Why the Transfiguration is Important

According to the Revised Common Lectionary, this Sunday is Transfiguration Sunday where Matthew, Mark and Luke tell of the transfiguration. We are looking at Matthew’s version, Matthew 17:1-8. The scene is set up in the previous chapter. For in that chapter, Jesus gives the disciples a little quiz. There are only two questions. This is the first question: who do people say that I am? They give a variety of impressive answers. Then, he asks the disciples the second question: Who do you say I am? Only Simon Peter’s answer is recorded, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” That answer in itself means the disciples are making spiritual progress.

To show his approval, Jesus takes three of the disciples, Peter, James and John, to the top of a mountain. The Mountain was probably Mount Hermon, which raises 9,000 feet above sea level. The inner circle must have believed they were going to receive some special instruction from the Master, but they received so much more. According to Matthew 17:2, Jesus was transfigured. We are not exactly sure what that means. It will have to suffice to say, Jesus was glorified. His face began to shine like the sun and his clothes began to glow. It was an amazing scene. Then the scene grew more complex. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared. They are endorsing Jesus’s ministry. The disciples are rattled, but then the truly miraculous happens. God, himself, suddenly appears. He identifies Jesus, so his identity is clear to everyone. Verse five quotes God. He says, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” The scene ends as quickly as it began. It is one of the great scenes in the Bible, but what does it mean?

Warren Wiersbe (1929-2019) was an American pastor, Bible teacher, theologian and author. He said there are four things about the transfiguration of Jesus that should never be forgotten. Each one is Biblical. Consider them with me, they have merit.

The glory of His person – The transfiguration of Jesus came from his inside. It was not something that happened to Jesus, like a spotlight. It was something that came from within Jesus. His glory was permitted to shine. (Hebrews 1:3)

The glory of His kingdom – Moses and Elijah represented the Old Testament law and the Old Testament prophets. They were the great characters in the Old Testament however they are inferior to Jesus. Everything in the Old Testament pointed to Jesus and his ministry. Jesus was the final piece of God’s plan of salvation for the world. (Hebrews 1:1)

The glory of His cross – The transfiguration reminds us that suffering and glory go hand in hand. In time, the transfigured, glorified Jesus would be nailed to the cross and die. (1 Peter 1:6-8)

The glory of His submission – In many ways, the transfiguration is the beginning of the end. Jesus did not go to the cross because he wanted to go. Jesus went to the cross because it was part of God’s plan of salvation. Jesus submitted to God’s will.

The transfiguration of Jesus reminds us of the supremacy of Jesus. Within the life of the church, if we don’t have Jesus, then we have nothing at all. In my forty years in the ministry, I have reminded people of that divine truth countless times. It sounds simple, but it is easy to forget. Churches get so involved with building maintenance, fundraising for a good cause, and helping the needy that they forget about Jesus. Churches are not service clubs or community action groups. Churches are different because they are all about Jesus. Without Jesus, churches have nothing at all. That is why every congregation must keep Jesus the focal point of its ministry. That is why denominations must keep Jesus the focal point of their ministries. It is sad when churches forget about Jesus.

If you know me personally or read my blog regularly, you know I attended Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. During those years, I served a small membership church between Danville and Lancaster, Kentucky. It was called the Pleasant Grove Christian Church. I am happy to report it is still active. I have nothing negative to say about that congregation. They were kind to me at a time when I needed kindness. In those three years, I got to know other churches in that community as well.

One of those churches was the Mount Olivet Baptist Church. In Kentucky, at that time, every church was Baptist, regardless of the sign. Their theology leaned to the right. It was named after the Mount of Olives. Since I left that area, the Mount Olivet Baptist Church closed. The reason is sad. The church simply shattered over a series of differences of opinions. It all began when the Board of Elders held an emergency meeting. They were upset their pastor, and his wife had filed for divorce. They believed in the Bible and the Bible’s teaching against divorce. They decided to let their preacher go. The problem was the church was divided over his dismissal. Everyone who had suffered through a divorce, or had a family member who had been divorced, was upset. There was an ugly church meeting and A large portion of the congregation left. They swore they would never return. That group was true to their word. They never returned.

