eternal kingdom of glory.  But Jesus had not returned.  So, skeptics mocked them: “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:4)  Christians may have had a hard time trying to explain why Jesus was not returning.  They may have even felt duped.  And if you are suffering and dying for your faith, the last thing you need is to wonder if you've been duped all along.
     The challenge today is not much different.  Even so-called Christian scholars are teaching that the Gospel accounts of Jesus are filled with cleverly devised myths.  The largest Lutheran church body in America (ELCA) explicitly teaches that.  So when a visitor tells me “I am Lutheran,” sadly I don't know what that means anymore.  It is also common in Christian circles to dismiss portions of the Bible as instructions for years ago which no longer apply today—as if God has repealed his word because the world has figured out a better truth.  While you may not be persecuted for the faith, you still don't need to have seeds of doubt planted in you.  When you are haunted by sins past, or all the more when you are on your death bed, the last thing you need is to be wondering: “Is all of this true?  Have I been duped my whole life about the Christian faith?  How much of this should I believe?”  If you are being mocked for your faith, you don't need to think, “Am I the only one who believes this?  Am I a fool for standing firm and taking the ridicule?”  Beware!  Satan wants to rob you of your salvation, and he uses the mouths of skeptics and worldly scholars to do it.  Their version of the truth keeps on changing, but the word of the Lord endures forever.
     Here is glory you can be sure of.  When Simon Peter wrote about Jesus, he did not write an editorial or opinion piece.  On the contrary, Peter wrote, “We were eyewitnesses of his majesty.  …We ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.” (2 Peter 1:16,18)  Peter did not tell you what he thinks; Peter reported what he witnessed.  He saw Jesus perform miraculous signs.  He heard Jesus teach about the kingdom of God.  He witnessed Jesus' agony in Gethsemane and his trial before the high priest Caiaphas.  He witnessed Jesus' empty tomb and resurrected body.  And on this day, we take note that Peter, James, and John were also witnesses of Jesus' transfiguration.  They got to see Jesus of Nazareth change in appearance so that he radiated his glory as God the Son.  And if the vision of the glorified Jesus was not enough, they witnessed the conversation with Moses and Elijah, and they heard the voice of God the Father identify and praise Jesus as his beloved Son. 
     Here is glory you can be sure of.  Peter did not concoct these things because doing so would make him rich.  He wasn't.  Peter did not create legends because it would make his life easy.  It wasn't.  Peter did not tell fairy tales to gain power over others; he had none.  Rather, he was subjected to imprisonment, flogging, and finally death.  He preached what he had seen and heard.  They glory of God was revealed in Jesus.  That glory was evident on the mountain when Jesus was transfigured, and it was but a glimpse of the glory which would be revealed when Jesus comes again to judge the living and the dead.  It is also a glimpse of what awaits us when Jesus brings us into his eternal, heavenly kingdom.  Here is glory you can be sure of, and Peter was willing to be executed for saying so.
     But don't just take Peter's word for it.  He said, “We have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place.” (2 Peter 1:19)  Peter reminds you that you have the prophets to listen to.  Through the prophets, God foretold well in advance all that was going to happen.  If you think this is all one cleverly devised myth, then stand in awe.  For this was thousands of years of testimony given through a variety of prophets and all fulfilled in one man, Jesus.  No, this is no far-fetched coincidence.  This is all divinely planned, revealed, and fulfilled. 
     Here is glory you can be sure of.  One thousand years before Jesus came, David wrote the word of the Lord: “'I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.'  ...Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled.  Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” (Psalm 2:6,12)  And Peter heard the testimony of the Lord: “This is my beloved Son.” (2 Peter 1:17)  Seven hundred years before Jesus came, Isaiah had declared, “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.” (Isaiah 42:1)  And Peter heard the Father declare, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (2 Peter 1:17)  This one, this one comes for you.  This one comes to save you.  Here is glory you can be sure of.  We have the words of the prophets, but better than that, we have the words of the prophets fulfilled.  The word of the Lord was certain when he spoke through the prophets, but now those words are all the more certain since Jesus has done all that was promised.  Peter was eyewitness of it, and he declares it to you so that you can be all the more sure of it.
     Here is glory you can be sure of.  Even people who reject the Bible as fantasy know that certain teachings in it are real.  Sin is real.  Even if you deny that you are that bad, you know what it is to be sinned against.  It either stoked up feelings of anger or it inflicted pain.  Being sinned against is no fairy tale; it is quite real.  The shame and guilt that you bear for your sins cannot be dismissed.  They are very real.  Unless your conscience is dead, you have guilt and shame.  All people do.  Death is very real.  All people die.  That is a fact, and it is both sad and terrifying.  And your guilt bears witness that you will be judged when you die.  Sin and death and judgment are very real.  The fantasy that most people have is that they might live forever.
     But here is glory you can be sure of: You don't believe in fantasies.  You believe in a Savior who takes away your guilt and hides your shame in his own innocence and blessedness.  The transfiguration of Jesus may have been fairly private and limited to few witnesses, but Jesus' sufferings and death were in a public setting so that you can know the sacrifice for sinners is no fairy tale.  Disciples and enemies of Jesus both witnessed it.  Peter bears witness to the transfiguration so that you can be sure that it is no mere man who dies for you; it is God the Son who takes away the sin of the world.  Jesus showed it in his glorious appearance.  The Father testified to it in his utterance from heaven. 
     Here is glory you can be sure of.  The Savior who died for you rose from the dead for you.  Everlasting life is no fantasy; it is a divine promise.  And “we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed” (2 Peter 1:19)  What God has foretold, Jesus has fulfilled.  Your life will not end in shame or death.  In fact, your life will not end; you have a resurrection to eternal glory and life.  For just as Jesus lives and reigns, so will all who believe in him.
     Here is glory you can be sure of.  Jesus' work as your Savior brings you certainty and confidence that God is pleased with you, that your sins are forgiven, and that heavenly glory awaits.  What Peter witnessed, you believe.  What Jesus has done is no myth.  What you believe, you will see.  What God has promised is no lie.  Everlasting glory awaits.  Jesus gave us a glimpse of it at his transfiguration.  Jesus guaranteed it at his resurrection.  And that is glory you can be sure of.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.