Transfiguration Is a Glimpse of Heaven!

Last Sunday after Epiphany, 2/23/20
Matthew 17:1-9


Transfiguration Is a Glimpse of Heaven!
I. Where would you rather be?
II. What would you rather hear?


Imagine if I were to close this sermon today by giving you a preview of next Sunday’s sermon. Would you appreciate that? Maybe so. If your interest was piqued, it would make you look forward to being here again next Sunday. Then again, such a preview might backfire on me. It might mean I’d be preaching to more empty pews than usual.

But previews are still an effective form of garnering interest. Just think how often you see and hear them. Television is full of them. You can’t watch TV for more than 30 minutes without seeing at least one preview of something that will be shown at a later time or on another day. “Here’s a preview of the next episode. This is the special investigation that will be shown on the local news tomorrow. Here’s the latest coming out of Washington—tune in tonight for more details. This Saturday afternoon you can watch this matchup between two top-ranked college basketball teams.” And it has the desired effect. We become interested in seeing what’s being previewed and we begin making plans to watch it.

Today the Christian Church on earth celebrates the Transfiguration of Our Lord. And that’s fitting since the penitential season of Lent begins this Wednesday. Our observance of Lent will culminate with us standing at the foot of the cross on Good Friday and witnessing our Savior’s sacrifice for the sins of the world. So, what’s the connection between Transfiguration and Good Friday? Transfiguration assures us once again that Jesus Christ is true God. If he is true God, then his sacrifice on Calvary’s cross won forgiveness and eternal life for all people, for you, for me.

We know what forgiveness of sins is because we experience its comfort every time we hear the good news of the gospel or receive the Lord’s Supper. But just what is eternal life? What kind of experience will it be?

Transfiguration helps us answer those questions as it points us to our Savior’s glory and how his disciples enjoyed that experience. Transfiguration is a glimpse of heaven. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy this heavenly preview.

Part I.

How much time do you spend wishing your life were different? I’m sure no one can answer that question definitively. No one uses a stopwatch to keep track of the minutes and seconds they spend each day wishing their life were different. And while a certain amount of wishing can be somewhat helpful, too much of it is a waste of time. In fact, it’s good advice to stop wishing your life were different and begin making the effort to make it different or learn to enjoy it as it is.

We have before us Matthew’s account of the Transfiguration. Matthew doesn’t tell us how James and John reacted to seeing our Lord in glory, but he does tell us Peter’s. And one way of defining Peter’s reaction is that he no longer wished his life would be any different than it was at that moment. That’s because Peter was enjoying heaven on earth. For a time—and we don’t know if this experience lasted a few minutes or a few hours—Peter, James and John experienced an existence that no human beings on earth had ever experienced before and none have since. The entire event was simply heavenly.

One of the aspects of that event which made it so was that Jesus was transfigured before them. Matthew states, “After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.” Exactly what that was we can’t know or understand. We let the words stand on their own. It was heavenly.

And Jesus wasn’t alone. Two of heaven’s saints were there too—Moses and Elijah. Moses was there as the outstanding lawgiver to the Children of Israel and Elijah was there as the outstanding prophet to the Children of Israel. Both of these men longed to see the day when the Savior would arrive on earth and do his work as that Savior. And here he was, on the cusp of completing that work. And here they were, to encourage him in it.

Matthew states, “[They were] talking with Jesus.” No doubt they were discussing the promises of the Savior—some which they themselves had spoken to the people—and how Jesus was fulfilling those promises and would fulfill them as he went to Calvary’s cross. There’s no more important conversation on earth or in heaven!

Peter, James and John were there taking it all in. And it’s Peter who stated, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” Peter had taken in this glimpse of heaven and knew it couldn’t get any better on earth than this. So, he wanted to stay there indefinitely.

But that wasn’t going to happen. Jesus still had work to do—eternally important work to do. He knew that he had to go down this hill in order to climb up another one, this time with his cross on his back. And instead of being clothed in heavenly glory, he would be covered in hellish shame and agony. He endured the pain and agony of the cross so that you could experience glory with him in heaven.

And here’s your glimpse of it. Transfiguration is a glimpse of heaven. Like Peter, where else would you rather be?

Transfiguration is your glimpse of heaven, not in the same way as it was for Peter, James, and John, but a glimpse, nonetheless. This is what heaven will be like for you—so wonderful that you don’t want to leave. Is that true for you? Do you look forward to life in heaven? I’m sure you do…at times. You do when you realize that this life isn’t going to get any better for you and you’re not happy with the way it is. This glimpse of heaven is your comfort at just such times. Where else would you rather be? But then there are those times in this life when heaven is pushed to the back of your minds and nearly forgotten. You’re so wrapped up in trying to enjoy this life, in trying to get ahead, in transitioning from the student world into the employment world or in transitioning out of the employment world into the retirement world, that this glimpse of heaven is completely clouded over by all the things on your mind and in your life. You’ve got too much living here to do! Or the opposite occurs. We become so depressed with our lives or so tired of dealing with daily pains and disappointments that our psychological fog completely obscures this glimpse of heaven.

Transfiguration is our God-given opportunity to stop for a moment and consider this question, “Where else would you rather be than enjoying this glory with your Savior?” Obviously nowhere else. And the beauty of it all is that Jesus won that life for you after he left this mount when he suffered and died for you. The fact that he rose again on Easter guarantees it to you. You will live in glory with your risen Lord Jesus! Transfiguration is a glimpse of heaven. Where else would you rather be?

Part II.

When we consider this event of the Transfiguration, we naturally focus on the visual effects—the sight of our Savior in all his glory and the appearance of Moses and Elijah. What we don’t consider as much is the audible effects—the sounds that were part of this glorious event. Did you catch them?

One of them was the conversation that Jesus was having with Moses and Elijah. As I mentioned, they were likely speaking about the work that Jesus would complete as the world’s Savior from sin. But imagine hearing that conversation. And do you wonder if that’s just a small sample of what we’ll hear in heaven? In the Garden of Eden prior to the fall into sin, it’s apparent that God regularly spoke with Adam and Eve. Will conversation between us and our God be a part of our heavenly experience? I don’t see why not. Imagine listening to the voice of God!

I call that to your attention because of the peculiar thing God the Father stated at this event. Listen to it once again, “A voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” The Father didn’t end his sentence with the words, “Look at him.” He gives us this all-important divine command, “Listen to him!” We can’t see Jesus in all his glory now, but we can listen to his word, and it’s through his word, not through seeing him, that the Holy Spirit brings us the gifts of forgiveness and life in heaven. If there’s anything in your life that you absolutely need to listen to, this is it!

Transfiguration is a glimpse of heaven. What else would you rather hear?

That’s a fitting question, isn’t it? We fill our ears all day long with messages. In fact, we hear so much so much of the day that we relish being able to spend a few minutes in absolute quiet, hearing nothing but the ticking of the clock on the wall or the breezes against the windows. But what’s your attitude toward hearing the word of your Savior? Can you take it or leave it? Is it optional in your life? And when what that word tells you is something you don’t like to hear, what do you do with it? Ignore it?

That’s why our God gave you the command to listen to your Savior’s word, because through that word comes your forgiveness and eternal life. In that word your God promises you his mercy and his love. Through that word he guides and empowers you to be the Christian he has made you to be. He’s placed that word in your heart and mind so that you can share that word with others and bring them a glimpse of heaven.

Can you imagine seeing that? Being in heaven with the people you shared God’s word with? You’re standing in the presence of the glory of your Savior, just as he appeared at his Transfiguration. This is your glimpse of heaven! Hold onto it until your Lord calls you into it! Amen.