A search committee was formed to find a new pastor to fix the mess. They collected a few names. One of the names was a woman. She was by far the most qualified. She had an excellent education, could preach up a storm and was effective in every church she served. There was only one problem – she was a woman, and you know what the Bible says about women speaking in church. For that reason, she didn’t get the call. They called an inferior man, who made a bigger mess. Everything was supposed to be done confidentially, but the word leaked out. Once again, the church was in an uproar. Everyone seemed to know of a gifted and effective female pastor. From that moment on, the Mount Olivet Baptist Church splintered. Both sides quoted Bible verses, and each side claimed they were right. Both sides memorized Bible verses, but both sides forgot about Jesus. Everyone used the Bible to support their opinion. They forget we are called to love people, not judge people. In the end, the once healthy church struggled paying basic bills. In time, the church building and property were sold to a local brewpub. It wasn’t all a loss. I hear both the food, and the beer are great. Can I ask you a question?

Why do you think the Mount Olivet Baptist Church closed? Did it close because of a lack of Bible? Did it close because the people were not passionate about their church? Did it close because of a lack of money? I believe Mount Olivet Baptist Church closed because they forget about the supremacy of Jesus. Without Jesus, churches have nothing at all. Do you remember what God said? He said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

Between Palm Sunday and Easter

One of the most beautiful buildings in the world is the cathedral in Milan, Italy. I had the good fortune to go there several years ago. Worshippers are welcomed by three magnificent doorways. Over one of the side doorways is a carving of a beautiful wreath of roses, and underneath are the words: “All which pleases is just for a moment.” Over the other side doorway is a sculpted cross with the words: “All that troubles is just for a moment.” But underneath the great central entrance leading to the main aisle is the inscription: “Only the eternal is important.” The message is clear – we should live with our eyes fixed on eternity. Let me ask you two questions: How much time do you spend worrying about the temporary? How much time do you spend worrying about your eternity? The only things that really matter are those things that will matter in 100 years. What matters in 100 years? The only thing that will matter in 100 years is Jesus. That leads us to our scripture lesson.

According to the Revised Common Lectionary, this Sunday is the Fifth Sunday in Lent. That means Easter is only two weeks away. The Gospel reading for this weekend is John 12:20-33. The story begins with a group of Greeks. It is a great way to begin a story. When I was a young, I was surrounded by a group of Greeks in school. They were great people, and they were all named Nick. In the Bible story we do not know their names, but we do know they wanted to see, or interview, Jesus. Their interest in Jesus leads us to believe they were God-fearing Greeks. The most assertive is a man named Philip. He is uncomfortable going to Jesus directly, so he goes to Andrew first. Perhaps, he knew him or heard of him. They were both from the town of Bethsaida. According to verse 22, Philip and Andrew together went to Jesus with Philip’s request.

We are never told if the Greeks ever got to talk to Jesus, but we are told the moment had come reveal his life’s purpose. Jesus cannot escape the painful truth; he is going to die! Jesus did not want to die nor was he surprised by his death. It was all part of the divine plan to save the world. The death of Jesus shows us the depth of God’s love. Comparing himself to a wheat kernel, he knew he must die, so others could live. His death would mean life for generations to come. We stand in the aftershock of Jesus’s death. Without the death of Jesus, there is no resurrection. Without the death of Jesus, there is no salvation. Without the death of Jesus, we have no hope of eternity. Never underestimate the death of Jesus, it changed everything. It is my experience people are uncomfortable with the death of Jesus. That is why good Christian people try to ignore Good Friday. No one wants to worship a dead savior.

That was one of my pet peeves in the ministry. Everyone enjoys Palm Sunday. It is a great day! Attendance is up and the weather in northern Ohio is improving. Everyone is in a good mood because everyone likes waving palms. The traditional scriptures are read, and a video is shown of Jesus entering the Golden City. Everyone is looking forward to the great resurrection day. Everyone enjoys Easter. It is a great day! The flowers are beautiful, the traditional hymns are sung, the traditional scripture is read, and the video is shown of the empty tomb. Everyone leaves happy because ham is waiting for them. (Who does not like ham?) Please do not misunderstand me. I have nothing against Palm Sunday or Easter. They are both great days, but there is so much more. Most miss the rich days of Holy Week. The crowds of Palm Sunday and Easter are replaced by a small group on Maundy Thursday and a smaller group on Good Friday. I hope that is not your story. I hope you do not just run from Palm Sunday to Easter. I hope you remember what Jesus did every day of Holy Week. Those days are important because they revolve around the death of Jesus. Do something different this year and remember what Jesus did for you each day of Holy Week.

