Rev. Dustin ParkerSomething More Sure
Concordia Lutheran Church
Feast of the Transfiguration, March 6, 2011
Something More Sure
2 Peter 1:16-21
IN JESUS NAME
2 God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace. 1 Peter 1:2 (NLT)
If only… we were there…
Look what happened to those at the base of the mountain!
The transfiguration!
Standing there, as Peter did, with John and James at your side, can you imagine?
Recognizing Elijah and Moses, and wondering how you knew them; wanting to do something, anything, to be more involved than just observers and witnesses. Hearing them discuss the cross, yet not knowing the incredible sorrow and pain and joy and cleansing and freedom it would bring.
What an experience for a man to be able to endure. The absolute sense of panic as the voice from heaven echoes the Father’s pleasure as His Son begins the long trek to the…cross? Maybe that is some kind of code word for His throne – for the Father is pleased, surely this means His reign is soon to begin.
I have often thought if only I could have been there, or those who I know struggle in their faith, give them a view of the transfigured, fully glorified Jesus Christ, and all doubts would fade, there would be only peace. Temptation would lose its power; all of the trauma and pain we endure would lose its grasp on our hearts.
If only we could see Christ glorified in our midst…
Surely we would break the chains of sin, and death and the oppression of evil in our midst…
Peter did… didn’t he? (pause)
Not exactly. Matter of fact, not at all. He still struggled with sin, and fear, but he learned to cling to Jesus all the more desperately, and the promises found in the prophetic writings which recognized Jesus as Yahweh Saves, as the Chosen and Anointed one, and as our Lord and Master.
Do We Live Like it’s just a Myth?
As Peter writes this epistle – some 20-25 years after the transfiguration, he wants those to whom he writes to grasp how incredible God’s love is, how the presence of the Holy Spirit is, how incredible the promises of the scriptures are, because God stands behind them. He reassures the people that the story of Jesus is not some cleverly devised myths, as so much of what surrounded them ended up being.
The political leaders of that day had themselves declared gods, so that people would trust in them, or in their system. Their opponents used older myths to explain why the disasters, natural and man-made fell upon the people. Philosophers also used myths to control people, to get them to behave, and to live moral lives that were really empty of value. This was so prevalent that people only paid minimal attention – just enough to avoid the curses, just enough to gain favor, just enough to appear good. Just in case the myths were true.
There are some in the world today, who treat Christianity the same way – as if it is something we do, “just in case”. Just to insure the kids behave the right way. The stories of the miracles are interesting, but not life changing. They ask if we really believe that two guys, dead 800 and 1500 years, appeared to another Jewish man, who claimed to be God, and was killed, but wouldn’t stay dead. They love the morality of Christianity, and the community into which they are assimilated, the idea that they will be materially blessed if they follow the golden rule, but the claims of Christianity seemed a little far fetched, well, except the idea of spending eternity floating among the clouds instead of that …. other place.
Now I know we all believe in Jesus, we all have “faith”, we’re good Christians, but are there times we treat our “religion” as if it was a myth, more like fire insurance - just in case? Do we treat God’s word like a buffet bar, where we take the good things – the bacon and shrimp and awesome antipasto, but leave behind the broccoli and the tuna casserole? We’ll take the first and 2nd commandments, and occasionally the 3, 5, 7, but leave the rest behind? And love they neighbor – well does that mean all of them? Some of them are so unlike me – they don’t speak like me, or look like me – they.. they might even be….Yankee fans… or worse… Dodger fans! What about the commission to share our faith, and the reason we have hope? Do we treat these like a myth?
While we say we believe God’s word to be completely true, are there times where we treat parts of it as if it was no more than myth?
To those who believe or act like it is just a myth, Peter declares as a witness how incredible it was, to hear the Father testify to the work of the Son. Not only that, he declares that we have something to grasp onto even more securely: the very prophecies about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Something More Sure… So Pay Attention..
It Reveals Christ
The Word of the Holy Spirit
Not Produced by man
Carried – the production line
Our lamp shining in the dark place!
When Thomas proclaims that Jesus is the Lord and God, Jesus response was to note that those who didn’t see, yet believe, were truly blessed. Similarly here, Peter points not to the incredible experiences but to something made more sure – the prophetic word – the scripture that points to the work of God, that would be full revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Peter assures us of the power and source of these words, that they are not the words of men, the meditations of fallible minds trying to control us. Rather it is the word of God, the foretelling and promise of God to His people, detailing how we would be carried and delivered to God – cleansed and holy. It is this message that the Holy Spirit carried the prophets through their ordeals to deliver to us – the message that the Holy Spirit carries to us , that changes us, that fill us, that sets us free.
That is why Peter urges us, begs us to pay attention – to focus on this word – to realize the depth of the love of God that is reveals. These words… these incredible words!
