Worship Content

This Sunday in the church calendar we celebrate Transfiguration Sunday. This is the Sunday before the season of Lent begins. In the three Gospels in which it is recorded, the Transfiguration account is sandwiched between Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ and the start of the journey toward Jerusalem and the cross (Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36). Jesus takes Peter, James, and John with him up onto a high mountain where he is transfigured before their eyes into a blazing white robed figure surrounded by the cloud of God’s glory. On the mountain Moses and Elijah appear to talk with Jesus about his “exodus” (Luke 9:31). The presence of Moses and Elijah testify to the fulfillment of the Law and Prophets in Jesus Christ. Peter offers to build “tabernacles” for each of the holy ones on the mountain, indicating he hopes they will stay and he and James and John will stay with them. At that point the Father speaks from heaven, reiterating his proclamation at Jesus’s baptism that Jesus is his beloved son, with whom he is well pleased and commands us to “listen to him!” Then Moses and Elijah and the glory of the Lord depart. Peter, James and John have just gotten a terrifying glimpse of the glory of God in Christ, pre-cross and resurrection, validating Peter’s confession of who Jesus is just days before. Each gospel makes clear that this encounter is not something they can explain until after the cross, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, until the revelation of who Jesus is and what he is doing is complete. Interestingly, John’s Gospel does not include this encounter, instead John moves his whole gospel toward the revelation of the glory of Christ in the cross and resurrection which the Synoptic Gospels make clear are the keys to understanding the Transfiguration.In the Spiritual selected as the anthem for this Sunday “Climbing Up The Mountain Children” the chorus makes oblique reference to the trek up the mountain of Transfiguration, and Jesus’s temporary presence in the flesh among us. Even though, like Peter, we might want Jesus to pitch a tent and stay longer on the mountain, above the fray and the terrible threat that awaited him in Jerusalem. The song reminds us that though Jesus’s time in the flesh on this earth is temporary, we will see him again, on Judgment Day in his kingdom. A thought both glorious and terrifying, much like the experience of Peter, James, and John on the mountain at the Transfiguration.
 

In the Spiritual, two incidents from the book of Daniel: The deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:1-30), and the deliverance of Daniel from the lions’ den (Daniel 6:1-28), frame the Transfiguration chorus. If the chorus leaves us wondering how we will survive meeting our glorious Lord on Judgment day, the reminder of these two rescues in Daniel give us hope. Just like the fourth man who appeared in the fiery furnace, “like a son of the gods” (Daniel 3:25) and saved the lives of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, such that they did not even have the smell of fire on them when they emerged from the flames (Daniel 3:27), Jesus brings Peter, James, and John through the fire of God’s glory on the mountain, unharmed. Just like the angel who came to shut the mouths of
the lions to save Daniel’s life, Jesus silences the accusations of the Law and Prophets (Moses and Elijah) against his people.
 

Ultimately the Spiritual proclaims the wonderful news of the Gospel: Jesus does not stay on the mountain, basking in glory, hoping you might manage to get there too. No, the Lord, the one who rescued Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel is the same Lord on the mountain with Peter, James, and John, the same Lord we will see again on Judgment Day. And the Lord Jesus will walk through fire for you. The Lord Jesus will face down hungry lions for you. The Lord Jesus will endure the cross for you. The Lord Jesus does not want to enjoy his glory for himself, he wants to share it with you. The Lord comes for you and when he does he silences the lions of accusation and quenches the flames of rebellion. And while it may yet be terrifying to see the Lord resplendent in his resurrected and ascended
glory on judgment day, it will indeed be a “mighty day” of rejoicing!