Do you remember what Jesus did on Holy Monday? According to the Bible, two significant things happened on that day. The first event of Holy Monday was the cleansing of the Temple. It had nothing to do with fundraising to help some good cause within the life of the church, but it had everything to do with using the faith for personal gain. The Temple was a place of prayer, not profit. The church is a place of prayer, not profit. The second significant event of Holy Monday is the cursing of the fig tree. It was the only thing Jesus ever cursed. Like the bald eagle which symbolizes America, the fig tree symbolized Israel. The cursing of the fig tree was an act of judgement upon Israel. God was doing something new. Never forget what happened on Holy Monday!

Do you remember what Jesus did on Holy Tuesday? According to the Bible, the disciples saw the withered fig tree and were reminded they must be productive. Jesus went back to the Temple where he was challenged by the Pharisees and the Sadducees. It was also there that he taught about the Kingdom of God. Two great stories came from that day. He taught about paying taxes to Caesar and he noticed a widow’s slim donation. He also told the parable of the two sons, the parable of the tenants and others. Then, he went to Bethany, near Jerusalem, where he was anointed. He was being prepared for death. Never forget what happened on Holy Tuesday!

Do you remember what Jesus did on Holy Wednesday? Some call it Spy Wednesday. It was on that day the plan to trap Jesus was conceived. One of his own, Judas Iscariot, betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Some say he did it because he was greedy. Some say he did it because he had grown tired of being an outsider. He was the only non-Galilean of the twelve. Some say he did it to force Jesus’ hand – he never dreamed Jesus would not fight back. We do not really know why he did it, but he did it. In the end, Judas Iscariot regretted his betrayal and committed suicide. There is nothing else to say. Never forget what happened on Holy Wednesday!

Do you remember what Jesus did on Holy Thursday? We call it Maundy Thursday. That was the day Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, showing true servant leadership. Then, they observed the Seder. It was a meal with a message. Everything they ate and everything they drank reminded them of their ancestry. After all, they were God’s Chosen People. During the meal, Jesus changed the words and created a new memorial, holy communion. The bread is his body, and the wine is his blood. After the meal was over, Jesus comforted the disciples and went to the garden to pray. It was in the garden Jesus was arrested. Never forget what happened on Holy Thursday!

Do you remember what Jesus did on Holy Friday? We call it Good Friday. It was good for us, but bad for Jesus. Jesus had two trials. The first trial was in front of his own people. It was a “kangaroo” court. Jesus never had a chance. He was found guilty. They wanted to execute Jesus, but they lacked the legal authority. For this reason, they sent him to the Roman Governor, Pilate. He knew Jesus was innocent, but he feared the mob. The crowd rejected Jesus and accepted Barabbas, an insurrectionist. The order was given that Jesus must die. It was a public affair. It was a way of deterring crime. First came the whipping. Then came the crown of thorns. Each step came with ridicule. Finally came the cross, a Roman way to execute. Jesus was not tied to the cross; he was nailed to the cross. He was hung between two common criminals. In comparison to other executions on the cross, his death came quickly, and they put his body in a tomb. The sky grew dark, and the people wondered what would happen. His family and friends cried, because he was dead, and their dreams were gone. Never forget what happened on Holy Friday!

Do you remember what happened on Holy Saturday? Some call it, Silent Saturday. Others call it Black Saturday or Easter Eve. There is nothing to remember about that day because Jesus was dead. The people who loved Jesus, both family and friends, struggled with his death. Some of them were in shock. Some were in denial and some of them cried. Their great dreams of a bright future were over, Jesus was dead! How comfortable are you with the death of Jesus? You know what happened on Sunday. It is the worst kept secret in the history of the world. It is also the very foundation of our faith. It changed everything. Never forget what happened each day of Holy Week!

