Transfiguration of Our Lord, March 2, 2025

Goal: That hearers will more clearly see Christ as the entire basis of our new relationship with God and, with St. Paul, boldly confess him whatever the results.

Would you look directly at the sun? Only if you wanted to burn your retinas and have permanent blind spots.

Would you like to look directly at God? It does sound wonderful. Yet Scripture describes God’s glory as being brighter than the sun. Moreover, one component of God’s glory is his holiness. Being holy doesn’t just mean God loves good; he also hates evil with burning intensity. And we sin every day. No wonder the Lord once told Moses, “No one may see me and live” (Exodus 33:20). Sinners would die if they saw God in all his holy glory. 

This being the case, how then can we possibly know God? How can we draw near to him without dying of terror? On this Transfiguration Sunday God explains. He hides his glory in order to reveal himself. To carry out his good and glorious work of salvation, Jesus hid his glory and went to the cross. To allow sinners to stare at his glory without fear or harm, God hides it in the gospel. In the gospel, we see the glory of Christ’s love, power, and salvation. The reality is that when God’s glory is hidden, it is most on display. 

The Old Covenant Finds Its Fulfillment in Christ, the new covenant, the real thing.

I. The old covenant is fading away.

The Old Testament Law and Prophets were designed to point to Christ. They never were an end in themselves, but merely served Israel as a teacher/guardian until Christ came. Well, that time has come, so here, on the Mount of Transfiguration, whom do we see with Jesus in his unveiled glory but Moses and Elijah—representatives of this old covenant, pointing us to Jesus’ “exodus,” his death for the life of the world.

Leading up to our Epistle reading today, Paul has been comparing the old covenant with the new. He concludes that the old is being brought to an end, for the old covenant cannot save, but leads only to death.

To be sure, the old covenant came with glory, but it was a “reflected” glory. Paul compares the fading glory of the old covenant to Moses coming down from Mount Sinai (2 Cor 3:7): “The Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end.” So in 2 Cor. 3:13, we see that “Moses . . . would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.”

This teaches us that the Law cannot save us. It can only show us our sin and our need for something more permanent. Our Law-keeping will never reach the perfection God demands.

Each year, on the Day of Atonement, when the sins of Israel were transferred to the innocent “scapegoat,” Israel was learning how God would redeem the world, by transferring our sins to another. With every Passover celebration, Israel would be taught to look to the “Lamb of God,” who would once and for all take away the sins of the world.

That was the old covenant—a glorious truth, but veiled, not fully revealed, and intended to fade away.

II. A “veil” prevents many from seeing the glory of the new covenant.

Sadly, to this day, many have never seen beyond that old covenant, because a veil essentially remains. Only when the Holy Spirit reveals the truth to us—only as he “calls, gathers, enlightens”—is the veil removed. Otherwise, the Scriptures remain a closed book, and we miss seeing the one behind the veil: Christ . . . on every page!

This veil is the spiritual blindness of mind and hardness of heart, 2 Cor. 3:14-15. The allusion is to the veil worn over Moses' face, hiding God's reflected glory, Ex.34:34; 2 Cor. 3:7-13.

Israel could not see because it would not, Matt. 23:37. They were stubbornly resistant to God's gracious advances made in the wilderness. They were more interested in carnal-mindedness of seeking the welfare of the body, etc. They consistently rejected the prophets (e.g. Jeremiah), they rejected Christ and the apostles (Matt. 22:1-7, 21, 33-45; Acts 7:51; 21:27ff). They had a carnal interpretation of the Kingdom, a false understanding of the Law, and a self-righteous pride.

Are we and our children different by nature? Eph. 4:18. Note God's grace toward us: Baptism, instruction in the Word of God, use of the means of grace, warnings, temporal blessing, etc. Luke 12:48. Have we possibly hardened our hearts, become carnal-minded, sought only our bodily welfare, forsaken God in self-righteous pride, become spiritually blind again? Have we only the form of godliness, but deny the power thereof? Are we permitting this to happen to our children?

Unless this veil is removed, there can be no salvation. 2 Cor. 3:14 says that “minds were hardened.” No heart to perceive the way to salvation, no eyes to see, no ears to hear; they have lost all ability of understanding of this plan: Isaiah 59:10–11 “We grope along the wall like blind men, We grope like those who have no eyes; We stumble at midday as in the twilight, Among those who are vigorous we are like dead men. All of us growl like bears, And moan sadly like doves; We hope for justice, but there is none, For salvation, but it is far from us.”

Is this groping around true of us, or of our children and that of millions of others. Is eternity real to you? If so, then what should be real is the need of lifting the veil of blindness covering mind and heart, which, if persistently ignored, leads to rejection by God in time and separation from Him in eternity.

And I know you love your children! Then recognize their greatest need, the lifting of this veil. Otherwise picture them groping through life in spiritual blindness, unable to help themselves in their hopeless quest for peace with God. What criminal neglect if we ignore this need! For this veil can be lifted. God has made it possible to remove it.

