Unveiling the Mystery

Unveiling the Mystery
Luke 9:28–36
Transfiguration
March 3, 2019

Philippians 1:2(ESV) 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Would you like to see God? Be Careful how you answer. Hebrews 12:29(ESV) 29 for our God is a consuming fire. Even Moses was not allowed to see God as Exodus 33:20(ESV) 20 But,” [God] said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.”

St. Paul tells Timothy

1 Timothy 6:16(ESV) 16 [God] who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

So imagine the fear, that Peter, James and John had when they saw Jesus in His glory.

Sure they heard Jesus’ words Matthew 5:8(ESV) 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

But who had a pure heart?

Yet, there is hope. From the Old Testament Genesis 32:30(ESV) 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”

What was different about Jacob’s encounter with God, well God had taken on flesh and blood and wrestled with Jacob. Jacob did see God in flesh and blood just like Mary and Joseph, the Shepherds and wise men and many other who had seen Jesus and lived. Jesus hadn’t reveal His full Glory.

But now, Jesus the Christ is in His full glory, if only for a moment.

Why and how is this possible?The answer: Only through Christ do we have access to the Father Ephesians 2:18(ESV) 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

John 14:6(ESV) 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Through Christ not only do we have access to the Father, but we know Moses and Elijah Luke 9:30–31(ESV) 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

My guess is that is there were more saints of old, we would also know who there are, because of Jesus.

But while we are this side of heaven St. Paul notes 1 Corinthians 13:12(ESV) 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

For Jesus atones for the sins of the whole world. To reconcile the world back to God.

Romans 5:2(ESV) 2 Through [Christ] we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

We have Access to God through Christ, for Christ comes to us, first in the mystery of the incarnation, which we see when Jesus is born, through His word and by Means of Christ Body and Blood.

Luther reminds us

What is the Sacrament of the Altar?

It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink.

The same Jesus without the glowing.

While we end the Epiphany season on a mountain top experience. Epiphany, the season is making known that Jesus is the Son of God, ends with not doubt. Here we see Jesus glowing in His glory, with Moses and Elijah.

From here is goes down hill so to speak, as Jesus heads to Jerusalem in order to suffer and die to complete God’s plan of salvation. But for now we have the uplifting event, seeing and hearing that Jesus is the Son of God.

This special event isn’t so much as a rah rah event, we don’t need fluffy words and a lot of excitement. Excitement can only take you so far, now we need the substance for the dreaded days are coming. That substance, that which keeps us going we see in the transfiguration, as Matthew 1:23(ESV) 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

No corporate speech here, because at the end they were to be silent.

This was privileged information, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God that God had indeed taken on our flesh, to redeem our flesh

So if we are looking for that Mountain top experience to help us in life daily struggles, we just need to unveil the Mystery and see Jesus.

As John 1:14(ESV) 14 the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Philippians 4:7(ESV) 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.