It became the tradition of my last church to go to the local cemetery to hold a Tenebrae service on Good Friday. It is our way to remember the death of Jesus. We were joined by other United Methodist congregations in the area. The truth be told, the group is always small. I really do not care, it is the right thing to do. The traditional scriptures are read, and the candles are extinguished. The service ended with the same words annually, May God have mercy on us because Christ died for us. I was always spiritually spent once the service was over. They reality of Christ’s death is hard for me to accept.

One year, on Easter morning one of the saints from my church wanted to talk to me about his experience at the cemetery. He had a bad experience. He could not hear because the woman next to him kept talking. He could not see because he sat in the back. He did not like his seat because it was uncomfortable. He did not like going to the cemetery because it reminded him of his own death. He did not like the music because it was too depressing. As he went through his list of complaints, I stayed quiet. When I finally got a word in, I said, “Good! If Christ hung on the cross for your sins for hours, then you can handle a few unpleasant minutes.” He responded a few seconds later, “I think you are right!”May we never forget Christ died for us! Reformed theologian Richard Allen Bodey (1930-2013) once said, “He drained the cup of God’s wrath bone dry, leaving not a drop for us.”

How Great a Sacrifice

One of the most magnificent structures in the world is the cathedral in Milan, Italy. It is such a large structure it has five front doors. Each door leads to a different aisle in the sanctuary. The center three doors have carvings of note. Over the arch of one of the side doors is a carved wreath of roses, and underneath it is the words, “All which pleases is but for a moment.” Over arch of the other side door is sculptured a cross, and underneath it is the words, “All which troubles us is but for a moment.” But underneath the great central entrance to the main aisle is the inscription, “Only the eternal is important.” It is the eternal we are going to look at in the next weeks. The eternal grabs our attention today.

We find ourselves today in the twelfth chapter of John, verse one through eleven. According to the text, it is a few days before the Passover. Jesus is in Bethany. Jerusalem and Bethany are approximately two miles apart. It just so happened, Jesus has friends who lived in Bethany, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Jesus normally had an open invitation to their home. However, this time Jesus has a formal invitation. The women wanted to thank Jesus for resurrecting their brother, so they hold a dinner in Jesus’s honor. Jesus never traveled alone. He brings the twelve, along with a nameless crowd. The crowd was extra-large because they wanted to see the newly resurrected Lazarus.

The event is going off as planned. Everyone is having a wonderful time. Martha is serving. Lazarus is reclining at the table. It is Mary who does the unexpected. She took a pint of perfume nard and pours it on Jesus’ feet, wiping it with her hair. Mary seems to have some insider information. It is almost as if she was anticipating the week to come. Consider these two facts with me. First, she anoints Jesus like the dead were anointed. Second, she anoints Jesus’s feet like Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. The obvious happens. The house is filled with the odor of that sweet perfume. Everyone seems to handle the anointing, except one of the disciples, Judas Iscariot. He protests the waste. He is not completely wrong. The nard was expensive. He would have made the perfect church member in the twenty-first century. None of us believe money should be wasted. After all, a penny saved is a penny earned. The very least they could have done is sell the nard and given the money to the poor. Jesus deflects his criticism and applauds Mary for her priorities. Would Jesus applaud your priorities? We always sacrifice for those that we love. How much are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus.

Where were you on March 2, 2012? It is remembered as one of the most violent weather days in the history of our country. There were 140 tornados sighted that day, 76 confirmed landings. Thirty-nine people were killed. We prayed for the grieving, and all the lives that were changed that day, but we were inspired by one, Stephanie Decker.

On that day, Stephanie was a 37-year-old wife and mother, who lived in Henryville, Indiana. It was like a living nightmare. A tornado slammed into her home. With no other option, she acted like a human shield and laid on top of her children to protect them. The good news is everyone survived. The bad news is Stephanie lost both legs, one above the knee, one below the knee. Years later, she does not regret her sacrifice because she saved her children. It is a sacrifice she said she would do again. It is a sacrifice I hope I never have to make. I do not know how her children can look at her legs and question her love for them. I do not know how anyone can question her love for her children. We sacrifice the most for the people we love the most. That leads us to the question of the day. How much are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus?

