Grace to you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

I. Introduction: Climbing the Mountain

Have you ever hiked up a hill or mountain? Watching the ground pass under your your boots as your muscles strain to defy gravity’s call. When you reach the top, the trek was worth the work. The view is breathtaking. It can be like you’ve stepped into another world, far removed from the everyday hustle of life.

This is where we find Peter, James, and John in today’s Gospel reading. Just like Moses ascended Mount Sinai to experience the presence and glory of God,¹ these disciples are led by Jesus to a mountaintop for a holy moment. The connection between these two events shows how our unchanging God, in both the Old and New Testaments, constantly and consistently reveals His glory in transforming ways.

Jesus led them up a mountain. This climb, although they don’t know it on the way up, is an holy ascent to witness something extraordinary. Throughout Scripture, mountains serve as places where God reveals Himself in profound ways. From Mount Sinai where Moses received the Law,² to Elijah’s experience with the “still small voice,³” to this moment of the Transfiguration, mountains symbolize divine revelation and transformation. On that mountaintop, the disciples get a glimpse of Jesus’ Divine glory. They see Him not just as a teacher or friend, but as the radiant holy Son of God, revealed in all His splendor.

Today we’ll learn how the Transfiguration: reveals Jesus’ glory, prepares us for His cross, and calls us to reflect, or re-shine, His light in our own lives.

II. Witnessing the Glory

Matthew tells us:

He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light.⁴

The Greek word⁵ there for ‘transfigured’ explains a profound transformation. It where we get the word ‘metamorphosis.’ It is revealing Jesus’ Divine nature. This holy moment wasn’t simply a change in appearance. It was an unveiling of His true identity as the Son of God. It was revealing the glory He has shared with the Father from before the world began.⁶

Imagine the sheer wonder of that moment. The disciples saw Jesus’ divinity revealed. For a brief holy moment, they glimpsed His heavenly glory. It was a preview of what awaits us all in eternity.

Jesus wasn’t alone. Moses and Elijah appeared with Him. They represent the Law and the Prophets, or the very foundation of the Old Testament and all Jesus had to fulfill to save you. Their presence reminds us Jesus is the fulfillment of all God’s promises. Everything in Scripture points to Him, in both the Old and New Testaments. It’s why we stand for the Gospel reading. It is the most important and central part of the Bible. It’s the reason for the Bible. To tell us how much God loves us.

In this encounter with Jesus, Peter, overwhelmed, suggests building shelters for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. He wants to stay on the mountaintop, basking in the glory. Then a voice from the cloud interrupts, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!⁷” This divine proclamation repeats the words spoken at Jesus’ baptism and reinforces His holy identity as God’s Son.

III. Preparing for the Cross

The Transfiguration wasn’t just a dazzling display. It was an holy moment of preparation. Jesus’ radiant glory pointed forward to the cross and beyond the cross to the empty tomb. The disciples needed this glimpse of His glory to steel and harden their faith for the trials ahead of them. Soon they would see Jesus arrested, mocked, beaten, and crucified. The mountaintop glory would give way to the darkness of Calvary, but it would give them the strength they needed to press on.

How often do we want a mountaintop holy moments? Longing for the time when our faith feels strong, and God’s presence seems close and clear? But true discipleship, really following Jesus, must lead us into valleys because there are people there who need Jesus’ mercy, which we can bring to them. Mercy they would never hear if we stayed on the mountain.

More than that, we sometimes find ourselves in those valleys. We face: doubts, struggles, and challenges. The Transfiguration reminds us Jesus walks with us in both the highs and the lows. He leads us through suffering, to the glory of resurrection, giving us beauty for ashes just like promised.⁸

IV. Living in the Light

Peter, James, and John were instructed to “listen to Him.⁹” That’s for us too. Listening to Jesus means daily delving into Him in Scripture and prayer. (Which is why I gave you those reading plans.) It means trusting His Word even when the path is unclear.

As the days are lengthening, we are reminded how vital light is: A lantern guides us through a dark barn. A sunrise reveals the beauty of frost-covered fields. In the same way Jesus’ light transforms the path ahead. It reveals the dangers and temptations, but also makes our lives’ path more clear. It exposes our sins, but also illuminates the path of grace and forgiveness. Just like a lantern helps us find our way in the dark, Jesus’ light guides us to walk in His care, and share His grace with others, in a world that is sometimes dark.

How can we do that? How can we reflect that light? Maybe it’s by lending a helping hand to a neighbor, forgiving someone who’s hurt you, or sharing the hope we have in Jesus by inviting them to church. Each act of kindness is a reflection of Jesus’ love, like the glow of a lantern in the dark. If you need that you can find that here. For those who join us online, or by phone, if you can get here, get here, because here is a good place to be.

V. Conclusion: From Glory to Grace

As Peter, James, and John descended the mountain, Jesus told them not to share what they had seen until after His resurrection. That’s because the glory they witnessed would only make sense fully in light of the cross. The same is true for us. We see glimpses of Jesus’ glory in our lives, but we also walk in faith, trusting His promises.

This week I want you to think about how you can reflect Jesus’ light. If you feel lost you can’t help someone who is lost. That would be the blind leading the blind.¹⁰ Jesus’ light can help you find your way. Once you’ve stood in the light of Christ you can shine it for others. That’s why we come here each week. To get recharged, so our spiritual battery is full and we can shine more brightly throughout the week.

Next week, we’re going to explore how we’re called to shine His light for others, carrying the hope of the Gospel into the world. Until then let’s walk in His light, trusting the One who leads us from glory to grace.

Amen.

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