Power and Coming of our Lord
Power – ability/authority
Coming – the Presence…
Peter said this was what they did instead of getting us to buy into myths. Verse 16, “when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,”
When we hear the Bible speak of power, it is talking about overwhelming ability. It is the word from which we get dynamite, and dynamic and dynamo. It goes deeper than just the physical brute force but the specific application of it to a specific problem and overwhelming it. Such is the nature of Christ’s incarnation, His life and torture and death on the cross, and the power demonstrated in His raising the dead, and He himself rising from the dead.
The word for coming is also interesting – it is the word not just for arriving – but for presence, His legal and complete present with us. For this too is the prophetic word that has been made sure – and the reason why Peter uses the very formal Lord Jesus the Christ in describing Him – each of those words having significant meaning.
No Myth – Certified Truth..
The Lord Jesus Christ
Deacon Michael talked a little about the first – the word Lord, last week. The word Lord carries concept of Jesus, the Son of God being our Master, the one with full authority over us, the one who is our protector and carries all responsibility for us. That is why we can leave anxiety behind, and know God is not just with us, we are with Him, and under His care.
We perhaps only hear Jesus’ name defined at Christmas – but it is an incredible promise found in the name. It breaks down to two words – Yahwhe and Sozo- Jesus means – God Saves. Not just some generic god with a title of God; rather the name by which YHWH identified himself to Moses, and to the people of Israel. His name. I AM, Jesus means I AM the ONE WHO SAVES – saves us, saves the saints in the Old Testament who were rescued from slavery in Egypt, the ones who would be delivered again as they cross the bed of the Red Sea, completely dry, the one who would deliver them through more water to the Holy Land. The saints who would later be baptized into that river by John the Baptist, and by the disciples of Jesus.
Jesus is the God who saves us, who rescues us, who delivers us to the Father in Heaven completely cleansed. That was and is His purpose, the purpose revealed in His title, the Christ! The Messiah, the Chosen and Annointed One. The One chosen to bear all our burdens to be crushed by the wrath of God poured out on our sins.
It is the reason for the Transfiguration my friends. For from here we begin the journey to Jerusalem, for our Lord Jesus Christ to be delivered into the hands of men, that we could be delivered into the arms of God.
That is what scripture is all about – the very thing that we rejoice in. God came and dwelt among us, as both Peter and John declare – and they beheld His glory. We too share in that glory, for He has joined our lives to His in baptism. He shares is body and blood here, as we come to this altar – broken and struggling – and leave, comforted.
Such his sure word testifies too, such His loving word proclaims… in such we find the promise of His peace.
Peace that is with us throughout all life, in the best times, in the quiet times. Incredible peace, that guards our hearts, and minds, until He returns.
AMEN.
Feast of the Transfiguration, March 6, 2011
Something More Sure
2 Peter 1:16-21
IN JESUS NAME
2 God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace. 1 Peter 1:2 (NLT)
If only… we were there…
Look what happened to those at the base of the mountain!
The transfiguration!
Standing there, as Peter did, with John and James at your side, can you imagine?
Recognizing Elijah and Moses, and wondering how you knew them; wanting to do something, anything, to be more involved than just observers and witnesses. Hearing them discuss the cross, yet not knowing the incredible sorrow and pain and joy and cleansing and freedom it would bring.
What an experience for a man to be able to endure. The absolute sense of panic as the voice from heaven echoes the Father’s pleasure as His Son begins the long trek to the…cross? Maybe that is some kind of code word for His throne – for the Father is pleased, surely this means His reign is soon to begin.
I have often thought if only I could have been there, or those who I know struggle in their faith, give them a view of the transfigured, fully glorified Jesus Christ, and all doubts would fade, there would be only peace. Temptation would lose its power; all of the trauma and pain we endure would lose its grasp on our hearts.
If only we could see Christ glorified in our midst…
Surely we would break the chains of sin, and death and the oppression of evil in our midst…
Peter did… didn’t he? (pause)
Not exactly. Matter of fact, not at all. He still struggled with sin, and fear, but he learned to cling to Jesus all the more desperately, and the promises found in the prophetic writings which recognized Jesus as Yahweh Saves, as the Chosen and Anointed one, and as our Lord and Master.
Do We Live Like it’s just a Myth?
As Peter writes this epistle – some 20-25 years after the transfiguration, he wants those to whom he writes to grasp how incredible God’s love is, how the presence of the Holy Spirit is, how incredible the promises of the scriptures are, because God stands behind them. He reassures the people that the story of Jesus is not some cleverly devised myths, as so much of what surrounded them ended up being.
The political leaders of that day had themselves declared gods, so that people would trust in them, or in their system. Their opponents used older myths to explain why the disasters, natural and man-made fell upon the people. Philosophers also used myths to control people, to get them to behave, and to live moral lives that were really empty of value. This was so prevalent that people only paid minimal attention – just enough to avoid the curses, just enough to gain favor, just enough to appear good. Just in case the myths were true.
