Transfiguration

Transfiguration Sunday
26 February 2017
Matthew 17:1-9

O God, in the glorious Transfiguration of Your beloved Son You confirmed the mysteries of the faith by the testimony of Moses and Elijah, and in the voice that came from the bright cloud; You wonderfully foreshowed our adoption by grace. Mercifully make us co-heirs with the King of His glory and bring us to the fullness of our inheritance in heaven; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives, and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Hymn of the Day: Hymn of the Day:  LSB 413 “O wondrous type! O vision fair” 

The Transfiguration is rightly seen as one of the high points of our Lord’s earthly ministry. It is through this glorious event that the ministry and life of Jesus must be viewed if it is to be correctly interpreted. The church is reminded by the Transfiguration that while it is the church of the cross, it bears the cross by means of a triumphant faith, and by such faith, it is thus also the church destined for glory.  Thus, the exalted Christ prepares His church for mission – 

1. Failure to see that the Christian pilgrimage to glory is only by way of the cross endangers the mission of the church. 

A. A theology of glory fails when it ceases being the hope of faith and becomes instead a reality, a realize promise and glory of the present. – See Hebrews 11:1; Romans 5:1-6; 8:24-25)

B. The promise of a present glory bypasses the cross both in the Christian’s faith and in his life of service in the church’s mission. – See Matthew 16:21-17; Romans 8:18-25; 1 Peter 4:12-13.

2. The glory of the transfigured Christ shows the Christian the heavenly glory that results from the victory of Jesus’ death and glorious resurrection.

A. The cross of Jesus Christ is the victory of the Christian over sin, death, and hell.

B. Through the Gospel message of sins forgiven, the Holy Spirit instills in the heart of the believer the hope of everlasting glory with Jesus in heaven.

C. The cross comforts and sustains in the midst of suffering. This is your glory. It points to the glory of Christ as a certain hope of faith.  

Today we stand at the mountain of Transfiguration. In three days, on Ash Wednesday, we begin our descent. We will journey through the disciple of Lent. We will come off of that mountain and go through the valley of Lent, only to stand on another mountain, Mt Calvary on Good Friday. The church’s mission is the proclamation of the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the minds of its own suffering. You are comforted, sustained and empowered for this journey by a glory, which is realized by faith alone in the suffering death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Today, that journey begins. 

Words –500
Passive Sentences – 13%
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Image: Schnorr von Carolsfeld woodcuts © WELS for private and congregational use
The Transfiguration © Google Images