How much money are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus? Imagine the scene with your sacrificed imagination. It is impossible to read this story and ignore the financial issues. You can still buy a pint of nard on the internet. It will cost you approximately $625 for a single pint. No wonder Judas Iscarot was shocked by her extravagance. It seemed economically impossible for a common to own such a possession. Some believe, Mary received the nard from her parents as a wedding gift for her wedding night. Mary sacrificed a great amount of money to show her devotion to Jesus. How much money are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus?

The Biblical standard for giving is the tithe, 10%. That is a challenge for a great number of people. According to Vanco, only 5% of all church goers’ tithe? 77% of all tithers give more than 10% The average church goer gives approximately $17 per week. That is $884 per year. It is the question I have asked you for the past quarter of a century. If everyone gave the amount to the church that you give to the church, would our ministry contract or expand? How much money are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus? Remember, we are not afraid to sacrifice for those that we love.

How much time are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus? Imagine the scene with your sacrificed imagination. The house is filled with guests and there are a million things to do. There is food that needs to be cooked. There are dishes that need to be washed. There are children that need to be entertained. There are a million things to do, so where is Mary. She is sitting at the feet of Jesus absorbing every word. It was not that those other things were not important. It was that this was an opportunity that could not be missed. You can do housework anytime, but you cannot always sit at the feet of Jesus. Mary sacrificed valuable time to sit at the feet of Jesus. How much time are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus?

It is impossible for our generation to sit at the feet of Jesus. However, that changes nothing. How much time do you spend with Jesus? I am not talking about the time you spend in the church building or the time you spend fundraising for the church. I am talking about spending time practicing the Holy Habits. How much time do you spend meditating? How much time do you spend studying your Bible? How much time do you spend in worship? How much time do you spend in prayer? How much time are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus? Remember, we are not afraid to sacrifice for those that we love.

How much pride are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus? Imagine the scene with your sacrificed imagination. The fact that Mary anointed Jesus’s feet is significant. That sounds odd to our generation. It was odd to her generation too for two reasons. First, usually someone’s head was anointed, not their feet. Second, Hebrew women never unwrapped their hair in public. They only unwrapped their hair at home. Both expose her humility. How much pride are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus?

Humility is not emptying yourself of self-worth. Humility is embracing your self-worth and your gifts and offering those things to the glory of God. Are you hoarding your gifts or are you using your gifts to bring glory to God? How much pride are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus? Remember, we are not afraid to sacrifice for those that we love. Let me state the obvious. During the next two weeks the issue is not how much we have sacrificed for God. The issue is how much God has sacrificed for us. In the Gospel lesson, only Mary seems to see the big picture. Only Mary, understands the events to come will have eternal consequences.

Jesus sacrificed it all because he loves us! You know the story, but it is worth repeating. It all began with the incarnation. God left the perfection of heaven to slum it with people like us. The incarnation of God, Jesus was born in the ordinary, yet he lived an extraordinary life. Let me make the point clear so there can be no confusion. Jesus’s father was God, and his mother was a poor young woman by the name of Mary. The most famous stepfather in his Joseph, a simple carpenter. At twelve years old, Jesus’s spiritual uniqueness became clear, yet he did not begin his ministry until he was thirty. That ministry only lasted three years, but it changed the world. In a nutshell, he simply loved everyone. Healing the sick and teaching about the Kingdom of God, Jesus threatened the orthodox leaders of his day. So threatened, they decided Jesus had to be eliminated. The plan was simply, but deadly. During the Passover, a few days after everyone cheered Jesus as he entered the city, one of Jesus’s own, Judas Iscariot, agreed to betray Jesus. He was arrested after the Passover meal on Thursday evening. Jesus was tried twice, once by his own people and again by the Romans. It was the Roman, Pontius Pilot, official who gave the death sentence. Hours later the order was carried out. Jesus died Roman style, on a cross between two criminals. The Sunday crowd has abandoned him, but the faithful remained. They saw him draw his last breath. They saw him take out his lifeless body. They cried because all hope was lost and they were the ones who asked the question, “Why?” No knowing the happy ending we call Easter, they wrestled with the harsh reality, Jesus was dead.

It was a powerful moment in the history of the world. Jesus, the incarnation of God, was dead. Remember, we are not afraid to sacrifice for those that we love. This is not doubt about it. Jesus loved us so he sacrificed it all for us. It has been said many times:

If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator; If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist; If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist; If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer; But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.

The only things that matter are eternal!