There are some in the world today, who treat Christianity the same way – as if it is something we do, “just in case”. Just to insure the kids behave the right way. The stories of the miracles are interesting, but not life changing. They ask if we really believe that two guys, dead 800 and 1500 years, appeared to another Jewish man, who claimed to be God, and was killed, but wouldn’t stay dead. They love the morality of Christianity, and the community into which they are assimilated, the idea that they will be materially blessed if they follow the golden rule, but the claims of Christianity seemed a little far fetched, well, except the idea of spending eternity floating among the clouds instead of that …. other place.
Now I know we all believe in Jesus, we all have “faith”, we’re good Christians, but are there times we treat our “religion” as if it was a myth, more like fire insurance - just in case? Do we treat God’s word like a buffet bar, where we take the good things – the bacon and shrimp and awesome antipasto, but leave behind the broccoli and the tuna casserole? We’ll take the first and 2nd commandments, and occasionally the 3, 5, 7, but leave the rest behind? And love they neighbor – well does that mean all of them? Some of them are so unlike me – they don’t speak like me, or look like me – they.. they might even be….Yankee fans… or worse… Dodger fans! What about the commission to share our faith, and the reason we have hope? Do we treat these like a myth?
While we say we believe God’s word to be completely true, are there times where we treat parts of it as if it was no more than myth?
To those who believe or act like it is just a myth, Peter declares as a witness how incredible it was, to hear the Father testify to the work of the Son. Not only that, he declares that we have something to grasp onto even more securely: the very prophecies about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Something More Sure… So Pay Attention..
It Reveals Christ
The Word of the Holy Spirit
Not Produced by man
Carried – the production line
Our lamp shining in the dark place!
When Thomas proclaims that Jesus is the Lord and God, Jesus response was to note that those who didn’t see, yet believe, were truly blessed. Similarly here, Peter points not to the incredible experiences but to something made more sure – the prophetic word – the scripture that points to the work of God, that would be full revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Peter assures us of the power and source of these words, that they are not the words of men, the meditations of fallible minds trying to control us. Rather it is the word of God, the foretelling and promise of God to His people, detailing how we would be carried and delivered to God – cleansed and holy. It is this message that the Holy Spirit carried the prophets through their ordeals to deliver to us – the message that the Holy Spirit carries to us , that changes us, that fill us, that sets us free.
That is why Peter urges us, begs us to pay attention – to focus on this word – to realize the depth of the love of God that is reveals. These words… these incredible words!
Power and Coming of our Lord
Power – ability/authority
Coming – the Presence…
Peter said this was what they did instead of getting us to buy into myths. Verse 16, “when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,”
When we hear the Bible speak of power, it is talking about overwhelming ability. It is the word from which we get dynamite, and dynamic and dynamo. It goes deeper than just the physical brute force but the specific application of it to a specific problem and overwhelming it. Such is the nature of Christ’s incarnation, His life and torture and death on the cross, and the power demonstrated in His raising the dead, and He himself rising from the dead.
The word for coming is also interesting – it is the word not just for arriving – but for presence, His legal and complete present with us. For this too is the prophetic word that has been made sure – and the reason why Peter uses the very formal Lord Jesus the Christ in describing Him – each of those words having significant meaning.
No Myth – Certified Truth..
The Lord Jesus Christ
Deacon Michael talked a little about the first – the word Lord, last week. The word Lord carries concept of Jesus, the Son of God being our Master, the one with full authority over us, the one who is our protector and carries all responsibility for us. That is why we can leave anxiety behind, and know God is not just with us, we are with Him, and under His care.
We perhaps only hear Jesus’ name defined at Christmas – but it is an incredible promise found in the name. It breaks down to two words – Yahwhe and Sozo- Jesus means – God Saves. Not just some generic god with a title of God; rather the name by which YHWH identified himself to Moses, and to the people of Israel. His name. I AM, Jesus means I AM the ONE WHO SAVES – saves us, saves the saints in the Old Testament who were rescued from slavery in Egypt, the ones who would be delivered again as they cross the bed of the Red Sea, completely dry, the one who would deliver them through more water to the Holy Land. The saints who would later be baptized into that river by John the Baptist, and by the disciples of Jesus.
Jesus is the God who saves us, who rescues us, who delivers us to the Father in Heaven completely cleansed. That was and is His purpose, the purpose revealed in His title, the Christ! The Messiah, the Chosen and Annointed One. The One chosen to bear all our burdens to be crushed by the wrath of God poured out on our sins.
It is the reason for the Transfiguration my friends. For from here we begin the journey to Jerusalem, for our Lord Jesus Christ to be delivered into the hands of men, that we could be delivered into the arms of God.
That is what scripture is all about – the very thing that we rejoice in. God came and dwelt among us, as both Peter and John declare – and they beheld His glory. We too share in that glory, for He has joined our lives to His in baptism. He shares is body and blood here, as we come to this altar – broken and struggling – and leave, comforted.
Such his sure word testifies too, such His loving word proclaims… in such we find the promise of His peace.
Peace that is with us throughout all life, in the best times, in the quiet times. Incredible peace, that guards our hearts, and minds, until He returns.
AMEN.
