TRANSFIGURATION – Feb. 14, 2021 – 2 Cor. 4:1-6
“THE GLORY OF CHRIST”
Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Epistle Lesson just read, from 2 Cor. 4. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- In two of our Scripture readings today we heard about extraordinary and dramatic events. The leaving of Elijah amid chariots of fire and horses of fire, taken up to heaven in a whirlwind is awesome. He and Elisha crossing the Jordan on dry ground is amazing. The transfiguration of Jesus, and the appearance of Moses and Elijah is astonishing! In all of these instances we are blessed to behold “THE GLORY OF CHRIST.”
- In our Epistle Lesson Paul also alludes to the glory of Moses’ face when he came down the mountain after talking with God. Of course God is filled with glory and light – and so, even though God had to cover Himself so that Moses could be in His presence, Moses’ face would become illuminated. In a sense, Moses was also “transfigured” by the presence of God. We read about this in Exodus 34.
Exodus: 34:29,30 “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.”
- So, perhaps you wonder if such fabulous and remarkable things could take place today. Perhaps you wonder if you yourself might be a participant in such things. Well, this is the point of what Paul wrote in our text – about the Gospel. He explains that:
I. The Gospel Is Light – The Glory Of Christ
Text: “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.”
John 1:4,5 “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
A. Jesus Is The Exact Image Of God, Revealing God To Us
Text: “to keep them from seeing the light of the the gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God.”
Heb. 1:3 “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power.
John 14:7,9 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him. . . . Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father.”
B. We See This Light Of The Gospel And The Glory Of Christ Especially In His Crucifixion – By Which He Has Taken Away The Sin Of The Whole World
John 12:23,24 “Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
Statement: This is the glorious good news in our text – that the gospel, which we also have come to know and believe, exposes us to the very light and glory of God! And this glory far surpasses that which Moses exuded after his conversations with God. Paul explains all of this 2 Cor. 3.
2 Cor. 3:7-11 “Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.”
Application: This is the glory that you are participating in as a believer in Christ, one who knows and believes the gospel of God’s gracious forgiveness and salvation in Jesus! No, it does not make our faces shine and glow. It does something much more powerful and astounding. It changes our hearts from cold and hardened stone into hearts of compassion, mercy, love, and graciousness – just what we have experienced from God! Paul explains how this occurs:
II. Through The Ministry Of The Gospel God Reveals His Love For Us, Enlightening And Saving People
Text: “If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing – unbelievers.” God has lifted the veil off of the eyes of those who believe.
A. God’s Powerful Creative Word Shines Light Into Our Hearts, Giving Us Faith And The Knowledge Of His Glory – Seen In The Face Of Jesus Christ
Text: “For God, Who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
2 Cor. 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit.”
B. While This Ministry Takes Place Within The Church, Principally By Pastors, It Is Certainly Not About Pastors But About Christ
1. This ministry is given to pastors by grace, by the mercy of God, and not by merit
Text: “Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God we do not lose heart.”
2. So we are to have no deceit, but only truth, only God’s pure and unadulterated Word
Text: “We have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s Word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.”
3. So ministers of the Gospel receive no credit – we have only done our duty
Text: “What we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.”
Luke 17:10 “So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”
Statement: God is still doing glorious things in the world today, especially within His church. He is still shining creative light upon us – through His Word and Sacraments, in which we behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, His salvation! And the effect is transforming – “into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”
Application: So yes, not only is God doing these remarkable things today, He is also doing them with you. You are included in God’s transforming work, being brought back into His glorious image! This takes place in and through the ministry of the church – we must remember this. God’s church is so precious and beautiful! You are God’s church!
Conclusion: We tend not to see this remarkable, powerful, dynamic work of God within the church for two reasons: First, we are empiricists, and unless we see some dramatic change in matter, we are like Thomas, we struggle to see and believe; Second, we have been in the church and around other Christians so long that these things seem unremarkable to us. They are anything but mundane, when looked at against the backdrop of people who remain veiled and in the darkness!
So let us exult in the beautiful light of the gospel of the glory of Christ! Let us continue in the life of the church where God shines the light of the knowledge of His glory into our hearts and minds! It is always in “the face of Jesus Christ,” glorified eternally in His suffering and death on the cross for our salvation, and in His glorious resurrection!
Thanks and praise be to God, Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.