{"id":5243,"date":"2020-02-18T07:33:23","date_gmt":"2020-02-18T14:33:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/?p=5243"},"modified":"2020-05-30T14:43:09","modified_gmt":"2020-05-30T21:43:09","slug":"transfiguration-sunday-foreshadows-the-light-that-explodes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/?p=5243","title":{"rendered":"Transfiguration Sunday \u2013 Foreshadows the light that explodes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Please click here for a pdf version of this document<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(The basic line for a sermon for Transfiguration Sunday.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this season of Epiphany we remember that the Lord\nworks in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform. We are coming out of winter,\nthe darkest time of year. We celebrate the coming of the light. \u201cThe light\nshines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it\u201d (John 1:5). During\nthis season the light has been increasing. Soon it will explode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This last Sunday in Epiphany is Transfiguration Sunday. In\nthe gospel text for today we are brought the mountaintop. From there we look\nout over the valley below and look forward to the horrible events to come. What\nlies below is darkness still, the valley of the shadow of death. Jesus will be\nabandoned, betrayed, mocked, suffer and die. The coming season of Lent is the\nseason of the dark night of the soul. But today the\nTransfiguration foreshadows what happens after Good Friday: The light that\nexplodes on Easter Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Lent? <\/strong>We think of it as a period of\nprivation, a penitential season whose purpose is to draw us away from every day\ndistractions in order to focus on the big question: What about forever?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because Lent follows the liturgical calendar, the exact\ndate that Lent falls each year changes. Lent begins 46 days before Easter (40\ndays of fasting and 6 Sundays). The liturgical color for Lent is purple<\/strong> because\nit is associated with mourning and so anticipates the\npain and suffering of the crucifixion, and secondly because purple<\/strong> is\nthe color associated with royalty, and celebrates Christ’s resurrection and\nsovereignty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lent is about the dark night of the\nsoul. As Isaiah writes: \u201cWho among you fears the Lord and obeys the\nvoice of his servant, who walks in darkness and has no light<\/strong>, yet trusts\nin the name of the Lord and relies upon his God?<\/strong>\u201d (Isaiah 50:10).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The phrase, \u201cthe dark night of the\nsoul,\u201d was coined by St. John of the Cross, a Spanish monk who lived shortly\nafter Martin Luther. St. John of the Cross was imprisoned for eight months by\nhis own monastery for his unconventional beliefs. In his confinement he wrote the\n\u201cdivine rays of darkness\u201d through which God works in mysterious ways his\nwonders to perform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Lent we face our own mortality. We are unlike God.\nFrom dust to dust. Some talk today of \u201cdying with dignity.\u201d Humph. What are\nthey thinking? The truth is our bodies break down \u2013 sometimes when we are old\nand sometimes before we are even born. It always<\/strong> happens, and there is never<\/strong>\nany dignity in it. It doesn\u2019t matter if you die young, or are old and feeble. Dying\nis always <\/strong>ugly, always<\/strong>. You can live with dignity, but you can\u2019t\ndie with it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lent is a wake-up call: We are decaying. We are a\nheart-beat away from death and on our way to nothingness. Lent asks of us: What\nabout forever? The hymn, \u201cAbide with Me,\u201d conveys this message:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abide with me, Fast falls the eventide.
