Sermon C: Transfig: Lk 9:35

For the year 2007, Transfiguration Sunday occurs on February 18, 2007. The three assigned lectionary readings are Deuteronomy 34:1-12 (Death of Moses); Hebrews 3:1-6 (Christ better than Moses) and Luke 9:28-36 (the Transfiguration). Chosen to preach on is Luke 9:35 in which God the Father speaks from the cloud, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”

If you were asked to choose the worst preacher in the world, whose name would you suggest? Some suggest Jonah or Noah or another preacher since the time of the Bible including our day. My choice? The name Jesus Christ comes to mind. “What! How can you say such a thing?” It depends. Think about it. From the world’s point of view, take a look at His record.

First time He preaches at his hometown of Nazareth, the congregation wants to throw Him off a cliff. He had to chastise His own mother, brothers and sisters for their refusal to regard Him as the Messiah. His 12 disciples deserted Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, one betrayed Him and another denied Him three times. The ruling religious leaders so hated Him that they crucified Him.

Yet we do not look at anything from our point of view. We look instead to God’s Word and how He looks at things. Verse 35 of Luke, chapter 6, has the Father saying about His Son, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” Why hear Him if He was such a failure as a preacher? But while the world may regard Him as a failure, in the scheme of things He certainly was not.

For the successful witness to God’s Word is not the one who has increasing numbers in the congregation or plenty of wealth. Instead, Christ was the most successful of preachers because He fulfilled the mission upon which He was sent. He steadfastly preached the Word of God in its purity regardless of the consequences. While Pentecost may have converted more people in one day than Jesus did in His earthly lifetime, Jesus’ death and resurrection became the foundation for our salvation.

The Law directed to each of us is not to measure the success of a preacher or a congregation or a Christian by the results (works). Instead, the Church of God is found where the Word of God is preached in its purity and the sacraments administered rightly. For our faith is in Jesus Who died so that we will never really die and Who lives so that we live eternally, is preparing an eternal home when we also will share in His glory. The only difference is that His glory is radiant while ours is reflected.