See All the Divine Glory You Need!

Last Sunday after Epiphany, Transfiguration of Our Lord, 3/2/14
2 Peter 1:16-21


See All the Divine Glory You Need!
I. At the top of a mountain
II. On the pages of God’s word


Did you get a chance to enjoy that warm weather a little more than a week ago? The sun was shining, most of the snow melted and you could run errands in a light jacket instead of slugging your way around with a heavy jacket on your back, boots on your feet and gloves on your hands. After the winter we’ve been having, just a little sun and warmth made such a huge difference in our lives!

But then we went right back into the deep freeze. Sub-zero temps. Snow flurries. Slick roads. If only spring would arrive!

But you didn’t come to church today to hear a preacher drone on and on about the weather. You came here for some spiritual help for your life. You came here because life out there isn’t easy. In fact, it can be cruel and brutal at times. It can be painful and depressing. And you try so hard to make things better for your loved ones and yourself, but it just doesn’t happen, at least not for very long. Just when you think things are going well--Bam! Another crisis comes slamming into your life.

And then the thought occurs, “Why doesn’t Jesus just make everything right for me? Why doesn’t he take away my pain? Why doesn’t he let me enjoy happiness and success?” In theological terms, what those questions are really asking for is this, “Show me some glory here on earth in my life right now.” Isn’t that what all of us want?

If so, then you’ve come to the right place. Today we see that glory, the glory of our Lord and Savior in the account of his Transfiguration. But you might want to object. You saw this same glory a year ago and, honestly, things didn’t get much better. You’re looking for more glory on earth than this.

The Apostle Peter would beg to differ with you. In his words before us this morning, he reminds us that he was an eyewitness of the Lord’s glory and he joined us in wanting to see more of that glory. But Jesus didn’t allow it. It ended and then they made their way down the mountain. But the three disciples with Jesus had seen enough divine glory. In fact, they had seen all they need.

That’s our assurance this morning as well as we deal with our sinful lives in a sinful world. The Lord encourages us to see all the divine glory you need! May our God strengthen our faith as we view that glory again this morning.

Part I.

“Like it was only yesterday.” We use that phrase quite often as we recall the pleasant times in our lives. The middle-aged mother whose children are now young adults recalls holding them in her lap after they’ve just had a bath and are in their jammies ready for bed. Like it was only yesterday. The 90-year-old man now confined to a wheelchair recalls his younger days when he enjoyed hard physical labor. Like it was only yesterday.

Like it was only yesterday. No doubt that’s what Peter was thinking as he wrote these words, “We were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.” We were eyewitnesses of his majesty. Surely Peter had in mind our Lord’s transfiguration when Jesus appeared for a limited time in all his divine glory, but his memories weren’t limited to that. He and all the disciples witnessed the glory of Jesus in every one of his miracles. More importantly, they witnessed the risen Lord Jesus with his glorified body.

But this event on the Mount of Transfiguration stuck out in his mind. This had been a slice of heaven on earth. Peter himself didn’t want it to end. If you had experienced such a thing, do you think you could ever forget what it was like? I wouldn’t be surprised if Peter thought about it every day and wished he could experience it once again.

But his memories weren’t limited just to what he saw; just as impressive was what he heard. Imagine it. Hearing the voice of God the Father from heaven proclaiming Jesus to be his Son, the One who was carrying out his work as the world’s Savior just as the Father had planned it. He couldn’t be more pleased with the job Jesus was doing! What a confidence-builder for Jesus as the darkest days of that work were just down that mountain! What a confidence-builder for Peter and the other two disciples as they dealt with questions and doubts about the way Jesus was going about that very same work! Peter recalled it like it was just yesterday.

And we’re the ones who benefit from it. With our faith in Jesus we benefit from this eyewitness account even though we didn’t physically see and hear it. We don’t have to. Our confidence in our Savior’s glory and in his saving mission for us comes to us through faith in him. That faith centers in the truth that Jesus is the almighty Son of God who accomplished our salvation by suffering and dying for us. That’s what the Transfiguration is all about.

See all the divine glory you need. See it at the top of a mountain.

The glory the disciples witnesses on that mountain would be cruelly balanced in just a few weeks as they saw him beaten, bleeding and dying in the most inhuman way. Why couldn’t he have stayed on that mountain, sharing his glory with his followers and ultimately with you and me? Why not skip the suffering and simply go from the glory on the Mount of Transfiguration to the glory of Easter? You know the reason. A payment had to be made for sin. For my sins. For your sins. Without that suffering and dying he would not be our Savior. There would be no glory for him or for us. There would be no approval from his heavenly Father. Instead, there would be divine rejection of him and of us. The divine glory he displayed assures you and me that payment was made by the Son of God. That divine glory coupled with his innocent sufferings and death assure us of our forgiveness and our eternal glory with him. And to tell the truth, that’s all we need right now as we live in this sinful world. See all the glory you need on the top of a mountain.

Part II.

“Gather ‘round! I’ve got a story to tell.” Those words have launched countless tales. And everyone loves to hear a good story—young and old alike. We love the way good triumphs over evil. We’re mesmerized by a good mystery. We can all use a laugh or two from a humorous story.

Some would call this account of the Transfiguration a good story. But Jesus’ glory is no story. It’s fact. What Peter saw and heard actually occurred. As sure as we are here in worship today, Jesus appeared in glory on that mountain.

But how can we be so sure? Because God states it right here on the pages of his holy word. Peter writes, “And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” He tells us to pay attention to God’s word until the Lord Jesus returns. That word is prophecy fulfilled. In other words, on page after page of Scripture we have the promises of God in black and white and we have the account of those promises being fulfilled in black and white. God has not failed to keep a single word of his promises.

Most importantly, those promises and their fulfillment center in the way to salvation. Peter refers to it as a light shining in a dark place. Without this word, we’d be forever in the blackest night of unbelief. We’d be left to believe the lie that we somehow have to work our own way out of the darkness. But in his amazing grace God has saved sinful wretches like you and me.

We can be sure of that promise of salvation because God’s word is God’s word. Peter states that truth with these words, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” Peter didn’t write his own thoughts about the Transfiguration or salvation. He wrote God’s truth as it was shared with him by the Holy Spirit. We call that verbal inspiration. In his holy word God reveals his glory to us in his Son, Jesus Christ. In his holy word God promises to share that glory with us in heaven.

See all the divine glory you need. See it on the pages of God’s word.

I join you in wishing for a mountaintop glorious experience like Peter witnessed. I sure could use it, on a daily basis. Imagine the confidence and strength that would give to you and me. But we can’t expect it. That glory for us is going to have to wait until we see our God face to face in heaven. But that doesn’t mean God has left us helpless. Not by a long shot. He’s given us his word, the very word of our God to assure us of our forgiveness, to point us to our Savior, to uphold us and guide us. As Peter states, pay attention to it. Let it fill your hearts and minds and in so doing, see all the glory you need. Amen.