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life\u2019s little day;
Earth\u2019s joys grow dim, its glories pass away
Change and decay in all around I see,<\/strong>
O, thou who changest not, Abide with me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hymn, \u201cWhen peace like a river,\u201d captures the sadness\nof this decaying world and the glory of the cross and resurrection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrow, like sea billows, roll;<\/strong>
Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come<\/strong>,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarde<\/strong>
And hath shed his own blood for my soul.<\/p>

He lives \u2013 oh the bliss of this glorious thought,
My sin, <\/strong>not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to his cross, and I bear it no more,<\/strong>
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dark night of the soul is about facing decay and death\nand asking: What about forever? The \u201ccrux\u201d of our\nfaith is that Christ has regarded our helpless estate. Our sins, not in\npart, but the whole, are nailed to his cross and we bear them no more. Praise\nthe Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Transfiguration. <\/strong>In the gospel for today, the transfiguration of Jesus on the\nmountaintop takes place a few days after Jesus has first told his disciples\nthat he must suffer and die. They are offended, scandalized. What is this\nabout? Peter grabs Jesus and objects: Far be it from you to die; it can\u2019t\nhappen. We\u2019ll back you up. We\u2019re here for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus rebukes Peter: \u201cGet behind\nme, Satan!\u201d (Matt 16:23). In other words, Peter, you don\u2019t get it. You are\ncaught up in things of this world. You are distracted by the lights of this\nworld. Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14). There\nare many good things to be done in this world. In all kinds of factories,\nindustries, and institutions. There are good mission projects to be done in the\nchurch, too, here and abroad. But the main thing is always: What about forever?\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then comes our text for today. Jesus leads Peter, James, and John to a “high\nmountain.” There his appearance is radiantly transformed. They behold\nhis glory. \u201cThis is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.\u201d He is the\nanswer to: What about forever?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Life is suffering. Horrible things\nhappen. But that\u2019s not all there is. Even though I walk through the valley of\nthe shadow of death, I shall fear no evil. Even though I decay, I shall fear no\nevil. \u201cThe light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not\novercome it\u201d (John 1:5). The Lord works in mysterious ways his wonders to\nproclaim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Luther said, in the Christian life there is no rest,\nno peace, and no visible success. We have our own battles with evil within us. There\nare battles around us and outside of us. Evil is powerful. But it doesn\u2019t have\nthe last word: \u201cThe Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and\ntruth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father\u201d\n(John 1:14). And 2 Peter 1:16-19:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor we did not follow cleverly\ndevised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus\nChrist, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and\nglory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory,\n\u2018This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,\u2019 we heard this voice born\nfrom heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain\u2026.You will do well to pay\nattention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place<\/strong>, until the day\ndawns and the morning star rises in our hearts.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Transfiguration story is \u201ca lamp\nshining in a dark place.\u201d At the end of Epiphany, right before Lent, it\nillumines the dark night of the soul ahead. Jesus was going toward Jerusalem.\nWe are moving toward Good Friday. Death awaits him. Death awaits us. But today we\nare given \u201ca lamp shining in the darkness.\u201d The Transfiguration foreshadows\nthe explosion of light to come. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Light that Explodes. <\/strong>That explosion is Easter\nmorning, this year, April 12th. And when you come to church on Easter morning,\nwhat kind of sermon will you hear? A funeral sermon. Yes, an Easter sermon is a\nfuneral sermon. When you think about it, the similarities are striking. At a\nfuneral we mourn the death of a loved one; we also proclaim the \u201ccrux\u201d of our\nfaith: the cross and resurrection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are like all other people in\nthat all people decay and die. It is the universal condition. We are not like\nthose who \u201chave no hope and are without God\u201d (Eph 2:12). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul writes: \u201cFor as in Adam all\ndie, so also in Christ shall all be made alive\u201d (1 Cor 15:21). This is not\nstating a general truth, but answering the question: What about forever? On the\nmountaintop he is the one transfigured, clothed in radiant light, because he\nbrings life eternal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we face the darkness of Lent, we\nare among those who have seen the light, that is, been given a foretaste of the\nresurrection to come, a lamp shining in the darkness. His Word is truth. Though\nwe decay, he is mighty and comes to save:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\nemptied himself, taking the form of a servant\u2026he humbled himself and became\nobedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted\nhim and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of\nJesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and\nevery tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father\u201d\n(Philippians 2:7-10).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because he did, everything is changed. The light explodes\nin the darkness. The darkness is overcome. He did it. He swallowed up sin,\ndeath, and the devil. And has come to claim us for his kingdom. He does claim\nby his Word and in his sacraments. Therefore, in advance of Easter, in\nexpectation of the explosion of light to come, even today, we sing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christ the Lord is Risen Today!<\/strong>
Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss, Alleluia!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christ is Risen! Alleluia<\/strong>
Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Risen our victorious head!
Sing his praises! Alleluia! Christ is risen from the dead
Gratefully our hearts adore him As his light once more appears;
Bowing down in joy before him, Rising up from griefs and tears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thine is the Glory<\/strong>
Thine is the glory, risen conquering Son
Endless is the victory, thou o\u2019er death has won!
Angels in bright raiment, Rolled the stone away,
Kept the folded grave cloths, where thy body lay.
Endless is the victory Thou o\u2019er death has won!<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In this season of Epiphany we remember that the Lord works in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform. We are coming out of winter, the darkest time of year. We celebrate the coming of the light. \u201cThe light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it\u201d (John 1:5). During this season the light has been increasing. Soon it will explode.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-worship"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5243","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5243"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5243\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5271,"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5243\/revisions\/5271"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}