This is My Son, Listen to Him
Matthew 17: 1-9
The Transfiguration of our Lord
Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ amen. The sermon text for the Transfiguration of our Lord is the Gospel reading Matthew 17. During this Epiphany season we have seen many instances where Jesus was revealed to be the Savior of the world. The wise men visited Him while He was still a child and recognized Him as the King of kings when they gave to Him the three gifts. At the Jordan River, it was publicly announced that Jesus was the Christ when the Holy Spirit descended upon Him and the voice of the heavenly Father was heard. During His earthly ministry He performed miracles, healed people, and preached the Word of God. These things showed His disciples, the crowds, and all of us that He is indeed the Savior.
That takes us to our reading for today and the transfiguration. Jesus brought Peter, James, and John to the top of a mountain. On that mountain our Lord gave them a glimpse of His Divine nature. “And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the Sun, and His clothes became white as light.” On that mountain Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with the Lord. And then a bright cloud overshadowed them, and the voice of the Father was heard. “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” At the transfiguration there was no doubt. The Lord Jesus is indeed the Son of God. And so it makes total sense that our Father who is in heaven would tell the disciples to listen to His Son. It makes total sense that the Father would tell us to listen to Jesus.
Yet we don’t always listen to Jesus. Peter is an example of this. Six days before the transfiguration, Jesus told His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders and chief priests and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter rebuked Jesus for saying such things. Peter at that time did not fully understand God’s plan to bring salvation to us all. Peter envisioned earthly glory. He certainly did not think that the glory of God would be reveled at the cross. Peter had his own ideas. That is why Jesus responded to him with these words. “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
Six days later on the mountain the three disciples see the Lord Jesus transfigured before them. Once again Peter was confused. He asked if he should make three tents, one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. We are uncertain why Peter said that. Maybe he wanted to stay with Jesus, Moses, and Elijah on the mountain so that he and the two other disciples could bask in the Lord’s glory. Once again forgetting that Jesus would have to leave the mountain to go to the cross. Perhaps he was elevating Moses and Elijah more than he should by offering to build three tents. God certainly worked through Moses and Elijah, but they were not equal to Jesus. It was Moses and Elijah that point us to Jesus. For it is the Lord Jesus who is the Son of God, and the Savior of the world. Whatever reason that Peter had for saying what he did, he was interrupted by the Father with these words. “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.”
Then, in the events that follow the transfiguration, we see why we are to listen to Jesus. It is because the Lord Jesus goes to the cross. He predicted His death multiple times and then accomplished it, dying to pay for all sins. Jesus affirmed His identity as the Son of God in power by rising from the dead. By His resurrection, we know all His words are true, and we can trust His promises, especially of eternal life.
Our Father in heaven told Peter, James, and John to listen to Jesus, the Son of God who died and rose. Our Father in heaven tells us the same thing. He says to us, listen to My Son. Yet we will be tempted not to listen. There are many sinful thoughts in our head and many voices in the world that will try and mislead us. The world tells us that the teachings of Jesus are outdated and no longer relevant in our modern world. There are many in today’s culture that tell us the teachings of Jesus are wrong. We are told that there are many paths to God. We are told that all the religions, including Christianity are the same. We are told that we should follow our hearts above all things. We are told that happiness and pleasure are what life is all about. We are told many things that are just not true. If we listen to the messages of the world we will be deceived. We will be molded by our culture instead of being molded by God’s Word.
Our thoughts can also deceive us. Sometimes we think too highly of ourselves, which causes us to be self-righteous. At other times our thoughts drive us into despair, which gives Satan a foothold into our heart. Our thoughts can be so preoccupied with all the wrong things which often blind us to the things of God. Yes, even our own thoughts can mislead us.
There is a popular game that youth leaders have kids play. They set up an obstacle course and divide the youth into teams of two. One teammate is blindfolded, and the other has to guide the blindfolded person through the obstacle course using only his or her voice. The fastest team through the course wins. The first time through the course, everyone watching is allowed to shout directions. The opposing teams all shout bad directions. The second time through, only the teammate can give directions. The first time through, the blindfolded youth hears so many false directions that they bump into every obstacle on the course. The second time through is much easier.
Countless voices speak deceptions to us, but God has made clear to whom we should listen. At Jesus’ transfiguration, God the Father told us to listen to His Son. We are to listen to Jesus. When we focus on God’s Word of Christ to guide us instead of listening to every voice in the world, the Lord guides us safely.
Listen to the words of Jesus. “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age”.
At Mount Transfiguration, the Lord Jesus gave to His disciples a glimpse of His Divine glory. He truly is the Son of God. Jesus went down from that mountain and went to the cross. He died and He rose from the dead to win our salvation. He now guides us and guards us and sustains us. We do indeed take up our cross and follow Him for He is the only way to eternal life. Let me conclude with the words of our heavenly Father. “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” Amen.