Listen to Him!
Luke 9:28-36; Exodus 34:29-35; 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
(February 14, 2010. Transfiguration Sunday)
Today’s Gospel tells us a very interesting story:
One day, Jesus took three of his disciples, Peter, John and James, up on a mountain top to pray. During his prayer, his appearance was transformed and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly, two men appeared and began talking with him. They were glorious to see, too. And they were Moses and Elijah who spoke about his departure which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, Peter and the others had fallen asleep. When they woke up, they were able to see the glorious appearance of Jesus and of the two men standing with him. As Moses and Elijah were starting to leave, Peter said, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (vs 33) Indeed, he didn’t know what he was asking.
But when he was saying this, a cloud overshadowed them and terror gripped them. Then a voice from the cloud was delivered, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” (vs 35) As the voice finished, the cloud that had covered them was removed and they were able to see Jesus standing there alone. The disciples couldn’t tell anyone at that time what they had seen because what they’d seen was beyond their imagination and words to describe.
This story is about Jesus’ transfiguration on a mountain top. And the Lectionary asks us to remember the glorious event and observe today’s service as Transfiguration Sunday.
By the way, in the Bible, a transfiguration story is found not only in today’s text but Exodus 34:29-35 as well.
When the Israelites were travelling in the wilderness after their Exodus from Egypt, Moses was staying with God on a mountain forty days and forty nights. In all that time he ate no bread and drank no water. And he did his best to write on the tablets the words of the covenant-the Ten Commandments, and after the job had finished, he came down carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant.
His face became radiant because he had seen the Lord. However, he didn’t realize the change. But as he came down, Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of his face and were afraid to come near him. Moses called out to them and asked Aaron and all the leaders of the community to come over. He talked with them and then all the people approached him, and Moses gave them all the instructions God had given him on the mount. After he finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face again.
But whenever he went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with God, he removed the veil until he came out. Then he gave the people whatever instructions God had given him, and the people of Israel would see the radiant glow of his face. Therefore, he put the veil back over his face until he returned to speak with God.
After putting these two stories together, I found out one commonality from them. Moses had to cover his face with a veil for his people were attracted to the radiance from his face. On the other hand, God had to overshadow Peter, John and James with a cloud for they were attached to the glory and wanted to stay there forever. And God sent them a voice from the cloud saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” (vs 35)
However, as a matter of fact, the radiance from Moses’ face was to disappear soon. “We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away.” (2 Cor. 3:13. NLT) On the other hand, the radiance from Jesus was the same. When Jesus came down with the three disciples from the mountain, his appearance returned to normal and his clothes shone no longer dazzling white.
If you read those texts carefully, you will be able to find that, the faces of Moses and Jesus began glowing as they came to talk with God. Therefore, we can believe the radiant glows from their faces were the reflections of God’s glory. For reference, look up what Apostle John said in Revelation 21:23, 24 - “And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory.” (NLT)
Do you know our faces will be glowing as well when we come near God? Can’t you believe what I am saying? Ok. Then let me give you an example: If you stay near a campfire and leave the site, the heat still remains with you for a while. In the same manner, after you take meditation or carefully listen to the word in preaching or stay in a deep fellowship with God in prayer, your faces will be illuminating. Haven’t you ever experienced that? The radiant glow will stay with you and others may see it for a while. However, the illumination won’t stay with you forever because it was a reflection of God’s glory that you’ve experienced during the reading, preaching or prayer.
If you look around, you may see those whose faces are glowing. Do you see them around? If you can see those people, they look so wonderful in your sight. You may envy their glory. But don’t envy them or their glory! Rather you become one of them! Do your best to be a reflector of God’s glory like them!
How? The answer is simple. As I said earlier, Moses’ face became radiant when he came near God and was talking with him. Jesus’ face became radiant when he went up the mountain and was praying. When they closely stayed with God, God’s glory overshadowed them. In the same way, we will be overshadowed by God’s glory when we go near him. However, we have to understand that we are not the source of glory but God himself. We are just reflectors of his glory.
“You are the light of the world.” (MT 5:14) I don’t think this phrase means just about our good deeds in the world. It describes that we Christians are the light of the world. We are the reflector of God’s light for the world. This is what I believe. We should bring light to the dark world by reflecting God’s glory. We should lead the people in the world to come to God by illuminating his light to them.
In order to take this important role in the world, first of all, we have to come near God. Near and near at best. Didn’t Jesus tell us, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”? (John 8:12) “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me . . . will have the light of life.” (following Jesus = listening to him)
God wants his people to come near him. He wants his people to join in his glory. How can I dare say that? Indeed, it is not my own word, but the word of the Apostle Paul - “Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor. 3:15-18. NIV)
Therefore, we don’t have to be afraid of approaching him anymore. Moses put a veil over his face so the people would not see the glory (2 Cor. 3:13). Why? He worried that the people would see the glory from his face and be attached to it. According to today’s text, even God covered Peter and the other disciples with a cloud when were attached to the glory of Jesus. However, remember what the voice delivered to them in a cloud, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” (vs 35)
“Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.” (2 Cor. 3:12) Yes. We have a hope. We have a hope to experience much greater glory than what the Israelites had seen from Moses’ face. We have a hope to experience much greater glory than what Peter, John and James had seen on a mountain top. We have this great hope and can be sure of it. Nothing can cover our eyes from God’s glory. Nothing can hinder us from his glory. It is all because in Christ Jesus the veil is taken away and the hindrance is demolished. The Lord is the Spirit. Wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Cor. 3:16, 17) Isn’t the Holy Spirit working among us? Therefore, why is there any veil necessary between the glory of God and us? Rather in confidence, we better proclaim as the author of Hebrews did, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Heb. 4:16. NIV)
Don’t behave like the Israelites who were afraid of the glory from Moses and couldn’t go near him. Or don’t fall asleep like the three disciples who were in a heavy sleep. I know you are in lack of time or sleep, but still don’t fall into a spiritual sleep. Rather be awake! Open the Bible, take meditation on it and be able to hear from God! Stay up and pray, and pray until you go into a spiritual fellowship with God! Let us go to God closer and closer day by day. “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” (vs 35)
“He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.” (Ps. 99:7. NIV) Aren’t you envious of the direct communication between God and his people? God directly spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; the people listened to him and followed as they were commanded. In the same way, God wants us to come near him. He wants us come and talk with him. Then what do we want to do? Do we want to go to him? Or do we want to stay where we are? “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” (vs 35)
