March 3, 2019
"Listen to Him" Transfiguration & Communion Sunday
Luke 9: 27-38 
Pastor Jonathan 

We’ve been trying to learn more about Jesus from Dr. Luke’s Gospel, which bears his name.  Even those of us who have been
studying Jesus’ life for decades, and have committed our lives fully and completely to Him still have much to learn.  
Jesus is full of surprises.  We know he is a great Teacher.  We know he works miracles.  We know he is from God.  We even
know he is the promised Messiah, the King who will rescue Israel from their oppressors, just not in the way we thought. 
Today we learn again he is God the Son.  But we need to back up to summarize some of what we have learned in the last
few weeks.

We have been going back and forth in Dr. Luke’s gospel, his historical biography of Jesus, from the time when Jesus was
talking to his home congregation in chapter 4, which didn’t end well; until later in his ministry recorded in chapter 9,
where he is alone with his three closest followers, and they are on a prayer retreat.  But the retreat turns into 
something more, just like the time in the boat on Galilee Lake recorded in 8:25.  On the boat, they saw him wake up from
his nap and change the weather pattern. Now that has Canadians interested.  Who is this man that controls the weather?

Similarly, all of a sudden on the prayer retreat Jesus changes from his ordinary human state, to a brilliant light 
emanating from his face and clothes, brighter than the accounts of angelic appearances elsewhere in the Gospels, and 
accompanied by Moses and Elijah showing up.  Such brilliance accompanies a theophany, that is, the manifestation of God
Himself.  Moses, the man of God, who received the ten commandments from God’s own hand, who had literally glowed in his
presence and led the people of Israel out of slavery and into the desert. Moses had seen the fire of God in the bush
that burned but was not consumed.  Elijah, the foremost prophet, who defeated the four hundred prophets of Baal in one
day, who raised the dead and miraculously caused food to multiply and healed the sick, similarly to Jesus’ own ministry.
Elijah saw the glory of God as he was taken up in a chariot with horses of fire in 2 Kings 2.  These two had truly seen
God at work.  They represent the Law and the Prophets, both doing extraordinary work for the Lord.  Here they were
cheering on Jesus:  I imagine them saying something like, "You can do it, Lord; you can drink the cup, pay the cost, 
love the unloveable, endure the abuse, torture and death that is coming.  You can do it, Lord!"  Of course, I am only
imagining these words from their mouths.  We do not know what they said, or if they said anything at all.  We only know 
they were there with Jesus in a glorified state.

Peter doesn’t know what to say.  And what would you say… "Uh, this is good, Lord.  I’m glad you guys could come back 
from the dead for a little while.  You know what, I think we should camp out together.  I’m just going to pitch three
tents right now, one for you Jesus, one for you Moses and for you Elijah.  We’re going to have great time hanging out
together."

But while Peter is babbling about camping, a great fog comes in, something like the great fogs of Newfoundland.  You
can’t see hardly anything anymore.  Sure, you can see the people who are immediately in front of you,  and certainly
Jesus who is glowing, but that’s it.

What would you say if you could sit with three of your greatest leaders or historical figures from all time?  What would
you want to ask?

But the time with Jesus is not all about asking.  The disciples normally asked lots of questions, and that’s good.  But
on this prayer retreat, the point is neither the questions, nor Peter’s desire for a great time camping, or maybe just
hanging on to the moment.  Sometimes we try to hang on to moments in history God gives us, rather than flowing to the 
next event, the next move, the next decision.  And often we are not quiet enough to hear what Jesus is trying to tell
us.  But in this instance, Jesus himself is not talking.  He is transfigured, glowing in the fog, but not talking.  It 
is God the Father who speaks.  He spoke audibly at Jesus’ baptism.  He is now speaking again at his transfiguration. 
What does God say?

He identifies Himself as Jesus' Father.  He says Jesus is His Son.  The Son of God was a title given to the king in the
Old Covenant.  The Son of God was literally who Jesus was and is.  The Son of God captures Jesus’ unique identity as
100% God and 100% human.

God the Father identifies Jesus as His Chosen One, echoing Isaiah 42:1: Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one
in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.

"This is My Son, Whom I have chosen…" and you know what God says next?  "Listen to Him."  Just three words.  Perhaps
these are the most powerful three words we receive in the New Testament.  

Last week Jesus had a three word sermon, "Love your enemies."  This week the Father has a three word sermon, or
command:  Listen up!  Listen to Jesus.  How do we listen to Jesus?

We give him our attention.  We give him our time.  We read what is faithfully recorded about what he has said.  We sit
at the table with him in the upper room, where Holy Communion was first celebrated.  We sit at his table today, with
millions of other Christians doing the same.  We marvel at what he says: This is for you.  I am for you.

Do you wonder today if your sins are truly forgiven?  Recline at his table today (Luke 22:14) Look into his eyes, listen
to his words.  After taking the cup, the cup of Redemption in the Passover meal, he gave thanks for the cup, in
accordance with the celebration of Passover, he broke the unleavened Passover bread, more like a cracker to us, that
speaks in its very form of the suffering Servant, who suffers for us, on our behalf.  He re-interprets the Passover meal
in light of himself.  He says, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." (Luke 22:19) In the same
way after the supper, he took the cup, saying, 'This is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you…"
(Luke 22:20)

Just like the Passover lamb was slaughtered and the blood of the lamb was smeared on the entranceway to the Israelite’s
homes, so is Jesus’ blood applied to the temple of our bodies, and we have the destroyer passing over us, our sins are
not counted against us, and we do not die for the penalty of our sins, because Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, his
broken body and his blood poured out, for us.  We know these things about Holy Communion.

Know today for sure, that your sins are forgiven, as you commit yourself again to Jesus.  Do not listen to other voices
that will tell you that you must bear the burden of your sins, not Jesus.  Know today that you can face your death,
because of Jesus conquering death, resurrecting, appearing to over 500 of his followers in bodily form.  Showing his
closest disciples, his scars, his wounds:  “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows…he was pierced for
our transgression, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his 
wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5)

Today you go free from sins.  Today you are released from the bondage of slavery in Egypt.  Today you are brand new, a
new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).   Today you are reconciled to God.  Today you need not fear your death.  Today. Now.
Believe it.  Receive it.

As we come to the table today, listen to Jesus.  Hear him call you by your new name.  Hear him reappoint you as His
ambassador.  Hear him wipe away the things that cause you shame, the sins that plague you, and receive the fresh start,
the new love, the creativity of his imaginative intervention in your life.

The transfiguration was not just about Jesus being changed to show us his true nature.  It was also about us being
changed by Him, into eternity, starting now, today.

Let us pray.