Christ Lutheran Church
Cleveland, Ohio
February 19, 2023
by: Rev. Dean Kavouras

Transfiguration
Jesus Given Glorified And Ratified

For we did not engage in cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we became eyewitnesses of his grandeur.

For when he was honored and glorified by God the Father, when a voice spoke over him from the transcendent Glory, we ourselves heard this very voice coming out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain, confirming the prophetic word.

The word to which you do well to heed as to a lamp shining in a dark place until the Day should dawn and the Morning Star arise in your hearts. And know this above all: that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own personal interpretation; indeed no prophecy ever came from human initiative! But holy men of God spoke as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:16-21 – DKV)

--
Before the foundation of the cosmos; before man was created; before the Old Evil Foe compromised Adam and Woman, enlisted them in his rebellion, and gave them the first case ever of Stockholm Syndrome …

Before all this we say, God had already determined to send his One and Only Son into the world to win back his Prodigal sons. Not by threats, or force or “cleverly devised myths.” But by the cross. By affection, immense and immeasurable, such as no sentient being who perceives it would fail to embrace it.

Alluring tenderness of such wonder that those who have sinned the most, harmed the most, cursed the most will by this divine friendship love the most, praise the loudest, and do good a hundred times over for every injury ever perpetrated. This will amaze us, but it will happen, and so do not give up hope, now or ever.

This is what St. John means when he writes (1 John 4:16) “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”

Now the Almighty Father did none of this in secret! But publicly, in the world, and before many eye-witnesses whom he then commissioned to tell it aloud to after the Lord’s resurrection; and inspired holy men by his Holy Spirit to write these things down for us.

Write what?

Write Christ! The New Torah. Or in our terminology the New Testament comprised of his blood given for us, and to us, in this Cup today. The New Testament that we celebrate at this very hour, by grace through faith, for unity with our God who loves us with “an everlasting love,” and whom we desire above all things.

To this end God gave his One and Only Son for us, and openly glorified him at his birth by sending heavenly choirs to chant the first Christian liturgy ever heard on the earth.

God who gave his Son, then publicly ordained him at his baptism. The Father speaking his Word “this is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” The Incarnate Son standing now in humble submission in the Jordan below; and the Holy Spirit present in the form of a Dove to anoint our Lord with the “oil of gladness.” Anoint him to do what no man can: to save the world from itself.

And by Transfiguration God who glorified and ordained Jesus as the world’s only Hope, now ratifies him before eye-witnesses marking him: the Light of the World.

--The LORD who fixed his dwelling on the top of Mt. Sinai, and who appeared as a consuming fire from below: this is the same Lord who shone as bright as the sun on Transfiguration Mountain to lead all rebels to the true Light that “enlightens every man that comes into the world.”

-- The Lord with whom the Old Testament church ate and drank in peace on the mountain top, is the same Morning Star with whom we Commune on this Eucharistic Mountain today.

THEN … Moses constructed an altar at the foot of the mountain and God Incarnate stationed himself above it in peace.

TODAY … we come to this altar at the feet of the Crucified and Risen Lord stationed above us; and here in the mystery of all mysteries we eat and drink not only with him, but of him! Of his resurrected flesh and blood. And not only do we come away unharmed like Moses, but Transfigured into “children of light” by this Holy Communion. (1 Thes. 5:5)

Now everybody wants to be transfigured. The weak want to become strong; the ordinary attractive; the poor rich; the disabled able; the old young; and the young old. Employees want to be boss, and bosses wish they could work 9 to 5.

And in an even darker turn of events, perhaps the final one that may force the Lord’s hand to return, men want to become women, and women men.

O Lord have mercy upon us! Enlighten our dark minds and twisted desires by the Bright Morning Star who shines before our eyes in Divine Liturgy today.

May the LIGHT of your Christ illumine our darkness; so that the Sun of Righteousness will extinguish the consuming flames of our sinful desires.

To this prayer our God answers “Yes,” by the Transfiguration that we partake of at the altar today.

We come to the altar as one thing, sinners in need of mercy; and return as another, transfigured into the image of the Son. (Rom. 8:29) We come to the altar filled with anxieties and earthly cares, we return Transfigured as a people at rest without a care in the world. We come as mortal, but return immortal. We come perishable, but return imperishable. We come a natural body, but return a spiritual body.

God does this for us by his Beloved Son whom he gave for us, whom he ratified by Transfiguration, and glorified by the cross and Resurrection.

And so hear him! Only him!

Tune out the falsetto voice of the devil; and sing a new song to our Transfigured Lord; for he has done marvelous things. Amen. (Ps. 98)