Unfortunately, a veil remains for many this very day. Because of our sinful condition, we came into this world already turned from God.

St. Paul had previously written to these Corinthians that “the natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor 2:14).

How often do we ignore God’s standard for how we are to live. How would you compare your life against the Ten Commandments?

In fact, it’s this veil that kept many in Israel from receiving Jesus. St. John reminds us in his Gospel that “he came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (Jn 1:11–13).

III. By the gracious working of the Holy Spirit, the veil is lifted in Christ.

Christ Jesus went to Jerusalem for the purpose of being “glorified”—glorified by being lifted up on the cross. And as Christ was lifted up, the old covenant was being fulfilled, and the veil was being lifted. As Jesus draws his dying breath and commends himself into the hands of the heavenly Father, as Jesus cries out from the cross, “It is finished,” the “veil” is not only being lifted, but it is also being torn in two from top to bottom (Mk 15:38)!

The glorious Gospel of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4) shines into people’s hearts and shows them in Christ the true way to heaven. Christ is the fulfilment of all that Moses said. In Him the Law of Moses has found its end with its demands for righteousness and made way for the righteousness which comes by faith; "For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes," Rom. 10:4.

Christ blotted out the handwriting of the ordinances that was against us, etc., Col. 2:14. Christ bore every curse of the Law that has been hurled against us; in Him we have redemption, Gal. 3:13, forgiveness, 2 Cor. 5:19. Here true, eternal, never-failing glory of God revealed for our salvation. As a result, we want to live for God and live by His standards. For where his glory shines into hearts, there veil is lifted, self-righteousness taken away, making room for the righteousness of Christ through faith.

When we are brought to this repentance the veil is taken away. We then see Jesus for who he truly is—our Savior from sin, death, and the power of the Law. In fact, we, by God’s grace, with “unveiled faces,” also begin to reflect the glory of Christ as the Gospel has its way with us. The Law could never produce such a change, because we cannot keep it perfectly, but the Gospel can, because it’s all about Christ and what he accomplishes for us on the cross!

This is why St. Paul can carry out his ministry and not lose heart—because it isn’t about Paul, it isn’t about Moses or Elijah, and it isn’t about us and never has been! It’s only about Jesus! Therefore Paul is free, as are we! Free to use the opportunities God gives to confess Christ, knowing that the results are up to God alone.

We simply confess Christ when and where God gives opportunity. If the message is received in grateful hearts, to God be the glory! If it’s rejected, and at times it will be, it’s only because “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, who is the image of God” (2 Cor. 4:4). We don’t lose heart, because the result isn’t our responsibility. That always rests solely with God.

Now that the veil is gone from our face, we can in the Gospel "see for ourselves as in a mirror the glory of the Lord," which is reflected back upon us and leaves its mark on us. Now we reflect His image where we go: in acts of kindness, mercy, love, meekness, self-sacrificing service, etc. (Study His life!) Through Christ, strength and power and brightness are given us, which pervade our whole life; we are renewed in knowledge, righteousness, holiness, Col.3:10; Eph.4:24. Here in part, imperfectly, there in perfection.

Prayer of the Church—Responsive Form

The Transfiguration of Our Lord

2 March 2025

Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.

Heavenly Father, in prayer Your Son, Jesus, revealed His glory to Peter, James and John. Grant that we, also gathered in prayer, would see Him by faith and receive from Him the redemption He has accomplished for us. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Almighty God, You bestow honor and favor on all who dwell in Your house and withhold no good thing from them. Give us faith in Your promises, that we who worship You here may come to dwell in Your heavenly house. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Gracious Lord, as You appointed Moses of old to lead Your people, so You sent Your Son, Jesus, to found and lead Your Church. Sustain us from age to age, and grant us teachers of righteousness to guide us in the days to come. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Holy Father, by the blood of Your Christ, He has purified His Bride, the Church. Strengthen her and give her unity of doctrine and piety. Bless this holy house, that those who enter here may do so in faith, reverence and fear of You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord, all authority is given by You and our times are in Your hands. Give wisdom to our president and those in public office, that they may govern according to Your good will. Bless the work of this congregation to reach the lost of this city. Grant favorable weather and an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and prosper all honorable vocations, businesses and industries. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Most merciful God, as we follow the way of Your apostles into Your presence, You join our prayers to the ceaseless petitions of Your dear Son. Hear us for the sake of the troubled, the sick and the dying [especially _____________]. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O Lord, we praise You, for we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Give us ears to hear Your voice speaking through Your Word, holy lips to receive Christ’s blessed Sacrament with repentance and faith, and holy awe at Your glory granted to us in the Means of Grace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord God, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember on this day the glorious manifestation of Your Son’s divinity on the Mount of Transfiguration. Teach us to listen to Jesus and always to fix our eyes on Him and His innocent suffering and death for our forgiveness. By Your grace and mercy, strengthen us to remain faithful in all circumstances of trial, temptation and persecution. Preserve us to the end, that we may die a blessed death believing in Your beloved Son with whom You are well pleased; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.